Two maidens look to be keys to pick six

ARCADIA, Calif. - A good turf allowance race Wednesday at Santa Anita is upstaged by two maiden races with greater parimutuel relevance.

Lemon Law and Corey County are the principals in race 7, a second-level allowance at 1 1/4 miles on grass. Pick one, or pick the other. It does not matter, because bettors playing the late pick four or pick six will need to use them both.

But two maiden races Wednesday offer multi-race horseplayers a probable winner in race 3, and a potential overlay in race 6. The single is in the first leg of the pick six, a downhill turf sprint for fillies and mares in which Theverythoughtof U looms the obvious chalk.

With any racing luck, Theverythoughtof U could have won either of her two starts. First out, she broke slowly, raced greenly, and finished second by a length. Second out, she was steadied after the start, lost position, lost a ton of ground rallying six wide into the stretch, and fell short by one length.

Trainer Ron Ellis switches riders to meet leader Garrett Gomez, and if Theverythoughtof U gets clear sailing, she should win at a short price. Her rivals include three-time runner-up Charming Legacy, second-time starter Run Rosie, and the well-regarded first-timer Golden Miss, whose trainer Carla Gaines has won with 5 of her last 11 first-time starters.

Race 6 is the separator, and Fine Flyer is ready to stretch out and win the mile race for 3-year-old maidens. A son of Fusaichi Pegasus and a half-brother to Kentucky Oaks winner Keeper Hill, Fine Flyer will be going long off two fourth-place sprints.

"He's trained real well, I can't explain why he didn't run better," trainer Richard Mandella said of Fine Flyer's last start.

Fine Flyer actually did run better. His pace figure improved dramatically, while his final figure remained constant. The pattern is solid. Bred to route, with a recent bullet work, Fine Flyer is set for a career-best race under Victor Espinoza.

Fine Flyer's main rival is Tycoon Doby, who drew post 10. The outside post is 0 for 14 this meet at a mile on dirt.

The race-7 feature is a showdown between the meet's top two turf stables. Neil Drysdale has won nine grass races this winter; Bobby Frankel eight. Drysdale entered Corey County, who is making his second start since being gelded and should get a great trip behind likely pacesetter Wild Buddy. Frankel-trained Lemon Law seeks his third straight.

Also entered are Sacred Light, Our Finale, Icy Ridge, and Like a Tiger.