Saturday Stakes Spot Plays for Santa Anita

A trio of stakes races, two of which are of the graded variety, highlight a 12-race card at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Wilshire (G3)

Seven fillies and mares will contest the one-mile turf affair. #6 Toinette is 4-for-5 at the distance, and she also sports a perfect mark from four performances on the Santa Anita lawn for Neil Drysdale. Scat Daddy mare was a winner off the long break to commence 2019, and I expect her to do the same on Saturday while stalking the early tempo under Flavien Prat.

Wager:

• $40 Win: #6 Toinette ($40)

Lazaro Barrera (G3)

A handful of sophomores will compete in the 6 1/2-furlong dash. While I won’t receive much value in the compact field, I see the sprint as a two-horse race between the favorites.

Grade 2 victor #1 Collusion Illusion came off the long layoff to be a stylish allowance winner on the course for Mark Glatt. Once-beaten Florida-bred son of Twirling Candy has a powerful turn of foot, and he shows a trio of fine morning drills in advance of his second 2020 assignment.

Bob Baffert’s #2 Ragtime Blues appears to be lone speed under Mike Smith. $500,000 Union Rags colt has won two races in succession and could move forward in his third run off the shelf.

Wager:

• $30 Exacta 1 with 2 ($30)
• $10 Exacta: 2 with 1 ($10)

Snow Chief

Seven California-bred sophomores will run 1 1/8 miles on the turf in a competitive cast. I like the improvement shown by #5 California Kook since she removed blinkers two back. Late runner from the Peter Miller shedrow easily toppled allowance foes off the layoff most recently, and she will be tough to deny with a forward move second time back. Turf wizard Prat riding adds to the confidence.

#2 Margot’s Boy is the one to catch and beat. Craig Lewis pupil has never been headed from three consecutive tallies on the course. #7 Indian Peak made the aforementioned work last time in a smart runner-up performance, and the Comic Strip colt rates a chance from the outside post.

Wager:

• $20 Win #5: California Kook ($20)
• $5 Exacta: 5 with 2,7 ($10)