There are two Sundays left in March to take advantage of Xpressbet and 1/ST BET’s Late Pick 4 Hit/Split at Santa Anita Park. Two million 1/ST Rewards Points are up for grabs to those who opt in and successfully piece together the sequence that starts in Race 6 at The Great Race Place. I am hoping to grab my share.
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: B-
Main Ticket: 7 Uncle Evco; 5 Santa Barbarian
Backups: None
Forecast: A pair of class-droppers are likely to take a lions’ share of the money in this $32k maiden claimer at two-turns over the main track. #9 Cano for the Win was made the slight 9-5-favorite after 3 consecutive off the board finishes racing on the turf against protected maidens for Doug O’Neill. They only spent $75k for this son of Omaha Beach, so the drop makes sense after seven starts against better, but his lack of speed and outside draw make him tough to trust.
I prefer 2-1-second choice #7 Uncle Evco. The Smiling Tiger gelding makes his third start off the layoff for trainer Michael McCarthy. McCarthy opts to put the blinkers back on after removing them last out. The presence of Flavien Prat for the first time should benefit. I will also include #5 Santa Barbarian. The Ryan Hanson trainee makes just his third start career start after stalking early and tiring late in a turf race against special weight company on February 17. He has the speed to find a good early spot on the surface switch and is 10-1 on the morning line.
Race 7:
Grade: B+
Main Ticket: 1 Suntory Time
Backups: 5 Less Is More
Forecast: I am expecting a big move forward this afternoon from #1 Suntory Time. The Richard Baltas trainee showed zero speed in what clearly looked like a race they were giving her first out. That said, she put in a solid late run from well out of it and galloped out best. Baltas is 3 for 11 in turf routes for a $3.00 ROI over the last 30 days and this gal is out of a Lucky Pulpit mare that earned $160k herself over the lawn. She appears very live at second asking.
#5 Less Is More is the 5-2-morning line favorite. She drops in class after showing the way and tiring late in the Cal Cup Oaks in mid-January. She gets Lasix and has every right to move forward as well on the move back into the MSW ranks.
Race 8:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: #1 Rousing Jewel; #2 Raising Silver; #5 Big Pop
Backups: None
Forecast: There is not a ton of early speed signed on in this 6-furlong dash over the main track for Cal-bred fillies and mares, which probably benefits #1 Rousing Jewel most. The Rousing Sermon mare underwhelmed as the 8-5-favorite in her first start since returning to Southern California for trainer Dean Pederson, but was not ridden aggressively at all out of the gates. Pederson turns to Martin Garcia. With the inside draw, expect her to be sent with intent this time out.
#2 Raising Silver intrigues at a bit of a price. She ran well in all three of her dirt starts for Carla Gaines, shook off the rust in a turf sprint last out, and has the best chance of springing a significant upset. #5 Big Pop also failed as the public choice when we saw her last. Her inability to put races together is concerning, but she obviously fits well against these.
Race 9:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 8 Whatmakessammyrun; 5 Simplexity; 2 Mega Moon; 10 Don’t Swear Dave
Backups: None
Forecast: #2 Mega Moon is the 3-1-morning line favorite in the Sunday finale. He is going to get over bet with Flavien Prat taking the call for Ron Ellis in his first try off the claim, but is tough to leave off against these given his success in the past over the grass. #5 Simplexity aims to make it two in a row for the white-hot Dan Blacker barn. He has to prove himself out of the conditional claiming ranks, but it is hard to knock his current form. #8 Whatmakessammyrun merits serious respect dropping back down in class for Mark Glatt. He is my top choice given his affinity for this surface, but I am worried he may have too much to do late. #10 Don’t Swear Dave took advantage of a favorable flow to finish second on February 23 against several of his rivals in here. He is unlikely to get that fast of pace to run at, but theoretically he should move forward after shaking off the rust last out.
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