Santa Anita Sunday; Cost $7.50; February 28, 2021, by Richard Eng, author of Betting on Horse Racing for Dummies
Post Time 12:30 p.m. PT
Race 1– 6 ½ furlongs (turf, rail at 20 feet), Purse $28,000, Optional claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up
3 Exultation – Good 2nd in his return to turf last time out, moves from an outside to an inside post which will help
7 Bench Judge – Seems like a lot of exactas return Prat-Rispoli or vice versus depending on who can get the trip
Long Shot– 9 Hartel
Race 2 – 1 mile, Purse $35,000, Maiden claiming $50,000, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds
2 Gabby Hayes – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming, should be forwardly placed
6 Big Frank Da Tank – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming, exits some bullet works
Long Shot – 4 Big Well
Race 3 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 20 feet), Purse $61,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies, 3-year-olds
2 Jibber Jabber – French import for Paddy Gallagher makes her U.S. debut, key for me is she runs w Lasix today
3 Shvere Arbeter – After a pair of decent turf sprints she is stretched out around 2-turns tonight, forwardly placed
Long Shot – 1 Sweetest Angel
Race 4 – 1 mile, Purse $33,000, Starter allowance $50,000, 4-year-olds and up
6 Ronamo – Dead late closer may see enough pace to do some late running, Flavien Prat making all the right moves
1 Motown Music – Like the advantageous rail post in this 2-turn mile on the main track, Umberto Rispoli is back too
Long Shot – 5 Dr. Troutman
Race 5 – 6 ½ furlongs (turf, rail at 20 feet), Purse $35,000, Maiden claiming $50,000, 3-year-olds and up
5 Capo Mafioso – Ran like a short horse in last off a 3-month hiatus, should be tighter w Flavien Prat taking over
1 Uncle Ray – Cutting back in distance from a 2-turn route to a 1-turn sprint, will be in arrears n make one big brush
Long Shot – 3 Ox Bridge
Race 6 – 5 ½ furlongs, Purse $22,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds and up
2 Count Alexei – This is the kind of favorite you either love or hate, no dirt races but dropping from MSW for this
9 Synsky – He faced much better at Del Mar but that was more than 7-months ago, watch the tote board for clues
Long Shot – 4 Stir The Pot
Race 7 – 6 furlongs (turf, rail at 20 feet), Purse $36,000, Claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up
9 Castle – Has been away nearly a year but returns in a very soft spot, lots of pace to chase so he could be closing
8 Blackout – Like the cutback in distance which should help him finish today, he has done well in turf sprints before
Long Shot – 5 Restless Rambler
Race 8 – 1 mile, $100,000 Tiznow, Cal-breds, 4-year-olds and up
5 Fashionably Fast – He’s a win machine but usually at distances shorter than 1-mile defending champ of the Tiznow
3 Brandothebartender – With the potential of an aggressive early pace this come from behind horse has a big chance
Long Shot – 1 Desmond Doss
Race 9 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 20 feet), Purse $35,000, Maiden claiming $50,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds
2 Whistler’s Style – Has the most back class in the field, is dropping from MSW to maiden claiming w Flavien Prat up
8 Avisse – Ran awful as a beaten favorite in last, claimed by Manuel Ortiz you’ll get a lot more value this time out
Long Shot – 9 Flag Salute
Best Bet – 3 Exultation (race 1)
Santa Anita Saturday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 18/5/$24.20; Long Shots, 8/2/$20.00; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Santa Anita & Simo POD Totals – 588/165/$1,045.50; Long Shots, 280/39/$448.20; Best Bets, 31/12/$45.40
SIMO POD – #5 Quenane (5/2) in race 5 at Gulfstream Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a mythical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. Kalifornia Queen ran out at Gulfstream Park – 38/26/$198.60; Follow me on Twitter: @richeng4propick; Register to my home page for FREE at www.racedaylasvegas.com