Wagering on a Card of 15 Races at Santa Anita Today

There will be a full day of racing at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meeting today, starting at 9:40 a.m. with a telecast of the first of the seven Breeders’ Cup races at Aqueduct. Gates open at 8 a.m.

Santa Anita will offer wagering on all seven Breeders’ Cup races, then an eight-race program of its own, beginning at 1:20 p.m.

There will still be Pick 9 betting, starting with the $3-million Classic at Aqueduct, the last of the Breeders’ Cup races.

The feature race at Santa Anita, the inaugural $100,000 B.J. Ridder Stakes, will be the 14th race, since there are seven wagering races at Aqueduct. In the Ridder, an eight-horse field is headed by Snow Chief.

Sunday, the feature race will be the $75,000 Linda Vista Handicap, with Magnificent Lindy and Savannah Slew heading a field of eight.

Beginning Sunday, daily double wagering will be held on the second and third races instead of the first and second. Santa Anita executive Alan Balch said the change is being made because of the Pick 9 betting.

On Friday, jockey Darrel McHargue was unseated by Certainly Super in the seventh race and was admitted Friday night to Arcadia Methodist Hospital, track spokesman Larry Bortstein said.

A hospital spokeswoman declined to release further information on McHargue’s condition.

In the featured eighth race, Boom Town Charlie rallied out of the far turn to overtake three rivals and win at 1 1/8 miles on the turf course.

Boom Town Charlie, ridden by apprentice Eric Saint-Martin, finished one length in front of Pettrax, ridden by Corey Black.

Another half-length back in third place was Palestiglio, ridden by Antonio Castanon.

Carrying 110 pounds, Boom Town Charlie completed the race in 1:48 4/5 to defeat five rivals and win $24,750. The win boosted his career earnings to $107,515.

Sent off the 4-1 third choice by 16,666 fans, Boom Town Charlie paid $10, $5.40 and $3.60. Pettrax paid $17 and $8.20, and Palestiglio returned $4.

Pettrax led throughout the race and by a head going into the stretch before Boom Town Charlie took command.

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