Horse Racing: Today at Santa Anita, May 17
Post Time 12:30 p.m.
Race 1 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $23,000, Maiden claiming $30,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
3 Feel the Charge - Some 4/5 morning line favorites you can single; I wouldn’t suggest it with this one though she surely can win.
4 Valentine’s Reward - Trainer switch to Jesus Mendoza for this; Mario Gutierrez returns to ride so he knows her inside and out.
Long Shot - 2 Class Devine
Race 2 - 1 mile, Purse $26,000, Claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
4 Light Striker - Gets class relief to face an easier test; has tactical speed to sit a nice trip throughout.
2 Winningfashion - Chance to be lone early speed on the stretch out; Flavien Prat has been one formidable jockey in the room this meet.
Long Shot - 1 Spirit of Ten
Race 3 - 6 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies andmares, 3-year-olds and up
8 L X Sunrise - She’s has a lot of chances but kepts finishing second best, 10 times in 15 race; one of these days it will be her day.
2 Ms. K J - This pick is simply relying upon Rafael Bejarano; for him to accept a mount like this, he and his agent must know something.
Long Shot - 6 Coronado Cat
Race 4 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $35,000, Claiming $32,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
7 Always a Chance - Claimed by Jeff Mullins and spotted nicely to win; gets reunited with Tyler Baze who rides a lot for the barn.
5 Two Step Flor - A strong trainer angle is returning with the no claim label; it’s a free shot for the barn to win and avoid claim.
Long Shot - 6 Dissension
Race 5 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $20,000, Claiming $16,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
1 Lust for Life - Claimed by Hector Palma and spotted nicely to win; key for me is he hires Rafael Bejarano to ride.
3 Sensational Nikki - Sliding down the claiming ladder to this new career low; Peter Miller taking the blinkers off, very hot barn.
Long Shot - 6 Pay the Debt
Race 6 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $60,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 3-year-olds and up
2 Forest Chatter - Talk about a horse for the course; he has won all three races down the hillside turf course, the one to beat.
6 U S Citizen - Gets class relief from the grade 3 San Simeon for this; has a solid resume for the hillside turf course.
Long Shot - 1 Ain’t No Other Race 7 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $17,000, Claiming $8,000, 3-year-olds and up
9 Peacenik - Claimed by Peter Miller who has the hottest barn in SoCal right now; does have a tough post for an abbreviated sprint.
2 Pepper Sweet - Last seen in September as a full horse, now a first time gelding; I’ll let Rafael Bejarano do the handicapping for me.
Long Shot - 3 Parliamentarian
Race 8 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up
8 Somethings Unusual - Michael McCarthy is flying under the radar; he is a Todd Pletcher disciple and figures to get better stock soon.
6 Tosheen - Beaten favorite has some good efforts down the hillside turf course; could be lone early speed if sent hard from the gate.
Long Shot - 3 Formally Wild
Race 9 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds and up
4 Mr. Pucci - FTS from the maestro Jerry Hollendorfer; bullet workouts and Rafael Bejarano spell another live one from the barn.
6 Bellamy Concerto - Been knocking on the door and now switches back to dirt; Flavien Prat has been Richard Mandella’s rider of choice.
Long Shot - 7 Hook ‘Em Kurt
Best Bet - 2 Forest Chatter (race 6)
Santa Anita Saturday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 21/5/$31.40; Long Shots, 10/3/$27.00; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Santa Anita Meet Totals - 231/60/$361.00; Long Shots, 113/19/$235.40; Best Bets, 14/6/$24.60
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #7 Meshell (9/5) in race 8 at Churchill Downs. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Saturday, Watsdachances won at Pimlico paying $6.80 to win, $3.80 to place and $3.00 to show. Stats - 70/46/$346.30; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick
