Hammersly: How I'd play Santa Anita for Saturday, Jan. 31

Small fields to start the card make finding plays difficult, but a couple of horses later on the card have some appeal and give options for in-race and multi-race wagers.

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Race 5

It’s not often you can embrace a horse who hasn’t run in over 13 months and who’s never run in this country but Chilean invader BRESCAT (9-2 morning line) has more than a few things going for her in this hillside sprint.

First, there’s talent. She didn’t just win her lone start in Chile; she galloped, winning easy as you please. That was over 10 rivals, two of whom came right back to win.

Sure, the layoff is worrisome but she’s been working steadily here the past month or so and trainer Ron McAnally has made quite a career out of turning South American horses into North American bigshots.

It also helps that BRESCAT doesn’t face the strongest bunch of optional claimers.

For in-race wagers I’ll hook her up with OUR LITTLE HEN (3-1, sharp and consistent of late), MARGOT MACHANCE (9-2, proven effective on this course, has some back-class) and GRAZENETTE (a price option at 6-1, has been freshened and is reunited with Joe Talamo, who was up for her two wins).

Race 7

Trainer Mark Casse appears to have a stranglehold on this race as he sends out the two likely favorites, KAIGUN and ZA APPROVAL.

KAIGUN got the better of runner-up ZA APPROVAL when he won the Grade 2 Seabiscuit at Del Mar in the fall. But there are a few reasons I’m more inclined to side with ZA APPROVAL here. First, ZA APPROVAL figures to be the slightly higher priced of the two, and with there being very little between them price is the determining factor (ZA APPROVAL is 3-1, KAIGUN is 5-2). Also, in the Seabiscuit ZA APPROVAL was inside and had to wait for room. KAIGUN, meanwhile, sat back and swung wide for clear sailing in the lane. That meant his run was unimpeded, and with power closers on the turf that’s all-important. ZA APPROVAL then had a troubled trip when fourth in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale at Gulfstream Jan. 10. He had a dreadful post (No. 11) which resulted in a wide trip, and got shoved out further turning for home, dulling his run. The winner of that race, Mshawish, looks like the best grass horse not named Main Sequence or Wise Dan and figures to be favored in next week’s Grade 1 Gulfstream Turf Handicap. In other words, ZA APPROVAL was chasing a real nice horse.

He’ll be my focal point here for in-race wagers with KAIGUN and HOME RUN KITTEN (3-1, coming off a strong second in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile here to Alert Bay, who came right back to win another stakes here last week). ZA APPROVAL can also be your linchpin for the various pick threes and can allow you to spread in the other races of the pick four and pick six.