ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 6, STRIKE AT DAYLIGHT

FIRST RACE

First post, 12 noon. WISHFUL found her niche as a turf sprinter; her runner-up finish last out was better than the low speed figure. She pressed a strong pace, put away her pace rival, opened up and got collared while finishing more than four lengths clear of third. She returns at the same Cal-bred maiden level, switches to jockey Kent Desormeaux, and can win this turf sprint (assuming it stays on the hill) by rationing her speed more efficiently. ZILLINDA, an eight-start maiden, returns to what appears to be her preferred surface. That is, turf. Her fourth-place finish two starts back on a downhill course listed “good” puts her in the hunt. NICE ICE has the top last-start figure, earned finishing a close fifth in a $200k stakes. She returns to the maiden ranks, cuts back to a sprint and will roll late. GET YOURSELF HOME might be ranked too low by this handicapper. She had trouble all three starts, adds blinkers and also will roll late. This race is a split of race 1; this looks like the stronger division.

SECOND RACE

Just five runners, and very little pace. That suits TIME FOR CIOPPINO, runner-up last out vs. a bigger field after pressing the pace. He could find himself on the lead, or at minimum pressing modest fractions. If he runs two alike, which is no certainty, he can win. IMA TAKE CHARGE wheels back 11 days after a convincing victory at Golden Gate Fields. A three-time winner, he is the only multiple winner in the lineup. Obvious contender. WILLY TELL HIM won his career debut one month ago, and therefore has upside. He is listed as a first-time gelding. He is trained by Steve Miyadi, who also entered comebacker colt DON’T TALK ME. The latter won his debut last summer by more than four lengths. This is his first start since. Jockey Evin Roman no longer has his apprentice weight allowance; he now rides as a journeyman.

THIRD RACE

OPTIC had a tough trip six days ago, finishing a distant third as the odds-on favorite. He had an excuse. He hopped and was away slowly, rolled up into a traffic jam and steadied slightly at the half, re-rallied and lost his punch. He wheels back on short notice, which is a high-percent move by trainer Keith Desormeaux, and drops a notch in class. With a clean takeoff, he should be closer to the front. BOURBON DUDE enters with the highest last-start figure, which probably will make him an underlay. Not sure how strong his runner-up comeback race was, however. He was not quick from the gate but was able move up inside and set relatively slow fractions. Nonetheless, he was worn down late. Perhaps this is too critical, but it seemed like a wasted opportunity. Regardless, he is a contender wheeling back in two weeks. MINISTER TO MY HEART was gelded since his most recent start. He finished second in back-to-back maiden-20s.

FOURTH RACE

This Cal-bred maiden turf sprint is a split of race 1. This certainly appears to be the weaker half. PULP IT IN THE SKY finished an okay fourth in her debut at Golden Gate, a race that produced two next-start winners. ‘SKY was transferred since then to So Cal, makes her first start for trainer Mark Glatt, and gets a top rider in Flavien Prat. Improvement likely second time out, first start back. WARM IT UP figures as a contender based on her third-place finish on this downhill course two starts back as a 47-1 outsider. Martin Pedroza will ride the 11-start maiden for the first time. ACCEPTED, a 5yo first-time starter, is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Acceptance, who won his career debut by more than 13 lengths. Solid recent work pattern suggests she can fire first time out. Either surface would be fine.

FIFTH RACE

DEVIL’S BEAUTY figures for a pressing trip outside her only apparent pace rival; the 6-for-17 pro is the proper choice to win this $12.5k claiming sprint first off the claim by Doug O’Neill. Her speed figures are solid, she is proven at this class level and above. PLANE LUCKY is the aforementioned pace rival for the top choice. ‘LUCKY returns from a three-month layoff, while dropping to below the $20k level at which she was claimed last fall. In this case, the drop makes sense. The speed-

ster has been losing her punch against better company; her speed makes her dangerous against this easier field. CORONADO COOL has developed into a consistent late-running sprinter. After losing the first 13 starts of her career, she has won three of her last five sprints. Upset winner last out vs. N3L rivals, she is appropriately spotted while moving up in class ($12.5k open is a higher level that $16k N3L). If the pace falls apart up front, look for ‘COOL late.

SIXTH RACE

STRIKE AT DAYLIGHT crushed maiden-30s first out by open lengths, in fast time. She subsequently was purchased by Rockingham Ranch and transferred to trainer Peter Miller. She has two easy works this month, meets a modest field of Cal-bred allowance fillies and mares, and can make it two-for-two as the most probable winner on the card. RED STICH returned to form last out when she returned to Santa Anita, which seems to be her favorite surface. Drawn outside, with a versatile running style, she will be coming at them late. She is 9-2-2-3 on this track; she is a combined 9-0-2-0 at other tracks. SMILING TIGRESS, runnerup twice at this Cal-bred N1X level, must overcome the rail. She does have speed, but so does the filly directly to her outside. That is PARTY HOSTESS, up a notch after a starter allowance win last out.

SEVENTH RACE

STURDY ONE was claimed last out from a solid runner-up finish behind 10-time winner Pica. STURDY ONE ran well despite a slow start and fast pace. Claimed by Miller, up a notch in class, she is proven on both dirt and turf. There is not an overflow of pace in this field; she will be setting or pressing the splits. MADAME MOUSSE has not started in nine months, but she is a specialist on the hill (two wins) and appears sensibly spotted at the $25k claiming level for her comeback. RYDER’S STARLIGHT goes route to sprint, dirt to turf, first off the claim. Vladimir Cerin is 5-for-12 “f.o.c.” since last summer. DEL MAR ANN and TANGLED UP IN JU have enough speed to be forwardly placed.

EIGHTH RACE

Last-out maiden winners UNCLE BILLY and AWESOME ANYWHERE are the choices in this $25k claiming N2L sprint. UNCLE BILLY gets the nod. Although his maiden-winning speed figure is lower than his rival, ‘BILLY earned it chasing a fast pace at this six-furlong trip against maiden40 rivals, while ‘AWESOME earned a higher figure while setting relatively soft splits in a maiden20. It’s a close call, but ‘BILLY holds the edge. AWESOME ANYWHERE won by seven lengths with a big number, although the tempo of that seven-furlong race was probably slower than he will face here. Perhaps it will make no difference from his outside post, where he might have the option of pressing/stalking the pace while racing in the clear. ZAP AGAIN, back-to-back runner-up at this level, figures as a contender rallying from off the pace. THANKFUL EVERY DAY is stuck on the rail. He must “go.”