SANTA ANITA NINTH RACE

It won’t be easy against the likes of MIDNIGHT

BISOU and unbeaten G1 winner DREAM TREE. But the maiden win by SPRING LILY was special. She ran fast, earning an 88 Beyer that is among the season’s highest by a 3yo filly. SPRING LILY is bred to run long and should get a forwardly placed trip at distance that is kind to speed. Through Sunday, the last 15 races at a mile and a sixteenth were won by a horse positioned first or second in the early going. MIDNIGHT BISOU put it all together last out when she scored a convincing G2 victory at seven furlongs. She has improved each start; two turns is something new. ‘BISOU has a score to settle with the filly that defeated her twice last year. That is undefeated DREAM TREE. The latter has yet to run fast, yet she is unbeaten after four starts. Her 27.55-second final quarter last out in a G2 mile can be partly attributed to the early pace. She was only a length behind a 1:11.73, which is the second-fastest six furlongs of the meet at the distance. The point is, perhaps DREAM TREE did not finish fast because the early pace was so quick. Her figures have remained virtually the same. THIRTEEN SQUARED looms a “must-use” longshot, blinkers off after burning out on the lead in the race DREAM TREE exits. THIRTEEN SQUARED benefits by the speed-friendly profile, and with blinkers off might relax. She is a live longshot.

SEVENTH RACE

TREASURE HUNTER ran super last out. He set a breakneck pace and only got worn down in deep stretch going six and a half furlongs. He shortens to six, and can win this starter allowance if he rations his speed more efficiently. HONEYMOONZ OVER wired special-weight maidens at Golden Gate; his runner-up finish two back on this surface puts him in the hunt. JOEJOE’S KINGDOM regressed on turf, but returns to dirt. He defeated HONEYMOONZ OVER in a maiden-50 here two back. JOERAY is sharp, handles any surface and any distance.

EIGHTH RACE

This N1X is scheduled for the hill, but rain is forecast. On turf or dirt, MS WAKAYA is the choice. Her runner-up finish last out was solid. Although she was no match for the runaway winner, MS WAKAYA “won” the race for second while sandwiched between rivals. She fought off her rivals, and inched clear late for second. It was a game effort by a filly in top form, proven now on the hill and also on dirt. If this race is on wet dirt, that should be okay. Her sire Flower Alley is a proven mud sire; her dam was a wet-track winner. BEAU

SQUARE will be running late, though six and a half furlongs is possibly beyond her preferred trip. She seems to lose her punch at this distance; her best races were five, or five and a half. One more chance at six and a half? She is in sharp form.

SALTEN SAPITY finished second behind next-out stakes winner Mongolian Shopper last out; TIZANILLUSION was s disappointing fourth as the favorite in the same race, although it was her first in three months. Potential longshot YOLANDA’S STONE is worth backing at a price, second start following a betterthan-looked effort.She was shuffled back into the turn, got bogged behind rivals, and actually showed late interest in the stretch and finished seventh. No published works since raced is a concern, but her recent effort was good and her odds should be high.Likely favorite WILD EDIE misfired last out, but so did every other horse in the race except the 17-length winner. In both previous starts, WILD EDIE finished second, open lengths clear of third. She meets a soft field of maiden-20 fillies, and looks like the favorite in a race without much depth. First-time starter NO HONEY MONEY is a sibling to Short of Ez, who won first out for trainer Mike Puype and owner-bred Roy Tyra in September. Same connections with this filly.

TENTH RACE

Runner-up both recent starts at this $16k claiming N3L level, RICK’S DREAM looms the one to beat shortening to six furlongs following a super runner-up effort at six and a half. He chased a fast pace, took command in the lane, tried to fight back, but got collared by a horse that rallied from the back of the pack. Big effort by ‘DREAM, who benefits by the shorter distance. BEANTOWN BOYS drops for the first time into a restricted claiming race, following three successive in-the-money finishes vs. open claiming company (two were age-restricted). ‘BOYS is not quick, but he does finish, and is probably facing easier than recently.

KENNY BENNY finished a better-than-looked

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% ■ Early pick 5: 14% ■ Late pick 5: 23.68% ■ 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. third behind the top choice last time; ‘BENNY got stopped trying to squeeze between rivals at the eighth pole, otherwise he could have been right there. BOLSTER might be ranked too low by this handicapper. He drops from Cal-bred allowance, and is quick enough to press or set the pace from the outside post.