HORSE RACING

By Richard Eng

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $25,000, Claiming $20,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

5 Memo to Kathy – Her race two back, if repeated, is fast enough to beat these; taking a big drop in class tonight.

6 Banana Cream Pie – Big rider switch to Joel Rosario; she’ll be a shorter price, not sure if she’ll go any faster.

Long Shot – 3 Miss Buxley

Race 2 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $30,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

6 Alpine Yodel – Has won 5-of-6 dirt starts, that must count for something; big class drop today too.

4 Samba School – Mike Mitchell is off to a fine start this meet; proven performer at this level, these are her friends.

Long Shot – 3 Stevie’s Afleet

Race 3 – 6 1/2 furlongs, $75,000 Kalookan Queen Handicap, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

5 Mother Ruth – Was edged by a very sharp Sister Dawn last time; her fine dirt resume and Bob Baffert is good enough.

4 Quisiana – Logical chalk finds herself in deep water here; she is 6-of-8 wins on synthetics, never started on dirt.

Long Shot – 6 Subsidized

Race 4 – 6 furlongs, Purse $54,000, Maiden special weights, 4-year-olds and up

6 Fast Master – Among many well-bred FTS in the field; the Bob Baffert barn is reinventing racing on dirt in SoCal.

5 Temp – Uncoupled Baffert entry, no surprise if this longer odds upsets; he has a long history of doing that.

Long Shot – 3 One Nation

Race 5 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $45,000, Claiming $50,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

5 Van Brit – She is a proven performer at this $50K class level; was flattered when Talktoomuch won a stakes next out.

6 Hot Citizen – Draw a line through the Providencia and her turf resume looks fine; offers big value at 12/1 odds.

Long Shot – 3 Farley Star

Race 6 – 6 furlongs, Purse $54,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, Fillies, 3-year-olds

3 Rolling Tide – The first 3 horses Michael Pender has started have all run well; she must dirt, but 6/1 is a lot of value.

14 Piney River – Tepid chalk in a very difficult heat; you’ll have a big edge in seeing the tote board action.

Long Shot – 4 Excessively Trick

Race 7 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $63,000, Optional claiming $100,000, 4-year-olds and up

5 Blue Chagall – The second half of the year this 6-YO just got faster; logical chalk if he matches his last winning effort.

7 Riviera Cocktail – Draw a line through the Woodbine Mile and his turf resume looks fine; he will be charging hard late.

Long Shot – 2 Unbridle’s Dream

Race 8 – 6 furlongs, Purse $27,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds

7 Merlin Z – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; need not be much to get his diploma.

3 Klassy Saint – In a race this poor, the FTS get a second look; expect P Val to send this Bobby Troeger charge to the front.

Long Shot – 6 Brite Dreamer

Best Bet – 5 Mother Ruth (race 3)

Santa Anita Park Thursday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/5/$37.20; Long Shots, 8/1/$14.80; Best Bet, 1/1/$14.80

Santa Anita Park Totals – 132/41/$275.20; Long Shots, 65/8/$78.80; Best Bets, 8/4/$15.20

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY – 1 Hold The Salt (7/2) in race 5 at Tampa Bay Downs. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Thursday, Spanish Comedy was scratched when Tampa Bay Downs canceled racing due to a power outage. Stats – 7/5/$40.60