Hersh: Santa Anita late pick five for Saturday, March 2, 2019

Singling a heavy favorite in the pick five still gives ample room to hit a few decent prices and win something meaningful if you hit. And while I’ll single one heavy favorite in the late 50-cent pick five Saturday at Santa Anita, I’ll also single another horse in the sequence who’s 8-1 on the morning line.

The latter is EAGLE SONG (#3), who goes in the sequence’s first leg, race 6. Eagle Song was entered and scratched from the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate; I liked him there, and I like him here. His second American start last out was better than it looked as he was stuck trying to run down horses in front of him who weren’t tired at all after an easy pace. The Pasadena, however, looks like it’ll unfold at a robust tempo, and that should better suit this Irish import.

Race 7 is a $50K Cal-bred maiden claimer in which, at this slightly extended sprint trip of 6 1/2 furlongs, I can’t see much use for either of the top two morning-line choices. BOUNCING AROUND (#5) cuts back in trip for his first look at maiden claimers. Peter Miller-trained first-timer JOEY BOOTS (#3) shows a purchase price less than half this tag.

Race 8 is the short-priced favorite, FLOR DE LA MAR (#1), who, despite upgrading from maidens to winners, should make quick work of this ho-hum group on the way to a stakes start.

That’s the narrow front end from which this play goes spread in race 9 and spread even wider in race 10. Should the single and the double get home in the first two legs, I’ll feel pretty decent about the late coverage.

50-cent pick five (races 6-10) – total cost: $24
3 with 3,5 with 1 with 3,4,5,8 with 1,2,3,6,7,8