HORSE RACING
TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK
By Richard Eng
Post Time 12:30 p.m.
Race 1 – 7 furlongs, Purse $44,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies, 3-year-olds
Nicole H – Ran well enough in debut to win this MSW condition; clearly the one to beat at very short odds.
Pink Blossom – FTS from Bruce Headley has turned in some rapid works; watch the tote board for clues on FTS.
Long Shot – Ms Margaritaville
Race 2 – 1 mile, Purse $24,000, Starter allowance $40,000, 3-year-olds
Gilligan – As difficult a 6-horse field as you’ll find; big rider switch to Joe Talamo should be rallying late.
Six Eighteen – Tepid chalk in an impossible looking race; tactical speed to get involved from the get go.
Long Shot – Straightomidnight
Race 3 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $44,000, Maiden special weights, 4-year-olds and up
Worth Repeating – Dead late closer makes his third start off a 13-month hiatus; reunited with Rafael Bejarano.
Horowitz – Speedball will like the turf rail out 15 feet; that makes a big difference, especially down the hill.
Long Shot -Discontent
Race 4 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $15,000, Maiden claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up
Exile – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; facing an extremely slow field.
Ol’dogtown – Has had a zillion chances, but runs fast enough to get into the number on occasion.
Long Shot – Sense of Occasion
Race 5 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $48,000, Allowance, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
Devine Actress – Third career start for a 5-YO; like that Rafael Bejarano exits others to ride for David Hofmans.
Living Our Dream – Lost Bejarano to the chalk, but a nice sub in Tyler Baze; tactical speed to sit a nice trip.
Long Shot – Wild Poppy
Race 6 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $52,000, Optional claiming $25,000, Cal-breds, 4-year-olds and up
Fantasy Free – Claimed by A. C. Avila, who continues to train red-hot; like that he hires Rafael Bejarano too.
Laser Point – Jeff Mullins is another barn putting up good numbers early in the meet; last in open company was good.
Long Shot – Sir Bell
Race 7 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $32,000, Claiming $40,000, 4-year-olds
Devil Cat M D – Dead late closer was claimed by Doug O’Neill; Joel Rosario will sit in arrears and make one run.
Flashmans Papers – Tepid chalk has done some of his best running over Arcadia sod; tactical speed to sit a trip.
Long Shot – Point Attended
Race 8 – 1 1/16th miles, $100,000 Santa Ysabel, Fillies, 3-year-olds
Zilva – Was in the hunt late in the BC Juvenile Fillies; big rider switch to Rafael Bejarano and facing lesser.
Crisp – Incredible MSW win where she bolted on the turn, straightened out, then came flying near the outer rail to win.
Long Shot – Evening Jewel
Race 9 – 6 furlongs, Purse $44,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, Fillies, 3-year-olds
Blind Optimism – Was well bet in debut, but broke slow and did a pop and stop; expect much better in second start.
Bonita Montana – Outran her 52/1 odds in debut; keep an eye on the 10 FTS, you have an edge of seeing the tote board.
Long Shot – Z and I
Best Bet – Exile (race 4)
Santa Anita Saturday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 18/7/$52.40; Long Shots, 9/2/$19.40; Best Bet, 1/1/$5.60
Santa Anita Totals – 196/49/$337.80; Long Shots, 100/15/$158.40; Best Bets, 12/6/$25.00
SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY – #3 Soda Jerk (8/5) in race 2 at Tampa Bay. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Saturday, Screen to Screen ran out at Penn National. Stats – 12/9/$55.80
