Sunday is not only Father’s Day but it is Closing Day at Santa Anita Park and the final opportunity to take advantage of XpressBet and 1ST/Bet’s two-million point Late Pick 4 “Hit It & Split It” promotion. To win your share, simply register, hit Sunday’s Late Pick 4, and share that day’s two-million with just those that hit it with you at XpressBet and 1ST/Bet.
There is no doubt I will be jumping in on the sequence that starts at 7:38 eastern with a conditional claimer over the main track and concludes with a first-level allowance down the hill. You should as well.
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.
Race 9:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 1 Carol’s Comic; 8 Pat’s Paddock Pick
Backups: 4 Picking It Up
Forecast: The pace is likely to be contentious in this six-furlong dash over the main track, which gives #1 Carol’s Comic a big shot despite a 1 for 22-record coming into Sunday. The Cal-bred stumbled badly at the start in his first try against winners on 5/27 costing him any serious chance but prior to that put forth a pair of solid efforts since dropping to the bottom at Santa Anita in early spring. With a clean break, jockey Jeremy Laprida should find a favorable mid-pack spot along the rail and find his way to the winner’s circle for the second time since late April. #8 Pat’s Paddock Pick ran huge in his first start in two months in the same race my top choice exits. Victor Espinoza will need to avoid another four-wide battle on the front end to give this colt his best chance.
#4 Picking It Up is a very tough read. The 5YO gelding has raced just once. It was a dominant wire-to-wire victory against maiden claimers at Del Mar back in the fall of 2022. If he runs back to that race, he will be tough to deny but one must wonder where he has been and why he is in for just $16k.
Race 10:
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 3 Ziti; 7 She’z the Law
Backups: 9 Kelly’s Out; 1 Highly Desirable
Forecast: #3 Ziti makes her second career start after breaking slowly and doing limited running in her six-furlong debut over the Santa Anita sod in late April. Despite the underwhelming effort in her first try, there are reasons to believe a big move forward is in store for this French-bred filly. Trainer Phil D’Amato sports strong numbers with second-time starters stretching out from a sprint to a route in maiden special weight events on the grass connecting with 10 of his last 34 for an eye-popping ROI of $3.33. Plus, she is bred on both sides to love the added ground. At 12-1, she is a must use. #7 She’z the Law is hard to toss as well, but she will be nowhere near the price. The 5-2-morning line favorite has improved significantly since trainer Mark Glatt moved her from dirt to turf. The Constitution filly failed as the favorite last out but ran well in defeat. She is the clear one to beat on paper.
#9 Kelly’s Out lacks early speed but perhaps the addition of blinkers will help get her into the race a bit earlier. She has shown some ability but will need a move forward to get to the wire first against this group. #1 Highly Desirable is a wild card. She makes her second start off the long break for Richard Baltas after a non-threatening sixth going six-furlongs in her Stateside debut in early May. The added ground and racing experience in North America should both benefit.
Race 11:
Grade: C
Main Ticket: 12 Only Alleged; 8 Villfied; 2 Too Wild to Tame; 4 Ignatowski
Backups: None
Forecast: #12 Only Alleged drops in class and moves from turf-to-dirt after an eighth-place effort on debut for veteran conditioner Dean Pederson. The 3YO gelding should move forward with the addition of blinkers and significant class relief. #8 Villified is likely to get over bet after breaking poorly and rushing up in his runner-up effort on 5/18. With a cleaner start he could be tough to beat in this one, but he was not entered ambitiously on debut after taking a long time to get to the races and then lost by nearly a pole despite finishing second. That said, this is not a strong group he encounters. #2 Too Wild to Tame debuts for trainer Hector Palma. Palma is capable with debut maiden claimers and is 4 for 14 overall over the last 30 days. #4 Ignatowski gets some much-needed class relief after a pair off the board finishes against state-bred maiden claimers to kick off his 2024 campaign. He has every right to improve.
Race 12:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 6 Anmer Hall; 9 Halfway Line
Backups: 4 Bolt Supremacy; 11 Father Delay
Forecast: #6 Anmer Hall moves back into the allowance ranks for the first time this year. The son of Palace Malice has found a home over the Santa Anita lawn rattling off two wins and two seconds since entering the Steve Knapp barn. He should find a favorable mid-pack spot early under Antonio Fresu and have enough left late to earn his third win of 2024. #9 Halfway Line cuts back to a sprint in his second start off the boat after a stalk and fade going a mile on 5/5. The fact he was bet down to 5-2 in a field of nine shows he was well-meant despite the off the board effort to kick off his 4YO campaign.
#4 Bolt Supremacy is just 1 for 12 but moves into the Richard Baltas barn for his first start of 2024. The presence of Juan Hernandez is a positive, as is the fact his lone career victory came over this course. #11 Father Delay lacks early speed, so troubled voyages are not uncommon, but he did not have a fun trip when we saw him last. The move to an outside post for the first time this year should help.
Good luck on Closing Day at The Great Race Place!!
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