Bernier: How I'll play Santa Anita on Saturday, April 8

There are several graded stakes Saturday at Santa Anita, highlighted by the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks. There are a few interesting runners scheduled to run, but a couple of them particularly interest me – one in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine and one in the Grade 3 Providencia.

RACE 5 – ROYAL HEROINE

Simply put, if HARMONIZE (6) can still run, she’s supposed to beat this field. Hall of Famer Bill Mott has successfully sent this filly west in the past, and there’s no reason to believe she won’t be able to handle this group in her 4-year-old debut. She’s the key for me in the first leg of this double play. She’s likely to be a very short price, so I’m interested in hooking her up with a couple of decent prices in the second leg.

RACE 6 – SANTA ANITA OAKS

ABEL TASMAN (4) and IT TIZ WELL (2) are clearly the two most likely winners, but the double isn’t likely to pay anything worthwhile with Harmonize in the first leg. I’m interested in using MOPOTISM (1) and PARADISE WOODS (3) in the second leg. Mopotism is a filly I’ve always thought highly of, and Paradise Woods has been incredibly impressive in each of her two lifetime starts. If Paradise Woods can stretch out in her third start, she looms as a major threat.

RACE 8 – SANTA ANITA DERBY

The Santa Anita Derby has a wide-open field featuring 13 3-year-old males who are evenly matched. Of the contenders, I’m most interested in using the inside two runners in this daily double: TERM OF ART (1) and REACH THE WORLD (2). Term of Art has slowly won me over, as he continues to take steps forward in each of his races. He may not be the likeliest of winners here, but he’s certainly going to offer value in a wager like this. Reach the World would be my main play in this spot, as I think he learned a great deal in his most recent start. While BATTLE OF MIDWAY (3) got the better of Reach the World in their most recent start, the education he received that day should serve him very well in a race like this.

RACE 9 – PROVIDENCIA

SIRCAT SALLY (1) is clearly the horse to beat, but at this distance, I’m more interested in BEAU RECALL (4). Beau Recall put in a legitimate bid against Sircat Sally most recently, and now she’ll get additional distance to work with. If she’s unable to run down the Jerry Hollendorfer filly with the added ground today, she’ll never run her down; I believe the added distance will be the difference maker for Beau Recall.

THE PLAYS

Harmonize / Mopotism, Paradise Woods
Term of Art, Reach the World / Beau Recall