ARCADIA, Calif. – A fun pick six is on tap Friday at Santa Anita, where economy-size tickets have a chance at a generous payoff.
Buoyed by a $94,783 carryover, at least $500,000 in new money is expected Friday in the $2 wager on races 4-9. The sequence looks winnable at relatively low cost, assuming a standout favorite delivers in an otherwise forgettable maiden-claiming sprint.
Many bettors will single the modestly talented Petite Ange in race 8. Never mind she lost her first 14 starts, Petite Ange faces a woeful field Friday.
“The race looks like it came up pretty soft,” owner-trainer Ryan Hanson said. Truer words were never spoken.
The remaining pick six races run the gamut – a maiden race for 2-year-old fillies, a turf sprint for horses from Northern California, a nonwinners-of-three claiming route, an allowance turf sprint for California-bred 3-year-old fillies, and a claiming turf route for fillies and mares.
It is never easy to string together six straight winners, but the Friday pick six is not that daunting. Sounds simple, right?
Race 4: A pair of 2-year-old fillies sired by City of Light top this 4 1/2-furlong dash. La Ville Lumiere and Light Won Up breezed well at the OBS March sale, were purchased for $475,000 and $265,000, respectively, and have worked well at Santa Anita.
Michael McCarthy trains La Ville Lumiere, who breaks from the rail. La Ville Lumiere’s recent team works looked good on video; she is the program favorite. Light Won Up showed speed from the gate March 4 and should fire from post 2 for trainer Doug O’Neill. Juveniles by City of Light have won 14 percent first time out.
O’Neill expressed optimism about Light Won Up. “She’s a nice filly, bred to want way more ground, but she displays some gate speed and quickness.”
Another entrant is Velvet Dream, sired by Vekoma. The stallion’s juvenile progeny won at an outstanding 21 percent clip first out. Budget-sized pick six tickets may go just two deep: La Ville Lumiere and Light Won Up.
Race 5: Jerry’s Spirit, who has won three straight dirt races, should handle turf. Sired by Ghostzapper and produced by a turf mare, Jerry’s Spirit is likely to set the pace in the six-furlong turf sprint, an allowance for horses stabled in Northern California since Jan. 1, 2024. Jerry’s Spirit barely makes the cut. He worked Jan. 6, 2024, at Golden Gate Fields before relocating to Southern California.
Program favorite Zeus’ War drops from fifth- and fourth-place finishes in open entry-level allowance races to face restricted company. Budget-conscious pick six players may go skinny and use just two.
Race 6: Contention is deep in this nonwinners-of-three $20,000 claiming dirt route, including program favorite Mici’s Express, as well as Be Punctual and Asmodeus. All three ran well last out, all three have tactical speed. Dirt miles were dominated by forwardly placed horses the past month – 14 of 16 won by horses positioned 1-2-3.
However, a late-runner listed at 10-1 merits longshot consideration. Supermax rallied from last to score an impressive claiming victory in his recent comeback. That would be four deep.
Race 7: The feature race Friday is a 6 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-old California-bred allowance fillies, including Guiltyofhavingfun, a route-to-sprint maiden winner last out in her fifth start. “It’s taken a few races to figure out her game,” trainer Andy Mathis said. “Around two turns, she was just spent at the end.”
Mathis cut Guiltyofhavingfun back to six furlongs in the maiden race, and despite severe traffic in the lane, she swung out and powered to a half-length victory. It was a better-than-looked victory, validated when four rivals she defeated produced two wins and two seconds next out.
Lava Lucy has speed and was fourth as the favorite last out in a race dominated by closers. The Feb. 23 maiden turf win by Lava Lucy is fastest by any in the field. Program favorite Tight Squeeze, a debut winner, will rally.
Rosa Parks returns from a layoff of nearly six months for trainer Phil D’Amato. “I think she has enough bottom in her, I think she’s ready to go,” D’Amato said. In her most recent start in November, Rosa Parks defeated Guiltyofhavingfun. Pick six bettors can go two deep using Guiltyofhavingfun and Lava Lucy, or four deep adding Tight Squeeze and Rosa Parks.
Race 8: Petite Ange is 8-5 on the morning line in this $20,000 maiden-claiming sprint. Her price may be lower. Claimed two back, Petite Ange is a speed-figure standout, although Hanson acknowledged her 0-for-14 record. He asked rhetorically: “How much faith do I have in her?” The implication – perhaps not much. Petite Ange has speed for an up-front trip against slow rivals. On paper, she is a slam-dunk single.
Race 9: A turf mile for $25,000 claiming fillies and mares is led by dropper Super Ellie and program favorite Big Mama Sue. Super Ellie fits off her claiming win two back; Big Mama Sue is better than her most recent start suggests. She got hot going to the gate, lost position early, and never looked comfortable. She can rebound in what might be a two-horse race.
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