HORSE RACING

By Richard Eng

Post Time 12:30 p.m.

Race 1 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $18,000, Maiden claiming $32,000, 3-year-olds

Kim’s Leading Man – Wore front bandages for the first time in last; it was a career best try, part of the claiming game.

Chimu – FTS from Victor Garcia, gets the services of Rafael Bejarano; vote is a leap of faith on the jockey’s agent.

Long Shot – Blackman Bay

Race 2 – 7 furlongs, Purse $21,000, Claiming $20,000, 4-year-olds

Boyoboy – Clever win off a 2-month hiatus; found the right running style, which is to take back and make one run.

I Wanna Go Fast – Dead late closer ships down from NoCal; appears better suited as a late closing sprinter.

Long Shot – Cut the Check

Race 3 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf), $55,000 Baffle, 3-year-olds

Macias – Bob Baffert has an uncoupled entry in here; won the Eddie Logan at a mile, turns back in distance today.

Ace of Aces – All 3 U.S. turf races have been around 2-turns; like the turn back for this elongated sprint.

Long Shot – Farmer Giles

Race 4 – 1 mile, $250,000 Las Virgenes, Fillies, 3-year-olds

Blind Luck – Surely the shortest priced favorite of the day; she could be the best 3-YO filly in the country.

Switch – Looks like lone early speed to me; Tyler Baze will try to steal the verdict on the front end.

Long Shot – Evening Jewel

Race 5 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf), Purse $42,000, Claiming $62,500, Fillies, 3-year-olds

No More Travellin’ – Turns back in distance after 2 one mile turf tries; her sprint races she’s been able to close.

Top Seeded – Like that Rafael Bejarano remained loyal despite a lousy race; trying turf and the hill for the first time.

Long Shot – Sandy Cheeks

Race 6 – 1 1/16th miles, $150,000 Robert B. Lewis, 3-year-olds

Tiz Chrome – Bob Baffert loves this colt; probably his second best KY Derby prospect behind champion Lookin at Lucky.

American Lion – Both favorites are sired by Tiznow, that’s distance pedigree; Julien Leparoux will sit for one run.

Long Shot – Caracortado

Race 7 – 1 mile (turf), Purse $30,000, Claiming $32,000, 4-year-olds and up

Becrux – 8-YO has lost a step, or two, but drops to a career low class level; caveat is SA sod has never been to his liking.

Rumba Along – Tepid chalk in a wide open affair; claimed by Jack Carava, like that Joel Rosario opted to ride.

Long Shot – Squallcreek

Race 8 – 1 1/16th miles, $250,000 Santa Maria Handicap, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

St Trinians – Mike Mitchell mare is 3-for-3 in the U.S. and could be any kind; trades blows with a very tough favorite.

Life Is Sweet – Logical chalk off her sharp BC win; BC champs have fared ver poorly in their next out starts.

Long Shot – Mushka

Race 9 – 1 1/8th miles, $200,000 Strub, 4-year-olds

Misremembered – Gets a better post on the redraw; rail spot is good in route as he’ll save ground around the first turn.

Eagle Poise – Untested Woodbine shipper facing the hardest test of his career; makes his first start for traine Bill Mott.

Long Shot – Viscount

Race 10 – 1 mile (turf), Purse $45,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds

Royal F J – Twice beaten favorite just needs some racing luck; has a big late kick and figures to fire in the lane.

Royce – Dead game in first race off a 3-month hiatus; tries turf and stretches out around 2-turns for the first time.

Long Shot – Mister Do It

Best Bet – Blind Luck (race 4)

Santa Anita Friday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/2/$17.00; Long Shots, 8/1/$10.20; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Santa Anita Totals – 517/131/$830.00; Long Shots, 260/40/$422.60; Best Bets, 32/12/$58.20

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY – #8 Pious Ashley (12/1) in race 7 at Gulfstream Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Custer ran second at Gulfstream Park paying $5.60 to place and $4.20 to show. Stats – 32/22/$160.70