Highlights on Saturday at Santa Anita …

Race 1 – Indavidualist (1) is lone speed in this $16k claiming sprint, N3L. Although the Santa Anita surface is slow, early speed is fine at six and a half – three of the 12 races have been won by the pacesetter. The knock on Indavidualist is price. He is 7-5.

Race 2 – An interesting maiden sprint for 2-year-olds marks the debut of well-regarded colts Concur (5) and Blame the Rider (6). Concur is a $500,000 Curlin colt whose works are not flashy, but trainer Phil D’Amato does not typically work them fast. Five and one-half furlongs seems sort, but Concur will be finishing.

Blame the Rider, trained by Doug O’Neill, is by promising first-crop sire Jimmy Creed, whose progeny are 7-for-23 first time out (30 percent). National Turf workout analyst Andy Harrington likes what he has seen from Blame the Rider. He rated the colt’s most recent five-furlong gate “B,” and wrote the colt “seems to have some sprinty energy.”

Curly’s Rocket (8) debuts for Bob Baffert; program favorite Crazy Uncle Rick (7) finished third in a sales stakes first out. Another second-time starter worth consideration is Italiano (4), fourth in his debut. According to Harrington, Italiano worked in company with Grade 1-winnning filly It Tiz Well on Oct. 12. In a deep race, this handicapper prefers Concur and Blame the Rider.

Race 4 – This maiden-40 sprint for juvenile fillies is a good spot to take a shot with second-time starter Dialed to Go (5). She is listed at 4-1, and might be better than her debut suggests. She will need to be; even-money favorite Willows Babe (3) has the top figures. However, Willows Babe also has four runner-up finishes from four starts.

Race 5 – Tribalist (7) sitting second, or Richard’s Boy (5) on the lead? The one-two favorites in the $100,000 California Flag Handicap, a turf sprint for state-breds, seem to lock up the race.

Race 6 – This maiden-40 sprint for juvenile fillies is a split of race 4, and first-time starter Mischievous Song (7) is “live” at 5-1. Sharp works, ready to fire. Her main rival is class-drop favorite Fracas (8).

Race 8 – Pacific Wind (1) has been working super over the dirt; this N1X is her first start on the main. If the graded stakes-placed turf filly handles the footing, she should win. But it is tough to take a short price on any horse trying something new. And here’s a crazy jockey stat: Pacific Wind’s rider Rafael Bejarano is 3-for-44 this meet. Alternatives to the favorite include Spooky Woods (5) and La Force (3).

First post Saturday is 12:30.