Pick 4 of the Week: Saturday at Santa Anita

A total of five stakes races with major Breeders’ Cup Implications will highlight a fantastic day of action at The Great Race Place on Saturday. I’ll tab the closing four-race sequence for the Pick 4 of the Week.

Santa Anita, Race 7, Pick 4 Wager

• 50-cent Pick 4: 1,3,4,5,6 with 1 with 3,4,6 with 2,6,8,11 ($30)

Race 7 – Optional Claiming

California-bred juveniles will speed 6 1/2 panels on the dirt in a challenging opening leg of the play. Trainer Doug O’Neill has three in the heat, including #4 Jalisco (10-1). The Summer Front colt was last seen finishing second at Los Al in a fairly strong heat and has improved since being claimed by this outfit in August. He could upset the cast under Abel Lezcano. 

Recent maiden winner #1 Can’t Help Myself (3-1), George Papaprodromou’s #3 Ocean Bear (5-2), the improving #5 Fionello (5-1), and O’Neill’s #6 Saul Elliot (9-2) will be included in the well-matched cast. 

Race 8 – Rodeo Drive S. (G2)

Fillies and mares will run 10 grassy furlongs in the second piece of the play. It’s an aggressive single, but I like the profile of #1 Watchtower (8-1) in a wide-open contest. Trained by Richard Baltas, the four-year-old has improved in a pair of races in succession, and she could move up yet again, third time off the break while stretching out to 1 1/4 miles. The Demarchelier filly will save ground throughout under Mirco Demuro. 

Race 9 – Oak Leaf S. (G2)

Three runners in the 1 1/16-mile affair were last seen contesting the Del Mar Debutante (G1), and I will play it safe and use each of the fillies. #3 La Wally (4-1), top pick #4 Himika (3-1), and morning-line choice #6 Explora (4-5) are the ones. 

Race 10 – Speakeasy S. 

A big field of juveniles will dash five-eighths on the lawn in the finale. The event lacks a standout, so I will use four to close out the play. #8 Bacio (6-1) was a smart debut winner on the dirt at Monmouth in his unveiling when sent postward at 3-5 odds. The Wesley Ward pupil moves to the turf in here and is out of a mare who was a very good sprinter on the sod. She is the top selection. 

Kentucky Downs invader #2 Twilight Delight (3-1), John Sadler’s #6 Ventry Strand (9-2), and Doug O’Neill’s #11 Brigante (8-1) also make the ticket.