Hammersly: How I'd play Santa Anita for Saturday, Oct. 25

The day looks as though it may start out a bit chalky, but hey, you take what the card gives you. MAHALO PRINCESS figures to be favored in the opener. She drops off a layoff and is proven on dirt, with three of her seven wins on dirt, two of them here. She has the speed to utilize the rail.

AFLEET ECHO figures short odds in race 2. The daughter of Northern Fleet looks ready to get her diploma after a couple of nice seconds routing at this level, first at Los Alamitos and then here. It’s no small matter leading rider Rafael Bejarano takes the call, and she worked a snappy four furlongs in 47.60 here Oct. 16.

TEMEEKU could be your linchpin in race 4 for your multi-race wagers. The daughter of Unusual Heat had a troubled start in her first turf try on this hillside course Oct. 12, but kept to her task nicely to be a solid fifth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths. A better start can put her in position to pounce into the lane.

Race 5 is loaded with firsters and spreading seems a must for your multi-race wagers, particularly since you won’t be able to see the tote action or the post parade and warm-up for them, except for the pick three that starts with this race.

Race 6 is an interesting hillside sprint. The proven form comes with MAXX THE GIANT, CONQUEST TWO STEP, ROYAL F J and a few others but there’s price potential with CARLOT COWBOY. The 4-year-old gelding has never run on turf but pedigree-wise that shouldn’t be an issue. When sixth routing at Del Mar Aug 31 he was claimed for $32,000 by Bill Spawr. He came back in a main-track route here Oct. 11 for $25,000 and whipped those rivals. Now Spawr moves him to turf for the first time and maybe most importantly to a spot where he can’t lose him via another claim. Could be Spawr bought at the right time.

Race 7 is a tough Cal-bred N1X race, and comebacking KILL SHOT may be your key. Yes, the son of Cyclotron hasn’t run in 11 months but trainer Bruce Headley is superb off a long layoff like this. Also, Kill Shot has been working lights out, and if Headley's horses go fast in the a.m. they tend to go fast in the p.m. It also doesn’t hurt that this guy won the only time he ran on this track, which came last October off a layoff.

The Autumn Miss (race 8) is a real puzzle. ALEXIS TANGIER and GENDER AGENDA just ran one-two, separated by a neck, in the Unzip Me on the hillside course Sept. 27, and merit much respect. ON THE BACKSTREETS is a stakes winner on the hillside course, though she was fifth in the Unzip Me, while DIVERSY HARBOR is Grade 1 placed, SHEZA SMOKE SHOW and FAMOUS ALICE ran one-two in a Grade 3 here in the spring, and ZINDAYA invades from New York off two smashing turf sprint wins. But the horse of interest for me is LEXIE LOU.

LEXIE LOU is one of the best horses in Canada. She won three straight stakes this spring and summer, including trashing the boys in the Queen’s Plate. After that came a big win in the Wonder Where at Woodbine, her first turf on try. She obviously loved it. She then tossed in a clunker in the Grade 2 Canadian, fading to 10th. But it’s most encouraging that trainer Mark Casse opted to try this instead of putting her away for the winter. That last ugly running line iand the depth of the competition here will keep your price elevated.

Race 9 gives you a chance to stretch your multi-race tickets and find a price. The favorites in this $20,000 maiden claimer (THE TWELFTH MAN, TAKEIT TO THE LIMIT, TASHA’S COURAGE) appear to hold the aces.