RACE 2 – Juvenile Turf
Two-year-old colts & geldings. Purse: $1 million. Distance: One Mile (Turf). Post time: 4:35 p.m. Bets:
WPS, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3, Pick 4.
By RAY KERRISON
ANALYSIS: The likely favorite this year is Viscount Nelson from the powerful Coolmore-O’Brien European juggernaut after his eye-catching second in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster two months ago.
LIVE LONGSHOTS: Bridgetown at a price is very attractive. Becky’s Kitchen has since worked bullets at Santa Anita. Watch out.
THE BET: Pounced is a major player here after his terrific second in the Grade 1 Lagardere at Longchamp. Put him on top of Viscount Nelson and Pletcher’s Interactif in the exactas with a saver on Becky’s Kitchen.
RACE 3 – Turf Sprint
Three-year-olds & up. Purse: $1 million. Distance: 6 1⁄2 furlongs (Turf). Post time: 1:50 p.m. Bets: WPS, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3, Pick 4, Daily Double.
By ED FOUNTAINE
ANALYSIS: There is a long sloping run on the downhill turf course from the gate to the track level, and with several speed horses in the race, the early pace figures to be brutal.
LIVE LONGSHOTS: Desert Code, last year’s winner at 36-1, came off a layoff to finish seventh in the Sept. 30 Morvich, the exact same prep he had last year.
THE BET: Diamondrella, who is facing colts for the first time, has an explosive late turn of foot and drew favorably toward the outside. Cannonball belongs in exotics.
RACE 4 – Sprint
Three-year-olds and up. Purse: $2 million. Distance: Six furlongs.
Post time: 5:15 p.m. Bets: WPS, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3, Pick 4, Daily Double.
By RAY KERRISON
ANALYSIS: The favorite, Midnight Lute, won the last two editions at 5-2, and millions will be surprised if the favorite doesn’t win it this year. The favorite will be the sensational Zensational, who won his last three races, all Grade 1 sprint races at Hollywood Park and Del Mar. He is 5-for-6 on synthetic tracks and has three straight bullet works at Santa Anita for his. What’s more, he’s trained by Bob Baffert, who has won three Sprints with Thirty Slews and Midnight Lute.
LIVE LONGSHOTS: Cost of Freedom, who won the Ancient Title over this course last year and finished fourth this year, might be the best of them. British shipper Fleeting Spirit, is a possibility.
THE BET: It’s Zensational all the way for my money. Bet him on top of the two main dangers, Gayego and Fatal Bullet.
RACE 5 – Juvenile
Two-year-olds. Purse: $2 million. Distance: Mile-and-a-sixteenth. Post time: 3:55 p.m. Bets: WPS, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3.
By ED FOUNTAINE
ANALYSIS: California-based colts have won all four Juveniles run at Santa Anita. Three of them won their prior race over the track, the other finished second. Horses that made their prior start in California completed three of the four exactas.
LIVE LONGSHOTS: Noble’s Promise and Aikenite finished 1-2 in the Breeders’ Futurity over Keeneland’s Polytrack. Pulsion rallied for second in Santa Anita’s Norfolk. Beethoven comes off a Group 1 win on grass in England. Pounced and Radiohead ran second in Group 1’s in Europe for trainers who’ve won Breeders’ Cup races.
THE BET: Lookin at Lucky comes off wins in the Del Mar Futurity and Norfolk for Bob Baffert. He is the one to beat, but the far outside post 13 is a concern.
RACE 6 – Mile
Three-year-olds & up. Purse: $2 million. Distance: Mile (Turf). Post time: 3:15 p.m. Bets: WPS, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3, Ultra Pick 6, Daily Double.
By RAY KERRISON
ANALYSIS: Favorites win this grass mile at a thin 28 percent clip, but then Goldikova, a three-year-old filly, came in from Europe last year and killed them at 8-5.
LIVE LONGSHOTS: The one great thing about this race is that longshots have a habit of jumping up to get second and top off big exactas. The best longshot might be Cowboy Cal from the Pletcher barn, who won the Oak Tree Mile, a major prep, over this course last month. He is speedy and 3-for-3 at a mile.
THE BET: Goldikova will be short-priced and who knows, maybe she is not as good as last year. On that flimsy premise, I’ll go for Cowboy Cal if in double-digits and take Goldikova over some longshots.
RACE 7 – Dirt Mile
Three-year-olds & up. Purse: $1 million. Distance: Mile. Post time: 2:30 p.m. Bets: WPS, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3, Daily Double.
By ED FOUNTAINE
ANALYSIS: Last year the 1-2 finishers last raced at Santa Anita, but so did the 6-5 favorite, Well Armed, who finished ninth. The 1-2 finishers rallied from far back in the early going, but the horse that ran third set the pace. With a short run to the first turn, inside posts are preferred.
LIVE LONGSHOTS: Mambo Meister is coming off a big win at Calder, has never raced on synthetics but has a solid record on turf, so he could take to this surface. Mr. Sidney is 4-for-4 going a mile on turf, ran well on Polytrack last year and has a strong late kick. Pyro is in sharp form.
THE BET: Mastercraftsman drew the rail, won two Group 1’s going a mile in Europe and romped on Polytrack in Ireland last out prepping for this. If he runs his race, he should blow these away. Use Midshipman, last year’s Juvenile winner, here in exotics.
RACE 8 – Turf
Three-year-olds and up. Purse: $3 million. Distance: Mile-and-a-half (Turf). Post time: 6 p.m. Bets: WPS, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3, Pick 4, Daily Double.
By RAY KERRISON
ANALYSIS: This $3 million mile-and-a half marathon on the grass is one of the great races of the year, a defining, exciting event spiced with some incredible performances (Conduit, High Chaparral, Daylami) some spectacular flops (Dancing Brave, Soldier of Fortune both dismal at odds-on), big prices (Better Talk Now $57, Miss Alleged $86, Lashkari $108).
Last year’s hero, Conduit, will be a short-priced favorite again. He may be the class of the field but he’s only 1-for-4 this year. Not for my money at the price. Presious Passion, is the 6-year-old tearaway speed, but no horse has won this race wire to wire at Santa Anita, and no 6yo has ever won the race in 30 tries.
LIVE LONGSHOTS: Not so Telling, listed at 20-1. He won the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at a mile and a half at Saratoga two starts back.
THE BET: The win bet goes on Telling and take him underneath the two well-performed Euros, Dar Re Mi and Spanish Moon in the exactas.
RACE 9 – Classic
Three-year-olds and up. Purse: $5 million. Distance: Mile-and-a-quarter. Post time: 6:45 p.m. Bets: WPS, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3, Super Hi 5, Daily Double.
By ED FOUNTAINE
ANALYSIS: Ransom should set the pace, but Girolamo, Quality Road and Summer Bird don’t figure to let him shake loose early. Summer Bird and Quality Road are dirt horses that have never raced on a synthetic surface.Zenyatta faces males for the first time. She’ll be coming late but will likely go wide on the far turn.
LIVE LONGSHOTS: Mine That Bird should appreciate the distance. Colonel John is 3-for-6 on this track. Gio Ponti should take to the synthetic. Twice Over comes off three straight wins in Europe at 10 furlongs.
THE BET: Rip Van Winkle almost beat European champ Sea The Stars. Key Rip in exotics. Einstein won the Santa Anita Derby this year, has tactical speed and could be the spoiler. Zenyatta might take it all, and Regal Ransom could sneak in at a price.