Loading ...Jun 20 2021
Santa Anita Sunday June 20 Precap: Closing day and a pair of juvy stakes
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Sunday, June 20, 2021. It’s closing day for Santa Anita’s summer meet and they offer 2 graded stakes races and a pair of juvenile stakes. Interestingly, there are no Baffert trainees on in the 2yo races, and none on the card at all. But life goes on and I’m sure he’s enjoying a great father’s day with his son.
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The Jackpot 6 will need to pay out and has a carryover of $277k going in. That will almost certainly surpass $1 million because of the mandatory payday. You could also play their closing day handicapping challenge for only $1500!
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Let’s break down the stakes races, which won’t take long because they’re mostly short fields. Then you’re on your own but you can use today’s free grid to follow along then make your own picks.
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R4 5:40ET 5f D FsgTptFutB100k 2 YO
As aforementioned, normally when you have a 2yo stakes race at SA, you think Baffert, but today you’ll have to think Luis Mendez. Today’s star is heavy favorite Big City Lights, who blew the field away in his debut at 4.5f, getting a higher PF than any of this year’s 3yo ever registered. If Kentucky Derby pool 1 was today, he would be the favorite.
Mendez has two other trainees in the 5 horse contest and looks for the sweep. It might be fun to just box his 3 including long shot first timer Buehler’s Day Off at 15-1 ML. But the Desormeaux brothers want something to say about it with Street Art, who shares father Street Boss with Mendez’s 3rd colt.
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R7 7:21ET 8f T Americn-G3 3 UP
A short but talented field of 6 features Neptune’s Storm as the heavy favorite, but we don’t know for certain what kind of form he’s in. The gelding is a graded stakes winner on the east and west coast, and was last seen racing 4th by 3 lengths in a $750k race at Kentucky Downs.
The rest of the field are about the same in terms of ability, except for Tiz Plus who finished last in his only graded stakes race. Sash at 12-1 could have the pace his way and hang on for good purse money, but Majestic Eagle and Restrainedvengeance are more likely. Border Town has top LP at 5-1 ML.
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R8 7:54ET 5f D FTptnDbtnB100k 2 YO F
Another short field of 5 makes this NOT a good betting race. The 4 contenders are quite obvious but Mendez will go for a sweep of the juvy races with his sharp filly Royal O’Haigain who won first out.
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R9 8:28ET 8f T Wilshire-G3 3 UP FM
Alas a decent field of 8 to bet on, with lots of possibilities. We’ll probably have 3 virtual co-favorites, any of which could win. On paper there’s a good amount of early speed, which usually wins on turf at SA. However top LP Stela Star should have things set up for her late running style.
Gidgetta will press the pace and offers good value at 6-1 ML. Brooke at 5-1 hasn’t raced since a close G3 loss January and could be set for a big one.  She’s a G1 winner from overseas somewhere so the talent is there. She will have to battle Leggs Galore for the pace.
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That’s it for the precap today. There are big fields in 5 6 and 11 that you can use the grid to get some good bets going. Remember, you can get the grid for all your favorite tracks, every race day here.
