Blogs

Wednesday’s program begins with a few attractive rolling exotic possibilities but gets a little thin later on, so let’s try to do some damage early on as we kick off Zenyatta week at Santa Anita.

Sunday’s program is spiced by a $207,271 Pick-6 carryover but with turf racing not likely and a number of potentially key scratches unavailable as this is penned, we’ll suggest a conservative ticket after merely dabbling in the first three events.

The first race brings back #1 Good Measure, a Carla Gaines-trained gelding trying to make amends after failing at 50 cents on the dollar in a similar two-turn maiden event in late January. He’s worked very well since, has little to beat and seems like the winner at odds-on. There’s no value here, so we’ll pass.

The 11-race Big ‘Cap program begins with a maiden special weight sprint for older fillies and mares and #3 No Mistress should be a short price to win it. The Ron Ellis-trained 4-year-old ran very well in both of her previous outings, most recently finishing an excellent second in a highly-rated dash on New Year’s Eve. She’s been gone since then, but her recent works indicate fitness and she really doesn’t have too much to worry about. She’s 9/5 on the morning line but we’ll be surprised if she doesn’t go lower than that. She’s a rolling exotic single on our tickets.

Today’s double Pick-6 carryover of $332,613 is well worth attacking and without a clear-cut, obvious single, there’s a chance that a series of middle priced winners could lead to a giant payoff. Let’s attack.

A lucrative Pick-6 carryover of $82,042 spices up the Thursday program, but I’ve always believed in the racetrack adage that you must play the card; you can’t let the card play you. With that in mind, I’m going to pass on the Pick-6 today. I lack strong conviction on at least a couple of the races and with the rains having come overnight I’m uncertain as of this writing whether we’ll have turf racing today.

Today’s opener is a maiden claiming extended sprint for 3-year-old fillies and #2 Akeela looks well placed for a diploma. First off the claim for Mike Mitchell (35%, strong flat bet profit), the daughter of Kela earned a solid figure when second in a similar spot last month and returns after sitting out her jail term. This seven furlong trip should be ideal for her closing style and she retains Talamo. We’ll be happy to take the 5/2 she’s listed on the morning line.

Racing resumes on Sunday with four of the nine races carded for turf. As this is written there has been no decision made on whether races two, four, six and eight will remain on the lawn or be transferred to the main track. Kinda makes it hard to handicap them.

The opener is a bottom rung router with three of the runners - #2 Candy Arches, #4 Absolute Glory and #7 General Don - exiting the same race, a pretty strong affair 10 days ago won by One Shot. It wouldn’t surprise us to see the winner exit that race, but which one? Don’t know, pass.

The heavy rains have come and more are expected during the afternoon. As of this writing, there will be no turf racing and races four and seven likely will have a number of off-the-program late scratches. You should check back at this website for all of the latest scratches and changes.

The Friday program begins with an early daily double that presents little value, so we’ll sit out the first two events and concentrate on the Pick-6, comprised today of races 3 through 8.

The opener for a typical Thursday program provides little in the way of value. #4 Recess, a beaten choice in her last three starts, is listed at 4/5 on the morning line, and looks it. We can’t trust her, so we’ll pass.