Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: The Santa Ysabel & Looking for 3 In a Row

Three-year-old fillies potentially on the trail to the Kentucky Oaks highlight Sunday's racing in the Grade III $100,000 Santa Ysabel going a mile and a sixteenth on the main track.

We're left with just a field of four after leading trainer Bob Baffert scratched Plum Pretty this morning, however that just sets things up for his even money morning line favorite May Day Rose to lead all the way.

Owned by Mr. Kaleem S. Shah, who has found himself in the winner's circle with five of his last six high-priced starters since mid-December, May Day Rose finished fourth in the Grade I Hollywood Starlet after having company on the front end throughout. The daughter of Rockport Harbor, who was purchased at auction for $220,000, had won her previous two starts in wire-to-wire fashion, including the $100,000 Sharp Cat Stakes.

If Scarlet Starlet or Zazu can flash some of the speed they've shown in sprint races, that could set things up for Bluegrass Chatter to win from off the pace. She broke her maiden in her last start after being dead last early, edging Star Presence, another one of Shah's horses, by a nose at the wire.

We added to our positive ROI with another pick four score yesterday and will be looking to make it three in a row today!

We're off to the races!

Best Bet of the Day (ROI based off $2 WPS bet)

Race 2: No. 3 Charlie's Princess (8/1 ML)

With this marking just the seventh career start for this five-year-old mare she obviously has her issues, but she faces weaker here than she did in her two most recent starts at Hollywood Park and should get things all her own way on the front end. The only time Brice Blanc rode her she ran the best race of her career, and the turf specialist is back aboard today.

Yesterday's Result: Show dough with World Renowned (-$3.80)

Total for 2010-11 Santa Anita meet: (-$32.30)

Late Pick 4

Leg 1 -  Race 6 (2,6) - Claimers run for a $10,000 tag in this six-and-a-half furlong main track sprint and we'll try to beat Bad Boy, who is looking for his sixth straight win today. His last defeat came on the turf and we're not as confident in his chances leaving the Canani and Miller barns.

No. 2 Nitro Active cuts back to a sprint for his first start on dirt and drops in class.

No. 6 Proud Cardenal returns to the dirt, where all four of his wins have come, and the 11-year-old (!) is sitting on a win.

Leg 2 -  Race 7 (1,4,5,7) - Down the hill in this first level allowance race for older females and we go four deep.

No. 1 Speeler won clear against big fields in both her starts in New Zealand and ran a better-than-looked race after breaking awkwardly from the rail in her stateside debut.

No. 4 Good Vibration puts the blinkers back on and adds Joel Rosario for the first time for her third off the layoff.

No. 5 Russian River has trained great for her return and her only win came on the lawn.

No. 7 Wake Me Now is the only runner with experience down the hill, running a respectable fourth a year ago.

Leg 3: Race 8 (1,3,4,5,6) - Five deep in this first level allowance for California-breds sprinting six and a half furlongs on the main track.

Leg 4: Race 9 (2,6,7,8,9) - No cheap maiden claimers to close the day as we're treated with another race down the hill for $40,000 four-year-old female claimers. Another spread race.

Recap - (2,6) w (1,4,5,7) w (1,3,4,5,6) w (2,6,7,8,9) - Total cost of ticket = $100

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mdoche for last minute changes caused by scratches and much more!

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Good luck!

Yesterday's Result: (+$204.20)

Total for 2010-11 Santa Anita meet: (+$1,819.90)

Total for 2010 Del Mar meet: (-$554.55)