How to bet the Unusual Heat Turf Classic Stakes

A talented field of 10 California-bred runners will travel 1 1/8 miles on the Santa Anita lawn in Saturday’s $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic S. The finale on a big day of racing features a well-matched crew and I’ll take a shot with a value runner in the contest. 

Unusual Heat Wagers

• $10 win/place/show #9 Catalina Eddy ($30)
• $5 exacta key box 9 with 3,5,7 ($30)

#9 Catalina Eddy has looked good on the green in his trio of turf runs to date, which includes a facile allowance win two back in his lone route attempt to this stage of his development. Conditioned by Craig Lewis, the son of Square Eddie is a lightly raced four-year-old who owns a two-for-three mark on the sod in his lifetime and is better than he showed in a turf dash most recently. 

The $30,000 purchase draws outside of the other pace in the cast for this one and doesn’t need the lead to win. He will surely improve while making his second run since April, and the chestnut put in a good six-furlong drill leading up to Saturday, as well. Kaz Kimura will be in the silks and have the top selection tracking the tempo from second or third early on. 

John Sadler’s #5 Kings River Knight has been first or second in a superb 12 of 13 lifetime tries to date and could be the one to beat due to being consistently very good. Six-year-old son of Acclamation is a two-time winner on the course and brings in fine form with wins in four of his last five races leading up to this endeavor. The six-year-old gelding was a clear winner of the California Flag S. going down the hill in his last effort, and the bay ran well in his lone performance at nine panels, too. Juan Hernandez will be in the stirrups. 

#7 Aligato just missed in the tilt last season and has hit the board in seven races in succession for conditioner Mark Glatt. This Kitten’s Joy seven-year-old owns a powerful late kick in a field with some speed in the mix, and he has won or placed in eight of nine career performances at this venue, as well. A winner of the race in 2022, the gelded chestnut drops down after facing open foes since the spring and rates as a very logical exotics contender with Flavien Prat accepting the mount. 

Lure S. runner-up #3 Bally’s Charm is the inside speed of the field and is four-for-eight at Santa Anita in his lifetime. Trained by Jeff Mullins, the five-year-old son of Roi Charmant is a two-time winner from three attempts at the distance and he comes in fresh for a solid layoff conditioner. The Cal-bred bay will be dangerous if he avoids a duel early on under Hector Berrios.