ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 3, CONSTELLATION

FIRST RACE

Runner-up last out (dq’ed to fifth) in a fast $10k claiming sprint, SENATOR ROBERT moves up a notch and shortens slightly in distance. The horse that beat ‘ROBERT last out returned to finish a good second. Speed for a pressing trip, logical choice for a trainer having a big meet. Jeff Bonde entered the weekend 6-for-17, having won with his last three starters. MADELYN’S WILD MAX scratched Saturday from a $16k claiming race to run here, which makes sense. He finished third as the favorite last out in a $6,250 claiming sprint. The 9-for-32 pro was claimed by a top f.o.c. trainer. MY SECRET AFFAIR returns from a sevenmonth layoff, entered with the no-claim waiver. The leading rider is up, back races fast enough. ROYAL F J is a 10yo pro in good form.

SECOND RACE

FRITZ JOHANSEN finished fourth as the favorite last out, with an alibi. The race was moved off turf, and run over a “wet fast” main track. The footing gives him an alibi. The gelding’s four wins were on turf; he returns to preferred footing while facing an easier bunch in this N1X than the $45-50k claiming field he defeated two starts back. CHAMPAGNE CHARLEY misfired opening day, and has been freshened since. His runner-up finish two starts back in a N1X at Del Mar would put him in the hunt. That race was restricted to 3yos; he is unproven against older. But he is lightly raced, improving and benefits from first-time-Flavien Prat. BRANDOTHEBARTENDER stretched out and won a Calbred N1X by a nose; he will be rolling late. CIMPL MAN and HOBBITS HERO are stuck on the also-eligible list.

THIRD RACE

Upset winner of the G1 La Brea Stakes opening day, CONSTELLATION returns in an easier G3 vs. older, with an outside draw that should lead to a good trip in the clear. CONSTELLATION runs well with time between races, hence the two-month gap since her last start. The race she won turned out productive. Third place Enola Gray returned to win a stakes; also-ran Perfect Pic won back-to- back allowance routes. SENSITIVELY is the one to catch; her speed figures in the high-90s (Beyer scale) are tops in the field. She has fast works for her first start since last summer, runs well fresh, and is 4-for-6 over the Santa Anita track. Win or lose, she will be rolling on the front end. PRETTY N COOL, two-time graded winner as a 2yo, had only a modest 3yo campaign winning one of four starts. She makes her first start since September with sharp works and figures to come back running. PONDER LEA and WATCH THIS CAT are eligible to N2X.

FOURTH RACE

HARD ARCH might not have cared for the “wet fast” surface last out, yet still ran an okay third. He improved each successive start, and has a running style that suggests two turns is fine. This maiden75 route is not particularly strong. COMPETING could go favored based on the figure he earned last out finishing third in a sprint comeback. He stretches out, drops slightly in class and will keep the pace honest. TALLY MO set fast on the lead and tired to fourth last out, while running the best race of his four-start career. HARROVIAN might be ranked too low by this handicapper. He also ran the best race of his career last out, runner-up in a similar maiden-75 route.

FIFTH RACE

RAINDANCE RULES is qualified to spring a mild upset. He earned a big pace figure last out (Quirinstyle pace figure, generated by Tom Brohamer) finishing third in a Cal-bred maiden-claiming sprint, and might be facing less heat in this spot. The winner of the race he exits (Will Tell) was favored to win the second race Saturday. Speed, in light, generous odds likely, RAINDANCE RULES would be a proper gamble at 6-1 or higher. CARAY finished second in a respectable comeback last out. The high-figure entrant based on his 62 Beyer last out, CARAY figures as one of the favorites. MAGICAL MORE wheels back in less than a week and a half, and moves up in class, after an okay

second in a maiden-30. TIZ INDY has been gelded since his last start.

SIXTH RACE

YELLOW BONNET and STORM THE HILL are evenly matched in this maiden turf route; the call goes to the 4yo filly that has had fewer chances than her 3yo counterpart. YELLOW BONNET (four starts) finished second last out in her first route, she proved two back she handles grass when third in a relatively fast race. She has a versatile running style, a route under her belt, and is the choice despite carrying six pounds more than STORM THE HILL (six starts). The latter makes her California debut for the unstoppable Peter Miller juggernaut. Miller entered Friday leading the meet with a 24-for-83 record. STORM THE HILL finished in the money three of six starts in Florida and Kentucky, and might improve in California for a red-hot stable. GOSEECAL, in the money four of her last five starts, may find a field she can beat sooner or later. She wet the pace and tired to third last out at nine furlongs; she may benefit from the shorter distance of this one-mile race.

SEVENTH RACE

SENSE OF GLORY, a close fifth last out in a fairly strong starter allowance on turf, returns to the main track and adds blinkers. He won a maiden race on this dirt track during fall. GEOLOGIST goes long on dirt for the first time. Fourth last out in a turf sprint, his maiden sprint win two starts back was on this main track. INFORMALITY dominated a maiden-20 sprint last out. He did not have much behind him, but earned a good number and should have something to say about the pace scenario. This is another small-field affair on a card with many small fields (five of the nine races have six starters or less).

EIGHTH RACE

COILS GOLD, romping debut winner in November, had an impossible trip second time out in a throw-out race. Second choice in a state-bred route stakes, he broke slowly, was caught threeand four-wide every step, and threw in the towel. It was a complete toss. He drops in class, shortens back to a sprint, and should be tough to beat based on his maiden win two back. BOY HOWDY returns form a layoff since August. He won his career debut here last May, but his career stalled thereafter. He returns fresh for a winning stable, and has room to improve. A NEW TREND is a speedster racing into condition. This is his third start back, he will try to steal it. JUNIOR GILLIAM will be rolling late.

NINTH RACE

WELL CAUGHT finished second last out in a $25k claiming race with possibly a stronger field than this maiden-40 starter allowance. In a wide-open scramble, she can mow them down late if able to run two alike. GOLDEN LIGHT got loose on an easy lead last time, yet still got worn down by a head. She will be one of the favorites again, but tough to endorse with confidence after squandering a perfect trip last out. HALO DARLIN is rounding into form, while SPACE CADET finished an okay third last time out in the race GOLDEN LIGHT exits. 285 West Huntington Drive Arcadia, CA 91066 (626) 574-7223 Main track: One mile, oval. Distance from last turn to finish line: Turf course: About Seven Furlongs 990 feet.

TAKEOUT INFORMATION ■ Win, place, and show: 15.43 % ■ Two-horse exotic wagering: 22.68% ■ Trifecta, Superfecta, Super Hi 5, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 6: 23.68% ■ Pick 5: 14% ■ Daily Double: 20%

NOTE: A horse which wins a non-winners of $3,000 other than maiden or claiming, or two races, for Calbreds, shall remain eligible for that comparable open allowance race, provided that horse did not win a race other than claiming following that Cal-Bred win. Once a horse has won the two first condition allowance races (Cal-Bred and open), then the Cal Bred win will be disregarded in future allowance races for eligibility purposes only.