Saturday's Best Bet: Park Avenue steps out in Royal Heroine
Saturday’s 7th race from Santa Anita Park is the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes for fillies and mares traveling one mile on the turf course (Post Time 6:17 p.m. EDT).
Click here for Santa Anita Park Entries, Results
No. 4 PARK AVENUE (4-1) set the pace and stayed clear throughout in a local optional claimer at nine furlongs on turf March 20. She might be able to make the lead again in a race lacking front end speed, and Juan Hernandez has booted her home twice. She struck twice on dirt at this trip last year.
No. 1 Going Global (4-5) made a run before weakening in the off the turf American Oaks (G1) at ten panels when last seen late last year. She is 4-for-4 on turf at Santa Anita and should save all the ground behind the speed under her new rider Umberto Rispoli.
No. 2 Excelerina (5-2) looked sharp winning both local nine panel turf starts as the chalk at the current stand. Mike Smith hops aboard Phil D’Amato’s late running filly, but she might not get enough pace help.
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Wagers:
No. 4 to win
Exacta 2-4/1
Recent Best Bet Winners
March 27 - SHARAPOVA ($4.60)
March 28 - MOONLITE GRAHAM ($8.40), Exacta ($34.20), Tri ($107.20)
March 30 - THORN HILL CAT ($6.00), Trifecta ($27.00)
April 3 - STREET RUCKUS ($3.40), Trifecta ($37.60)