HORSE RACING
TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK
By Richard Eng
Post Time 1 p.m.
Race 1 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $18,000, Maiden claiming $32,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds
Miss Celebration - Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; need not be much to compete with these.
Miss Olivia K - Tepid chalk has only 2 career starts, which is a positive; like the subtle turn back in distance.
Long Shot - Melbisha
Race 2 - 6 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
Pink Diamond - Ran creditably in last on the big class drop; if she improves one step, she can definitely win.
Yodelady O - Ran a real stinker in last; like that Rafael Bejarano rides back despite the awful race in last.
Long Shot - What's The Prize
Race 3 - 7 furlongs, Purse $15,000, Maiden claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
The Legal Blonde - Beaten favorite adds blinkers on for this; like the turn back in distance, wide post helps her stalk too.
Irish Pepper - Has cashed 5 paychecks in a row without graduating; hard to ignore in vertical exotics, but certainly no single.
Long Shot - Simply Put
Race 4 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $41,000, Claiming $50,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
Sleep Tight - Claimed by John Sadler from Mike Mitchell in last; bigger question is the stretch out to a mile and 2-turns.
Victoria Reel - Exits a bullet work and adds Garrett Gomez; Sandy Shulman few wins lately have come with Gomez up.
Long Shot - Lilly Fa Pootz
Race 5 - 1 mile, Purse $46,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
She's Not Lion - By Lion Heart, she'll be able to stretch out around 2-turns; barely a blip among Todd Pletcher 3-YOs.
Unknown Heat - Getting long in the tooth with 19 career starts; she has been more consistent on turf than synthetics.
Long Shot - Torrey Cliffs
Race 6 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $48,000, Allowance, 4-year-olds and up
Norvsky - Was flattered when Top Feeling won convincing next out; he has yet to run a bad turf race from 4 tries.
Tamarack Smarty - Has butted heads with Norvsky before; not much separating the two, multiple race winners in a NW1X.
Long Shot - Worth Repeating
Race 7 - 6 furlongs, Purse $49,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 4-year-olds and up
Canonize - Ran huge last time without a win to show for it; second start off an 8-month hiatus, can step forward.
Nikki'sgoldensteed - Underrated foe exits much tougher stakes for this; won last time he ran for a price tag.
Long Shot - Mobilized
Race 8 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $24,000, Starter allowance $40,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
Coracao Beijo - Been knocking on the door, now Jenine Sahadi adds blinkers on; expect her to power home late.
Super Sophie - Beaten favorite in last two, hard to get overconfident with her; she may win but at very short odds.
Long Shot - Kazroad
Best Bet - Pink Diamond (race 2)
Santa Anita Sunday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 18/5/$38.80; Long Shots, 8/2/$11.80; Best Bet, 1/1/$9.40
Santa Anita Totals - 871/219/$1,460.60; Long Shots, 431/69/$732.40; Best Bets, 52/18/$88.60
SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY - #3 Conga Bella (7/2) in race 9 at Aqueduct. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Sunday, Vee ran second at Tampa Bay paying $3.40 to place and 2.80 to show. Stats - 53/39/$282.00
