ARCADIA, Calif. -- By my best guess - and this is a rough estimation - there are 25(!) races at Santa Anita throughout the year that begin with “San” or “Santa.” There are few things more Southern California than that.
The Grade 2 Santa Maria, a mile and a sixteenth dirt race for older female horses, will be held on Saturday. It follows a not-so-great trend in SoCal stakes races: it drew a field of six. Only two horses who ran in last month’s Grade 1 Kilroe Mile are back, but some new shooters offer some opportunities on the wagering side if you’re willing to be creative.
The card itself offers tremendous potential value, especially later in the card. Let’s meet the field for the Santa Maria, and put together a wager. You can always check out our full card analysis at the Sporting Tribune’s YouTube page, and be sure to check out the signup bonus deals at AmWager.com!
Race 7. Grade 2 Santa Maria. 1 1/16 miles, dirt. F&M 4+up. $200,000.
1. Richi. 6/5. Jockey: Antonio Fresu. Trainer: Bob Baffert.
Richi began her career in Chile, running in high level stakes there. It is uncommon for a move like this to happen with Bob Baffert, who generally has a horse in his program starting at a much earlier age. He had both Richi and Cavalieri in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile last month, with Richi doing all the work before Cavalieri moved in at the end to take it. Richi was a full five lengths ahead of the next competitor, and no one in this field is near that level.
Comment: winner.
2. Splendora. 3/2. Jockey: Juan Hernandez. Trainer: Bob Baffert.
Splendora’s last appearance was in the Grade 2 Santa Monica in February, where she finished up the track by over seven lengths. This is a morning line I don’t understand on form, but understand on connections: Baffert trains, and he and Hernandez have combined to win 38% of their combined starts recently at Santa Anita. While she certainly has a shot, it’s hard to see it happening with Richi’s recent good form.
Comment: toss.
3. Sun of Hill. 8/1. Jockey: Umberto Rispoli. Trainer: Phil D’Amato.
The connections of Sun Hill are clearly hoping to recreate the form from her run in last year’s Grade 3 Bayakoa, where she finished a tough 4th behind three really good Southern California-based fillies and mares. She was only 2 ½ lengths off that day, before trainer Phil D’Amato decided to try turf a few times with her. She lands in this spot, her last wins on dirt having come in races in Brazil in fall of 2023. I think she can finish second or third here, and offer value in the exacta.
Comment: use in exactas.
4. Fayette Fox. 10/1. Jockey: Reylu Gutierrez. Trainer: Vladimir Cerin.
Fayette Fox comes out of an excellent effort in a dirt sprint over 6 ½ furlongs, and this will require a lot more running. Her best win over distance in February of 2023 at Santa Anita - except it was on turf. She had a very good showing the Arizona Oaks that March, finishing second. Since then, she’s largely regressed until last race. This is an extremely tough spot for her, and I expect her up the track.
Comment: toss.
5. Ultimate Authority. 6/1. Jockey: Kazushi Kimura. Trainer: Tim Yakteen.
The other runner back from the Beholder Mile is Ultimate Authority, who started well but simply didn’t have it against much stiffer competition. Prior to that, she won a mile dirt race against winners, showing her best form. If she gets back to that form, she can very much finish near the front of the pack in this one. He works recently have been great, and she looks ready to fire in this spot. Yakteen wins 16% of his graded stakes starts, and while I don’t think she’s a winner here, there’s a shot at a good check, for sure.
Comment: include in exacta plays.
6. Lisa’s Nonno. 12/1. Jockey: Abel Lezcano. Trainer: Mark Glatt.
Trainer Mark Glatt is taking the blinkers off of Lisa’s Nonno, I’m guessing in an attempt to get her to rate and try to do her best running later. She did exactly that in her last race, a win at the end of February over the dirt mile at Santa Anita. Her time was nearly three seconds slower than the Beholder Mile, but this is her second run in this form cycle, and she should be in even better condition. I like her a lot at 12/1 as an exacta play, and we’ll use her that way here to try to maximize value.
Comment: top exacta play.
The Sporting Tribune Wagers:
Race 7, $20 Exacta: 1 over 6.
Race 7, Late Pick 4: 1 / 1,3,8,10,12 / 2,3,4,7,8 / 4,7,9,10 $.50 base = $50.
Good luck!