Horse Racing: Today at Santa Anita Park, April 4

TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds and up

2 Chief Havoc - Well regarded enough to run in the grade 1 Champagne; ran like a horse that needed a start in last.

3 Moreno - Rough start in last, then chased a wicked fast early pace; will enjoy the stretch out with a slower first half mile.

Long Shot - 1 Rocabar

Race 2 - 6 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Maiden claiming $30,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

4 Bas - Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; Doug O’Neill taking the blinkers off.

6 Julio’s Gold - Sliding down the maiden claiming ladder to this bottom rung; need not be much to be competitive with these.

Long Shot - 1 Going Back to Cali

Race 3 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $58,000, Allowance, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

7 My Cinsation - Speedball will love the turf rail out 30 feet; Edwin Maldonado will play catch me if you can.

4 Always a Chance - Like the cut back in distance from route to sprint; start of pick 6 with a carryover of $88K.

Long Shot - 5 Luxuriance

Race 4 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $32,000, Claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up

2 Joe Carl - Has been claimed four races in a row; reclaimed by Bob Hess, a very positive trainer manuever.

1 Spit Ball - Won first off the claim by Ron Ellis; showed sharp improvement, now is bumped up a notch in class.

Long Shot - 3 Guidopanzini

Race 5 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $25,000, Claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up

2 Midnight Crooner - Bob Baffert colt won the Oceanside last summer; hard to belive he is dangled for a $25K price tag.

1 Mr. Candy Bar - Like the rail post with a short run to the first turn; will save all the ground and come running late.

Long Shot - 3 Golden Mexico

Race 6 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, 4-year-olds and up

6 Unmarked Bills - The extra half furlong could be just what the doctor ordered; Richard Mandella barn has been hot this meet.

3 Warren’s Parolee - Stretched out to a mile in last, now cuts back in distance; figures to get involved from the get go.

Long Shot - 1 Warren’s Wesley

Race 7 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $80,000, 3-year-olds

1 Disarm - Has twice chased a fast sprinter in Distinve Passion; was flattered when Hear the Ghost won out of that last effort.

2 Horizon Sky - Logical chalk may be the shortest priced chalk on the card; single on many, many pick 6 tickets.

Long Shot - 7 No Contingency

Race 8 - 5 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Maiden claiming $30,000, 3-year-olds

10 Fighting On - Sliding down the maiden claiming ladder to this bottom rung; can stalk a fast pace and come grinding late.

2 Dockweiler - Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; tons of early speed, simple tactics in here.

Long Shot - 1 Stormin City

Best Bet - 7 My Cinsation (race 3)

Santa Anita Park Sunday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 17/5/$29.00; Long Shots, 9/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/1/$2.60

Santa Anita Park Totals - 968/257/$1,663.30; Long Shots, 480/63/$710.60; Best Bets, 55/22/$89.80

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #4 Game Ball (3/1) in race 8 at Gulfstream Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Sunday, Accent won at Fair Grounds paying $2.80 to win, $2.20 to place and $2.20 to show. Stats - 53/38/$295.70; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick