ARCADIA, Calif. – Maiden races compose most of the Sunday card at Santa Anita, a nine-race parimutuel appetizer before the main sporting event of the afternoon – the NFL playoff game in which the visiting Los Angeles Rams are likely to eliminate the Chicago Bears.
To cash on the Rams, bettors must lay 3.5 points and risk $110 to win $100. The odds are more appealing at Santa Anita, particularly on a second-start maiden in race 1, a comeback allowance filly who is barely eligible in race 5, and a $16,000 claiming veteran that stands out in race 8.
Race 1 is the first of five maiden races Sunday. If the turf sprint for 3-year-olds looks familiar, it is because it was originally scheduled for Jan. 4. Racing was canceled due to rain, and the race postponed two weeks. The redrawn race includes Postmodern and Honey’s Choice.
Postmodern chased and cracked in his debut Oct. 25, but the dirt race served its purpose. In subsequent workouts, Postmodern has impressed, including a Dec. 29 team drill in company with stablemate So Happy, also trained by Mark Glatt. Both horses were timed in 1:12.80.
The subsequent highly rated victory by So Happy in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes flatters the workout by Postmodern, who is likely to improve second out. Glatt has won with four of his last five second-time starters (So Happy and three maidens). Progeny of Postmodern’s sire, Charlatan, have won 22 percent of their turf sprints (6 for 27). Ricky Gonzalez rides Postmodern.
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The main rival for Postmodern is Honey’s Choice, who has finished in the money in all four starts, all turf routes. The route-to-sprint late-runner is trained by Phil D’Amato and will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli. If Postmodern runs to his works, Honey’s Choice might fall short again.
Race 5 is a six-furlong turf sprint for entry-level allowance fillies and mares, a condition Marian Cross won at Horseshoe Indianapolis. She earned only $20,400 in that race and the allowance cutoff at Santa Anita is “nonwinners of $21,000 other than.” Marian Cross retains first-level eligibility by $600.
Dan Blacker is the new trainer of Marian Cross, who dueled and cracked in the Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes at Del Mar last out. Marian Cross drops in class Sunday, adds blinkers, and will be ridden by Mirco Demuro. She might be the speed of the field. She certainly is the one to beat.
The main threat, Misleading, will be making her first start since a last-to-first debut win for trainer John Shirreffs in March at Santa Anita. Misleading was subsequently sidelined with a bone chip. Hector Berrios rides.
Race 8 is an $8,000 claiming dirt mile in which Contrary Chieftain stands out. Reclaimed two starts back for $5,000 by trainer Librado Barocio, Contrary Chieftain missed by less than four lengths last out in a $16,000 claiming race. He meets much easier Sunday.
Contrary Chieftain looks like the most probable winner on the Santa Anita card, perhaps even more reliable than the Rams defeating the Bears on Sunday afternoon.
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