Bernier: How I'll play Santa Anita for Saturday, May 13
Saturday’s card at Santa Anita features two stakes races – the Desert Code down the hillside turf course, and the Grade 3 Laz Barrera for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs on the main track. The third race also features a very promising 3-year-old dirt sprinter; all three of these events happen to be carded early, so I’ll hope to put together a winning pick five play.
Race 1
MOR CANDY (7) showed speed in his debut for Phil D’Amato on dirt before fading late; he moves to turf for the first time, and his sire Twirling Candy has done well with first-time turf horses (18 percent). CANDY’S MARTINI (6) ran evenly behind a talented runner in his hillside debut and sheds the blinkers. The 71 Beyer he earned is the highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure in the field, and he could move forward. MIRACLE MARCH (5) debuts for Dean Pederson, and based on pedigree he should have an opportunity to make some noise on the turf. His dam was a solid downhill sprinter, and he’s by the always dangerous turf sire, Unusual Heat.
Race 2
OMEGA MOON (5) figures to take a ton of money on debut for Bob Baffert; his dam was a graded stakes-winning dirt sprinter, and Baffert excels with these types making their debut. PIONEER LAD (3) makes his first start for trainer Richard Baltas after running into stakes-types like Kimbear and Law Abidin Citizen in his first two starts. GOLD SHOT (6) also goes for Baltas in his 3-year-old debut, and based on his recent works he’s worth inclusion on a ticket. CAPTAIN CHAOS (7) debuts for Peter Miller, and based on pedigree this horse has every right to fire at first asking. His dam won the Grade 1 Madison as a 5-year-old, and she was also a proven turf router.
Race 3
AMERICAN PASTIME (5) looks like he could be a legitimate stakes caliber sprinter; if he were running in the Laz Barrera, he would warrant some consideration as a win candidate. His career debut was very impressive, prompting a three-wide pace duel before drawing off without being asked. The turn-back to 5 1/2 furlongs seems a bit odd, but the future looks bright for this Bob Hess Jr. trainee.
Race 4
I’m going to try to beat the morning-line favorite CISTRON (7) here; he has never won from off the pace and appears very unlikely to make the front in his downhill debut. If he wins, I lose. CITY STORM (1) was wide throughout in his hillside debut for Phil D’Amato, but he finished very nicely. He got a bit green/tired just shy of the wire, but a forward move off that effort makes him a major player. ARMS RUNNER (4) looks like the goods for Peter Miller. A half-brother to graded stakes-caliber runner Calculator, this son of Overdriven was incredibly green in his career debut; nonetheless, he ran fast and projects to improve with racing.
Race 5
KIMBEAR (2) turns back to a sprint distance after a forgettable effort in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby most recently. His two sprint races on dirt are easily the best races of his career, and he has lovely tactical speed that should benefit him greatly. SUTTON IMPACT (5) enters the Laz Barrera on the heels of a maiden score against $75,000 claimers on April 15. The class test is obvious, but it looks like there’s some talent here; if he’s able to shake loose early, he could get brave.
The play: 50-cent pick five 5,6,7 / 3,5,6,7 / 5 / 1,4 / 2,5 = $24