Free: Santa Anita pick five play for Saturday, Jan. 31
ARCADIA, Calif. – The card Saturday at Santa Anita includes apparent standouts in the first and last legs of the pick five on races 1-5. With a pair of singles, the pick five (50-cent minimum, 14 percent takeout) looks affordable even for small bettors.
Is the bet hittable with a $48 ticket? We will find out soon enough.
Race 1
IT’S AINE (7) should win the opener, a sprint for $8,000 claiming fillies and mares. Her most recent start was better than it looks; she has more than she showed and draws a cozy outside post first off the claim by trainer Hector Palma. The 2-1 favorite, she is a single.
Use: It’s Aine (7)
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Race 2
This race is a mess. It’s a $30,000 maiden-claiming mile for 3-year-olds, with chaos written all over it. Hope so. This ticket will use “all” eight runners.
Use: All (1-8)
Race 3
Maiden 3-year-olds go 5 ½ furlongs; this ticket will use four. YIANNIS (3) has a series of bullet works for John Sadler, who is trying to snap out of a 4-for-46 funk; GIMME DA LUTE (4) worked well for Bob Baffert, who also entered Z BESHA (2), a Ghostzapper half to Judy the Beauty. Finally, Richard Mandella-trained MILHAUD is “live”. Good works; Great Notion progeny win 19 percent first out.
Use: Z Besha, Yiannis, Gimme Da Lute, and Milhaud (2-5)
Race 4
A $16,000 claiming sprint, nonwinners of three, will boil down to three logical contenders. They are BOW TIE BELLE (4), MIDNIGHT LADY (8), and SALSITA (9).
Use: Bow Tie Belle, Midnight Lady, Salsita (4, 8-9)
Race 5
The pick five ends with a filly-and-mare allowance turf sprint, and another apparent standout. OUR LITTLE HEN (`12) has speed, a good outside post, and sharp recent form over the course. She also is the 3-1 favorite.
Use: Our Little Hen (12)
The ticket (1 x 8 x 4 x 3 x 1 = 96 combinations = $48)
Race 1, first leg: 7
Race 2, second leg: “all 8”
Race 3, third leg: 2, 3, 4, 5
Race 4, fourth leg: 4, 8, 9
Race 5, fifth leg: 12