With forecast for more rain, Glatt has runner for either surface

ARCADIA, Calif. – It is not enough to merely handicap horses during this wet winter at Santa Anita. Trainers and horseplayers also must handicap the weather.

The latest storm was expected midweek, and its duration will influence Friday’s seventh-race feature scheduled for the hillside turf. The 6 1/2-furlong allowance for California-bred fillies and mares has nine entrants, though scratches are likely and the footing is uncertain.

If the race stays on the hill, Judicial will be the only Mark Glatt-trained starter. She might be all he needs, anyway. But if rain pushes the race to the main track, Glatt also will start dirt-only Chasin Lucas.

Then there is any-surface comebacker Donut Girl, whose trainer, Hector Palma, laughed when he said: “She will run anyplace. If they want to run on top of the roof, I’ll run.”

That won’t be necessary. What is required is willingness for handicappers to change gears in the event of a surface switch. It already has happened nine times this meet – turf sprints moved to the main track due to a wet dirt crossing where the downhill course joins the main turf oval.

Judicial enters as a contender on turf or dirt. Glatt hopes that a recent prep and revised strategy produce improvement following her third-place comeback. Judicial was returning from a short layoff in a race with a murky pace scenario. Glatt and jockey Rafael Bejarano decided to send.

“On paper, it didn’t seem like there was any speed in there,” Glatt said. “She ended up going fairly quick, a little too quick for her. It turned out to be the wrong thing to do that day.”

Judicial ran well. She dueled through fast fractions, put away her pace rival, and tired.

“She’ll be better this time,” Glatt said.

If the race stays on turf, the only other front-runner is Great Ma Neri.

Chasin Lucas has speed for dirt. Chasin Lucas adds blinkers, which is an experimental change, Glatt said.

“She’s a funny filly,” he said. “She gets aggressive when she’s sitting behind horses, but when she gets in front like the other day, she gets lost.”

Last out, on a good track, Chasin Lucas dueled for the lead, opened up in the stretch, then was run over by the winner. Her second-place finish was solid, and she could be the speed of the field if the race is on dirt.

Donut Girl, a winner on turf and dirt, returns from a six-month layoff with a light work tab.

“I think she’s got a shot, but she’s not as tight as I want,” Palma acknowledged. “She’s going to run well.”

The others entered are Bezzy, Bragging Rights, Scathing, An Eddie Surprise, and Shylock Eddie.