Hammersly: How I'll play Santa Anita for Saturday, March 4

With finally a break in the weather, there is good footing and there are full fields for Saturday’s card at Santa Anita, providing a number of options for play. A competitive hillside turf race, an inscrutable group of maidens, and well-matched bunch of optional claiming fillies and mares gives the late pick three some appeal.

Race 7

STORMY LIBERAL (#9) comes off a powerful win down the hill in a stakes. He loves the hill, where he is 4 for 9, and figures tough again. There’s little or no room for error, though. FOREST CHATTER (#2) was a good third in this race last year and is 5 for 7 down the hill. He has worked strongly for his first start in eight months but is proven fresh and his Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella is superb off the bench. DANZING CANDY (#1) tries turf for the first time as he makes his first start in eight months. Like Forest Chatter, he has worked well and is sent out by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who is superb off the bench. As far as footing goes, his sire, Twirling Candy, won both his turf starts, both stakes, including the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby. In other words, he might love the grass. NO SILENT (#4) is a proven commodity on the hill, winning a Grade 3 stakes, and has worked terrifically (two recent bullets) for his first start in nearly four months.

A’s) 9

B’s) 1, 2

C’s) 4

Race 8

B SQUARED (#6) has worked smartly for his debut. His three siblings, all full brothers, are all winners, including Ralis (won Grade 1 Hopeful, four-time stakes-placed, including second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby). TWO HAIL MARYS (#7) is the one to beat having shown good speed in his debut here Feb. 5 before ending up second. He finished well clear of third and has worked well since. PATH OF EXILE (#2) ran on well to be third in his debut in that same Feb. 5 race, finishing 3 1/4 lengths behind Two Hail Marys. He could cut into, negate or even overcome that gap. CUPID’S BEAU (#10) has been knocking on the door with three second-place finishes in his last four starts and may be ready to break through. LIL AWECIM (#12) has shown speed in his three starts. He ran fourth behind Two Hail Marys and Path of Exile in that Feb. 5 race but that was his first start in a couple months. He has worked strongly since and gets blinkers.

A’s) 6, 7

B’s) 2, 10

C’s) 12

Race 9

AVICII (#5) remains hot to the touch with eight straight top-two finishes. She comes off an easy win at this level and figures tough again. KISS AT MIDNIGHT (#6) tailed off a bit last spring. She has been off since and has worked well for her return. Remember, she’ has got a touch of class as she’s multiple stakes-placed. WONDERFUL LIE (#7) won a race like this at Del Mar on Nov. 27 and returns to this level after finding tougher just a bit too much to handle. THAT’S A LADY (#4) returns to sprinting after some decent route work at this level (third in last two starts). She was a good second in her only sprint so she can play this game, and a bullet work here Feb. 23 is a thumbs-up.

A’s) 5, 6

B’s) 4, 7

C’s) None