Santa Anita: How to bet the 2022 Wishing Well Stakes

A total of seven fillies and mares will sprint down the hill in the grassy $75,000 Wishing Well S. at Santa Anita on Saturday.

#7 Hear My Prayer (5-2) was overtaken late as the 8-5 favorite in the Las Cienegas S. (G3) when ultimately finishing third, but I haven't lost any faith in her and will come right back with the Vladimir Cerin trainee.

Hear My Prayer has compiled a solid 10-5-0-3 mark on the sod in her lifetime, led by a pair of stakes tallies, and she has run well in each of her trio of assignments since arriving in the Golden State. By The Big Beast, the five-year-old is still lightly raced enough to have room for improvement, and she will prosper from having a previous run on the unique course.

The bay went to the lead from the break last time out, but I expect her to track the tempo from second or third early on Saturday while always close up. Regular pilot Juan Hernandez stays.

Richard Mandella’s #6 Tapwater (3-1) has not been overly consistent to date, but the talented lass responded to the cutback in distance last time when just missing in the Las Cienegas. The six-year-old daughter of Tapit boasts arguably the best turn of foot in the cast, and if she can avoid a poor break, then she will be a major contender late with even minor improvement. Joe Bravo will be in the silks once again.

#4 Alice Marble (4-1) had a dream trip when finishing a clear second in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint on the surface last time out, but it’s more than possible that she will receive another clean voyage on Saturday. The five-year-old daughter of Grazen has been sharp in her last pair of turf dashes, and she displayed an affinity for the course most recently. The stalker will have Edwin Maldonado on board.

Mike McCarthy’s #1 Thrilling (4-1) is three-for-four locally and comes in fresh off the short break for a solid layoff conditioner. The Uncle Mo filly is training well and has the gate presence to be in the mix from the break. Umberto Rispoli will ride the top-three threat.

Wishing Well Wagers

• $20 win #7 Hear My Prayer ($20)
• $1 superfecta 7 with 1, 4, 6 with 1, 4, 6 with all ($18)