For all of those who celebrate, happy Easter.
The stakes schedule is light today, which is unsurprising, considering the number of stakes races yesterday, and the fact that many of the major tracks are closed for the holiday. But we’ve still doped out four plays for you, in four races, all at beautiful Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. We expect fast dirt and firm turf in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains, so let’s go.
Santa Anita Park, Race 1, 4:00 pm ET
Maiden Special Weight, 6 furlongs, Turf, California-breds 3 & Up
Eight go here. The pick is the delightfully named 1-Racetrackers, who makes the fourth start of his career for trainer Ron Ellis. He’s gotten better every time he’s run; another move forward here, which we expect, and he’s headed to the winner’s circle. Look for him to be mid-pack early, and moving late. We will bet him to win at 3-1. The bet: Santa Anita, Race 1, $30 to win on 1-Racetrackers.
Santa Anita Park, Race 3, 5:12 pm ET
Maiden Special Weight, 6 furlongs, Turf, Fillies & Mares 3 & Up
There is a lot of speed in this group of six female maidens, which makes the pick the stretch-running 2-Kalon. The John Sadler trainee got stuck behind a slow pace in her last, which mitigated her late kick, but still managed to rally to finish fourth, only 1 ¾ lengths behind the winner. A faster pace today will play more in her favor. We will bet her to win at 5/2. The bet: Santa Anita Park, Race 3, $40 to win on 2-Kalon.
Santa Anita Park, Race 6, 6:20 pm ET
$10,000 Claiming, 6 furlongs, Dirt, Fillies & Mares 4 & Up
3-Uno Trouble Maker was claimed for $10,000 two starts back by trainer Milton Pineda, who shipped him north, to Golden Gate Fields, and bumped him in class to the $32k level. This is the kind of aggressive move we typically like, but there was one problem with it: Uno Trouble Maker hated the synthetic surface at Golden Gate, and he finished dead last. Now he is back at the level at which he has shown success, and on the surface he prefers. That means the other seven entrants are running for second money. We will bet him to win. The bet: Santa Anita, Race 6, $35 to win on 3-Uno Trouble Maker.
Santa Anita Park, Race 7, 7:26 pm ET
Allowance/Optional Claiming, 1 ¼ miles, Turf, Fillies & Mares 4 & Up
Older fillies and mares line up for this second-level grass allowance. The seven entrants have a collective one start, and zero wins, as this distance, so there’s some projection about who will be able to stay the mile and a quarter. We think that 6-Rocking Redhead, can: we think she will get a walking lead, setting the pace while running very slow fractions, and that will allow her both to hold off the come-from-behinders, and to carry her speed over the race’s 10 furlongs. We will bet her to win at 5/2. The bet: Santa Anita, Race 7, $35 to win on 6-Rocking Redhead.
That’s all for today. Until the next time, enjoy the racing, be safe, and, as always, good luck at the windows.