Poppa Turf, Raymundos Secret each sitting on a win

ARCADIA, Calif. – Can a fourth-place finish by a claiming sprinter or an eighth-place finish by an allowance filly generate a next-out victory?

Friday at Santa Anita, the answer seems to be yes.

Papa Turf in the first race and Raymundos Secret in the featured sixth race are among the most probable winners on a nuts-and-bolts weekday card. Although neither horse finished in the money last out, circumstances suggest both will be tough to beat Friday.

Inside speed in dirt sprints was effective opening week of the fall meet, although it would be rash to suggest track bias was the reason eight of the 11 sprints were won by horses positioned within a half-length of the lead after the opening quarter-mile. Six led at every pace call.

An equally valid explanation for the power of speed is that the best dirt sprinters just happened to be front-runners. And the same ratio applied – eight of the 11 races were won by the favorite, including all five at six furlongs.

Papa Turf is inside speed, the likely favorite, and the most probable winner on the card in the Friday opener, a $10,000 claiming sprint at six furlongs. Jeff Mullins trains the gelding, who was compromised by an anti-inside surface last out at Del Mar. Papa Turf set a fast pace and finished fourth while racing for a $12,500 claim price.

Papa Turf figures to make the lead Friday under hot rider Abel Cedillo and race gate to wire. That would make it 6 for 6 for six-furlong favorites at the autumn meet. His rivals include pace-presser Union Rebel and stalker Captain N. Barron. Both won last out.

Raymundos Secret should start favored in race 6, an entry-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf. Two starts back she romped by five in a starter allowance that was her California debut at Del Mar, after which she was thrown to the she-wolves.

It turns out the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at nine furlongs was out of reach for Raymundos Secret, but you cannot fault her connections for taking a shot. After all, Raymundos Secret started as the 6.80-1 second choice in the betting. She set a fast pace and finished eighth.

Richard Baltas trains Raymundos Secret, who drops in class and shortens to one mile on Friday. Flavien Prat rides the front-runner/pace-presser, whose main rivals include bred-for-turf Into Chocolate and deep closer Out of Balance.

First post Friday is 1 p.m.