King: Santa Anita pick three for Sunday, June 2, 2019

Focused around a single of the promising maiden Phantom Boss in race 4 at Santa Anita on Sunday, here is a pick-three play covering races 4-6, a sequence that includes the day’s feature, the $150,000 Cinema for 3-year-old grass horses.

Race 4

Two-year-old California-bred maidens kick off the first leg of the sequence, a race Phantom Boss (5) is poised to win. He already has the benefit of a start, unlike four of his foes, and his one outing was promising. Second in a quick maiden race May 19, he finished just a neck behind the heavy favorite in that spot and ended up five lengths ahead of the third-place finisher. A single.

Race 5

Although the 1 1/8-mile Cinema drew only six, it seems a competitive race among the leading contenders. Let’s go three deep using More Ice (1), Neptune’s Storm (6), and King of Speed (5).

More Ice is the value play of the race, a 9-2 shot on the morning line who may elevate his game with a switch from synthetic to turf. And he does not need to elevate it too much. Last out, he was third in the California Derby behind Kingly and Visitant, a pair of 3-year-olds who returned with worthwhile third- and first-place finishes at Golden Gate Fields in the Alcatraz Stakes on May 19.

As for Neptune’s Storm and King of Speed, they are already stakes winners on grass. Neptune’s Storm just won the Singletary, though he has yet to run beyond a mile.

Race 6

Midcourt (2), Justin's Quest (6), Commanding Chief (1) are the plays in this maiden race going a mile. Midcourt and Justin’s Quest have exceeded the 80 Beyer Speed Figure threshold over their racing careers, and though the 3-year-old Commanding Chief has not run as quickly, he is lightly raced and eligible to improve. He ran a distant third in his only outing but starts for a winning barn and was an $180,000 auction purchase as a 2-year-old.

The Play

Let’s go with two tickets, one using all the horses listed above – a 50-cent ticket of 5 with 1,5,6 with 1,2,6 – costing $4.50. Add another emphasizing Midcourt in the final leg. So, if we get past the first two legs and win the final race with Midcourt, it will be hit twice. That smaller ticket is a 50-cent ticket: 5 with 1,5,6 with 2, playable for $1.50.