Hammersly: How I'd play Santa Anita for Sunday, May 24

There are three very small fields to start the card. After that you get a couple inscrutable maiden races. In other words, you have limited options early on. There are a couple runners later on the program who may be of use to you for your in-race and multi-race wagers.

Race 7

LARRY BIRDSTONE faced winners on this hillside course May 2 and was far from disgraced, running on well for fourth after a sluggish start. He moves back in against maiden claimers ($75,000) here, and that significant drop looks like more than enough to get him to break through and grab his diploma. Sure, he won’t be much of a price, so a win bet may not be prudent, but he can certainly be a single in a number of pick threes, the pick four and even the pick six.

Race 8

FIELD HUNTER was gone over 15 months but came back to duel and finish a nice third vs. some tough Cal-bred optional claimers March 1. With that under his belt he moved in against $32,000 foes here April 16 and finished third again. It’s most encouraging trainer Bill Spawr brings him back where he can’t lose him via claim. The 7-year-old has two super recent works, particularly a six-furlong move May 18 on the training track in 1:11. Not only is that work much faster than you would normally see on the training track, it’s much faster than what Spawr asks from his horses in the morning. So, if this guy worked that fast, odds are he did it on his own.
Like the other horse spotlighted in this segment he won’t be much of a win play (though he might be 3-1 as this spot is fairly competitive), but he certainly looks like a viable key horse for your various in-race and multi-race plays.