ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 1, GOLDEN

FIRST RACE

GOLDEN should be tough in this maiden turf mile, based on her excellent third-place debut in a similar turf route. She tucked inside near the back, saved ground, finished with run (:22.86 final quarter) and galloped out in front after the wire. Solid debut, the Tapit filly needs only minor improvement to handle this field at a short price. A longshot lurks in the form of MALIBU HANNAH. This field came up surprisingly short on speed, ‘HANNAH stretches out from a sprint and adds blinkers. If leading jockey Juan Hernandez lets her roll, she could make the lead. Come and catch her. IVY LEAGUE, beaten favorite three of four, takes off blinkers and adds Lasix. FOCACCINA was rank and green in her debut, but split the field. She could move forward second time out.

SECOND RACE

GIDGETTA makes her second start following an eight-month layoff, facing an easier N1X sprint field than she met in her N1X turf sprint comeback. She ran okay, fourth by less than three lengths, galloped out with run after the finish, and appears to have worked well since. She is quick enough to set or press the pace in this small field. HOTITUDE is arguably the “best horse,” a three-time winner including turf N1X and Calbred dirt N1X. The challenge is reproducing her turf numbers on the main. Her career-high dirt fig is a mere 72 Beyer. Win or lose, she will set/press the pace from the outside post. JUNGLE JUICE arrives from Kentucky, where last out at Turfway Park had traffic trouble racing above her eligibility in a N2X. She finished nowhere. But her starter allowance wins two and three back on dirt at Keeneland and Churchill Downs are the highest figs in the field.

THIRD RACE

Front-runner HONOR AMERICA and late-runner MIDNIGHT DIVA both ran well first out, either can win this special-weight sprint. The call is the speedster. HONOR AMERICA set a blistering pace first out, led to deep stretch, then got swallowed. She finished fifth by a length and a half. With a debut under her belt, the speedy Into Mischief filly gets the nod to wire the field. She will have to hold off MIDNIGHT DIVA, who broke slowly in her debut, trailed the field, then finished with run for third by a length and a quarter. Maidens from this stable generally run better second out. CLASS REUNION debuts with solid works for a win-early stable, although as a daughter of Curlin she might want farther than six furlongs. DONNA BELLA showed speed and cracked first out. Lasix on for her second go.

FOURTH RACE

A slow start and a blistering pace compromised FULL DRAW last out in a maiden-40. He returns to the maiden-20 level at which he was claimed from a runner-up finish three back, and would tough to beat if he reproduces that second-by-a-nose finish. K P D DAY and N. K. ROCKET MAN both drop in class, though both are unproven on dirt. ‘DAY gets in light, shortens to a sprint, and certainly has more dirt than turf in his pedigree. ‘ROCKET MAN slides from Cal-bred MSW to rock bottom, while going turf to dirt, route to sprint. TWIRLING DEBY finished second in back-to-back maiden-20 routes at Los Alamitos.

FIFTH RACE

Six and a half furlongs is the right trip for GYPSY BLU, 3-for-3 at the distance (all three on the hill). Off three months following a runner-up finish in a $100k Cal-bred stakes at five and a half, she runs well fresh and can reel in the speed from just off. AN EDDIE SURPRISE, stakes winner here last winter at five and a half, was claimed from a third in a N1X/optional $40k, and gets an optimistic hike to N2X/optional $62.5k claiming. She has always run well over the Santa Anita turf: at 6.5f on the hill, 5.5f on the flat, and one mile. Her 19 SA turf starts produced five wins, seven seconds, four thirds. With blinkers on, she should be tucked in just off the pace. SADIE BLUEGRASS won six of nine in Northern California. Not sure if she will stay the distance, this is the longest race of her career. But you have to respect her record.

HEATHERS GREY goes route to sprint, with established recent form at this N2X level, in the money three straight at a mile.

SIXTH RACE

The speed of the field, the “class” of the field, with an advantage in speed figures, CAPTAIN SCOTTY figures as the solid favorite in this $40k claiming sprint. He wired similar both recent, and he won a G2 on this track a year ago. Come and catch him. ITALIANO gets a nine-pound weight break from the top choice, and has enough speed to keep the favorite in his sights. ITALIANO missed by a neck last out in a solid effort. He dueled though fast fractions, put away his pace rival, opened up and got collared. Big threat with a pressing trip assuming he rations his speed. The horse that beat him is SELF TAUGHT, a closer who would benefit if the top pair cancel out one each other. PROMISE NOTHING is a newly turned 4yo unproven vs. older, but he will be running late at a price.

SEVENTH RACE

ELLIE ARROWAY drops to the claiming ranks for the first time. As a 5yo with only eight starts, the drop from N2X and restricted stakes makes sense. She finished fairly close all recent vs. higher-class rivals, and can win this $40k claiming turf mile if she avoids a duel with front-runner NICE ICE. The latter is speed on the rail, with two fast wins from her last three starts. This is her first start since late October, but she was due for a short break anyway after racing six times in five months. She won at this level last out; her and the top choice can control the race on the front end. COLOMBIAN GOLD moves up in class to face older after solid recent efforts vs. claiming 3yos and restricted older claiming fillies and mares. From where she is drawn in post 2, she could tuck into a cozy trip saving ground right behind the top pair. Of course, her nemesis TOO MUCH HEAVEN is in this field also. ‘HEAVEN moves up in class off back-to-back wins.

EIGHTH RACE

QAHIRA always fires first out/first back; three of her four wins were debut and/or comebacks. She is already fast enough on numbers to win this minor sprint stakes first start in more than three months, her Beyers in the upper 80s qualify her on figs, and her versatility benefits if the pace gets hot. QAHIRA has won setting the pace, and rallying from last. If there is a knock on the 4-for-7 sprinter, it is that she is winless in three starts at Santa Anita and perfect everywhere else. No big deal considering her runner-up finish on this track in a G3 in fall. MO SEE CAL shortens to a sprint and returns to the main track while benefitting from an outside post in a race that could unfold at a contested pace. From where she is drawn, she can let the pace go, sit back, and rally. Graded stakes-placed AMUSE is buried on the rail, but otherwise figures as a contender first start since finishing a neck behind the top choice in autumn. ACTING OUT dominated an allowance field at Los Alamitos, although the race earned an ordinary figure. BIDDY DUKE is speed, facing easier after she set a blazing pace and cracked in a G1 for 3yo fillies. Come and catch her. DYNASTY OF HER OWN is back doing that she does best, which is sprint. This is her first since July, her figs are low.

NINTH RACE

If she repeats her winning debut, MISS DRACARYS can win right back in this N1X turf sprint for 3yo fillies. Her first start in a turf sprint at Aqueduct was super. Hard-held, eager to run while behind runners saving ground on the turn, she rallied inside and found herself in tight quarters in the stretch, took up slightly, split foes late and powered home. Big win by a well-bred filly with more speed than she showed. Should be tough to beat second out. NIMBOSTRATUS shortens to a sprint, and gets a key rider switch to Flavien Prat. She ran well in her U.S. debut when she rallied from behind in a stakes race, but her next two starts she curiously pressed the pace and faded. Seems reasonable to assume Prat will take her back, in which case she should produce a stronger kick. EMPIRE HOUSE is speed, and could make the lead as she moves from dirt to turf. Runner-up first out in a fast maiden race, winner second out in a slow maiden race, she could be the one to catch. PLUM SEXY figures off her maiden sprint win first out. She was in tough second out in a G3 route, but ran okay setting the pace into the lane before she got swallowed. She benefits by the class drop/shorter distance.