Three contenders looking to atone for subpar outings

ARCADIA, Calif. – Based on last-start finish position, top contenders in three key races Friday at Santa Anita might be considered toss-outs. But wait, finish position is only part of the story.

A maiden who finished fifth by double-digit lengths is the pick in race 3, which is included in this week’s Stronach 5. An older maiden who ran fourth by eight is the one to beat in race 4, and an allowance horse who finished fifth by more than seven is the choice in the feature, race 6.

Stay in Yo Lane in race 3, Sellwood in race 4, and Gain Ground in race 6 benefit Friday by conditions decidedly different from their most recent. Apples and oranges are tough to compare, and so are race-to-race comparisons when the distance and footing change.

Stay in Yo Lane stretches from a sprint to a mile in the $30,000 maiden-claiming race for 2-year-olds. Although he is not the field’s only speed, he is the quickest. And if he can ration his energy while stretching out for the first time, he might be long gone as the program favorite.

Agronomo also stretches out; his even-paced running style suggests two turns will be his best distance. Red Clem and R B Eye finished two-three last out in a similar maiden-claiming route. Race 3 is the second leg of the Stronach 5. It is the only Santa Anita race in this week’s wager.

Race 4 favorite Sellwood is a career maiden making his ninth start, following the worst finish of his career. He lost by eight as the even-money favorite, but his alibi was built in. Sellwood is a turf horse; his most recent start was on dirt at Los Alamitos.

Sellwood returns to turf for the 1 1/8-mile maiden race Friday. If he reproduces either of his recent runnerup finishes on the Del Mar turf, he can win. If not, lightly raced Cupid’s Claws figures off a runner-up finish at Golden Gate. Dirt-to-turf Trojan Spirit finished second last out, nearly eight lengths in front of Sellwood.

Race 6, at 1 1/4 miles on turf, is a tough read. The program favorite in the first-level allowance is Starting Bloc, based on a last-to-first victory in a onemile turf starter allowance two weeks ago. But the horse to back might be Gain Ground, unplaced on dirt last month but returning to his preferred surface.

Other contenders in race 6 include Comma Sister, Alsatian, and Hot American.