Bernier: Four horses worth considering at Santa Anita on Saturday, June 23
Below are some horses to consider Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
RACE 1
ROCKIN READY (3) turns back in distance following an impressive maiden score against older horses for trainer Phil D’Amato. The tactical speed she displayed going long gives me hope that she won’t be entirely outrun early in this downhill race, and if she isn’t, she should be finishing well late. She’s unlikely to be any sort of great price, but she feels like a solid “A” horse in the early pick-five sequence.
RACE 4
MISCHIEVOUS SONG (1) is another horse turning back in distance on the heels of a victory routing, and Peter Miller has very strong numbers with this type of move (past four years, winners last out, route to sprint: 7 for 18, 13 in the money, $5.36 ROI), and the presence of the seven-pound apprentice makes me hope this 3-year-old filly will be ridden aggressively. There doesn’t appear to be a tremendous amount of early pace signed on, so hopefully Mischievous Song won’t find herself too far back entering the far turn.
RACE 10
A number of runners exit the N1X at Santa Anita on May 12; many people will look toward SIX POINT RACK (4), who was squeezed back at the start and essentially eliminated, but he’s always had an issue with this condition, and I’ll be siding against him. I’m most interested in the outside runner, CALIFORNIA JOURNEY (8). California Journey was hooked in a wicked pace duel May 12 and eventually paid the price, finished a game fourth. That race was contested at nine furlongs, and the slight cutback to a mile here should be to his liking. It’s also worth noting he’s shown the ability to sit just off the pace, as displayed in his career debut in March 2017.
RACE 11 – SAN CARLOS
Bob Baffert’s AMERICAN ANTHEM (4) is strictly the horse to beat in the San Carlos, but I’m not entirely sold on him being ready to roll here. His return effort at Churchill Downs earlier this month was workmanlike at best, and he’s bombed in the past in races where it appeared he was the main contender. I’ll take a swing against him with Baffert’s other runner, DABSTER (8). Dabster has shown ability from Day 1, but it seems as though the 4-year-old has been difficult to keep sound based on his having made only five lifetime starts. That said, when Dabster is on his game, he’s a force to be reckoned with; you only need to go three starts back to see a victory at seven furlongs over eventual Grade 1 winner City of Light. Dabster should be the third or fourth choice on Saturday and feels like a legitimate threat.
