Hammersly: Pick three play for Santa Anita on Sunday, March 15

A brutally tough Santa Ana (race 7) is the day’s feature, and if you can get that one correct, it may lead to a solid payoff in the late pick three as you can spread there looking for your price, while races 8 and 9 give you a couple chances to take a stand.

Race 7

THREE HEARTS (#10) was a very unlucky third in the Grade 3 Robert Frankel here, losing by just a neck despite ample traffic issues in the lane. She’s been freshened since. DIVERSY HARBOR (#4) absolutely can blast home and is a proven commodity. She was second in that aforementioned Frankel (beaten just a nose) and powered home to win the Grade 2 Buena Vista here last month. TESTA ROSSI (#1) is a scary invader. She can be top class when on her game, and the way she finished second at Tampa in the Grade 3 Endeavour (awarded the win via DQ) hints she’s getting back to that form.

QUEEN OF THE SAND (#5) has been freshened since a strong second half of 2014. She ran on well to be second in the Grade 1 Matriarch, so she’s got the quality. ROSALIND (#8) comes from the same invading barn as Testa Rossi and, like that gal, is capable of big things when on her game. After two poor races last summer/fall, she was freshened but came back with a very nice second at Gulfstream last month to indicate she may be rounding back to her best. LADY OF GOLD (#11) has been knocking on the door since last summer, and with just a bit of a break here and there, she could have multiple graded stakes wins. She figures to get there one of these days.

A’s) 1, 4, 10
B’s) 5, 8, 11
C’s) None

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Race 8

HONEY RIDE (#7) was freshened, returned to dirt here Feb. 16 and responded nicely, finishing second in a good group. Her best races have come routing on this track. MARYCASEY (#4) came out firing to whip maidens in her debut here Feb. 15. There are big hurdles here (first time routing, first time vs. winners), but she obviously has talent. ENDURING ERIN (#6) has been freshened since winning on turf here Dec. 31. Hess Jr. does well off a freshening, and while her dirt form is limited, note a five-length romp the last time she ran on dirt at Hawthorne last April.

A’s) 7
B’s) 4
C’s) 6

Race 9

REDHEADS RULE (#5) looks poised to score. The daughter of Big Brown is kin to multiple Grade 1 grass winner Little Mike. She ran on well for third in her first turf try on the hill here Jan. 9, a run that looks better when you note three she faced that day came right back to win, including She’s a Big Winner, who next won the Sweet Life on this course.

BOAT DRINKS (#1) has ample speed, and her first two starts, both on the hill, were sharp as she ran second in each. She’s worked well since, too, and is the one to catch. AVENGE (#3) didn’t run badly at all when fourth in her first turf try on the hill Feb. 14. She certainly can benefit from that outing. Remember, she’s by one of the game’s elite turf sires (War Front), and they paid $650,000 for her at auction, so surely there are some expectations here.

A’s) 5
B’s) 1, 3
C’s) None