HORSE RACING

TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $22,000, Claiming $16,000, 4-year-olds

1 Gilligan – Mike Mitchell cull quickly sliding down the claiming ladder; has yet to win on dirt among 3 starts.

4 Lucky Fitz – Speedball win in last, first race off the claim by Michael Pender; suspect similar tactics here.

Long Shot – 3 Royal Import

Race 2 – 1 mile, Purse $22,000, Claiming $16,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

1 Dextera – Only starter with a win over dirt; ran a slower Beyer in winning than the race before, room to improve.

2 Living Our Dream – Has the back class to improve off her last race; key vote comes from Rafael Bejarano.

Long Shot – 6 Tripped the Light

Race 3 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $54,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies, 3-year-olds

3 Candys Girl – If experience is a great teacher, then her 4 grass starts in England should mean a lot tonight.

1 Star Billing – You’ll have an edge over me in seeing the tote action on the FTS; bred to be a lover of turf, we’ll see.

Long Shot – 2 Blue Grass Music

Race 4 – 6 furlongs, Purse $18,000, Claiming $10,000, 4-year-olds and up

8 Belo Purse – Won off the claim by Jack Carava; has plenty of back class to repeat the effort or even improve.

2 Syllabus – Ran the first lousy race of his career last time; claimed by James Kasperoff, has something to work with.

Long Shot – 6 Lord Avalon

Race 5 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 30 feet), $75,000 Joe Hernandez, 4-year-olds and up

5 Regally Ready – With the turf rail out 30 feet, his early speed will be flattered; catch him to win.

4 Dilemma – Draw a line through his last debacle and his resume looks fine; won down the hill two races ago.

Long Shot – 8 Noble Court

Race 6 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $30,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

7 No Afillyation – Has won two of her last three starts for John Sadler; can win on the lead or stalking the pace.

1 Gladiatrix – Logical chalk is a cull from the Bob Baffert barn; huge class dropper can show speed from the rail.

Long Shot – 10 Roulette It Roll

Race 7 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $56,000, Allowance, 3-year-olds

9 Hollywood Heist – Most likely front runner with the turf rail out 30 feet; P Val is never afraid to send.

8 Akkadian – Will be way overbet in first race off a MSW win; facing winners for the first time is a big class rise.

Long Shot – 3 Burns

Race 8 – 7 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Maiden claiming $30,000, 3-year-olds

6 Answer to Abby – Adding blinkers on after a couple of good efforts; facing the slowest group in his brief career.

8 Isthmus – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; like the vote from Rafael Bejarano.

Long Shot – 2 Our Senior Moments

Best Bet – 5 Regally Ready (race 6)

Santa Anita Park Thursday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 14/5/$30.40; Long Shots, 8/2/$11.00; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Santa Anita Park Totals – 822/224/$1,435.50; Long Shots, 413/62/$615.00; Best Bets, 48/20/$82.70

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY – 2 Stepaside (9/5) in race 10 at Tampa Bay Downs. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Thursday, Lady Aspen ran out at Gulfstream Park. Stats – 46/33/$254.80