Specifically designed for the rolling exotic player, Jeff Siegel’s Daily Santa Anita Handicapping Analysis, Wagering Strategies, and Workout Commentary identify those horses that should be included in daily doubles, pick-3s, pick-4s, pick-5s, and the pick-6.
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Grade Descriptions:
Grade A=Highest degree of confidence
Grade B=Solid Play.
Grade C=Least preferred or pass
Grade X=probable winner but likely at odds too short to play
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RACE 1: Post: 1:00 PT Grade: B
Main ticket: (in order of preference): 3-Acquired Class
Backups/savers: 7-Don Corleone
Forecast: Acquired Class makes his first start since his debut as a 2-year-old last May, and while he finished a distant sixth (beaten 11 lengths) he’s very likely much better than the race shows. A first-time Lasix user, a first time gelding, and now in the Peter Miller barn, the son of Cairo Prince returns protected in straight maiden company, entices leading rider Juan Hernandez, and shows a solid, healthy series of San Luis Rey Downs workouts that includes a :59 3/5 five furlong gate drill eight days ago. With More Than Ready on the bottom side of his pedigree, he should enjoy the switch to grass, so at 4-1 on the morning line he’s worth a gamble. The “other” Miller entrant, Don Corleone, brought $1.2 million at the OBS March sale last year but hasn’t looked like anything close to that in his first two starts. He’s another bred for grass (More Than Ready again) and has plenty of early speed, so with a recent race under his belt, the change in surface, and the shortening in trip he has every right to display considerable improvement, especially if she can clear the field during the opening furlong. We’ll try to get by in rolling exotic play using just these two, with preference on top to Acquired Class.
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RACE 2: Post: 1:29 PT Grade: C+
Main ticket: (in order of preference): 1-Strike That; 3-Butkus
Backups/savers: none.
Forecast: When last seen 11 months ago Strike That was finishing a respectable third behind Brickyard Ride in the Kona Gold Stakes after having previously been claimed for $80,000. He returns today in a $16,000 claimer, so obviously all his not right with the son of Biondetti, but if he has one good race left he should be able to easily outrun this field. At 8/5 on the morning line, though, he offers a poor gamble. Butkus annihilated a restricted (nw-2) $20,000 field by more than five widening lengths last time out and a repeat that effort today makes him the one to fear most. Today’s extra furlong certainly shouldn’t hurt this late-running sprinter, so while he’s nowhere near as fast as Strike That on pure ability he certainly is easier to trust. We’ll include both in our rolling exotics in a race that might otherwise be best left alone.
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RACE 3: Post: 1:59 PT Grade: B+
Main ticket (in order of preference): 3-Pammy’s Ready; 2-Unbridled Mary
Backups/savers: none.
Forecast: Pammy’s Ready has been away since November but she has a history of firing fresh and returns in a second level allowance turf sprint that fits her perfectly. The Peter Miller-trained daughter of More Than Ready can handle any distance but may be most comfortable around one turn, and in a race lacking in pace she projects to on or near the lead throughout. The barn’s “go-to” rider Ramon Vasquez, who was aboard when she missed in a photo at 20-1 in the Unzip Me Stakes last fall, returns to ride the genuine and consistent filly who is listed as the second choice at 9/5. Unbridled Mary defeated Pammy’s Ready in a photo when they squared off in a maiden turf sprint at Del Mar in November of 2021, is she’s the one she’ll have to hold off again. A prototype late-running sprinter, the John Sadler-trained daughter of Maclean’s Music will have to rally against the grain today and without the necessary help up front her task won’t be easy. Both should be included in rolling exotic play, with preference on top – due the projected pace flow – to Pammy’s Ready.
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RACE 4: Post: 2:30 PT Grade: C+
Main ticket (in order of preference): 2-A Little Bit Crazy; 3-Sugar Sugar
Backups/Savers: none
Forecast: Bottom rung ($20,000) maiden claiming fillies and mares meet over a mile on the main track in a race in which the main players aren’t trustworthy. Sugar Sugar has hit the board in four of her last six starts, so eventually (maybe today) she should be able to find a field she can beat, but she’s already had 13 starts and clearly lacks a winning punch. You have to use her somewhere on your ticket along with our top shaky top pick, A Little Bit Crazy, still a maiden after nine starts but dropping to this level for the first time and with speed figures that are more than good enough to handle this bunch. Our best advice is to tread lightly.
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RACE 5: Post: 3:03 PT Grade: B-
Main ticket (in order of preference): 2-Elegance Code
Backups/savers: none
Forecast: This race is borderline inscrutable, so rolling exotic players can either buy the race or zero in on a single and hope to be right. Elegance Code, making her third start off a layoff, was wide throughout from her outside (seven of seven) post position in a similar turf mile for older state-bred fillies and mares and under the circumstance didn’t do badly when weakening late to wind up fourth, beaten less than two lengths. She’s much better drawn today (in the two-hole) and projects to be on or near the lead throughout while saving valuable ground. Lightly raced with only four career starts but with only a modest amount of ability, she probably has more room for improvement than most of the others, so at 3-1 on the morning line she’s our top pick in a race in which nothing would surprise us.
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RACE 6: Post: 3:35 PT Grade: B
Main ticket (in order of preference): 2-Cornelia Fort; 1-She’s Reliant
Backups/savers: none
Forecast: Cornelia Fort looked pretty good graduating in a maiden $50,000 affair earlier this meeting and is wheeled back protected by new trainer John Sadler, who may have made a timely claim and could very well receive a quick return on investment. The daughter of Grazen earned a solid speed figure in victory and likely has further improvement ln her. With Juan Hernandez staying aboard, she appears pretty solid as the 2-1 morning line favorite. We’ll also include on our ticket the Golden Gate Fields debut maiden $25,000 winner She’s Reliant, who was shipped north after training at San Luis Rey Downs to wire the field in visually pleasing style. She actually earned a faster speed figure than Cornelia Fort but did so over a synthetic surface. Today she will be asked to try tougher foes over conventional dirt from an inside draw, but if she leaves running she is certain to be part of the pace. We’ll give Cornelia Fort the edge on top but have tickets using both in our rolling exotics.
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RACE 7: Post: 4:07 PT Grade: B+
Main ticket (in order of preference): 4-Teena Ella; 1-Manhattan Jungle
Backups/savers:
Forecast: Manhattan Jungle just won the Sweet Life Stakes over this course and distance and returns under similar conditions in this listed stakes for sophomore fillies. Though the rail post is traditionally not where you’d prefer to leave from in these slalom events, the draw shouldn’t have any impact in a race that drew just six starters. The Irish-bred filly likes to settle early and blast home; the only concern is a lack of pace that makes her style somewhat problematic. Teena Ella appears to have found a home on grass, so though her dam (Beholder) certainly did her best work on dirt. Nonetheless, this daughter War Front improved big time when switched to the lawn in her third career start to record an impressive maiden tally over the flat course and should be just as effective down the hill. On pure numbers she’s right there with ‘Jungle and a strong case can be made that she has more room for improvement. Both should be included in rolling exotic play; due to price considerations we’ll press using Teena Ella on top.
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RACE 8: Post: 4:39 PT Grade: B-
Main ticket (in order of preference): 4-Ladywearsthering; 2-Kristi’s Tiger; 5-Scatchmejamin
Backups/savers: none
Forecast: Here’s a fairly competitive first level allowance main track sprint for fillies and mares that requires some coverage in rolling exotic play. We’ll go three deep and hope that’s sufficient. Ladywearsthering has done most of her training over the Golden Gate Fields Tapeta surface while preparing for her California debut after compiling a decent record while racing exclusively on grass at Woodbine last year. How she’ll handle dirt is anybody’s guess, but her pedigree (Uncle Mo x Speightstown) strongly suggests that this should be her preferred surface. Her form as a 3-year-old north of the border was up-and-down but her best race (with her best figure) was her maiden debut win, so at least we know she can fire fresh. Top rider Juan Hernandez gets the call from John Sadler. Kristi’s Tiger was almost four lengths clear of the rest when a strong runner-up in a at this level in February and a similar try today puts her right there again. First or second in 13 of 27 career starts, the daughter of Smiling Tiger is a bit shy in the speed figure department but should make her presence felt, nonetheless. Scatchmejamin graduated in good style from a moderate state-bred field last time out, and while she didn’t run particularly fast, she did display a bit of moxie in victory. Much better may be needed today, so the best we can do is toss her in as a backup.
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RACE 9: Post: 5:11 PT Grade: B-
Main ticket (in order of preference): 2-Shadow Creek; 10-Upright
Backups/savers: none
Forecast: We’re not keen on the two main contenders (The Key Is Unity, Thirty Four Coupe) exiting the race won by Big Flint, so let’s look elsewhere in this wide open grass grab bag for older maiden claiming milers. Shadow Creek raced in traffic much of the way and was never able to mount a rally when unplaced in a much stronger maiden special weight affair earlier this meeting. This substantial class drop into the maiden $$50,000 ranks could make a huge difference along with the addition of blinkers, so at 8-1 on the morning line the Irish-bred son of Gleneagles has a chance to improve considerably and register an upset. Upright had similar traffic woes when making his debut sprinting on the lawn at this level in January. The son of Lemon Drop Kid has more early speed than he was able to show in that race, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see him forwardly placed at this distance. With the switch to leading rider Juan Hernandez, the Mike Puype-trained gelding certainly is worth strong consideration under these conditions, so at 6-1 on the morning line we’ll make him a “must use.”
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