An Easy Ride for Surf Cat?

A handicapper looking for the most probable winner of the Santa Anita meet might find it in the $200,000 Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup Handicap today.

It is hard to imagine Surf Cat losing the Grade II at 6 1/2 furlongs as he faces only four opponents. The race would have been a lot tougher had it attracted Proud Tower Too, Thor’s Echo, Jet West and Captain Squire, the 1-2-3-4 finishers in the $2-million Golden Shaheen eight days ago in the United Arab Emirates.

Owned by Aase Headley, the wife of trainer Bruce Headley, and Marsha Naify, Surf Cat was very impressive in his 2006 debut. The 17-10 favorite in the San Carlos Handicap on Feb. 18, the 4-year-old Sir Cat colt won going away, beating a sharp Major Success and six others by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:22 for the seven furlongs.

A winner of three of five at Santa Anita and second in his two defeats, Surf Cat, who worked a bullet five furlongs in 58 2/5 last Monday, will break from the outside in the small field and will be ridden by regular jockey Alex Solis.

Areyoutalkintome, a 5-year-old gelded son of Smokester, is the likely second choice. He has won six of 10 on the Santa Anita main track. Felipe Martinez, who will retire after the races today, will ride Areyoutalkintome for trainer Doug O’Neill.

Race of the day: Smokey Stover, who has a win and a second in two starts, will have a new rider in Russell Baze when he takes on four other 3-year-olds in the $40,000 Stinson Beach today at Golden Gate Fields. Owned by Harry Aleo and trained by Greg Gilchrist, the gelded son of Put It Back will face Spunky Harry, Wilmore, The Nairobi Trio and Midwesterner in the six-furlong race.

One for the road: Tourneau should improve with the change to trainer Bruce Levine and will also be facing New York breds for the first time in the sixth race today at Aqueduct. Apprentice Pablo Morales will ride the 4-year-old Tomorrows Cat filly for owner Patti Gale in the $42,000 maiden contest at one mile. The race is part of a pick six with a carry-over of $48,593.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Rebellious in the first, Pindaric, Etamine, Spy Aly and Mango Kiss in the second and Splashof Panache and Crystal House in the third.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 3/206. Money: (previous day/meet total): $21/$1,200.80. Total money bet: $1,206.