Saturday's Best Bet: Park Avenue shows off in Santa Margarita
Saturday’s 10th race from Santa Anita Park is the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes for fillies and mares traveling a mile and an eighth on the main track (Post Time 8:36 p.m. EDT).
Click here for Santa Anita Park entries and results.
No. 4 PARK AVENUE (7-2) handled this distance with aplomb in a strong front running turf victory vs. optional claimers March 20. The improving early-pressing filly struck twice at one mile on dirt in 2021 and should be forwardly placed under her winning rider Juan Hernandez.
No. 9 Miss Bigly (5-2) is a very reliable dirt route stakes performer with early-pressing speed. She figures to stalk outside and should be in the hunt throughout under her winning pilot Ramon Vazquez. This is not her best distance but this is not the deepest renewal of this race.
No. 7 Varda (4-1) figures to enjoy every bit of this nine panel trip. She won twice in 2020 including the Starlet (G1), missed all of 2021, and was a clear, distant 3rd of 4 in her much needed Beholder Mile (G1) return. She reconnects with her winning rider Drayden Van Dyke and might wear these down.
No. 3 Blue Stripe (6-1) was over her head in her stateside bow in the BC Distaff (G1). She won all four of her dirt routes in Argentina and might fit with these.
Get my Expert Santa Anita Park picks for April 30 - Includes bonus Golden Pick 6 races from GG (races 7-12).
Wagers:
No. 4 to win
Exacta 3-4-7/9
Trifecta 4-9/3-4-7-9/3-4-7-9
Recent Best Bet Winners
April 20 - HE'S IN CHARGE ($4.80)
April 21 - DISAPPEARING ACT ($8.20)
April 25 - FORTHELUVOFBOURBON ($13.00), Trifecta ($161.40)
April 26 - MOJOVATION ($6.00)