Santa Anita Pick 3 play for Dec. 27

Racing continues at Santa Anita on Sunday, with a 10-race card, highlighted by a pair of stakes events.

To build our budget for the featured Robert J. Frankel (G3), let’s take $24 and aim to hit the Pick 3 that kicks off in Race 2.

Race 2: Maiden special weight (1 mile, 3:04 p.m. ET)

#4 Exaulted (6-5) was a promising prospect last winter. The Peter Eurton trainee fired off a big effort in his debut sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita, where he rallied after a slow start to finish second, behind future Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Nadal.

A pacesetting effort over a mile on Feb. 22 saw Exaulted weaken to finish third, but the son of Twiling Candy has since been freshened and figures to produce a stronger effort off the layoff. He’s been training sharply for his return, and Eurton strikes at a solid 19% rate (well above his overall 13% win rate) with runners returning from extended breaks.

We’ll single Exaulted to kick off our Pick 3.

Race 3: Eddie Logan S. (1 mile on turf, 3:36 p.m. ET)

Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. winner #1 Big Fish (4-1), Cecil B. DeMille (G3) winner #4 Beer Can Man (5-2), and Zuma Beach S. winner #7 Ebeko (4-1) have all taken turns beating each other this year. Throw in the speedy Cecil B. DeMille third-place runner #2 Commander Khai (7-2), and you have the makings of a very competitive race.

These four are tough to split, but on the bright side they all bring different running styles to the equation. No matter how the Eddie Logan unfolds, one of the four figures to benefit. We’ll spread deep and use them all.

Race 4: $40,000 maiden claiming (6 furlongs, 4:06 p.m. ET)

Two runners—#2 Love My Jimmy (3-1) and #7 Cross Indian (5-2)—have matched or exceeded the 77 Brisnet Speed rating that stands as the par for this class level and distance. Both bring tactical speed to the equation, and Cross Indian in particular could be dangerous while dropping in class. In his debut dashing 4 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita during the summer, Cross Indian finished sixth behind future graded stakes winners Weston and Dr. Schivel.

The first-time starter #1 Cashlings (4-1) is a logical contender too, but the son of Ghostzapper is a half-brother to the late-maturing, long-winded Sycamore (G3) winner Marzo, so I suspect Cashlings will prove best running long in the future. On Sunday, we’ll oppose Cashlings with Love My Jimmy and Cross Indian to conclude the Pick 3.

The tickets

Race 2, $3 Pick 3: 4 with 1,2,4,7 with 2,7 ($24)
Race 2, $1.50 Pick 3: 4 with 4,7 with 2,7 ($6)
Total: $30

Good luck!