Friday turf races provide betting appeal

ARCADIA, Calif. – From veteran claiming horses to maiden 2-year-olds, the Santa Anita card on Friday offers an array of categories with a recurring theme: Turf is king.

The top races Friday are grass races, which have outnumbered dirt races 50-37 this meet and attracted significantly bigger fields. Average field size on turf is 8.7, compared to 6.7 on dirt. This fall, both surfaces are chalk-friendly – favorites won 46 percent on turf, 43 percent on dirt.

While the eight-race card Friday at Santa Anita includes four on each surface, the quality and depth of turf races generate greater appeal. The card is tailor-made for handicapping, gambling, and second-guessing.

Race 1, six furlongs on turf for $40,000 claiming fillies and mares, is a rematch between Never for Money and Storming Lady. Although they finished one-three racing five furlongs last month at Del Mar, the order of finish might be reversed Friday.

Never for Money beat Storming Lady by a half-length, yet one could argue Storming Lady ran as well as the winner, perhaps better. Never for Money pressed the pace two wide, while Storming Lady was caught four wide through the turn and floated wider yet into the lane.

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The truth is, Never for Money and Storming Lady are tough to separate. Never for Money has won 4 of 12 starts for trainer Andy Mathis; her rider is Kyle Frey. Storming Lady, a 6-for-33 veteran claimed last out by Peter Miller, will be ridden by Juan Hernandez.

Race 4, six furlongs on turf for $32,000 claiming nonwinners of two lifetime, marks the comeback of stakes-placed Wyfire. The Miller-trained gelding returns from a layoff of more than a year and is realistically spotted under apprentice rider Abdul Alsagoor.

His main rival is My Summer Dream, who had an alibi for finishing fourth as the favorite racing five furlongs at Del Mar last out. My Summer Dream was caught four wide through the turn and rallied from seventh in a race dominated by speed. He benefits by the longer distance Friday under Hernandez.

Race 6, a $25,000 claiming race at a mile on turf, attracted a deep field of veterans, including last-out runner-up Opry. Claimed by Jeff Bonde, Opry returns at the same level with a rail draw and tactical speed. His jockey, Ramon Vazquez, has quietly emerged as a leading local rider. Vazquez entered the week with a 16-11 lead over Umberto Rispoli.

Southern King finished a half-length behind Opry two starts back and returns to turf after a runner-up effort in an off-turf claiming route. Others in the field include Alvaaro, Comradery, Pillar Mountain, and Proud Pedro.

Race 8, a six-furlong turf sprint for maiden 2-year-olds, marks the career debut of Captain Sparrow. A son of Speightstown trained by Mark Glatt, Captain Sparrow debuts under Hernandez with a series of fast workouts, including a three-furlong bullet gate move Sunday in 35.40 seconds. Captain Sparrow is quick.

Second-time starter Jam Session adds blinkers and switches surfaces after a creditable seventh in his career debut on dirt. Others include route-to-sprint Rexford and also-eligible Carver.

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