ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, ABBEY VALE

FIRST RACE

WHAT A HOTTY makes his third start after more than a year and a half on the sidelines after previously sitting out for 16 months. He’s coming off his best start year, rallying very wide and missing by only a neck. He’s stepping up a notch today but should be a major player here despite going off at 45-to-1 last time. PETE AND JACK ran well early in his career but stopped badly when favored last April. He’s making his first start since then. He is dropping and has been working nicely. COLD HARD LUCK set the pace in his first route last time as he made his debut for a new barn. He tired and ran into some trouble late but should appreciate his return to sprinting today.

SECOND RACE

ABBEY VALE ran second against similar in his main-track debut here. He ran well on synthetics earlier in his career and looks tough coming back with three easy works. He’s seen better days, but he’s still running well. UNION LEGEND sat just behind the top pick as they chased a runaway leader last time. He never could get past the top pick as both were outrun in the lane. He’s looking for his first win here. COLOUR ME HAPPY makes his main-track debut here. He’s making his third start following a 3 1/2-month freshener. Turf specialists seem to like this track so give him respect as he finally dips to the bottom level.

THIRD RACE

LOVEINTHESHADOWS makes her first start as a 10 YO. Although she was winless in nine starts last year, she never missed picking up a paycheck. Stalker is better on turf, but she does have six wins on this main track. It’s been seven months since ALY’S LAST MAGIC ran for this tag. She missed by a neck that day and came back to win at Pleasanton against better in her next start. She’s had her share of success here and at this distance which makes her a legitimate contender. KNOLL steps up a notch after finished third at the bargain-basement level in her past two starts. She does have a work since her last start, but, while she may be a contender, she’s probably best played on the bottom end of you exotics tickets.

FOURTH RACE

GLORIOUS HOUR ran big in her Santa Anita debut almost 10 1/2 months ago. Despite breaking slowly from the rail, she was able to sit in a good stalking position. Though the winner ran away from the field late, she held on for second. Works have been decent for her return, and you have to figure she’s bigger and stronger now. A LUCKY CARRY has had many chances, but she hit the board in nine of 22 starts and five of six starts on the main track here. She’s a stalker who has routed well and just finished second after sticking her head in front in the lane. First-timer STRIP IT DOWN is by a decent debut sire and out of a multiple stakes-winning dam. Works have been solid and steady but not particularly spectacular.

FIFTH RACE

All the runners in this heat are making their turf debuts. ENGLISH INVESTOR is one of only two runners here with experience around two turns. He is the son of a decent turf sire and a dam who is stakes placed on the turf. He was favored and showed improvement at this level last time after being claimed in his debut. TAP FEVER did little in his bow, but he should appreciate the chance to stretch out and move to the grass. Sire is good with runners debuting on the turf. Dam was a multiple stakes winner, including a graded stakes, on the turf. He’s also the full brother of a multiple stakes winner on the turf. BEL’S BLESSING has hit the board in both starts. He lost in a photo while beating the top pick in both of their starts. Family hasn’t shown the turf proclivity that the second pick’s has.

SIXTH RACE

CANDY PINK returns after six weeks on the side-

lines. She set the pace before settling for third against better last time in her first start on the main track here. She’s dropping for this, but her two victories against winners both came for half this price. One of her three works since raced was a bullet drill. HOLY PLAN won her debut here by 10 1/2 lengths and then went down south to run second at this level. Would like to see a work since that last start, but she sure dominated in her lone start here and is proven on synthetic surfaces.

OUR CLEMENTINE made her first start here since spending the summer at Emerald Down. She rallied for a game win, getting up in the final stride. A repeat of that effort makes her tough here.

SEVENTH RACE

SIZZLIN’ JOE is at his best on the turf but is coming off a main-track win when favored. He was claimed that day and is returning to his favorite surface here. Doesn’t have keen early speed, but he knows where the finish line is. RIDEO is also coming off a victory, winning against better on the turf as he stretched out. He dueled to the quarter pole but opened up in the lane and held on nicely. He’ll be a pace factor here and could be hard to run down. That victory was his first in four starts here with the other three starts winding up with third-place finishes. SHEILA’S FOOTSTEPS has lost photos in his past two start after scoring a pair of solid wins at this level. He’s winless on the turf, but he’s going in good form now.

EIGHTH RACE

Consider this an early prep for next month’s Lost in the Fog. QUICK AND SILVER won this prep last year and then won the Lost in the Fog. He’s coming off a strong, front-running win. He’s won half of his 24 starts here and is a crack sprinter. Speedster didn’t get the lead in this prep last year but was still able to win. TRIBAL STORM helped set the pace when he was third in last year’s El Camino Real Derby, and he scored a good win as a lukewarm favorite sprinting in his second start here last summer. There’s plenty of speed here for this closer to chase. Note that he beat older in a $100K sprint at Fresno last year. OUTSIDE NASHVILLE has always run well here and is a stakes-winning sprinter. He’s been working steadily since running third in the six-furlong Oakland in November.

NINTH RACE

SIGUR ROS dueled for the lead before settling for second in his debut in November. He comes north, hoping for an easier field for start No. 2. Works have been good since his debut, but barn does not have much success with second-time maidens nor with runners coming off similar layoffs. I’M TAKEN

NAMES has been runner-up in his two starts on the main track here. The first came last January before a very strong effort in his next start in December. Has a pair of good maintenance drills since that last effort. ON TRUST dueled in his Nov. 26 comeback before losing by a neck in his first start in nearly five months. He’s shown he runs well fresh, and he missed in a photo in his second start last spring after a good debut try.