Horse Racing: Today at Santa Anita, May 8

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 - 4 1/2 furlongs, Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies, 2-year-olds

8 Desert Steel - Do not like the parking lot post with quick run to the turn; key is bullet works and live baby barn.

2 Kyankes - Richard Baltas barn is smoking hot right now; FTS has shown rapid works so far, look at tote board for clues.

Long Shot - 6 Lookin for Money

Race 2 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Maiden claiming $30,000, 3-year-olds and up

6 This Cat’s Awesome - Large chalk sliding down the maiden claiming ladder; need not be much horse to defeat these.

3 Juliet’s Tizzy - Part of potential chalky exacta; taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming.

Long Shot - 5 Secret Wishes

Race 3 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $45,000, Claiming $50,000, 3-year-olds and up

6 A Toast to You - Claimed 3 back followed by 2 out of the money races; drops in class to below his claimed price.

7 Royal F J - Dead late closer gets a preferred parking lot post down the hillside turf course; will be flying fast late.

Long Shot - 3 Circa’sgoldengear

Race 4 - 6 furlongs, Purse $21,000, Claiming $12,500, 3-year-olds

6 Cousin Ricky - Has paired wins yet keeps dropping down the claiming ladder; the one to beat despite the red flag.

5 Bushwacked - Always respect a horse when Rafael Bejarano is riding; he places them in the right spot all the time.

Long Shot - 4 Runaway Que

Race 5 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

4 Jennyway U Want It - After two OK down the hill races, is stretching out in distance today; has good tactical speed.

3 Unusual Style - Lost to a decent sort Van Dien Avenue in last; may be her turn with her solid Unusual Heat pedigree.

Long Shot - 6 Warren’s Cracker

Race 6 - 1 mile, Purse $23,000, Claiming $16,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

9 Lily’s Perfect - Has a good turf record at Santa Anita and at today’s distance; Derby winning jock Victor Espinoza up.

4 Acute - Claimed by Mark Glatt off a pair of sharp wins under Mike Mitchell; raised in class to the next logical level.

Long Shot - 2 Magic Number

Race 7 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $20,000, Cal-breds, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

5 Mangita - Speed sort at one mile has four frustrating seconds in a row; never out of the money in 6 career starts.

3 Water Issues - Like the cut back in distance where I don’t expect her in front early; stalking trip, grind it out late.

Long Shot - 7 Tiz a Kiss

Race 8 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds and up

6 Superboot - Showed some early lick in his U.S. debut; Jerry Hollendorfer puts the blinkers on, drops in class tonight.

11 Tasha’s Courage - Grinder has cashed 3 paychecks so far in his career; like betting on Joe Talamo in the day’s finale.

Long Shot - 8 Echo Alley

Best Bet - 6 This Cat’s Awesome (race 2)

Santa Anita Park Sunday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/4/$28.60; Long Shots, 7/1/$12.20; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Santa Anita Park Totals - 123/32/$209.60; Long Shots, 59/6/$61.60; Best Bets, 7/2/$5.60

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #8 Mighty Zealous (7/2) in race 4 at Belmont Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Sunday, Mr. Palmer ran out at Aqueduct. Stats - 72/41/$391.50; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick