HORSE RACING

TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 12:30 p.m.

Race 1 - 6 furlongs, Purse $45,000, Maiden special weights, 4-year-olds and up

Trumpet Player Jay - Faced a tougher group at Del Mar 5-months ago; ran well from post 12, a lot to like in here.

Eagle Strike - Must respect the team of Garrett Gomez and Bobby Frankel; has not raced in 15-months, well see.

Long Shot - Figeac

Race 2 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 8 feet), Purse $42,000, Claiming $50,000, 4-year-olds and up

Uffizi - Beaten chalk has shown that Santa Anita is his favorite turf course; a mile is a sprint distance for him.

Macduff - Solid efforts in his last two starts for a price tag; with Gomez up for Drysdale, he must be included.

Long Shot - Kris Silver

Race 3 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $21,000, Claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds

Let'spickupthepace - Mike Mitchell adds blinkers on; he's never afraid to drop and win, a big weapon for claiming trainers.

Salah Pick Six - Turns back in distance from a 2-turn route for this; expect him to sit a trip and grind it out late.

Long Shot - Seven Lucky J's

Race 4 - 7 furlongs, Purse $15,000, Maiden claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up

Six Pack Man - Ran like a horse in need of a race, his first in 5-months; Mike Pupye barn is running hot too.

Larrylarrylarry - Like the turn back in distance from a route to this elongated sprint; Joe Talamo carves out a trip.

Long Shot - Upjumpdaboogieman

Race 5 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 8 feet), Purse $52,000, Optional claiming $80,000, 3-year-olds

Hype - Had a rough trip in the Cash Call, a throw out race; this is a good confidence builder for the colt.

J P Jammer - Rank early in the Cash Call and he was thru after a half-mile; tries turf in a much easier spot.

Long Shot - Miguel's Mascot

Race 6 - 7 furlongs, Purse $30,000, Claiming $32,000, 4-year-olds and up

Scandalous - Has run much improved since switching to the Jack Carava barn; value on the big rise in class.

Be Realistic - Logical chalk holds a class edge, but has not won in a long time; key is the big class drop.

Long Shot - Squeeze Now

Race 7 - 6 1/2 furlongs, $70,000 San Pedro, 3-year-olds

Ventana - Draw a line thru two awful grade 1 routes races and his sprints are good; Bob Baffert has an uncoupled entry.

Flashmans Papers - His synthetic races at Keeneland were horrid; but his SoCal form has been magnificent on turf.

Long Shot - Arashi Cat

Race 8 - 1 1/4 miles (turf, rail at 8 feet), $150,000 San Marcos, 4-year-olds and up

Artiste Royal - A lot of U.S. horses have gone to Hong Kong and run badly; Gomez rides him for the first time.

Marsh Side - Neil Drysdale has 3 horses entered, this is the highest odds; his last two stakes efforts were excellent.

Long Shot - Medici Code

Race 9 - 7 furlongs, Purse $18,000, Maiden claiming $32,000, 3-year-olds

Rise Above - Dropping in class from MSW to maiden claiming; also turning back in distance from a route for this.

Hurley's Way - Another taking a big class drop to this bottom level class; he's turning back in distance too.

Long Shot - You Wood

Best Bet - Let'spickupthepace (race 3)

Santa Anita Sunday- Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 17/3/$22.40; Long Shots, 9/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/1/$7.00

Santa Anita Totals - 310/79/$537.00; Long Shots, 157/26/$301.20; Best Bets, 19/8/$35.60