Pio Pico Stakes Figures to Be Busy Up Front

There could very well be a logjam on the front end in today’s Pio Pico Stakes, which would play right into the hands of the long-fused Warren’s Whistle and Fairplex’s all-time leading rider, Martin Pedroza.

If you draw a line through her last grass effort, Warren’s Whistle looks to hold the edge in the feature. Two races back, she was runner-up to Kalooken Queen, who would have this field for breakfast, and go back another and she’s coming home with a rush to take the Fantastic Girl at Del Mar.

An earner of $557,000 in her career, the 4-year-old is already a stakes winner over this course, so you know she can handle the tight bends.

Song Of Summer is another late runner who would benefit by some fast early fractions. Craig Dollase conditions the daughter of General Meeting, who is looking for her first victory of the year but has been facing tougher and figures to get a much better set-up this time around.

Early speed is always important here, and the speed of the speed may be on the rail in the form of Miss Santa Ana, who is rarely outrun to any of the early poles.

Trainer Vladimir Cerin’s protege has won three of her seven tries, and even though she has never raced at Fairplex, she’s awfully nimble and the feeling is she will take just fine to the new surroundings. Her main problem will be the two or three others in the field who have a similar style. If this filly can shake loose to that first turn, however, she could pull off a theft.

The picks: 1. Streakn Cheynne 2. Ms. Johnson 3. His Reverence 4. Sir Bertrando 5. Potra Girl 6. Kahless 7. Rico Fighter 8. World Of Fun 9. Expressway 10. Warren’s Whistle 11. Max Raj

Post time: 12:30 p.m.