ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, STARR OF QUALITY

FIRST RACE

All nine races Sunday are dirt races. If the weather forecast holds up, all nine will be run on a wet track. MIDNIGHT BANDIT might like the going. His sire Midnight Lute won the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Sprint on a “sloppy” track; his progeny are capable on wet. MIDNIGHT BANDIT finished an okay second in his debut. He broke slowly from the rail, and finished evenly inside. That race might have woken him up. Two subsequent short workouts are quick, he gets off the inside and should improve second time out. SIR EDDIE drops to maiden-50 for the first time after 10 starts vs. special-weight maidens including six in-the-money finishes. SPICY VIBRATION makes his career debut for trainer David Hofmans, who won with 5 of his last 21 maiden-claiming firsters including this gelding’s full sister. That was Gypsy Blu, who scored first out last summer at Del Mar for Hofmans and owner-breeder Legacy Ranch.

SECOND RACE

STARR OF QUALITY merits “best bet” status as she returns to her favorite track. All four wins were at Santa Anita including a maiden-claiming win two years ago on a wet track labelled “good.” The speed figures ‘QUALITY typically earns here are faster than her rivals, and it looks like there is enough pace to flatter her late rally. Lightly raced ARCTIC ROLL switched to dirt last time and ran the race of her career, a solid front-running maiden victory. The improving filly is taking a big step up from maiden to allowance, but this is just her sixth career start. No reason she will not continue her upward pattern. QUEEN BEE TO YOU finished eight lengths in front of the top choice last out, but that race was at Los Alamitos. It obviously was a good effort, she has run well also at Santa Anita. Blinkers on. WITHHOLDING INFO is a Midnight Lute filly, produced by a G1 winner. ‘INFO won her debut last month in a sprint at Los Al. Low-rated race, but she has room to improve.

THIRD RACE

A pair of second-time starters are logical in this maiden-50 sprint for newly turned 3yo fillies. EQUAL MEASURE was claimed for $32k from a better-than-looked runner-up debut. She did not get away well, but finished with run and galloped out big past the wire. That race produced three next-out winners (Kate’s Princess, Tiz a Master, Norwegian). ‘MEASURE moves up in class in her first start for John Sadler, who has always been effective with maidens first off the claim. ACADIA FLEET is believed to be a better filly than her debut indicates. She reportedly was showing speed in morning works, but she did not break at all in her debut and finished fourth. Expect an improved takeoff second out, and the possibility that she could make the lead. There really is not much speed in this small field. TICK TOCK debuts for a productive trainer-jockey combo. Bill Morey and Heriberto Figueroa entered the week 7 for 24 since last summer. MISS FIA is another D. Hofmans first-timer, while SO GUCCI might be ranked too low by this handicapper. She finished second in her debut, four lengths clear of third. The knock is that the pace was slower than par.

FOURTH RACE

This maiden-30 mile for 3yo fillies came up soft. BLUEBERRY PRINCESS stretches out for the first time in the eighth start of her career. She raced evenly and virtually split the field in both recent sprints; if she is going to get the two-turn trip it probably would be the first time she tries. THANKS drops back to the maiden-30 level at which she was claimed two back, while stretching out to a dirt route for the first time. Her only previous route was a nowhere finish on turf vs. special-weight maidens. HAD ENOUGH K P did not break in her debut, and finished fifth. Maybe she can improve. Maybe.

FIFTH RACE

AYACARA and ORIGINAL INTENT are the evenly matched principals in this $12.5k claiming N2L route. AYACARA is racing at the lowest class level for the first time, adding blinkers and switching riders to Edwin Maldonado. He and trainer

Vladimir Cerin have been a productive team the past 14 months, winning 10 of 30 including five with stakes-winning grass mare Fahan Mura. ORIGINAL INTENT, a closer, missed by only a halflength finishing second at this level two back over the Santa Anita track. ‘INTENT will roll late, and it is worth noting that his only start on a wet track was a four-length maiden romp here last spring.

SPIRIT MISSION got bogged on the unproductive Los Al rail last time, and split the field as the favorite. His previous efforts, including a decent third on “sloppy,” put him in the hunt. BUILDER looms an upset candidate, stretching out following a pair of even-paced comeback sprints.

SIXTH RACE

BASHFUL scored a visually impressive debut victory a month and a half ago at Del Mar, rallying from last to win going away with something left at the wire. The challenge second out is different circumstances. Her debut was a turf sprint, now she is racing on (wet?) dirt. But she did run fast on turf, looked good, and seems to have trained well enough on dirt. BATIQUITOS returned in fall as an improved filly, Cal-bred allowance winner and close fourth with a rally-wide trip last out on turf. Now a 5yo mare, proven on dirt, she probably has more early speed than the top choice. NICE ICE goes route to sprint, turf to dirt for a stable that has been on a roll. Trainer Brian Koriner had a big 2018, and entered this week having won 11 races from his last 26 starters. LOVING LYNDA won a Calbred route stakes last summer, this is her first start since July. PRINCESS ROI is a turf route specialist, now sprinting on dirt.

SEVENTH RACE

EL HUERFANO was claimed for $50k from a highly rated (90 Beyer) win. He won this N2X condition three times already, has tactical speed, is versatile and a logical choice to win while running back for the optional $62.5k claim tag. SURFING STAR trounced open N1X foes and Cal-bred N1X foes by open lengths both starts here in fall. He runs well fresh and fired big all four starts on this track (three wins, one second). The front-runner might be the one to catch. PEPE TONO will launch his rally from the back of the pack. He needs pace to run at, and he just might get it.

EIGHTH RACE

BELLAFINA was the top juvenile filly in California last year when she won three graded stakes including a pair of Grade 1’s; her comeback workouts suggest she is ready to fire first start at age 3. She drew outside her main pace rival, and figures for a pressing trip. Her only subpar race was the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies; she finished fourth while possibly compromised due to the fact she was ovulating. All systems go for her return; the only time BELLAFINA met her main rival, she won by more than four lengths. That rival is MOTHER MOTHER, who has improved since. She won a stakes race at Churchill Downs, and missed by a neck in the G1 Starlet at Los Al. MOTHER MOTHER has something the top choice lacks. That is, recent racing. She probably benefits by a return to one turn, and from the inside post she will be out there winging. REFLECT misfired her last two starts, at two-turn distances perhaps beyond her preference. Although she finished second in a G2 route in fall, she was always billed as a late-running sprinter. She gets that chance this time, dropping back to one turn with a running style opposite the two favorites. REFLECT is a muse-use upset candidate from the back of the pack.

NINTH RACE

CHRISTY JACKSON returns to a restricted claiming race (non-winners of three); the last time she raced at this level she missed by a head. Her recent form is sharp, with Relaunch on the bottom side of her pedigree a wet track would be just fine. MISS UNUSUAL already is proven on a wet track; she rolled to a convincing N2L win last out on “sloppy” going at Los Alamitos. She is lightly raced (seven starts), up in class for a hot stable and hot apprentice rider, and will press the pace with an outside trip. VALLESTINA takes a big drop to $16k claiming N3L, just two starts after she was claimed for $35k. Although her fastest races have been on turf, she did win her first two starts on dirt. PIED N TRUE has a crazy upset chance from the back of the pack. There is lots of speed in this field for her to run at. Bombs away? 285 West Huntington Drive Arcadia, CA 91066 (626) 574-7223 Main track: One mile, oval. Distance from last turn to finish line: 990 feet. Turf course: About Seven Furlongs

TAKEOUT INFORMATION ■ WPS, Roulette: 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.