Santa Anita’s Pick 6 this Friday, March 28, will feature a $71,790 carryover pool. It won’t be easy to hit, but it will be lucrative for anyone who does. Here’s a closer look and a suggested $180 ticket:
SA 4th race (5:30 p.m. EST) -- GRACIE’S BIG DAY seized the moment when race favorite LIQUID SPIRIT was fractious in the gate, reloaded and caught in a duel at the same level. But she won by 5-1/2 lengths, gets in light-weighted and gets plenty of pace to rally into in a longer sprint. She is the first of two solo plays on the ticket.
SA 5th race (6:00 p.m. EST) -- GIRVIN GAL, one of several class droppers in the $50,000 maiden claimer on the turf, ‘lost command but fought on’ to the sixteenth pole before the deep-closing favorites arrived. The fractions and final time were nearly identical to a $50,000 optional claiming race on the same card. READY TO DARE met heavily favored and next-out repeat winners in her first two starts for this barn, then got up for second behind the class-dropping, odds-on favorite last out.
SA 6th race (6:30 p.m. EST) -- MAMARANDO, second in 3 of her last 8 route attempts, had a useful comeback sprint off a three-month layoff, getting up for third behind the runaway 3-to-5 winner and ‘whittled the gap’ on the 3-1 runner-up. Her dam was a first-out MSW winner. EMPRESS LORRAYNE finished second in her last three starts, two for a higher tag and the latest against the boys, though her overall company lines are suspect. She can use her speed well from the rail and will be used on most Pick 6 tickets. SMOKEM HOT GIRL takes on older rivals but need not be much to contend at first asking. She kept a busy work tab in March and her dam was 9/2-2-1 in nine starts at one mile and beyond.
SA 7th race (7:00 p.m. EST) -- EL REY REY, better than his winning margin indicated two back, caught the pace controlling favorite for a repeat victory at 1-1/8 miles. The added ground is to his benefit as he seeks her third turf victory in a row. COALINGA ROAD followed the move of the 8-to-5 winner when second in his seasonal debut against Cal-bred stakes rivals. He rallied too late in a slower-paced follow-up against a proven allowance winner and a stakes-placed runner-up. NONE ABOVE THE LAW spent most of his 2yo season in stakes company, winning once and earning more than $100,000. Trainer Peter Miller ran two claimed runners in turf marathons last year with a 6-1 winner and 4-1 runner-up.
SA 8th race (7:30 p.m. EST) -- COWBOY MIKE appeared in serious trouble as the 3-to-5 favorite against similar foes, but he dug in when collared and won for the third time in his last four route attempts on the Santa Anita main track. His versatility comes in handy with speedy, Grade 3-placed sprinter BARTHOLDY and others added to the mix.
SA 9th race (8:00 p.m. EST) -- Going at least 5-deep in a field of unproven milers in the final leg of the Pick 6. GARDEN PARTY (#10) is the top choice if she draws in off the also-eligible list. She ‘gained third’ in a turf sprint after eight months away, shows a fastest-of-37 work since then and her dam’s siblings were 15-63 going a route of ground. HAVE PATIENCE is the top pick from the main body of the race. She showed good zip from the gate, dueled and just missed in a 6F grass sprint two back, finishing 3-1/2 lengths in front of a next-out turf mile winner.
Suggested $2 Ticket
SA 4th Race: 4
SA 5th Race: 1, 3
SA 6th Race: 1, 3, 5
SA 7th Race: 1, 6, 9
SA 8th Race: 5
SA 9th Race: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8 (add #10 if in the race)
Cost: $180
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