Bernier: How I'd play Santa Anita for Saturday, May 23

Saturday’s card at Santa Anita is surprisingly unappetizing considering it’s California Gold Rush Day. Out of the entire card there’s really only one horse that I’m looking to make a big play with – other than that it’s very much a sit-back-and-enjoy sort of day, for me. Here are some opinions on a few races.

RACE 3

SUNDAY RULES (5) has done nothing wrong for red-hot trainer Phil D’Amato, and I think she will breeze through the Spring Fever here going six furlongs. If you’re looking to try to make some money on the race, why not key her on top of a couple of runners who will likely be big numbers to try to create some value?

RACE 6

The only real opinion of the day that I’m looking forward to wagering on comes in the Fran’s Valentine. HEAT DU JOUR (4) makes her second start as a 5-year-old, and I think she’s sitting on a huge effort. Jerry Hollendorfer has tremendous numbers with these sorts (FORMULATOR FACT - Past 5 Years, Turf, Sprint-to-Route, Non-Graded Stakes, Cal-Breds: 4 for 9, $2.84 return on investment). If she runs the same race she ran in August of last year at Del Mar there’s simply no horse in this race that can beat her – but that’s a big if. I will play her to win at odds of 3-1 or greater.

RACE 9

The Tiznow is a decent race carded for one mile on dirt, and MOTOWN MEN (9) looks as though he will be tough to handle. The only negative about this son of Decarchy is the fact that he’s very likely to be less than his 5-2 morning line when they load into the gate, and that’s too short for my liking. If I’m going to take a small stab against, I would take a shot with POSHSKY (7). Poshsky goes out for Peter Miller, and Miller does very well with these sorts – over the past five years his runners are 3 for 9 when switching from running down the hill on grass to routing on dirt at Santa Anita. He should be a healthy price and I will likely play some small exactas with both he and Motown Men.