Free: Santa Anita pick four for Sunday, June 5
ARCADIA, Calif. – The early races look chalky Sunday at Santa Anita. Hunt stands out in race 1, the Siren Lure Stakes; Arrogate could shake loose in race 2, a maiden special weight route; and habitual runner-up Little Mustard meets woeful maiden-$20Ks in race 3.
But at odds of 9-5, 7-5, and 8-5, the reward does not justify the risk of backing Hunt, Arrogate, and Little Mustard. If all three win, did a bettor miss anything? Nope.
However, the late pick four is a different story. Despite an excessively high takeout rate of 23.68 percent, the Sunday late pick four offers potential value for bettors willing to single a horse who finished seventh as the favorite last out. Yes, he had an excuse.
A 50-cent pick four ticket on races 6-9 that costs $30 is the extent of the action Sunday. Three deep, five deep, four deep, and a single in the finale keeps it affordable.
Race 6
Maidens sprint 6 1/2 furlongs on turf, led by favorites Giant Influence (5) and Scuderia (6). Both ran well last out and have trained well since. The upset candidate is Blackjackcat (9), who split the field in his debut. He has more speed than shown and likely will improve second time out. Best of all, Blackjackcat is listed at 8-1.
Race 7
This seven-furlong, $8,000 claiming sprint is wide open. From a gambling perspective, Accelerant (9) is interesting at 8-1. He returns from a layoff with the “no-claim” waiver, which is a bullish signal. Accelerant is fast enough when he fires. But the ticket also will include in-form Misdeed (1), dropper Celebrity Status (6), closer Northern Iowa (8), and top-choice favorite Dustin’s Passion (10).
Race 8
First-level allowance 3-year-olds sprint six furlongs; favorite Who’s Out (6) figures off his maiden romp nine months ago. Others are qualified: Annie’s Candy (1) runs fresh and faced top company last year. Navy Hymn (3) won four straight claiming races and earned a big number last out; Big Finish (5) is a first-time gelding with sharp works for underrated trainer Molly Pearson. That’s four deep, hoping to beat the chalk.
Race 9
The season’s final turf sprint is a $25,000 claiming race; Atta Boy Pete (6) can make amends. He finished seventh last out with an alibi. A free-running front-runner, Atta Boy Pete got trapped inside and behind horses early; he was rated behind a slow pace while never comfortable and sputtered. The circumstances conspired against him. He runs best when he uses his speed. If he does so, the 9-for-37 pro can win with a front-running or pace-pressing trip. Single.