Saturday's Best Bet: Mopotism can surprise in Beholder Mile
Saturday’s ninth race from Santa Anita Park is the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) for fillies and mares traveling one mile on the main track (Post Time - 8:28 p.m. ET).
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#7 MOPOTISM (6-1) exits an okay 3rd in the common Santa Monica (G2) and she does some of her best work at one mile. She is capable of winning this on her best day.
#3 Paradise Woods (6-1) was successful as a 3-year-old when she was able to get out there and control the pace in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and Zenyatta Stakes (G1). Those were both local routes, and since those races she has dropped six straight while failing to secure a clear early advantage. The one thing Evin Roman needs to do is put her on the lead, but that might not happen with #2 Selcourt (5-1) in the field. The latter is a sometimes brilliant sprinter, and it was nice to see her bounce back with a much better effort in the Santa Monica (G2). She reconnects with winning rider Tyler Baze and is capable of going all the way, but I doubt she wants to go this far.
#5 Marley’s Freedom (4-5) has won six of her last seven starts including the Santa Monica (G2) vs. some of these Feb 16. She won her lone start at this distance but that was around one turn in the Go For Wand (G3). She figures to stalk the pace and is an obvious threat.
The Plays:
#7 to win
Exacta 2-3-7/5
Trifecta 2-3-5/2-3-5/7
March Best Bet Winners
March 3 - SOLOMINI ($3.40), Exacta ($6.70)
March 8 - MUGARITZ ($6.00), Exacta ($20.90)
March 14 - Beer Slinger/Style Daddy Exacta ($15.20)
March 15 - ROYAL DESCENDENT ($8.40)
March 17 - DURKIN'S CALL ($4.10)
March 18 - Silken Spy/Roxy Rocket Exacta ($43.60)
March 20 - GRAY ADMIRAL ($5.60)
March 22 - SEQUENTIALLY ($4.60), Exacta ($9.80)
March 27 - Quality Step/Rohrbacher Exacta ($28.60)
March 29 - Epical/Beach View Exacta ($4.90), Trifecta ($9.15)
[Check out my daily full cards from Santa Anita Park at Winning Horse Picks!]