Saturday's Best Bet: Offlee Naughty surprises in San Luis Rey
Saturday’s 9th race from Santa Anita Park is the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes for four-year-olds and up traveling a mile and a half on the turf course (Post Time 7:41 p.m. EST).
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No. 9 OFFLEE NAUGHTY (10-1) sure acts like he will run all day. Michael McCarthy’s colt is on the upswing and earned his best speed rating yet in a show finish at nine panels on turf Feb. 4. John Velazquez rides him well and he should offer wagering value.
No. 1 Say the Word (5-2) exits an even show finish in the San Marcos (G2) at a mile and a quarter on turf. He is a multiple graded winner at this distance and should be heard from late for the productive Flavien Prat and Phil D’Amato team.
No. 2 Red King (8-1) can still run at age eight. He showed nice late interest in a runner-up finish at a mile and a quarter Feb. 4, and he should move up second after a layoff following that solid prep.
Get my Expert Santa Anita Park picks for March 12 - Includes 5 bonus stakes from Tampa Bay Downs
Wagers:
No. 9 to win
Exacta 1-9/1-2-9
Trifecta 1/ALL/2-9
Recent Best Bet Winners
March 2 - Stormy Pattern/Clapton Exacta ($50.80)
March 11 - EXCELERINA ($3.60), Trifecta ($112.20)