McGee: Santa Anita early pick four for Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019
I’ll take a stand against the morning-line favorite when opening the early pick four at Santa Anita with a single, then try to get some coverage the rest of the way. Here’s the play:
Race 2: Just eight days removed from his faltering finish in the Grade 3 Sham, Savagery wheels back as the 8-5 program favorite in what’s obviously a much less demanding spot – except for the presence of Macwinnon (1), my single, who’s liable to outfoot him to the turn and go on to a third straight win.
Race 3: I’ll use the three horses in here all needing a mulligan for their first and only starts on the local circuit, as any of them could improve with those needed experiences under them: Vander Kelen (1), Why Not Us (4), and Grazeninamerica (7).
Race 4: Surely, I can stay alive to the last leg when nearly “buying” this race with more than half the field, those being Shes All Woman (1), Emrata (3), Nomizar (5), Marine Layer (6), Hollywood Girl (7), and Sapori Girl (8).
Race 5: There appears to be an overabundance of speed in this open $12,500 claiming mile, so I’ll use four who have shown themselves capable of rallying from off the pace: Banze No Oeste (2), Midnight Soot (3), Crystal Dome (4), and Holland Road (5).
Here’s the straight-A ticket:
R2: 1
R3: 1, 4, 7
R4: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8
R5: 2, 3, 4, 5
50-cent ticket = $30
