Specifically designed for the rolling exotic player, Jeff Siegel’s Daily Santa Anita Handicapping Analysis, Wagering Strategies, and Workout Commentary identify those horses that should be included in daily doubles, pick-3s, pick-4s, pick-5s, and the pick-6.
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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

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RACE 1: Post: 12:30 PT Grade: B-
Main ticket: (in order of preference): Real Fire; 2-Albayaader
Backups/savers: none

Forecast: Real Fire and Albayaader just finished two-three in a similar maiden $50,000 claimer and meet again over six and one-half furlongs on grass in a race that should boil down to these two. ‘Cash is the quicker of the pair and may have an edge due to the lack of pace in the field, but the latter should appreciate today’s extra half furlong and could display improved tactical speed with the addition of blinkers. Both should be in included in rolling exotic play.

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RACE 2: Post: 12:59 PT Grade: B
Main ticket: (in order of preference): Pride of the Nile; Faiza
Backups/savers: none

Forecast: Pride of the Nile was nosed out by Faiza in the Starlet S.-G1 last month but there are reasons to believe she can turn the tables on the heavy favorite in this year’s renewal of the Las Virgenes S.-G3 over a mile on the main track. The daughter of Pioneerof the Nile overcame early trouble to loom a strong threat into the lane before proving extremely hard to down in an extra game performance that produced a career top speed figure. A series of sharp workouts since that race indicates she’s ready to produce another forward move and will receive a two pound break in the weights – for whatever that’s worth – from Faiza. The latter, undefeated in two starts, is the likely choice once again but was fully extended to edge our top pick at Los Alamitos and should get severely tested right back. She has to be included somewhere on your rolling exotic ticket, but ‘Nile clearly will be the better price of the two, so we’ll press with her on top.

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RACE 3: Post: 1:32 PT Grade: B+
Main ticket (in order of preference): 4-Eleuthera
Backups/savers: 2-True Patriot

Forecast: Eleuthera stretches out again and should regain her winning form in this first level allowance optional claiming grass miler for state-bred fillies and mares. The daughter of Square Eddie was blocked and forced to steady repeatedly in a recent Hillside Turf sprint and actually did quite well to finish a close fourth, beaten just over a length, in her first outing since June. She projects to step forward considerably with that outing behind her, so we’ll give the Ben Cecil-trained filly top billing. True Patriot, a fast-finishing second in the same race Eleuthera exits, stretches out again and might be the most dangerous of the closers, though we have a sneaking suspicion that she is most effective as a late-running sprinter. Both should be included in rolling exotic play with the main push in the win pool and in the various rolling exotics going to Eleuthera.

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RACE 4: Post: 2:06 PT Grade: B-
Main ticket (in order of preference): 1-Cornelia Fort; 6-Sweet Hello
Backups/Savers: none

Forecast: Here’s a below par field of state-bred 3-year-old maiden fillies competing for a claiming price of $50,000 that lacks an alternative to what surely will be the two main players on the tote, Cornelia Fort and Sweet Hello. ‘Fort, having run just once in straight maiden company over the all-weather surface up north, has more room to improve than ‘Hello, so we’ll put her on top. The daughter of Grazen is highly likely to produce a forward move and will be tough if she leaves cleanly from the rail. ‘Hello, runner-up in her last pair, has numbers that are slowly rising and projects to settle into a stalking position and then have every chance to seal the deal.

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RACE 5: Post: 2:35 PT Grade: X
Main ticket (in order of preference): 2-Lucky For You
Backups/savers: none

Forecast: Lucky for You appeared a bit green in her debut in a similar grass sprint for older fillies and mares when racing behind runners along the rail to the head of the lane. She caught her best stride approaching the wire to miss by a neck before galloping out far in front in a very promising performance. The daughter of Uncle Mo won’t need to do anything more to handle this assignment at 6/5 on the morning line, so while there will be little value to be found in ther win pool we can use her with confidence as short-priced rolling exotic single.

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RACE 6: Post: 3:10 PT Grade: B
Main ticket (in order of preference): 3-Finneus 6-Street Boss
Backups/savers: none

Forecast: Here’s a tough main track miler for entry-level allowance older horses that probably requires a bit of a spread in rolling exotic play. We’ll go two-deep and hope that’s enough. Finneus exits a much tougher race – the Cal Cup Sprint – and didn’t run badly when a non-threatening fifth at a six furlong distance that was simply too sharp form him. Today, the son of Stay Thirsty stretches out to a mile and may be capable of producing the last run if he’s not given too much to do in a race without a whole lot of early speed signed on. We’ll use him along with Street Ruckus, a fairly consistent veteran gelding who usually lands in the frame and can be counted on for another solid effort. He’ll likely be sent aggressively from the gate by speed rider Edwin Maldonado, and if he can get over from his outside draw and gain a soft stalking position the son of Street Boss should be a major factor every step of the way.

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RACE 7: Post: 3:40 PT Grade: B+
Main ticket (in order of preference): 4-Moon Ice
Backups/savers: 6-Spiritual Advisor

Forecast: Moon Ice is gradually improving with racing and with another forward move the John Sadler-trained colt should be set to earn his diploma in this state-bred maiden special weight grass sprint for sophomores. In a race without much early speed, the son of He Be Fire N Ice looks likely to grab control early and roll all the way to the wire. Spiritual Advisor, a willing third behind our top pick in a similar turf sprint earlier this month, gets an extra half furlong to work with today but maybe not get the kind of early fractions he’ll need to tag the leader. We’ll have a few tickets using him as a backup while reserving the main punch for Moon Ice.

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RACE 8: Post: 4:10 PT Grade: B+
Main ticket (in order of preference): Hopper
Backups/savers: none

Forecast: Hopper has trained like he’s fit and ready for his first outing since winning the Affirmed Stakes-G3 last June and from his advantageous rail post position the son of Declaration of War is likely to employ the same gate-to-wire tactics that produced his most recent victory. The Bob Baffert-trained colt will be ridden by noted speed pilot Edwin Maldonado, and based on speed figures the lightly raced four-year-old colt should be able to control the race gate-to-wire wire, especially in a field that on paper lacks late punch. At 5/2 on the morning line, he’s a win play and rolling exotic single.

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RACE 9: Post: 4:40 PT Grade: B
Main ticket (in order of preference): 4-Honey Jar; 6-Kitty Kitana
Backups/savers: none

Forecast: On pure form, Kitty Kitana is strictly the one to beat in this first-level allowance field of fillies and mares over a mile on grass. However, the English-bred four-year-old shows just one win with seven seconds and thirds, so when push comes to shove close home we’re really not sure how much late punch you’re going to get from her. Honey Jar stretches out for the first time and seems certain to be the controlling speed. On pedigree, she should be able to get the mile, and with the break in the weights thanks to the presence of good bug boy Aguilar the Michael McCarthy-trained daughter of Kantharos offers a reasonable gamble at 6-1 on the morning line. Both should be included in rolling exotic play, with preference on top to Honey Jar.

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