Hammersly: How I'd play Santa Anita on Saturday, Jan. 24

There are some competitive fields on this California Cup card, which present some opportunities. The trouble is you have to wait a bit – three of the first four races are for maidens and chockfull of first-time starters, so wading in too deep there seems risky business.

However, a couple horses later on the card offer some options to cash both on in-race wagers and multi-race exotics.

Race 7: For selection purposes in the daily edition, I tabbed VELVET MESQUITE. Remember though, in the paper, we’re trying to pick winners. There are numerous times, however, when a horse who isn’t your top selection still may be a key player when you bust out your wallet. That’s the case here with MORE COMPLEXITY.

This gal is underrated, and her only poor races the past nine months or so came the two times she tried graded stakes. She’s also a perfect 2 for 2 on this hillside course, so while she’s facing some other hillside specialists, she gives nothing away in terms of fondness for this course.

I’ll use her on top and underneath a number of rivals in the exactas: Velvet Mequite, HEAT TRAP, HEAVEN’S STAIRWAY, KATHLEEN ROSE, and TRIBAL GAL. She also may be of use in the trifectas. I’d hate to have her run well and crack the top three at a decent price (6-1 on the morning line) and have nothing to show for it.

Race 9: As in race 7, the horse I’m going to utilize here wasn’t my top pick in the paper. My selection was ALERT BAY, likely the favorite, but I very much like the puncher’s chance of AWESOME RETURN either to win or at least be in the exacta.

Awesome Return was third, only 1 1/4 lengths behind Alert Bay, in the Grade 2 Mathis Bros. Mile on Dec. 26. He does his best running late and gets another full furlong with which to work, and that’s to his benefit. Sure, he needs help in terms of pace and traffic, but if he gets it, he can blast home, and he figures a decent price (he’s 4-1 on the morning line).

I’ll use him over and under deserving favorite Alert Bay, a dropping BIG BANE THEORY, and another big closer, PATRIOTS RULE.

Oh, and sandwiched between those two in race 8 may be that single you desire for your races 7-9 pick three, the pick four, and the pick six as BIG MACHER looms a heavy favorite in the California Cup Sprint and with his class and speed can prevail.