Horse Racing: Today at Santa Anita, April 5

Post Time Noon

Race 1 – 7 furlongs, Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds

6 Yard Line – Sharp debut for Eoin Harty colt; like that Rafael Bejarano remains loyal to the cause.

2 Reno Rebel – Shows an improving pattern in 3 career starts; appears ready on the cusp of graduating.

Long Shot – 7 Vegas Strip

Race 2 – 1 mile, Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $20,000, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up

1 Storm Fighter – Like the rail skimming post with a short run to the first turn; has tactical speed to protect his position.

8 Volkonsky – Suspect will need to stalk the pace, unlike last out; Rafael Bejarano is as patient as they come.

Long Shot – 3 Poshsky

Race 3 – 6 1/2 furlongs, $200,000 Echo Eddie, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds

9 Pray Hard – Impressive win last time out; facing much tougher, but not with the Cal-bred division leader California Chrome.

8 Life Is a Joy – Returns to Cal-breds after an OK open stakes in last; he will find these to be a lot easier.

Long Shot – 6 Oh Daddy Oh

Race 4 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf), Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds

5 Footstepsinbronze – Could be a nice day for Rafael Bejarano with live mounts all day long; this one ran great in turf debut.

1 Snuggley Bear – Has cashed 7 paychecks in a row without winning; many would call that a money burner, Kent D takes over.

Long Shot – 12 Green Tag

Race 5 – 1 1/16th miles, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks, Fillies, 3-year-olds

3 Ria Antonia – Has been training like a bat out of hell since joining the Bob Baffert barn; will not be a short horse here.

1 Fashion Plate – Grade 1 winners are hard to come by, and she is one; speed and the rail, in clever hands of Gary Stevens.

Long Shot – 5 Arethusa

Race 6 – 6 1/2 furlongs, $200,000 Evening Jewel, Cal-breds, Fillies, 3-year-olds

6 Rovenna – This is a fast filly who has tackled some good ones; facing her own kind and has a ton of early cheese.

5 Harlington’s Rose – Sharp win in last is the race she will need to repeat; Steve Knapp stakes wins are few and far between.

Long Shot – 7 Princess Genevieve

Race 7 – 1 1/8th miles (turf), $150,000 Providencia, Fillies, 3-year-olds

8 Diversy Harbor – She has potential superstar written all over her; that was one incredible stakes win last time out.

4 Nashoba’s Gold – Half-sister to Nashoba’s Key can still be any kind; missed by a stride in last and wasy flying late.

Long Shot – 3 Tiz Kissable

Race 8 – 1 1/8th miles, $1-million Santa Anita Derby, 3-year-olds

6 Candy Boy – Still believe he is the class of the West Coast Kentucky Derby contenders; should get a square price today.

5 California Chrome – He is all the rage as the top horse on many top 10 Derby ballots; this will be his toughest test.

Long Shot – 3 Hoppertunity

Race 9 – 1 mile (turf), Purse $30,000, Starter allowance $40,000, 3-year-olds and up

9 Brave Act – Was DQ’d last time in a 50-50 call; thus he remains eligible for a condition he already finished first in.

3 Gallant Charm – Starting to look like a knibbler; still he runs fast enough to upset these and must be respected.

Long Shot – 2 Advisory

Race 10 – 6 furlongs, Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $40,000, 4-year-olds and up

6 Seeking the Sherif – Like a horse that wins while running a lower Beyer speed figure; suspect has more left in the tank.

4 Explain – Tepid chalk in a wide open affair; not sure who this jockey is, but I know the trainer is John Sadler.

Long Shot – 9 Chief Lion

Race 11 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf), Purse $32,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

10 Joeandbetty’sbaby – Sliding down the class ladder to this low level; let’s see if Rafael Bejarano finishes what he started.

1 Creditcardroulette – Can’t blame you if you’re cross eyed by now; chance to close from the rail in another wide open race.

Long Shot – 8 Flashy Dame

Best Bet – 5 Footstepsinbronze (race 4)

Santa Anita Park Friday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/4/$23.00; Long Shots, 8/1/$17.80; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Santa Anita Park Totals – 997/279/$1,753.80; Long Shots, 493/74/$794.40; Best Bets, 61/29/$122.20

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #8 Samraat (7/2) in race 10 at Aqueduct. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Mei Ling ran second at Aqueduct paying $4.80 to place and $3.40 to show. Stats – 57/33/$325.40; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick