Only a few more days left at the Santa Anita Autumn Meet with Sunday being closing day before the action heads south to Del Mar. As always, there are plenty of horizontal wagering options to choose from whether it be the $3 All-Turf Pick 3, the last chance until late December at the Sunset Six and Coast-to-Coast Pick 5, or just a traditional early or late Pick 4 at the Great Race Place. I will take a swing at the Sunset Six on Sunday, but on Saturday I plan to stick to old faithful, the late Pick 5.
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 6:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 2 Drop Um; 1 Tapalo
Backups: None
Forecast: The first of two handicap races built upon a new Equibase rating system devised to help the racing offices and give connections the ability to run claiming level horses without the risk of losing them within the sequence, gets things started. The 6-furlong affair over the main track goes through #1 Tapalo. The son of Tapiture drops out of second-level allowance company at Del Mar after a pair of stalk and fade efforts. I am definitely a bit concerned that the 4YO ridgling has never come close to getting back to his career best effort in May ’24, but he will not need anything close to that to beat this group. That said, I slightly prefer #2 Drop Um. The son of Far From Over moves from turf-to-dirt after an off the board finish on October 3. His dirt effort two-back was better than looks when he put away the other speed and was just nailed for second at the wire. He has a second in two starts over this surface.
Race 7:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 1 Lunar Impact
Backups: None
Forecast: The second handicap race using the new Equibase system is for fillies and mares down the Hillside Turf Course where I am all in on #1 Lunar Impact. The Zouster mare tried Grade 2 company at Kentucky Downs over their unique configuration, but was outrun and eased in the stretch. Normally, I might be concerned that something went amiss that might impact her next start, but trainer Dan Blacker had her back on the work tab at Santa Anita on September 19 and she has been working steadily ever since. The past success over this course and the drop in class are major advantages for the 5YO British-bred who gets Hector Berrios back in the saddle.
Race 8:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 2 A Rousing Babe; 5 Rousing Jewel
Backups: None
Forecast: It is difficult to get overly excited about any of the entrants for this open $6250 claimer over the main track, but the runners with five victories in their career stick out against their competition. This includes #2 Rousing Babe. The Cal-bred has been competing out of state at Emerald Downs for trainer Blaine Wright, but heads to Arcadia to compete in the afternoons for the initial time. She has been camera shy of late, but could make the lead and be tough to get by late. If not, #5 Rousing Jewel is the likeliest to get to the wire first. The 5YO mare drops out of open $10k spots on this circuit and comes in off a runner-up effort to the odds-on favorite just 15 days ago. A repeat of that performance very well could be good enough to get the money.
Race 9:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 3 Ya’ll Come; 9 Kitten in Charge; 4 No More Ding Dongs; 5 Last Call Paul
Backups: None
Forecast: I am hoping to separate from the public in this non-winners of two lifetime event over the main track by beating 2-1-ML favorite #11 Self Sufficient. The Preservationist gelding drops to the lowest level of his career, but has already disappointed at even money and 6-5 in back-to-back starts. The $250k Keeneland September 2022 purchase can win, but will do so at a shorter price than I am willing to swallow.
I will use a quartet in hopes of taking down the chalk, including long shot #3 Ya’ll Come. The son of Smiling Tiger drops in class in his second start off the claim for trainer Lorenzo Campuzano. Campuzano takes the blinkers off his new trainee after he was in between rivals in a tricky spot before tiring on October 3. Hopefully he can use his tactical speed to work out a favorable voyage along the inside.
Race 10:
Grade: B+
Main Ticket: 5 Mayacama
Backups: None
Forecast: The final Saturday of the meet concludes with a state-bred first-level allowance down the hill where #5 Mayacama looks like a tough filly to beat. The daughter of Klimt cuts back to one-turn after a trio of one-mile turf races against starter allowance foes dating back to early June. She should find a mid-pack spot early off a likely moderate pace and outkick this group with the foundation she built in her turf routes over the last several months. Single city to close the card.
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