We have reached the final Saturday of the winter-spring season at Santa Anita Park where the Great Race Place has a solid 12-race card set to go to post at 4 pm ET / 1 pm local time. The card is headlined by a pair of graded stakes that make up 40% of the late Pick 5 sequence that gets started in Race 8. Here are a few horses I like most.


Race 8: Daytona (G3)
My first play comes in this event down the Hillside Turf Course where the pace should be honest given the presence of #5 Irish Royalty and #6 Modus Bestia. Of the two, Irish Royalty enters this $100k stakes race for 3YOs and up in the better form having won 2 in a row and 3 of 4 for Doug O’Neill. Last time out, she beat #8 Anmer Hall to the wire in a second-level allowance event over this same course. The difference though was the configuration. That race was conducted at 6-furlongs where this one will be over the unique 6.5-furlong course that Anmer Hall has had a lot of success over. In fact, the 7YO gelding has won 3 times down the hill and also has a victory over the unique Kentucky Downs turf at the same distance. The Peter Eurton trainee ran out of room last time after being forced to wait momentarily before finding clear sailing and now gets back to his preferred trip. It also is a positive he puts back-to-back races together for the first time since last fall. I like his chances quite a bit under regular rider Antonio Fresu.

Play: #8 Anmer Hall (8-1 ML)
Picks: 8-11-12


Race 10:
This first-level allowance at 1 1/8-miles over the Santa Anita sod has absolutely no early speed signed on. Therefore, finding runners that will not be attempting to come from well out of it makes the most sense. I landed on #4 Midnight Strike after combining form, talent, and likely trip. The son of American Pharoah makes his third start of the form cycle after finishing second in a one-mile race where they went way faster early than they will in this race. Midnight Strike brought well that day, but wisely was taken back well off the quick pace by Joel Rosario. Rosario has been a great rider over his career, but his lack of aggressiveness is probably not ideal for this spot, so I like the move back to jockey Armando Ayuso with Rosario opting to ride morning line favorite #6 Atomic Age. With the added ground and a field that has far less early zip, it is likely that Midnight Strike’s natural speed will put him in a good spot early. The upside is still there for the Thor-bred Stables gelding. He should be set for his best.

Play: #4 Midnight Strike (9-2 ML)
Picks: 4-2-1


Race 11: Summertime Oaks (G3)
The second graded stakes on the Saturday agenda is this two-turn event for 3YO fillies over the main track where second-time starter #1 Mizumi was made the heavy 4-5-favorite off of her win going 6.5-furlongs over this surface on May 2. The daughter of Justify has every right to move forward with the added ground, but will be an underlay on the step up in class and stretch out in distance regardless of result. I will take a shot against her with a filly I have been high on since her debut win at Churchill Downs over the off going last November. #7 Marjoram also has to prove the two-turn question, but should offer better value. Emisael Jaramillo takes over on the Michael McCarthy trainee with Juan Hernandez opting to ride Mizumi. Hernandez gave Marjoram a brilliant ride last out, but Jaramillo has been awesome over his first six months in Southern California. Hopefully, Hernandez choosing to ride the favorite helps our price.

Play: #7 Marjoram (3-1 ML)
Picks: 7-1-6