ARCADIA, Calif. – An appealing pick six carryover is up for grabs Friday at Santa Anita, though a hapless claiming race will give bettors pause in the opening leg.
The $68,636 carryover covers races 4 through 9. None are easy, but none are as grim as the first leg. Race 4 is a $5,000 claiming mile restricted to horses previously based in Northern California who have not won two races in their lifetime. It’s the bottom of the barrel.
The upside is the final five races are less problematic. Friday’s $2 pick six is expected to generate more than $500,000 in new money.
Race 4: Following the closure of Golden Gate Fields and cessation of Northern California racing, Santa Anita began offering races restricted or tailored to horses previously based in the north. Since Dec. 26, those races have been dominated by favorites – 53 percent winners (34 of 63).
But few are as weak as race 4 on Friday. Precedent Luke goes long off a third-place sprint at Turf Paradise. He figures to contest the pace, but it’s been more than a year since he ran well at two turns. Bruiser, winner of an $8,000 maiden-claiming route, will grind late. His last-out rally was an illusion, with the final quarter going in 27.62. Dazzle the Command missed by a nose at this level with a final quarter in 27.83. Fast Service stretches out from a maiden-claiming sprint win.
None are reliable. The opening leg requires deep coverage.
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Race 5: Kikuride, closing third in her sprint debut, is favored stretching to a mile on turf against Cal-bred maiden fillies and mares. How much of a challenge is it to go long off one sprint?
“It’s a big challenge to go two turns the first time,” said Kikuride’s trainer, Craig Lewis. “She appears like she can handle it, but you never know until they do it.”
Kikuride has speed that she was unable to show first out when she was squeezed at the start. Kikuride finished well, galloped out well, and is the proper choice.
Big Hottie also stretches out from a sprint debut. She has a two-turn pedigree and trainer Mark Glatt is 6 for 16 the past two years with second-start maidens going sprint to route. We the Hobby and Hello Kid O Kid O finished two-three last out.
Race 6: A dirt mile for Cal-bred fillies and mares includes Lady Mendelssohn, listed at 6-1 after a disappointing third on turf. She has never raced on dirt.
“We couldn’t get her to outwork a fat man on this dirt course before she started,” trainer Carla Gaines said.
That changed after her maiden turf win in January. The light bulb went on. Lady Mendelssohn suddenly handles dirt.
“Now she has a couple races, and now she’s coming out here and working like a dirt horse,” Gaines said.
Lady Mendelssohn faces modest rivals, including Ultimate Hy, Sweet Hello, and program favorite Stop Digging.
Race 7: Also-eligible Word Play drops from an allowance to the N2L starter/optional claiming level at a mile on turf. She can overcome the outside post if she draws in. Otherwise, Ms Brightside looks solid. She won at this condition three back but was disqualified for a medication violation. In the money in two subsequent starts in N3L starter races, Ms Brightside returns to her winning level Friday.
Race 8: Entry-level allowance fillies and mares go six furlongs. Comebacker Our Moonlight is listed at 5-1 against program favorite Barbara T and Wishtheyallcouldbe. Our Moonlight scored a sharp debut win in December, scratched from a stakes race in February, then got sick and missed more time. Dean Pederson trains Our Moonlight.
“Since I worked her [on April 6] out of the gate, she moved forward,” Pederson said. “Her last two works have been very good.”
The Friday allowance is her first against winners and first against older horses, but the Tapit filly ran well, trained well, and is qualified to post a minor upset.
Barbara T makes her first start since April 2024, when she won a Keeneland maiden race by more than 11 lengths. Wishtheyallcouldbe is a nine-time winner entered for the optional $50k claim tag.
Race 9: Last-out runner-up Garden Party and last-out third-place finisher Sei Bella top this turf mile for Cal-bred maiden fillies and mares that is a split of race 5.
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