ARCADIA, Calif. – The pick six on Friday at Santa Anita is not that difficult, and the $45,603 carryover is not that big. But it’s big enough.
By the time CAWs flood the pool in the final minutes before the first leg, $250,000 in new money is expected. A similar Friday carryover of $34,288 on Feb. 20 generated $206,561 in new money, and the $2 pick six paid $417.60 with four winning favorites and two second-choice winners. It was a good result for small tickets.
Small tickets may stand a chance on Friday, with possible singles in races 6, 7, and 8. The pick six covers races 4 through 9.
The first three legs are California-bred races – an allowance sprint for 3-year-olds, a turf mile for maiden fillies and mares, and a sprint for maiden 3-year-olds in which an auspicious second-time starter is listed at a tantalizing 7-2. Galloping Ghost’s price is sure to drop.
The final three legs are routes – a first-level turf allowance in which City Exile seeks to extend his trainer’s exceptional record with favorites, a claiming starter on dirt, and a non-winners of two claiming race on turf with a favorite who has never crossed the wire first.
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Race 4: The pick six begins with a six-runner sprint. Tommy Norris and Southern Melodee have met three times with the same result. Tommy Norris has finished behind his nemesis in each race. Friday might be different. Tommy Norris is coming off a decisive maiden win. Southern Melodee is coming off a four-month layoff.
However, their figures are modest and their styles the same. If they duel, route-to-sprint dropper Fionello could mow them down. Bettors who go three deep are safe, albeit uncreative. Tommy Norris, Southern Melodee, and Fionello are the three favorites.
Race 5: The turf rails are at the outermost 30-foot setting for this maiden mile. Early in the meet, speed killed with the rails out that far – 7 of 11 turf miles were won by the pacesetter. Then the profile flipped. The last six turf miles with the rails at 30 feet have been won from off the pace, including four from the back half of the field.
Does it matter? Not to trainer Richard Baltas, who entered three. Pace-presser Jennys Wine Girl finished second last out at the level, though late-runner Suntory Time ran just as well rallying to third. Baltas also starts stretch-out Pure Chaos, previously trained by the late Jim Cassidy.
The dilemma is program favorite Adverse Selection, fifth by three-quarters of a length in her sprint comeback after being shuffled back early. She stretches out Friday, with a pedigree that is fine for a mile. So it’s three-deep with the Baltas trio, four-deep adding Adverse Selection.
Race 6: A fifth-place debut does not often translate to a second-start victory, but it should for Galloping Ghost. He worked well prior to his Feb. 7 debut, and closed as the 2.90-1 second choice. He lost it when the gates opened.
Galloping Ghost broke last, took dirt, and finished fifth. He has trained well since. Galloping Ghost is the 7-2 third choice facing a modest field.
The 2-1 program favorite is last-out runner-up Positive Times; 5-2 second choice Blame It On Jack debuts for a stable that is 0 for 52 with first-time starters since June 2024, according to DRF Formulator. Galloping Ghost, trained by Craig Lewis and ridden by Juan Hernandez, figures to win.
Race 7: George Papaprodromou has won with 61 percent of his favorites the past year (33 for 54), according to Formulator. The trainer stat bodes well for City Exile, who dominated a starter allowance last out and moves to a first-level allowance/optional $50,000 claiming race at 1 1/8 miles. If he runs two alike, and Papaprodromou favorites typically do, City Exile should win again as the 9-5 favorite. The other five are evenly matched.
Race 8: Joint Venture finished third last out in a sprint, but the six-win gelding prefers two turns. He gets it in this starter allowance on dirt.
Jockey Welfin Orantes is 1 for 46 this meet, but most of his mounts are outsiders. The past year, Orantes and Joint Venture’s trainer Ron Ellis are 9 for 28 together. Joint Venture employs a pressing/stalking style in a field with plenty of speed.
Race 9: Last-out runner-up Silly Rabbit is 2-1 in this nonwinners-of-two claiming turf mile for fillies and mares. But she has never crossed the wire first. Her only win came via disqualification.
Stretch-out Bolt Supremacy figures as a contender, while Precision is a 12-1 upset candidate. According to Formulator, new trainer Hector Palma is six for 13 first off the claim since autumn 2024.
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