ARCADIA, Calif. – The spring meet is winding down and fresh horses are gearing up, including a 2-year-old first-time starter that bettors will be tempted to single on Thursday at Santa Anita.
A pick six carryover of $60,770 is up for grabs and $1.8 million juvenile Nooni is the presumptive favorite to win her career debut in race 6. Nooni, along with comebackers in a pair of turf allowance races, give a fresh-horse feel to the Thursday pick six, a $1 bet on races 4 through 9.
Both turf allowance races for 3-year-olds include live comebackers – Iscreamuscream sprints six furlongs against fillies in race 5. Badda Bing makes his United States debut at one mile in race 9. The spring meet ends Sunday. Below is a preview of the pick six on Thursday.
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Race 4: The $20,000 maiden-claiming mile includes Luther Pass and Citadino. Luther Pass, the likely favorite off his runner-up finish last out, is uncertain to stay the trip. He led to deep stretch in both recent routes before he tired. But his speed-figure advantage is conspicuous and form holds at this level. The highest payoff in six maiden routes at this level since Dec. 26 is $9.80.
Citadino got dusted by Luther Pass last out, but Citadino was claimed by trainer Jorge Periban, who has won with three of his last four first-off-the-claim maidens. Citadino will go without blinkers and his Jan. 12 third indicates he is fast enough. Two deep might be enough – Citadino and Luther Pass.
Race 5: An entry-level allowance turf sprint for fillies, includes stakes-placed Rascality and Soho, and comebacker Iscreamuscream. The turf rails are set at 20 feet; deep closers have won three of the four turf sprints at six furlongs this meet with the rails at the 20-foot setting.
Rascality disappointed in her first two starts, finishing third and seventh on dirt. Trainer Richard Mandella moved her to turf, and Rascality responded.
“The grass helped her,” Mandella said. “She trained like a better filly than she started, and on grass, she showed it.”
Rascality dominated maidens, then finished second in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes.
Soho missed by a head in her comeback under similar conditions, while Iscreamuscream commands respect in her first start since a debut victory last fall.
“She’s training very well, I think she’s pretty fit,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “Hopefully this leads to bigger things down the road.”
Pick six tickets must go three-deep – Iscreamuscream, Rascality, and Soho.
Race 6: The five-furlong maiden race for juvenile fillies is the debut of Nooni. Sired by first-crop stallion Win Win Win, Nooni blazed a quarter-mile in 20.20 at the March sale preview and was purchased for $1.8 million by Amr Zedan.
Since arriving in California, Nooni has continued to work fast for trainer Bob Baffert. Three of the filly’s last five works were fastest of the day. She has worked in company and figures to be heavily favored under Juan Hernandez.
Lee’s Baby Girl finished second in her debut and can improve moving to dirt. Maclean’s Girl has worked fast for her debut. But if fleet-footed Nooni runs like she trains, she should win at a short price.
One year ago, on June 18, a Baffert-trained 2-year-old colt owned by Zedan made his debut as the odds-on favorite in a five-furlong dirt race at Santa Anita. Muth won by more than eight lengths. For the Thursday pick six, Nooni is a potential single.
Race 7: The six-furlong turf sprint for nonwinners-of-three fillies and mares is led by Yellow Sun Dress. She seeks her third straight over the same course and distance. Headed for Om scored a decisive win last out against California-bred fillies, and Pink Ace finished second in her comeback.
A pair of deep-closing longshots – Strikingly and Quaria Thunder – merit consideration with the turf rails at the closers-friendly 20-foot setting. Pick six back-up tickets might consider Strikingly and Quaria Thunder. The logical choices are Pink Ace, Yellow Sun Dress, and Headed for Om.
Race 8: Maiden 5 1/2-furlong sprints for California-bred fillies and mares go through trainer Steve Miyadi. He entered debut runner-up Bessie Coleman and debut fourth Betty Pack. Bessie Coleman ran particularly well. She broke last by many lengths, picked up steam, rallied inside, and missed by less than a length. Her effort was better than the modest 52 Beyer Speed Figure.
Betty Pack set a fast pace first out, opened a two-length lead in the stretch, and finished fourth. She earned a 61 Beyer, and could be gone Thursday. Two-deep tickets must include Bessie Coleman and Betty Pack. Upset candidates include second-time starter Willow Cove, first-time starter Pancho Barnes, and turf-to-dirt O Mandy.
Race 9: The turf mile for allowance 3-year-olds marks the U.S. debut of D’Amato-trained Badda Bing, who won his only start in February in Ireland, on the Dundalk synthetic track. “Sometimes when you buy them off synthetic wins, they’re [just] steady,” D’Amato said. “But the thing I like about him, and [jockey Antonio Fresu] also says, he has a nice turn of foot.”
Badda Bing has shown his kick in synthetic surface works. His main rivals are likely pacesetter All That Glory, who is stretching out, and back-to-back allowance runner-up Moonlit Sonata.
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