Andersen: How I'd play Santa Anita on Sunday, Feb. 8

ARCADIA, Calif. – There are signs trainer Phil D’Amato’s stable is on the upswing. He has won with two of his last five starters, including Intoxicating Move in Saturday’s finale.

Through Saturday at Santa Anita, D’Amato had won with 7 of 38 starters at the winter-spring meeting, leaving him in a tie for sixth in the standings.

On Sunday, D’Amato could have a big day. He has runners in three races: Pocketfullofgreen in the first race, the first leg of the 50-cent pick five; Radiant Journey in the fourth race, part of the pick five and early pick four; and Fanticola in the eighth race, the $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes, which is part of the late pick four.

All three can win and serve as a foundation for multi-race bets.

Pocketfullofgreen is a first-time starter in a $50,000 claiming race for maidens at six furlongs. By Maimonides, the filly will be ridden by Martin Garcia and is 5-2 on the morning-line behind the 6-5 Blooming Hannah. On Jan. 16, Blooming Hannah ran well to finish second, her best result in four starts.

D’Amato already has had a first-time starter win at the meeting when Micks Miracle scored Dec. 26.

Radiant Journey beat maidens at six furlongs Dec. 21 at Los Alamitos and was second in an optional claimer for California-breds on the hillside turf course Jan. 16 in her first start against winners. A 4-year-old filly, Radiant Journey is the 5-2 favorite in the fourth race, an optional claimer for California-bred females at six furlongs on the main track.

Radiant Journey is a slight choice over the 3-1 Zuzu’s Petals, who has drawn the outside in a field of eight. Zuzu’s Petals is trained by Marty Jones, whose barn has struggled at this meeting, winning once with 18 runners. Radiant Journey can be bet in exactas with Yana, who has ample speed.
For the daily double that begins in the fourth race, Radiant Journey could be a key selection with Conquest Artura and Scandal in the fifth race.

Fanticola is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Wishing Well, which is run on the hillside turf course. Fanticola won the Megahertz Stakes at a mile on turf Jan. 17 for her first stakes win. She has won on the hillside in the past and is a big danger as a stalker.

In exactas and trifectas, Fanticola can be keyed over Birdlover, who has not raced since finishing second in the 2014 Wishing Well; Burning Arch, who is trained by the red-hot Jerry Hollendorfer and Sky Treasure, who was fourth in the Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes on the hillside turf course Jan. 4.

In the late daily double, Fanticola works as a selection keyed with This Time I Win and Coolington.