Specifically designed for the rolling exotic player, Jeff Siegel’s Daily Santa Anita Handicapping Analysis, & Wagering Strategies identify those horses that should be included in daily doubles, pick-3s, pick-4s, pick-5s, and the pick-6.
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Grade Descriptions:
Grade A=Highest degree of confidence
Grade B=Solid Play.
Grade C=Least preferred or pass
Grade X=probable winner but likely at odds too short to play

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RACE 1: Post: 1:00 PT Grade: B-
Main ticket: (in order of preference): 2-Eight Clap; 1-Invincible; 4-Six Maximus.
Backups/Savers/Underneath: 9-Teddy’s Triumph.

Forecast: Eight Clap closed a gap in his debut sprinting at Del Mar to be a decent third and seems sure to build on that effort while getting an extra furlong to work with. A solid, healthy work tab since raced gives indication that a significant forward move is possible. Invincible didn’t get the cleanest of runs when a distant fourth as the favorite in a turf miler for juveniles at Del Mar but with the addition of blinkers the son of Uncle Mo should have every right to step forward. It would be somewhat surprising if gate-to-wire tactics aren’t employed under noted speed rider Edwin Maldonado. Sir Maximus didn’t do a whole lot in his sprint debut on dirt but we’re thinking with the switch to Juan Hernandez the Michael McCarthy-trained colt will get serious today. The rail post at Del Mar sprinting is death for a first timer starting two year old; today we’ll find out if he can run.

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RACE 2: Post: 1:31 PT Grade: B-
Main ticket: (in order of preference): 1-Minedandrefined; Casia.
Backups/Savers/Underneath: none.

Forecast: Minedandrefined plummets in class seeking her winning level and may have found it in this restricted (nw-2) $16,000 seller for fillies and mares. She has back speed figures good enough to beat this field and sports the always popular blinkers off angle, so we’re thinking that the Sean McCarthy-trained filly seems fairly solid at 8/5 on the morning line. Casia looked decent breaking her maiden in a $32,000 claimer at Los Alamitos and really won’t have to improve much to act with these. Toss her in somewhere.

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RACE 3: Post: 2:03 PT Grade: B+
Main ticket (in order of preference): 2-Madison Rae
Backups/savers/Underneath: none.

Forecast: Madison Rae displayed a bit of promise in her debut when a willing third at Del Mar and not much more will be needed to graduate in this modest state-bred sprint for juvenile fillies. We’re not entirely sure why Juan Hernandez doesn’t ride her back (he has no mount in the race) but we’re not going to worry about it. She’s 9/5 on the morning line and unless a first timer gets some unexpected action the Peter Miller-trained filly likely will go lower on the tote.

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RACE 4: Post: 2:35 PT Grade: B
Main ticket (in order of preference): 3-Tiergarten; 6-Irish Patsy.
Backups/Savers/Underneath: none.

Forecast: Tiergarten has won two of her last three in clever fashion with rising speed figures and looks well-spotted to continue her winning ways in this starter allowance turf miler for fillies and mares. She has good tactical speed and a prior win over this course and distance. Irish Patsy represents the most dangerous of the closing types and is reunited with “win rider” Umberto Rispoli. She’s another with prior winning form over the local lawn and her speed figure two runs back makes her a major player.

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RACE 5: Post: 3:07 PT Grade: B+
Main ticket (in order of preference): 3-Bad Sneakers
Backups/Savers/Underneath: none.

Forecast: Bad Sneakers stretches out for the first time (love that angle), removes blinkers (love that angle even more), and earned a career top speed figure when fourth in a hot race at this level at Del Mar last time out. The Gun Runner gelding retains Juan Hernandez and seems certain to be the controlling speed. He’s 2-1 on the morning line and we’d take that price right now in the win pool and as a rolling exotic single.

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RACE 6: Post: 3:38 PT Grade: B
Main ticket (in order of preference): 3-Endlessly; 4-Pour Dompter.
Backups/Savers/Underneath: 2-Ngannou.

Forecast: Endlessly is perfect in two starts, including an authoritative score in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes last month. He produced a strong forward move in the speed figure department and it wouldn’t be surprising if he does the same today. The son of Oscar Performance likes to settle early and blast home, and regular pilot Juan Hernandez knows him well. Pour Dompter is an intriguing invader from France making his U.S. debut for Phil D’Amato. His form overseas puts him in the hunt with these.

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RACE 7: Post: 4:09 ET Grade: B
Main ticket (in order of preference): 7-Ghost of Midnight; 5-Midnight Fury; 10-Houndstooth.
Backups/Savers/Underneath: none.

Forecast: Ghost of Midnight beat nothing when winning his debut facing maiden $20,000 company at Del Mar, but he did it stylishly and today is protected in a sign of confidence. He may need a boost in the speed figure department but could easily have it in him. He was always cut out to be a nice horse but didn’t make it to the races until the back end of his 5-year-old campaign. Midnight Fury has numbers that can win and has good, solid, consistent, recent form while Houndstooth should have clear sailing outside, projects to settle in mid-pack, and then have his chance from the quarter pole home.

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RACE 8: Post: 4:40 PT Grade: B+
Main ticket (in order of preference): 6-Soho; 3-Dreamfyre.
Backups/Savers/Underneath: 4-Buttercream Babe.

Forecast: Soho was a visually pleasing debut turf sprint at Del Mar with a solid number and has the pedigree to step forward considerably with this stretch out in trip. She’s worked quite well since her win so we’re expecting a significant forward move by the John Sadler-trained filly, who is squarely priced at 5-1 on the morning line. Dreamfyre is unbeaten in two main track sprint races and today will stretch out and switch to grass. She’ll take them as far as she can on the front end.

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RACE 9: Post: 5:11 PT Grade: B
Main ticket (in order of preference): 2-Big Novel; 7-Wishtheyallcouldbe.
Backups/Savers/Underneath: 10-Lady Maryann.

Forecast: Big Novel got buried in the quicksand from her poor rail draw in a similar state-bred allowance optional claiming sprint at Del Mar last month and had no chance. She should do much better today over a main track that we know she likes, and with a bullet recent five furlong drill (:59 flat) last week she appears spot on for a major effort. Wishtheyallcouldbe is a genuine and consistent sprinter and a perfect two-for-two over the Santa Anita main track. She’s likely to get outrun early but be heard from late.

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RACE 10: Post: 5:41 PT Grade: B
Main ticket (in order of preference): 3-Maltese Falcon; 5-Aligato.
Backups/Savers/Underneath: none.

Forecast: Maltese Falcon is a lightly raced sophomore improving with experience and maturity, and after winning the La Jolla Handicap-G3 and then falling just a head short in the Del Mar Derby-G1, he’ll tackle older rivals while returning to the first level allowance ranks. The Leonard Powell-trained gelding can turn it on late, retains Juan Hernandez, and with good racing luck and a decent pace up front he should be along in time. Aligato has hit the board in his last four starts and is strong on speed figures. The veteran gelding has had just 11 career outings and even at age six has further room for improvement.