How to bet the 2023 Wishing Well Stakes

The finale at Santa Anita on Saturday will pit nine fillies and mares running down the Hillside Turf Course in the $100,000 Wishing Well S. A case can be made for nearly every miss in the group in what appears to be a very attractive betting affair.

I’ll start with #7 Countess Rosina (6-1) from the barn of Jeff Mullins for the top prize. By Dandy Man, the Irish-bred has given a fine account of herself since arriving in the states as a three-year-old and has performed well in each of her trio of tries going down the hill. The four-year-old bay endured a less than desirable voyage in the Las Cienegas S. (G3) here most recently but was still just a head and a nose shy of garnering runner-up honors.

Countess Rosina shows four solid morning drills in preparation for Saturday and has run well off of workouts in the past. The stout late runner will be doing her best work late with Hector Berrios in the stirrups.

#6 Big Summer (7-2) has fine current form, as well as a perfect three-for-three mark at the distance, for conditioner Carla Gaines. The five-year-old daughter of Mr. Big was a smart victress of the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint here most recently, and the California-bred mare will be very dangerous with even slight improvement off that performance. Joe Bravo will be in the silks once again atop the win threat and have her commencing her run prior to the turn for home.

The Jonathan Thomas-trained #4 Bay Storm (3-1) has been a superb performer with nine straight top three results in advance of this affair, including a fine second-place finish in the Megahertz S. (G3) at one-mile at this venue last time out. The consistently very good daughter of Kantharos could shine in her third race off the break, and she will also bring a good measure of pace to the race. She will have Kazushi Kimura in the silks for the first time.

Wishing Well Wagers

• $10 exacta: key box 7 with 4, 6 ($40)
• 50-cent superfecta: 4, 6, 7 with 4, 6, 7 with 4, 6, 7 with all ($18)