Hammersly: How I'd play Santa Anita for Saturday, June 20

A couple big, competitive fields where you might find a price, and a potential key horse in the third leg give a late pick three (races 6-8) ample appeal Saturday at Santa Anita.

Race 6

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TAKEM BY SURPRISE (#5) has been knocking on the door at this level of late and may be ready to bust through. He has some versatility to give his rider, leading man Rafael Bejarano, some options. MOLTEN IMAGE (#7) put up two smart seconds vs. conditioned $25,000 claimers a few months ago but then gave way badly here April 30. He bled and was vanned off. He has been given time to regroup, has worked well and returns for half that claiming price. NOT ENOUGH EDDIE (#1) has some speed and has also been facing tougher. A bullet 58.40-second work at Los Alamitos on June 10 says he’s doing well. PREORDAINED (#3) looked good graduating here April 25 before finishing fourth at this level May 23. He has the tactical speed to be involved from the start. MIDNIGHT CITY (#2) has been freshened a bit and drops a bunch. Trainer Bob Hess Jr. has done well over the years with big droppers like this.

A’s) 5, 7

B’s) 1, 3

C’s) 2

Race 7

ROYAL ALBERT HALL (#13), on the also-eligible list, may be sitting on a win. He chased stakes-caliber Om when second to that foe here May 10 (beat Cardiac, who won here June 7) and was then a respectable second to Bolo on this course May 29. Bolo is almost surely one of the top two grass 3-year-olds in the land (with Divisidero) and would be around 3-5 in here. Royal Albert Hall was far from disgraced by him (beaten 2 3/4 lengths). ZINVOR (#5) looked super winning here April 4 but then pressed a solid pace in the Snow Chief and paid the price, weakening a bit to fifth. A return to stalk-and-go tactics can get him back on track. SEVE’S ROAD (#1) looks like a comer for Phil D’Amato as he was as sharp second on turf here April 30, his first start in nine months, and a smart maiden winner on this course at this trip May 24. He has worked well since and Bejarano stays. CARDIAC (#7) stole a grass race at this distance here June 7. He may not be able to pull a theft again as there’s other speed signed up, but he has shown he can be effective from off the pace as well. (Should ROYAL ALBERT HALL not get in then move #1 SEVE’S ROAD up to the ‘A’ spot, use #7 CARDIAC as a ‘B’ and add #4 HERO TEN ALL as a ‘C’.)

A’s) 5, 13

B’s) 1

C’s) 7

Race 8

STELLAR WIND (#9) ran splendidly to be fourth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. She had early trouble and ended up far back but ran on nicely to show she’s got quality. She’s back to a track you know she loves (romped in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on April 4) and a bullet 46.20 work here June 16, on the heels of a strong 1:11.60 move here June 11, says there are no ill effects from her trip to Kentucky. FANTASTIC STYLE (#10) has loads of speed and comes off a romping win in the Angel Flight (a sprint) here May 16.) It’s her first route but pedigree-wise she should handle it. Her speed means she’s the one to catch and a bullet 1:12.80 move here June 15 says she’s doing well. TARA’S TANGO (#6) has done nothing wrong in three starts with a win and two seconds. The two seconds came here, in stakes, and sprinting, but she’s bred to handle this longer game.

A’s) 9

B’s) 6, 10

C’s) None