Horse Racing: Today at Santa Anita, Oct. 24

Post Time 1 p.m.
Race 1 – 1 mile, Purse $29,000, Claiming $25,000, 3-year-olds and up
3 Tulira Castle – Claimed in last by trainer Peter Miller off a nice victory; this has been a consistently good animal who had a lot of gaps early in his career.
2 City State – Was claimed in last by trainer Hector Palma off a gritty win; is raised in class but has won for this price tag before, sharp form right now.
Long Shot – 5 Mistaken Identity
Race 2 – 5 ½ furlongs, Purse $52,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds
2 Hoffenheim – HOF trainer Bob Baffert has a 3-horse uncoupled entry and he looks like he’s loaded; this FTS cost $900K, we’ll see.
1 Drefong – This is the second ply of the Bob Baffert uncoupled entry; remember there is a tendency for the higher odds horses to outrun the favorite.
Long Shot – 6 Student Body Left
Race 3 – 6 furlongs, Purse $21,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds
8 Frac Candy – Was claimed last time but the claim was voided, so he returns to trainer Keith Desormeaux; gets a free roll for $30K, adding blinkers on.
6 I’mcomingthrough – Beaten favorite last time out facing similar foes; has some early speed in what may be a no passing zone affair.
Long Shot – 4 Purrin’ Proud
Race 4 – 6 ½ furlongs (turf), Purse $53,000, Optional claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up
11 Hawkedon – Has won twice down the hillside turf course; like the parking lot post too, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, lots to like on this guy.
5 Roy H – Speedball has run down the hillside turf course twice this spring; he won one and placed in another, been working bullets for this try.
Long Shot – 6 Incline Village
Race 5 – 6 furlongs, Purse $15,000, Claiming $12,500, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
1 Golds Venice – Finally broke thru with graduation day in last after dropping down to a $20K price tag; believe when I say this group is not much faster than that group.
8 Imwiththeblonde – If you can draw a lin thru last, her resume looks a whole lot better; has a huge chance due to the major class drop.
Long Shot – 3 Fast Magoo
Race 6 – 5 ½ furlongs, Purse $52,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds
8 Oppidum – HOF trainer Bob Baffert has another 3-ply uncoupled entry in this MSW race; this one did a pop and stop in debut, now gets stable rider Martin Garcia.
2 Arabian Leopard – Twice beaten favorite has lost by double digit lengths in both tries; gets Victor Espinoza this time, won’t be shocked by a big wake up call.
Long Shot – 9 Jury
Race 7 – 1 1/8th miles (turf), $200,000 Twilight Derby, 3-year-olds
3 Om – Has found a home on grass with two sharp wins and a placing; used to hold the handle of the only horse to have defeated American Pharoah before his Travers loss.
2 Mister Brightside – Has been mostly a maven at the elongated sprint distance in Great Britain; will use Lasix in his U.S. debut, suspect he can go farther.
Long Shot – 8 Royal Albert Hall
Race 8 – 1 mile, $70,000 Big Bear, 3-year-olds and up
5 Dortmund – Sight unseen since the Preakness at Pimlico; he was very highly regarded but had the big shadow of stablemate American Pharoah always in his way.
3 Point Piper – Was way overmatched in the grade 1 Awesome Again last time out; should enjoy this class relief and the switch to main man Rafael Bejarano.
Long Shot – 2 Motown Men
Race 9 – 1 mile (turf), Purse $52,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds
10 British Bulldog – Didn’t run much of a speed figure, but showed some fondness for the sod; like the idea that HOF rider Mike Smith accepted the mount.
11 Aztec Warrior – FTS is by Kitten’s Joy and seemingly all of his get run great on grass; watch the tote board for clues as this one could take a lot of money.
Long Shot – 7 Canada
Best Bet - 11 Hawkedon (race 4)
Santa Anita Friday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/6/$39.20; Long Shots, 8/1/$13.80; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Santa Anita Totals - 285/63/$390.20; Long Shots, 144/31/$384.00; Best Bets, 15/4/$14.40
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #8 Tiger Moth (5/2) in race 8 at Keeneland. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Bold Conquest won at Keeneland paying $5.40 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Stats - 157/105/$808.50; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick