Quality in Third Again

For the second time in three racing days, Santa Anita is offering a good third race.

On Saturday, stakes winners Sky Jack and Futural returned to racing. The finish of the one-mile race was thrilling as Reba’s Gold defeated Sky Jack by a nose. Futural was a distant third.

This afternoon, two graded stakes winners will race--along with four others--in a six-furlong contest.

Early Flyer, who will break from the rail, is the most accomplished member of the field. Owned by Verne Winchell’s VHW Stables and trained by Ron McAnally, the Gilded Time colt won the Grade II San Vicente over this track last year, and returned almost four months later to defeated eventual Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Squirtle Squirt in the Grade III Lazaro Barrera at Hollywood Park.

Best known for his victories in the Baldwin Stakes locally and the Bay Shore at Aqueduct last spring, Skip To The Stone will be making his first start since finishing fourth in the aforementioned Barrera.

Race of the day: The seventh drew a full field of 10 going about 61/2 furlongs on the turf. Contention runs deep.

Who’s hot: Lorenzo Lezcano. The apprentice jockey has 53 wins at Aqueduct, 12 more than runner-up Javier Castellano.

Who’s not: Shah Jehan, a $4.4-million purchase, was last in Friday’s Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.

Exotically speaking: A pick three singling Stage Knight in the second, using Skip To The Stone and Impressive Grades in the third and Pleasantly Perfect, Soud, Set For More and Sunset Rock in the fourth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 6/105. Money: Previous day/meet total: $32.80/$645.40. Total money bet: $596.