Thursday card features $82,920 pick-six carryover
ARCADIA, Calif. – Post time is earlier, and the pick-six pool is bigger Thursday at Santa Anita.
First post moves to 1:30 p.m. Pacific on Thursday; the pick six (races 3-8) begins one hour later with an $82,920 carryover. Officials estimate the Thursday pool will exceed $500,000.
Contention runs deep throughout the card. Bettors looking for a single will find several possibilities, including the likely favorite in the first leg.
Race 3
Dive Down, 4 for 4 at Santa Anita, moves up one level to $16,000 claiming following a front-running romp in which he earned a career-high 84 Beyer Speed Figure. Claimed by new trainer Shelbe Ruis, Dive Down shortens from 1 1/8 miles to a mile.
Dive Down can rally, which is important due to the pace scenario. Thanksgiving Day wired a $9,000-10,000 claiming mile last out; Atascaderan and Nahem have speed. Broadway Nika drops and will be forwardly placed. The pace should be legit, giving Tiz Jolie a shot from behind. Pick six bettors can single Dive Down or go six deep.
Race 4
Miss Gifted figures strongly in this filly-and-mare turf mile, $25,000 claiming for nonwinners of two. The challenge is that her best races are sprints. Freshened two months and dropping in class, Miss Gifted is the horse to beat despite the distance.
Otherwise, the race is a scramble. Ya Ya Girl, a last-out maiden-claiming winner, ran fast enough on turf last year to contend; Entebbe and Sound City fit on numbers. Bettors can gamble that Miss Gifted will stay a mile or go four deep.
Race 5
Hi Fever finished second last out at this level, $25,000 claiming for nonwinners of two, after smoking the second-fastest half-mile (44.84 seconds) for six furlongs at Los Alamitos. The difference Thursday is that she shortens to 5 1/2 furlongs. She might be gone.
Girl Downstairs drops to her first claiming race after being reported as a vet scratch May 21 (race 8). Bob Baffert is 0 for 17 when running horses for a tag for the first time since February 2014. Girl Downstairs is the high-figure entrant with a 75 Beyer last out. The pick-six choice – single the speedy Hi Fever or double up by including Girl Downstairs.
Race 6
Funny Gal and Clem Juice, defeated by more than 10 lengths last out, are the principals in this $8,000 claiming sprint for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs. The top contenders in this 10-horse field are dubious. The only safe selection is “all.”
Race 7
Matriculate seems logical in this California-bred first-level allowance at a mile. The runner-up in both recent starts at the level, Matriculate lost his punch in both tries at 1 1/16 miles. The cutback to one mile helps, although it is possible that two turns is slightly out of reach.
Tribal Again and Prime Issue have excuses for losing last out. Tribal Again was wide throughout; Prime Issue was only prepping. Silver Spirit returns to dirt off a short layoff. Pick-six bettors might need to go four deep.
Race 8
At one mile on turf, this $50,000 maiden-claiming race for fillies and mares is tough. Angel On Point has speed and drops but drew post 10. Proud ‘n’ Ready stretches to a route, drops, and gets a new rider. Flavien Prat is the runaway leading turf rider at the meet (16 for 46). The late runner Carnival Lights and the front-runner Dial a Date figure as contenders.