Brad Free's handicapping analysis for Santa Anita on Monday, May, 25, 2020

BEST BET: Without Parole (9th race)

First Race
1. Torosay 2. Big Runnuer 3. Smiling Angelo
Memorial Day, first post 12:30 for an 11-race card. TOROSAY returns to the turf sprint layout on which he ran the best two races of his career, a dominating maiden win and a runner-up finish in an entry-level allowance such as this. Although he faces other speed, he has coped with heat and gets the call to win with a front-running/pressing trip. BIG RUNNUER also has run well over this course, debut win by four and less than a length behind the top choice after a troubled takeoff in December. BIG RUNNUER runs well fresh, and is versatile. He could tuck into a cozy trip just off the speed. SMILING ANGELO is unproven on turf (unplaced twice), but his dirt figures are fast and he returns from a layoff as a first-time gelding with a series of sharp workouts.

Second Race
1. Hendavid 2. Dyn O Mite 3. Lozlovian
Trainer Luis Mendez won the meet's first two races for 2-year-olds, and his debut colt HENDAVID can add to the total. He appears to have worked well in Utah, and he posted a sharp gate move last week at Santa Anita. By the win-early stallion Overanalyze (15 percent wins, debut 2yos), HENDAVID should come out firing. DYN O MITE also posted a sharp gate work here last week, Goldencents progeny are known to fire first out (14 percent wins, debut 2yos). The presence of the meet's leading rider indicates positive intent. LOZLOVIAN makes his debut for a stable with a solid long-term record with early-season 2yos, although Rattlesnake Ridge is not exactly known as a win-early sire (7 percent wins, debut 2yos).

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Third Race
1. Message 2. Colonial Creed 3. Kaydetre
MESSAGE, a dirt specialist, faces a field of turf specialists in this N2X dirt mile. She has speed, fast works for her first start since January, and a history of running well fresh. She should be long gone. COLONIAL CREED finished a creditable third her only start on dirt. That was last May in an age-restricted G2. She ran okay in her early-March comeback, setting the pace into the lane before tiring like a filly that needed the start. Tough to gauge her fitness level following the interruption of racing, but she fits on class and has enough gas to keep the top choice in her sights. KAYDETRE drops out of the strongest race. She finished fourth in the G1 Beholder Mile, winner Ce Ce and third-place Ollie's Candy returned to run one-two in the G1 Apple Blossom. No such beasts in this lineup, and KAYDETRE is the only entrant in the field with a route win over the Santa Anita main track.

Fourth Race
1. Kelani Kim 2. Trouville 3. Enriched by Deb
First time in for a claim tag, maiden-40 dropper KELANI KIM might be the speed of the field based on the fractions she set her only previous start on this dirt track. Her trainer has been on a roll since the resumption of racing, and his dirt-sprint stats are super with MSW-to-MCL droppers. Mark Glatt is 6-for-9 in the category since January 2019. TROUVILLE ran okay finishing second on turf last out, but she might be more effective on dirt. She has tactical speed, and is sufficiently versatile to rally from slightly off the pace. ENRICHED BY DEB is a second-time starter with speed, while LITTLE RACHEL debuts with a solid six-furlong workout just five days ago.

Fifth Race
1. Jolie Olimpica 2. Just Grazed Me 3. Stealthediamonds
JOLIE OLIMPICA lost for the first time in five starts last out, but she ran well under the circumstances. The multiple graded/group winner was stretching to a mile following a sharp turf sprint win, she set a hot pace, led to deep stretch, and got worn down to finish second. Too fast for her own good. That will not be a problem returning to a turf sprint. Shortening up, she can use her tactical speed to full advantage, JOLIE OLIMPICA could get a trip similar to her win two back. That is, just off the speed. Outside post gives her options in this speed-filled field. JUST GRAZED ME misfired for the first time in 12 starts last out, finishing off the board as the favorite in a Cal-bred stakes vs. colts and geldings. Off two months, back with fillies and mares, leading rider Flavien Prat takes over, plenty of speed to run at. STEALTHEDIAMONDS is fast, with one way to go. That is, race to the lead and try to steal it. She nearly did just that last out against California-bred males, but was worn down late. Good effort following her career-best victory two back in a Cal-bred filly-mare stake. Win or lose, 'DIAMONDS probably is the one to catch. She faces a tough pace scenario, however because SURRENDER NOW, MISS HOT LEGS and INTO MYSTIC all have speed.

Sixth Race
1. Howbeit 2. Ragtime Blues 3. Scarto
Only five starters in this sprint for 3yos, and not a toss in the field. HOWBEIT returns from a seven-month layoff with a solid work pattern and proven form on this racetrack. His two wins both were from slightly off the pace, that style should play well in this field. RAGTIME BLUES set a fast pace and wired maidens at Oaklawn Park. He looks like the speed of the field. Improvement likely second start back, even facing winners for the first time. SCARTO was purchased privately after a highly rated upset win at Gulfstream Park. That was a starter allowance, which is how he retains eligibility to this N1X allowance. ZIMBA WARRIOR will be rolling late, while MO HAWK is a stablemate of likely pacesetter RAGTIME BLUES.

Seventh Race
1. Sea of Liberty 2. Jamming Eddy 3. Lemon King
SEA OF LIBERTY defeated a good starter allowance field last out, and might be facing easier in this Cal-bred allowance. 'LIBERTY won by a nose; both the runner-up and fourth-place finisher returned to score 92-Beyer dirt wins. 'LIBERTY has speed, he can finish, and is well-spotted to win his third straight. JAMMING EDDY has been stuck at this level, but he finished in the money three of his last four and probably benefits by a return to turf. LEMON KING won his debut last summer as a 2yo rallying from midpack. He obviously runs well fresh, and there is sufficient speed to flatter his closing kick. AFTERNOON HEAT wheels back in eight days, stretches out and switches to turf. Sired by Unusual Heat, a turf mile might be just right.

Eighth Race
1. Fierce for Sul 2. Buyer's Remorse 3. River Girl
First-time starter FIERCE FOR SUL reportedly has been flashing speed in morning works, she hails form a barn that does not mess around with fast-working first-time starters. Color her gone. Comeback filly BUYER'S REMORSE ran super finishing second in her career debut last summer, then was pitched over her head and finished off the board in a pair of stakes. Off since autumn, she should return as an improved filly this year as a 3yo. First-time starter RIVER GIRL makes her career debut for a trainer-jockey combo that is 6-for-15 the past three years. First-time starter VIA ANGELICA is a stablemate of the top choice.

Ninth Race
1. Without Parole 2. Raging Bull 3. River Boyne
East Coast shippers WITHOUT PAROLE and RAGING BULL have run well vs. world-class turf milers and may hold the "class" advantage; locally based RIVER BOYNE has the hometown edge as an eight-time winner on the Santa Anita turf including a recent G1. Along with surface switcher WAR OF WILL, this shapes up as an outstanding race. The call is WITHOUT PAROLE, high-class miler in Europe whose third on this course in the BC Mile stamps him the horse to beat. He flew home in :22.78 that race, which was his first start in nearly six months. Though he subsequently misfired in Florida, he returns to the course on which he ran well in fall and merits "most probable winner" status on the Monday card. His stablemate is RAGING BULL, a deep-closing G1 winner vs. 3yos who has flirted with top company and also will fly late. RIVER BOYNE upset Got Stormy last out to win for the eighth time on the Santa Anita turf. He has more tactical speed than either of the top pair, and will get first run. WAR OF WILL has been working fast, he ran well on turf as a 2yo. He and VOODOO SONG will keep the pace honest. NEXT SHARES will be running late.

10th Race
1. Studly Perfection 2. Fire When Ready 3. Wilshire Dude
STUDLY PERFECTION moves from a closers-friendly turf course to a main track that was speed-friendly around two turns the first four days of racing resumption. 'PERFECTION set the pace to deep stretch last time and faded to finish fourth. Now he draws an Inside post, is a four-time winner on dirt, and the one to catch. FIRE WHEN READY drops back to the level at which he was claimed from a runner-up finish two back, while stretching out to the distance of his most recent win. WILSHIRE DUDE figures for a cozy trip just off the speed.

11th Race
1. Ollie's Candy 2. Etoile 3. Lady Prancealot
OLLIE'S CANDY is nominated to this turf G1, and a dirt G2 next weekend. This turf race might the right spot for the multi-surface specialist, whose runner-up finish last out in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn was super. She sped to the lead, set a blazing pace, and got collared late. Super effort in just her second start of the season. She worked well since, has run well on turf, and at this nine-furlong distance. If she reproduces the speed that she showed last out, OLLIE'S CANDY could lead gate to wire. ETOILE has chosen an ambitious spot for her U.S. debut, which can only mean that the Group 3 winner from France is ready to fire first start back. Other than the top choice, this G1 field is modest. ETOILE has run well fresh. LADY PRANCEALOT, a G1 winner vs. 3yos, benefits by the extra distance and a three-month freshening. One mile was too short last out, she wants every bit of this longer nine-furlong trip.