Specifically designed for the rolling exotic player, Jeff Siegel’s “What You Need to Know” isolates 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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Santa Anita Race 1: Post: 1:00 PT Grade: B+
Main Ticket: 6-Our Bucky Charm
Backups: 4-Agency.

Forecast: Our Bucky Charm was very well meant at 12-1 and actually ran a winning race in defeat when second over this course and distance at this level last month. The figure came up extremely strong (a career top), so if he doesn’t go backwards the M. Puype-trained son of Munning should be hard to beat from his comfortable outside draw.


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Santa Anita Race 2: Post: 1:33 PT Grade: A
Main Ticket: 1-Himika
Backups: none.

Forecast: Himika really caught the eye when breezing :09 4/5 at the OBS April Sale and in fact may very well have been the most impressive filly in the entire auction. The daughter of Curlin has never been let run since arriving in California yet has recorded a couple of quick times, including a :46 4/5 gate drill (best of a team) in which she could have gone considerably faster if turned loose. A top class athlete and exquisite mover, she has all the makings of the next superstar juvenile filly from the B. Baffert barn.


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Santa Anita Race 3: Post: 2:06 PT Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 1-Dontgetfooledagain; 3-Grey Area.
Backups: none.

Forecast: We’ll double the third race, a bottom rung maiden $8,000 claiming miler for older horses. Dontgetfooledagain only has had three outings, so he probably has more room to improve than the others. Third in a similar affair over this track and distance last month, the C. Lewis-trained gelding lands the good rail and projects to be on or near the lead throughout. Grey Area stretches out for the first time after nine sprints, and if he’s ever going to handle two turns its likely to be in his first try. He has some back numbers that make him a solid fit at this level.


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Santa Anita Race 4: Post: 2:38 PT Grade: B
Main Ticket: 3-Sareeha (Ire)
Backups: 6-Empress Ellie.

Forecast: Sareeha was a tad disappointing in a tougher first level allowance event over this course and distance last month, but this starter’s allowance affair is an easier assignment, so we expect the veteran mare to regain her winning form, but at a short price. She’s most effective when taken back early, gaining cover, and then being produced at the quarter pole.


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Santa Anita Race 5: Post: 3:10 PT Grade: B
Main Ticket: 2-Mirahmadi; 3-Ultimate Gamble.
Backups: 1-Momad.

Forecast: Mirahmadi wants to be the controlling speed and should be able to gain his favorite type of trip in this competitive second level allowance main miler. He was out of his element last time out but isn’t today. Ultimate Gamble was given a run in his recent sprint comeback and should get serious today. The M. Glatt-trained son of Medaglia d’Oro likely will inherit a pace prompting trip and have every chance from there.


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Santa Anita Race 6: Post: 3:40 PT Grade: B+
Main Ticket: 3-Disposition
Backups: 6-Arya’s Ride.

Forecast: Disposition flopped badly as the favorite in a maiden $50 000 sprint at Del Mar last summer, and then to add insult to injury was a voided claim and had to be turned out. She returns for maiden $20,000 with a solid series of workouts at San Luid Rey Downs that should have her fit and ready, and with numbers from last year that would bury this group the daughter of Palace Malice almost certainly will be a very short price favorite for the M. McCarthy barn.


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Santa Anita Race 7: Post: 4:10 PT Grade: B+
Main Ticket: 4-Cornelia Fort
Backups: 2-Super Ellie.

Forecast: Cornelia Fort remains protected in her second start following a $20,000 claim after being overmatched in a state-bred stakes and looks pretty solid in this restricted allowance turf miler for Northern California-based fillies and mares. She’s a strong fit on numbers and projects to settle in the second flight and then have every chance when the pressure is turned on.


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Santa Anita Race 8: Post: 4:40 PT Grade: B
Main Ticket: 5-Darlin Tami ; 6-Grievous Angel; 7-Honey Jo.
Backups: none.

Forecast: Darlin Tami returns to the main track and ran quite well over this surface two races back when a sharp runner-up (well clear of the rest) in a similar maiden special weight dash for state-bred fillies and mares. A decent filly can beat her, but there may not be one in here. Grievous Angel has produced some solid times in workouts at Los Alamitos so she may be able to run some. She’s bred for speed and is a “must use.” Honey Jo looks fairly quick in the morning, hasn’t yet been asked to show her best stuff, and should be a live item, especially with J. Hernandez taking the call.


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Santa Anita Race 9: Post: 5:10 PT Grade: B
Main Ticket: 1-Crazy Cavalier
Backups: none.

Forecast: Crazy Cavalier has little to beat in this maiden $50,000 nine furlong grass miler and is listed at 4/5 on the morning line despite already having had 10 chances, though he actually did cross the wire first once but was taken down. The D. O’Neill-trained gelding is guaranteed a ground saving trip from his rail draw and has hit the board in six of his last seven chances. Hard to see him messing this up.



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