Saturday's Best Bet: Sanenus in the garden spot in La Canada

Saturday’s 8th race from Santa Anita Park is the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes for fillies and mares traveling a mile and a sixteenth on the main track (Post Time 6:35 p.m. ET).

#5 SANENUS (6-1) hit the board in all three starts in this country including a solid runner-up finish in the Chilukki (G3), and show finisher Whoa Nellie returned to take the Joseph E. Spanky Broussard Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Dec. 26. She is consistent and I like her tactical speed.

#3 Fighting Mad (9-5) did not run her best race in a fading 3rd in the Zenyatta (G2) Sept. 27. She won her other three stakes routes on dirt and Abel Cedillo is 2-for-2 with her. There does not seem to be any horse capable of going with her early and she will take them as far as she can.

#2 Hard Not to Love (2-1) is 0-for-4 with three runner-up finishes around two turns, and is 5-for-6 with a show finish in sprint races. I am still waiting for John Shirreffs to turn her back.

#1 Proud Emma (6-1) sat back patiently and finished fast in a nice victory in the Bayakoa (G3) Dec. 6. She might fall into a cozy ground saving spot behind the speed and is a logical contender if she is able to run two alike. 

Wagers:

#5 to win

Exacta Box 3-5

Trifecta 3-5/1-2-3-5/1-2-3-5

Recent Best Bet Winners

Dec. 26 - NASTY ($15.80), Exacta ($75.20)
Dec. 31 - SET PIECE ($6.60)
Jan. 1 - GULF COAST ($6.40), Exacta ($27.20)
Jan. 2 - ANOTHERTWISTAFATE ($7.60), Exacta ($40.40)
Jan. 7 - Real Talk/Willy Boi Exacta ($34.40)

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