Weather Key Factor in Sierra Madre

Today’s $60,000-added Sierra Madre Handicap at Santa Anita could have two vastly different fields, depending on which surface is used. The 6 1/2-furlong race for 4-year-olds and up is scheduled for the turf course but could be switched to the dirt. The decision depends on the weather and will not be made until today.

Among those nominated are top sprinters Pancho Villa, a son of Secretariat, and Another Reef, who could be making his West Coast debut. Other possible starters include Forzando (last year’s winner), Halo Folks, Ice Hot and Will Dancer.

Alphabatim, who had not raced in more than a year because of an assortment of injuries, won Friday’s $48,000 feature race, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 1/5 and paying $4.80 to win. Chris McCarron was aboard.

Santa Anita had its third-highest Pick Nine payoff of the meeting Friday when one unidentified ticket-holder correctly chose the winners of all nine races. The wager, believed to have been part of a $32 bet, was worth $561,730.70.

On Feb 1, Craig Miller won $1.9 million on the Pick Nine, while earlier in the meeting another Pick Nine bet paid $921,000.