Pick 3 of the Week: Santa Anita Saturday, October 17

I’ll come firing out of the gate at Santa Anita on Saturday for the Pick 3 of the Week, with the sequence concluding with the feature, the Lure S. 

Race 1 Wager

• $5 Pick 3: 4,5,7 with 2,3,4 with 2 ($45)

Race 1 – Maiden Special Weight

A total of eight fillies will run one mile on the green to commence the play. #7 Brazoria (1-1), the lone four-year-old in the field, has been second in both turf routes to date and is the one to beat for Richard Mandella. The Frankel filly can surely take the opener, but she will be overbet and is not a single for me. 

#4 Chair’s Coin (5-1) displayed late interest off the long layoff last time, and any improvement second off the shelf will make her a contender for McCarthy. #5 Lacey Love (10-1) has been in serious training since the middle of July, and the $450,000 daughter of Justify is worth including first time out at a price for the always-dangerous Mark Glatt. 

Race 2 – Optional Claiming

A field of five will speed six panels on the dirt in the middle leg of the play. Three contenders in the cast make a lot of sense to me, including #2 Jerry’s Spirit (9-2), who is the value of the race. The Ghostzapper gelding sports a fine 5-3-1-1 line on the strip and will improve in this heat while making his second run of 2026. Joel Rosario picks up the mount for Tim Yakteen.

Morning-line choice #4 Gettinby (1-1) has won four races in succession on the dirt and is a must-use for Sean Williams. #3 Special Club (9-5) has earned three major Brisnet Speed figures in succession, led by a 100 number last time. Umberto Rispoli retains the mount. 

Race 3 – Lure S. 

A compact field of five will go postward in the day's headliner. I expect #2 Artislas (8-5) to get the jump on the other late runners in the field and parlay that move into a victory for Jeff Mullins. The Catalina Cruiser colt ran a pair of solid races at Del Mar in a few deep fields as of late, and the four-year-old gets back on a surface where he has done some of his best work.