$100,000 California Distaff Handicap – Santa Anita

Race 8 (Saturday, October 13, 2018: 7:00 p.m./ET; 4:00 p.m./PT)

Five furlongs on the turf (California-bred fillies and mares, three-years-old and upward)

The feature race on Saturday’s 10-race card is only the third time in Santa Anita history that a five furlong turf event will be run at The Great Race Place. It’s a short run to the first turn, so post position could be key. Let’s get to it:

#1 PRINCESS ROI cuts back in distance after a fourth place finish in the Solana Beach Stakes. Her only two career sprints came on the dirt with both efforts resulting in second place finishes against maiden special weight company. ‘Big money’ jockey Mike Smith retains the mount.

#2 HAILEY RACHELE makes her Cal-bred stakes debut after a head victory as the 3/5 favorite in a Cal-bred allowance race going five and a half furlongs on dirt at Los Alamitos. Her only career turf race came two starts ago when finishing fourth, beaten a length-and-a-quarter to #4 HELEN’S TIGER.

#3 BEAU SQUARE beat #4 HELEN’S TIGER on September 1 in an open company allowance race, sprinting this distance over the Del Mar turf. Two starts ago, she was defeated at the same condition by #5 MEET AND GREET, though keep in mind that the aforementioned run was coming off a four month vacation. Expect her to sit off the pace and make one run.

#4 HELEN’S TIGER was narrowly defeated by #3 BEAU SQUARE last time out, but she has never finished off the board in three career starts sprinting five furlongs on the turf (all of those occurring at Del Mar). Her only prior stakes effort resulted in a better than looked fourth place finish in 2017, finishing just a length behind #6 ISMELUCKY on the Los Alamitos dirt.

#5 MEET AND GREET came off a seven-and-a-half month layoff last time out and won an open company first level race, sprinting this five furlong turf distance at Del Mar. Trainer William E. Morey hits at a 24% clip with his trainees making their second start off a break between 61-180 days, while Drayden Van Dyke rides for the first time.

#6 ISMELUCKY cuts back from a mile to this five-furlong distance after a 27-length loss against allowance company at Golden Gate Fields. Her only two route tries have been poor, so she’ll be happy to get back to sprinting, but keep in mind that since winning the Barretts Debutante as a two-year-old, she has failed to be competitive in five stakes since.

#7 HOW ABOUT ZERO, the co 124 lb. highweight, won the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint when racing down the Santa Anita hillside course last year. Her three races since then have been poor, but two of those runs came routing on the turf and the third race was taken off the turf and moved to the main track. Her best races have come sprinting on the turf, so a rebound is possible.

#8 LATE ‘N LEFT makes her second start for trainer Bob Hess Jr. In her first start for the new barn, she finished third in an allowance race at Los Alamitos to the classy Bob Baffert trainee DIAMONDSANDPEARLS. However, this gal is winless from four starts on turf and her best races have come on dirt.

#9 S Y SKY makes her first start since July 3, 2017, but her trainer hits at an 18% clip with runners making their first start off a vacation longer than 180 days, plus it’s a sign of confidence that he enters this filly in a stakes race off the long break. Interesting.

#10 LOVE A HONEYBADGER has never run on turf, but trainer Peter Miller hits at 21% with runners making their first start on turf. This daughter of dirt sprinter BUSHWACKER is out of a stakes winning mare who was versatile and won one of three career turf races, while one winning sibling of ‘HONEYBADGER won a race on the sod.

#11 FAMILY GIRL is the other Peter Miller entrant signed on. This filly comes out of the same race as stablemate #10 LOVE A HONEYBADGER, where she finished fourth behind her. Her only turf try was an off the board finish, though keep in mind that the aforementioned run came going a route of ground. Top jockey Flavien Prat hops aboard for Miller and they win at a 26% clip together.

SELECTIONS

1. #5 MEET AND GREET – Morey and Van Dyke as hot as anyone in So. Cal.
2. #9 S Y SKY – Nice filly makes her 2018 debut.
3. #4 HELEN’S TIGER – Merits respect in exotic wagers.

LONGSHOT VALUE PLAY- #7 HOW ABOUT ZERO – Has the most career earnings in the field.

WAGERING STRATEGY

I’ll make a straight win bet on my top choice and box my top two selections in exactas.

BANKROLL PLAY ($50 Budget)

$20 Win: #5 MEET AND GREET

$15 Exacta Box: #5 MEET AND GREET and #9 S Y SKY ($30).

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