Horse Racing, Santa Anita Park, Feb. 23
Today at Santa Anita Park
Post Time 1 p.m.
Race 1 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
4 Elusive Cookies – 4 turf races today with the temperary rail out 30 feet; check out the early speed horses.
5 So She Dances – Was rushed into a fast pace last time; big rider switch to the more patient Alonso Quinonez.
Long Shot – 6 Afleet Slew
Race 2 – 6 furlongs, Purse $40,000, Claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds
3 Forest Souvenir – Speedball from the hot barn of Jeff Mullins; expect Rafael Bejarano to be aggressive from the gate.
1 Plenny of Honey – Claimed by Troy Taylor, expect that to help this colt’s odds; can hug the rail and grind it out late.
Long Shot – 4 Hadfunlastnight
Race 3 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $58,000, Allowance, Cal-breds, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
3 Sunburn – Good tactical speed should help with the turf rail out 30 feet; look for Rafael Bejarano to have a nice day.
4 Arrivederci Caro – Was overlooked last time due to her NoCal resume; ran well for second and can repeat that race.
Long Shot – 6 Shezabigbroad
Race 4 – 6 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, 4-year-olds and up
6 Cheers to Boogie – Ran a cropper in last, but his two prior races are fast enough to upset; reunited with David Flores.
7 Smart Hombre – Dropped to the bottom in last and ran fine; these are his friends and he is the one to beat.
Long Shot – 4 Lincecum
Race 5 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $30,000, Starter allowance $40,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds
5 Warren’s Amber – Class relief from the Cal Breeders for this; he held his own facing tougher, deserving chalk tonight.
2 Dustin’s Magic – Interesting turf newcomer for Peter Eurton; has Dynaformer on his dam’s side, that is turf and stamina.
Long Shot – 3 Scream Queen
Race 6 – 1 mile, Purse $16,000, Claiming $12,500, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
3 Valentine’s Wish – Closed fast last time after a tardy beginning; big class drop sliding down the claiming ladder.
1 Real Rockport – Big chance due to facing the weakest field of her career; caveat is she does have a weak dirt resume.
Long Shot – 5 Warren’s Hopeful
Race 7 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $45,000, Claiming $50,000, 4-year-olds and up
3 Reach a Decision – Let’s try a long shot speedball with the turf rail out 30 feet; showed turf promise back east.
8 Matto Mondo – Woke up with a monster race to win last time; claimed by Steve Asmussen, he can obviously move a horse up.
Long Shot – 6 Times Gone By
Race 8 – 1 mile, Purse $19,000, Claiming $10,000, 4-year-olds
4 King Cola – Sliding down the claiming ladder where he can be productive; has not won a race in a long, long time.
3 Star Dance M D – Draw a live thru his last awful turf race and his dirt resume looks fine; sleeper pick to stalk and pounce.
Long Shot – 8 Giuseppe G
Best Bet – 3 Sunburn (race 3)
Santa Anita Park Monday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/5/$24.60; Long Shots, 8/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/1/$2.80
Santa Anita Park Totals – 593/150/$918.00; Long Shots, 299/43/$520.60; Best Bets, 34/17/$60.00
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #2 Scat Happy (6/1) in race 8 at Gulfstream Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Monday, Aptphilly was scratched at Aqueduct. Stats – 31/23/$217.00; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick