Free: How I'd play Santa Anita on Sunday, April 26
ARCADIA, Calif. – Only eight races will be run Sunday at Santa Anita, instead of the nine races that were scheduled.
Why the truncated program? A racing official quoted in Daily Racing Form said, “There are a lot of horses out of town, a lot of trainers out of town, and a lot of jockeys out of town.”
It’s a curious alibi. The unfilled races were a state-bred maiden and a $16,000 claiming route. Those type rarely ship out of town. Trainers can be reached on cell phones. There are plenty of jockeys.
Wagering opportunities are further limited by small fields. The first four races Sunday have seven runners or fewer. Therefore, action will be limited to a longshot stab in race 5 and a standout in race 6.
Race 5 is the U.S. debut of Divina Comedia. She has a series of fast works and is likely to come out firing in the N1X turf sprint.
Provenance, a comebacker, figures for a good trip setting/pressing the pace from the outside.
ZANAB (#2, 15-1) is the longshot that could make the vertical wagers special. Her fifth-place comeback was solid. Zanab broke last and finished with run in a race dominated by speed.
I expect Zanab to outrun her odds Sunday and plan to use her as a vertical-wager key with Divina Comedia and Provenance.
Race 6 includes a standout in OLD MAN LAKE (#4, 7-2). The race is a California-bred N1X, and Old Make Lake towers over the field on pace and speed. He was claimed last out from a $12,500 claiming race he won by more than six lengths. Visually, the win was every bit as good as it looks on paper.
There is one caveat. Old Man Lake is not likely to start near his 7-2 morning line. Old Make Lake is likely to get hammered, and he is likely to win.
Race 5 longshot Zanba and race 6 standout Old Man Lake are the keys to my limited wagering plan Sunday at Santa Anita.