ARCADIA, Calif. – A veteran mare in peak form and a 2-year-old first-time starter with no form carry high expectations into separate races Friday at Santa Anita. Imaboutago draws in from the also-eligible list in race 9, a second-level allowance turf sprint. A two-time winner at the level, Imaboutago is entered for the $80,000 optional claiming tag. She already cleared the first hurdle – getting into the field. The scratch of Marian Cross, re-entered Saturday in the Mizdirection Stakes, allows Imaboutago to draw into a six-furlong allowance that sets up for her style. But late runner Imaboutago is no slam dunk against Young Love, who returns to the main oval following off-the-board finishes on the hill. If there is a cinch Friday, it is a debut 2-year-old. He Is No Lie is listed at even money in race 6 based on works that indicate he will be tough to beat at 4 1/2 furlongs. :: Play Santa Anita racing with confidence. Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, and more. The Friday program also includes two small-field entry-level allowances. In race 4 for fillies and mares at a mile on dirt, Nanci Griffith may upset Lavender Love. In race 5, a turf sprint for 3-year-olds, stakes-placed comebacker Proletariat faces sharp recent maiden winner Tap the Gin. The most attractive betting race Friday is the featured ninth. An evenly matched field of fillies and mares includes Imaboutago, a last-out runner-up and two-time winner at the level. Leonard Powell trains Imaboutago, whose rider, Armando Ayuso, leads the local standings with 13 wins. The rails are at the outermost 30-foot setting, which is fine for Imaboutago. Four of the five rails-at-30 winners at six furlongs this meet rallied from well off the pace. Imaboutago has pace to run at, as the front-runners include Tahini, Pura Vida Princesa, and Lee’s Baby Girl. The main threat is the Peter Miller-trained Young Love, fourth and fifth in recent starts on the hill. “I’m not so sure she’s a hill horse,” Miller said. “My gut is she doesn’t really love the hill. I think getting her back at three-quarters on the flat should be more to her liking. We’ve got Joel Rosario on her, and we all know how good he is.” Young Love has won 4 of 10. Miller also entered Visually, who was recently transferred to the trainer. “Haven’t had her too long, but she’s a nice filly,” Miller said. “She could show a little more speed off the layoff.” Visually, a Grade 3 turf sprint winner in 2024, will be ridden by Hector Berrios. :: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!  Magnificat figures as a contender based on fast dirt races and a turf pedigree. Magnificat, sired by Omaha Beach and produced by a Grade 2 turf winner, is trained by Richard Mandella and will be ridden by Antonio Fresu. The race 6 juvenile sprint includes six California-breds and the Kentucky-bred He Is No Lie. Sired by 2022 Preakness winner Early Voting and trained by Doug O’Neill, He Is No Lie could start as the shortest price on the card. “We’re expecting good things,” O’Neill said. “He’s trained well, had a couple good gate works. He’s a good-looking son of Early Voting, and he acts like he can run.” Although the colt has a gap in published works from April 19 to May 10, O’Neill said a workout during that time was not recorded. He Is No Lie drilled a half-mile from the gate on Sunday in a sharp 47.20 seconds. Emisael Jaramillo rides He Is No Lie. In the past four years at Santa Anita, O’Neill is 5 for 15 with debut juveniles racing 4 1/2 furlongs. “The gate – it’s all the gate,” O’Neill said, describing the key attribute for debut 2-year-olds. “If they’re mature, and they get gate-okayed fairly quickly, then you know they’re precocious. Then it comes to fitness and soundness and all that stuff. He’s checking all the boxes.” The main rival for He Is No Lie is Jonny’s Cap, whose even-money debut was a disaster. He stumbled at the start, got shuffled back, and weakened to third. Jonny’s Cap reportedly has more speed than he showed and is likely to improve with a clean takeoff. Since 2023, juvenile maiden races during the Santa Anita spring meet have run true to form, with favorites winning 24 of 42. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.