Monday Racing Picks: Santa Anita
The second of two races picked on this Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday will be Santa Anita’s $100,000 Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes for 4-year-olds and up fillies and mares over one mile on the turf.
The field of 8 will go to gate for race 7 on the 8-race card with an approximate post time of 6:37 p.m. ET.
#1, Carressa, Victor Espinoza, 5-1
Carressa has finished in the top two in her last three starts, including two wins, highlighted by an impressive 8 ¼ length triumph as the second choice in an allowance optional claiming race at Del Mar on Nov. 22. This is her fourth career start at Santa Anita (0-1-0) and Victor Espinoza is back aboard for his fourth start (two wins) for trainer John Shirreffs. She gets the rail and I like Espinoza back aboard, especially since she has yet to win at The Great Race Place. Odds are good too. The pick.
#6, Brill, Mike Smith, 3-1
 After three straight graded stakes and five of her last six, Brill found the finish line in her second career start at Santa Anita in her last, the Lady of Shamrock Stakes, where she triumphed by 1 ¾ lengths as the second choice over today’s entrant Keeper Of the Stars on Dec. 28. Mike Smith was aboard then and returns today for trainer Don Chatlos. A lot to like and Smith is always dangerous. Runner-up.
#8, Super Patriot, Joel Rosario, 5-2
The crafty veteran will be making her 26th career start (5-4-6) and has finished in the money in six straight starts, however no wins. In her last start, he finished second in the Kathryn Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 8. After winning two straight at Del Mar, both allowance optional claiming races, in August, she is looking for her first win at Santa Anita since a start allowance race on Oct. 12, 2018 - a drought of over two years. Joel Rosario is in the saddle for trainer Richard Baltas. Contender.
#3, Keeper Ofthe Stars, Abel Cedillo, 7-2
As mentioned above, she finished second to Brill in the Lady of Shamrock Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 28 in her last start. Prior to that, she had been in two straight and four of her last five graded stakes appearances, highlighted by a Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes triumph here on Oct. 26. She is 5-1-3 in 12 career starts, as Abel Cedillo gets the call for trainer Jonathan Wong. In the mix.
PICKS: 1-6-8-3