Bernier: How I'll play Santa Anita on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018

Generally, when I look at a day’s races at any given track, I’m searching for opportunity in a multirace sequence, whether it be a daily double, pick three, pick four, pick five or pick six. Occasionally, a scenario presents itself where a horse is entered in a spot that I’ve anxiously been waiting for; typically, I’ll look to build my multis around said horse, but in an instance like the one presented on Saturday, I don’t want to come up empty if he happens to run well but doesn’t win. In a rare shift from my multirace focus, I’ll look to the City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita on Saturday, keying a horse throughout in trifectas.

RACE 9 – GRADE 2 CITY OF HOPE MILE

Those of you who watch the stakes previews on video.drf.com are likely aware that I’ve long held the belief that FLAMBOYANT (4) is a pretty solid horse – he’s just been campaigned at distances that are too long for him. I’ve long felt that he’s best suited for distances between eight and nine furlongs, which is why I’m continuously perplexed when I see him running in races between 10 and 12 furlongs. Since July 2016, Flamboyant has run in races between eight and nine furlongs on five occasions, finishing third (beaten three-quarters of a length), second (beaten a head), fourth (beaten three lengths on a day when the pace held up), second (beaten 1 1/4) and first (by a neck). He simply doesn’t have the stamina to be at his best going past nine furlongs, so the City of Hope Mile should hit him right between the eyes.

There are other solid contenders, including SHARP SAMURAI (8), WHITE FLAG (2), OHIO (5), and one of my favorites, FLY TO MARS (9). Flamboyant doesn’t have any real edge on the main contenders, so in case he runs well – but not well enough – I plan on keying him up and down in trifectas with these horses.

THE PLAY

4 / 2,5,8,9 / 2,5,8,9
2,5,8,9 / 4 / 2,5,8,9
2,5,8,9 / 2,5,8,9 / 4