Santa Anita Saturday: Down The Hill in the Daytona
Louie Rabaut
Host · Writer
It’s closing weekend at Santa Anita, as racing will shift to Cypress and Los Alamitos for the next three weeks in Southern California. After an ill-timed power outage canceled the last sequence on Thursday – which was already a makeup date at the track – management added an additional day of racing on Monday.
A pair of graded stakes await bettors on the card, with both landing in the late pick 5: the Grade 3 Daytona, a turf sprint down the hill for male horses; and the Grade 3 Summertime Oaks, a race for 3-year-old fillies on the dirt. We’ll concentrate on the Daytona for this piece, and try to hit that late pick 5.
Inaugurated in 1968 as the San Simeon Handicap, the race is now named for Daytona, born in Ireland, but whose career in California is worthy of a named stakes. Between 2007 and 2008, Daytona won a pair of Grade 1s, a pair of Grade 2s, and a Grade 3 race. A gelded son of Indian Ridge, he went off to retirement in 2008 with no progeny.
Let’s meet the contenders, and try to take down the late pick 5. If you’re wagering on Santa Anita, we encourage you to visit AmWager! They have a $50 deposit match for new customers, and are live in California.
Grade 3 Daytona. 6 ½ furlongs, turf. 3+up. $100,000.
OUR TOP CONTENDERS
2. Later Than Planned. 6/1. Jockey: Hector Berrios. Trainer: Phil D’Amato.
Later Than Planned has spent much of his career in stakes company, including a pair of listed wins and a good showing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint the previous fall as a 2-year-old. He won last out in a stakes down the hill, and has never been worse than a length off the winner in two tries. He gets to drop 6 pounds because of the race conditions, and keeps top turf jockey Hector Berrios. I love the 6/1 price, but I’m not sure we’ll get better than 7/2.
12. Sumter. 5/1. Jockey: Mike Smith. Trainer: Richard Mandella.
Sumter won the Grade 3 San Simeon in March, giving him a first win down the hill in 8 tries. His last 3 runs down the hill, however, have yielded the best results of his career: after going 0-for-5 in such races, he’s now got the win and a pair of 2nds – both in the Grade 2 Hernandez. He’s an obvious contender, and potentially a down-the-hill specialist moving forward. Does this 7-year-old son of War Front have another in him? We’d bet he does.
11. Freedom’s Not Free. 9/2. Jockey: Juan Hernandez. Trainer: Mark Glatt.
There are a pair of indicators I utilize when trying to assess a horse’s chances down the hill at Santa Anita. First, previous experience over the course, as you’ve read about the previously mentioned runners. Second, experience going a mile – or longer – in turf races. Freedom’s Not Free has a mix of these – he was a good 3rd in the listed Baffle Stakes last February, which is run down the hill – but has been competitive and a has won in longer stakes company. The major question about him today is the layoff – we haven’t seen him since August of last year – but trainer Mark Glatt wins off the bench at 20%. He should be ready to fire.
8. Anmer Hall. 8/1. Jockey: Antonio Fresu. Trainer: Peter Eurton.
Anmer Hall represents the best value in the race. While he’s never been in stakes company, he has run down the hill 8 times – with 4 wins, and 2 seconds. He’s easily the most experienced horse over this course in the field, and keeps jockey Antonio Fresu, who’s tied for the lead in wins at the meet. Outside of a mishap in December where Anmer Hall bumped the rail and was pulled up, he has won a pair and been 2nd twice in 4 races. He’s been consistent, and might just break through here.
The Sporting Tribune Wager
$.50 Late Pick 5, Starts Race 8 ($48) . 2,8,11,12 / 4,6 / 2,6,8 / 1 / 2,3,9,11.
Good luck!
