Hammersly: Santa Anita pick three for Sunday, Jan. 25

Some full, competitive fields to close out the card give the late pick three (races 7-9) appeal. You’ll likely need to spread, but that may help you catch a price.

Race 7

EL VAQUERO (#8) faces winners for the first time, but these aren’t the most imposing winners. In fact, they’re all maiden winners only, so the class hike isn’t as big as it might otherwise be. He progressed nicely last summer, topped off by a smart maiden win on Los Alamitos dirt Jan. 14. He may be a solid ‘A’.

Of course, he is facing winners for the first time, and that’s a big hurdle, so others who can be utilized include BALLARD RULER (#6), second in a route at this level here Jan. 4; TAKEN BY SURPRISE (#7), a sharp second in a sprint at this level here Jan. 11, his first start in eight months; SALT POWER (#9), who rallied nicely for third at 33-1 to end up just behind Taken By Surprise in that Jan. 11 sprint at this level; and KOZANI (#11), who showed signs of life when third in a sprint at this level here Dec. 27.

A’s) 8
B’s) 6, 7, 9
C’s) 12

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Race 8

PURE TACTICS (#6) exits a very strong Grade 2 Seabiscuit at Del Mar on Nov. 28, when he dueled and faded. Not only does the class drop help, but that’s not the way he wants to run (he’s better from off the pace), and he’s fired big before down the hill. LIL BIT O’ FUN (#1) comes off a strong second in the Grade 3 Daytona on the hill to show his legitimacy.

SWEET SWAP (#5) was the favorite in the Daytona but ended up third, so the onetime “king of the hill” may have slowed down a bit but still has enough oomph to be scary. HAY DUDE (#8) continues to improve, and the onetime English Group 3-placed runner may be ready to peak.

HORSE LAUGH (#11) has run well before down the hill and could be your knockout type at a big price, while HEIR OF STORM (#12) was a sharp second in a dirt sprint stakes here Dec. 27, and while he was off the board in two prior turf starts, those were routes, so this is a better trip, and he comes here a much better horse than he was then.

A’s) 1, 6
B’s) 5, 8
C’s) 11, 12

Race 9

NEXT RIGHT (#5) has speed and drops. Not only can the drop prove big, but he can benefit from his Dec. 31 run, when he set the pace before fading to fifth – it was his first start in nine months. NEVADA TIME (#8) comes off a sharp second at this level at Los Alamitos on Dec. 20.

SUN MIDNIGHT STAR (#13) takes the most important drop in the game. SURFER MOON (#7) didn’t do much from last summer to this fall before snapping back to life with a solid third here Dec. 31. MILITANT (#14) ran second at this level at Los Alamitos Dec. 5 and looks to make amends after a slow start and a fourth-place finish as the 2-1 favorite at this level here Jan. 8.

A’s) 5, 8
B’s) 7, 13
C’s) 14