The Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 returns Saturday for California Crown day with its customary 15 percent low takeout and $1 base. I’ve written before how the Coast-to-Coast payoffs greatly exceed expectations, so I’m excited to have it back for the Santa Anita autumn meet. 

With two races at Gulfstream and three at Santa Anita, it was originally scheduled as an all-turf Pick 5, but the Gulfstream races have moved to the Tapeta track. There are some good opportunities in this sequence, so let’s dive in. 

Leg 1, Gulfstream Park race 9

There’s a bunch of pace in this race, so let’s use the favorite no. 4 Ghostly Rose and no. 8 Most Handsome to go two deep to start our ticket off. 

Use 4,8.

Leg 2, Gulfstream Park race 11

The second leg is a bit wide open, so we have some definite price potential here. No. 10 Zohan is the 2-1 morning line favorite, but he was fourth in his only synthetic route and I don’t love him in this spot. No. 6 Catch a Tiger looks like the best speed, but closers no. 5 Honesto and no. 9 War Bear get a shot here. Finally, I do think no. 2 Roar Ready will likely get too involved in the pace, but at the 30-1 morning line the price is too tempting not to use. 

Use 5,6,9 As, 2 as B.

Leg 3, Santa Anita race 7

This 1 1/4-mile John Henry Turf Championship (G2) is a bit wide open, but we like no. 9 Gold Phoenix and no. 3 Divin Propos best. Let’s use no. 11 Balnikhov as a B play as well as no. 1 Cabo Spirit who could get an easy lead at that 30-1 morning line. 

Use: 3,9 As, 1,11 as Bs.

Leg 4, Santa Anita race 8

I thought this was the toughest race of the sequence with a deep field of turf sprinters, several milers turning back and two East Coast shippers. 

No. 5 King of Gosford is a must use with a 3-for-3 record turf sprinting in this country and no. 11 Big Invasion ships in from Saratoga after a nice win in the Harvey Pack stakes Labor Day weekend. Past that I didn’t have a great feel and wanted to add a few others. 

Use: 1,5,11 As, 2,4 Bs.

Leg 5, Santa Anita race 10

In the payoff leg, no. 5 Johannes looks like a strong 4-5 favorite, but we like the way no. 6 Trikari is running on the East Coast and could be a threat off back-to-back wins in the Belmont Derby (G1) and Secretariat (G2) with a great morning line price of 8-1. 

Use: 5,6.

Remember the Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 is back Sunday and every weekend during the Santa Anita autumn meet.

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