Horse Racing: Today at Santa Anita, Jan. 2

Race 1 – 1 mile, Purse $32,000, Claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up
3 Anxious Times – Ran a real cropper in last, but is dropped way down in class by HOF trainer Richard Mandella; his races two and three back would defeat these.
5 Athens – Continued his winning ways first race off the claim by trainer Peter Miller; horse has won 3 of 5 starts in Arcadia so strike while the iron is hot.
Long Shot – 1 Nahem
Race 2 – 1 1/8th miles (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds
3 Aztec Warrior – Was grinding away late in his career debut; he is by Kitten’s Joy so expect a grass career and improvement with each start.
4 Gio Mio – Races as a first time gelding tonight, the ultimate equipment change; was thought of enough to run in two stakes races as a maiden.
Long Shot – 5 Gotnoquit
Race 3 – 6 ½ furlongs, $200,000 Santa Ynez, Fillies, 3-year-olds
4 Treasuring – HOF trainer Bob Baffert has an uncoupled entry that could be very salty; I suspect one of them will leave and the other will take back on the cutback.
7 Pretty N Cool – Both Bob Baffert filly are cutting back in distance, a strategy that I like very much; this filly has been ridden in all starts by Martin Garcia.
Long Shot – 6 Code Warrior
Race 4 – 6 furlongs, Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, Fillies, 3-year-olds
3 A Lucky Carry – After idling in reverse in most of her debut race, she fired late to just miss; she was well bet in career debut for the maestro Jerry Hollendorfer.
5 Desperate Chick – Among six FTS in this motley field; it is Cal-breds so I reserve judgment for what we are going to see tonight.
Long Shot – 6 Spread the Joy
Race 5 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $40,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
6 Evo Campo – Big rider switch to Rafael Bejarano for the money shot; has good tactical speed and with the turf rail out 10 feet, that can be a real benefit.
9 Tiz a Classy Lass – Has won two grass routes in a row so is in rare form right now; jockey Flavien Prat is taking over for Mario Gutierrez.
Long Shot – 7 Gift of a Star
Race 6 – 6 ½ furlongs, $100,000 Midnight Lute, 4-year-olds and up
1 Seattle Serenade – He has won both of his career starts like he is made of something special; is 6/1 morning line but can’t imagine he’ll go off that high.
6 All Run – Has won three races in a row since joining trainer Richard Baltas barn; keeps moving up the class ladder and now tries his first stakes tonight.
Long Shot – 3 Distinctiv Passion
Race 7 – 6 ½ furlongs, Purse $16,000, Claiming $12,500, 4-year-olds and up
11 Whiskey Wild – Sliding down the claiming ladder to the lowest class of his career; has good tactical speed and an outside post to stalk the early pace.
5 Black Tie – Has finished in the money in half of his career starts; all of these starters in NW2L condition are camera shy, so eight in the money finishes looks alright.
Long Shot – 8 Player’s Charm
Race 8 – 1 1/8th miles (turf, rail at 10 feet), $200,000 San Gabriel, 4-year-olds and up
2 Big John B – Turned in a nice second in the Hollywood Turf Cup last out; has no early speed so expect Rafael Bejarano to relax in the back and make one sustained run.
8 Obviously – It this horse can’t win wire to wire at a mile, why should he prefer 9-furlongs?; my thought process here is the pace should be incredibly soft for this guy.
Long Shot – 7 Bal a Bali
Race 9 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, 4-year-olds and up
1 Travel Bound – Has improved with the addition of blinkers in his last three starts; with the chance to save all of the ground, this guy should have some late energy.
6 Radio Silent – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; adds on two major changes, jockey Rafael Bejarano and blinkers on for Clifford Sise.
Long Shot – 10 Where’s Bubba
Best Bet - 2 Big John B (race 8)
Santa Anita Friday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 17/2/$12.00; Long Shots, 9/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Santa Anita Totals - 82/17/$108.40; Long Shots, 42/5/$44.80; Best Bets, 4/0/$0
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #2 Mountain Music Man (7/2) in race 7 at Gulfstream Park. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, City Steel ran out at Aqueduct. Simo stats - 5/0/$0; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick