He’s Usually in the Money

Jockey Chris McCarron won’t have a heavy workload on this holiday, but two of his three mounts are in stakes races today at Santa Anita.

Long one of the best money riders in the game, McCarron has big shots in the $150,000 Santa Ynez and the $150,000 San Marcos Handicap.

In the Santa Ynez, a Grade II at seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies, McCarron will ride Candor for owners Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss and trainer Ron McAnally. He’ll ride Lord Flasheart in the San Marcos, a Grade II at 11/4 miles on turf, for owner Ed Gann and trainer Bobby Frankel.

A winner only once in five starts, Candor, a daughter of Crafty Prospector, will benefit from an anticipated fast pace in the Santa Ynez.

Ayanna, the morning-line favorite, is extremely speedy and has won three of her five races around one turn. She does face pressure from Rich Musique, who has won two in a row for trainer Vladimir Cerin in wire-to-wire fashion.

If those two go crazy up front, Candor could be along in time under McCarron. On New Year’s Eve, she was beaten a half-length at 20-1 by Rich Musique and now she gets an extra sixteenth of a mile.

While Candor is looking for her first stakes win, Lord Flasheart is a proven commodity. In his U.S. debut Dec. 30, which came after a layoff of more than 18 months, Lord Flasheart won cleverly, overcoming a slow start to beat another highly regarded import (Straight Flush) by a length. This will be his first race at 10 furlongs, but he won going 13/8 miles in Europe.

By the way, McCarron’s third and final mount today is Chapeau, a 3-year-old Deputy Minister filly making her first career start in the ninth race.

Race of the day: There are more than a few quality betting races on the card. The fourth is a wide-open turfer for older expensive claimers and the seventh and ninth are maiden races featuring some promising youngsters and fast-working rookies.

Who’s hot: Hemet Thought. The gelding has three wins in a row since joining the Bill Spawr barn and will go for another in today’s third at Santa Anita.

Who’s not: Praise Be To God. The 8-year-old gelding is one for 34 in his career, has been beaten a combined 1091/4 lengths in his last five starts and figures to get pounded again in today’s eighth at Turf Paradise.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Luna Negra and Honestly Darling in the sixth, Spitfire Man and Sunday Break in the seventh, singling Lord Flasheart in the eighth and using Pali Princess, Miss Tropics and Oriana’s Magic in the ninth.

Winners: Previous Day/Meet Total: 5/58. Money: Previous Day/Meet Total: $29.40/$380. Total money bet: $342.