Preview: The main track this meet has played a little bit slower this meet than in the past but we all remember when the Breeders’ Cup was here and it was a paved highway so you need to look at Thursday’s charts for a few clues on how speed is doing. According to one source Wednesday night, Santa Anita added sand to the dirt course late in the day. The turf course conversely has played to speed but that may be due to the fact that the rails have been out for most of the races waiting for this weekend. I look for a fair course with closers having an equal opportunity.

FIRST RACE: 1. #10 Tough It Out, 2. #8 Distinctive B, 3. #6 Ten Blessings, 4. #14 Never Say Try.

SECOND RACE: 1. #4 Tryst, 2. #3 Watch This Cat, 3. #7 My Palmilla, 4. #12 Longstocking.

THIRD RACE: 1. #8 Hard Aces, 2. #2 Quick Casablanca, 3. #4 Melmich, 4. #1 Scuba.

FOURTH RACE: 1. #2 Kafister, 2. #3 Jazzy Times, 3. #8 Prospect Park, 4. #5 Silent Bird.

FIFTH RACE: 1. #8 Vai, 2. #9 My Pi Romancer, 3. #11 Ms Wakaya, 4. #4 Isa Firecracker

SIXTH RACE (BC Juvenile Turf): 1. #11 Good Samaritan, 2. #6 Big Score, 3. #12 Rodaini, 4. #9 Wellabled.
I couldn’t talk anyone for any horse. Wide open.

SEVENTH RACE (BC Dirt Mile); 1. #3 Dortmund, 2. #1 Vyjack, 3. #8 Tamarkuz, 4. #9 Gun Runner.
It’s tough to feel sorry for trainer Bob Baffert under any circumstances, but this 4-year-old has been the hard-luck thoroughbred of the last two years. He has five losses. All of them are to the last two Kentucky Derby winners, California Chrome and Americah Pharoah. Baffert has seen enough of Chrome and wants to get his picture in the winner’s circle with this horse and he should be a single in all exotics surrounding this race.

EIGHTH RACE (BC Juvenile Fillies Turf): 1. #4 Spain Burg, 2. #14 La Coronel, 3. #3 New Money Honey, 4. #6 La Force.
Another wide open race, but I’m taking the Euro invader Spain Burg. La Coronel was impressive at Keeneland, but she gets a bad draw here.

NINTH RACE (BC Distaff): 1. #5 Stellar Wind, 2. #8 Beholder, 3. #1 Songbird, 4. #6 Forever Unbridled.
This is the race everyone is waiting for with the top West Coast fillies going at it, but don’t forget there are a total of five Grade I winner in this race aside from the brilliant 3-year-old Songbird. I like the older Stellar Wind and Beholder. Watch out for Forever Unbridled. She is the only closer in the bunch and if there is a pace meltdown she might be worth a small wager or underneath exacta play.

10TH RACE (Twilight Derby). 1. #10 Diplodocus, 2. #4 Oscar Nominated, 3. #1 Free Rose, 4. #5 Monster Bea.
Diplodocus hasn’t received the best of races the last two times so maybe the change to an Ortiz brother will be the answer. Didn’t understand by Javier Castellano took Monster Bea to the lead last time in New York. The Oceanside Stakes winner likes to come from off the pace, Javie. Come on, man.

Good luck.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter