HORSE RACING

TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 12:30 p.m.

Race 1 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Claiming $16,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

Nine to Dine - Speedball has a chance to bottom out the field in an abbreviated sprint; plays catch me if you can.

Dixie Hawks - Logical chalk cuts back in distance; thus should stalk the pace and try to catch Nine to Dine late.

Long Shot - Call Aly

Race 2 - 1 mile, Purse $21,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

No Saint But Sweet - Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; back speed figures are better.

Singita - Ran well off the claim for John Sadler; slides down in class and Garrett Gomez remains loyal to the cause.

Long Shot - Unknown Heat

Race 3 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $13,000, Claiming $12,500, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Stately Appeal - Dead late closer will need some pace up front to succeed; sliding down the claiming ladder with Bejarano.

Drama Cat - Just graduated in quick fashion, now facing winners for the first time; tactical speed to sit a trip.

Long Shot - If Not For You

Race 4 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $46,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds

Questing - Logical chalk in a tough race, bulky field; Neil Drysdale adds blinkers on to maintain colt's focus.

Egypt - Big rider switch to Joe Talamo signals intent more than anything else; similar effort may be good enough.

Long Shot - Cold East Wind

Race 5 - 6 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Claiming $16,000, 4-year-olds and up

Five Star Thief - Mike Mitchell puts the for sale sign up on this cull; he'll get claimed, but he wants the purse too.

Exceeding - Win a race, drop in class is a typical red flag maneuver; Bill Spawr is shoving him down our throats.

Long Shot - Mi Rey

Race 6 - 1 mile, Purse $56,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 4-year-olds and up

Elysium Fields - Comeback off a 10-month hiatus was a winning one; he has a huge upside, stepping stone races.

Aggie Engineer - Stretching out around 2-turns for the first time; proven he does not need the lead to succeed.

Long Shot - Victory Pete

Race 7 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $53,000, Optional claiming $62,500, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Ginger Pop - Gets big time class relief in a confidence builder race; she's won going down the hill in the past.

Cool Haleigh - Dead late closer figures to see a positive race shape to rally into; parking lot post will help too.

Long Shot - Waveline

Race 8 - 6 furlongs, Purse $15,000, Maiden claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Crooked Smile - Sliding down the claiming ladder to the lowest class rung; facing a very slow group today.

Classic Demand - Speedy sort just missed in a game effort last time; consistent sort figures to be right there again.

Long Shot - Girl of Mine

Best Bet - Elysium Fields (race 6)

Santa Anita Thursday- Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/6/$35.20; Long Shots, 7/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/1/$3.00

Santa Anita Totals - 1,165/282/$1,951.20; Long Shots, 566/86/$994.00; Best Bets, 68/27/$99.60

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY - #6 Tweeter (5/1) in race 10 at Keeneland. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Thursday, Skikilu ran out at Aqueduct. Stats - 40/32/$227.90