They are back at it for the start of a new racing week at Santa Anita Park. The Friday afternoon slate kicks off at 4PM eastern/1PM local time and includes five races over the grass. Here are a few horses I will build my day around at the “Great Race Place” before we reach the one-week point until the 152nd Kentucky Derby.


Race 5:
#4 Run With Liberty was extremely impressive on debut winning from off-the-pace at one-mile over the grass going away at odds of 14-1. The Originaire filly was forgotten at the windows in her first start, but was made the 9-5-ML choice in her first start versus winners. She is obviously quite capable of making it back-to-back wins, but I prefer the more experienced #1 Cecilia Street. The Stanford filly tried the dirt on April 4, but was badly out run. Trainer Leonard Powell moves her back to the grass and stretches her back out to two turns. She should find a prominent spot early allowing her to get the jump on Run With Liberty. Jockey Mirco Demuro will be back in the saddle.

Play: #1 Cecilia Street (5-2 ML)


Race 6:
The pace should be honest, but not chaotic in this open $10k claimer over the main track that kicks off the late Pick 4. I expect class dropper #3 Legal Fiction to take advantage. The Reddam Racing filly drops out of a lower-level allowance spot where she finished second in a compact group of 4. The California-bred filly should be able to find a perfect stalking spot under jockey Emisael Jaramillo and be tough to hold off from there. Look for the daughter of I’ll Have Another to fire her best on the class drop at what is listed as a very playable 6-1-ML offering.

Play: #3 Legal Fiction (6-1 ML)


Race 7:
Assuming #10 Bear’s Board does not draw in off the also eligible list in this optional claimer over the grass, it should be #2 Green Zone loose on the lead. The Harris Farms homebred made her turf debut two-back over this same surface and distance and wired out a field of 9 at odds of 13-1. Trainer Dean Pederson brought the Grazen filly back in a state-bred first-level allowance in late February where she was beaten out of the gate and struggled to relax from there. There is little doubt that at this point in her career she wants to be out there on her own setting the pace like she did in her maiden score. With a better break and an inside draw, she has a shot to rebound in her first start of the spring. Abel Lezcano gets the leg up for the first time.

Play: #2 Green Zone (8-1 ML)