What better way to spend Mother’s Day than gambling on horses? Preview of Sunday at Santa Anita …

Race 1 – Five runners, three contenders, nil value. Top choices in order of preference: Big Shanty (4), program favorite Best Two Minutes (3) and Baby Bear’s Soup (2).

Race 2 – Speed rules turf this week. Six routes Friday-Saturday were won by horses positioned first or second. The short-term profile benefits front-running favorite Kristi’s Copilot (3), but late-runner Crown the Kitten (6) is a better horse. Probably need both.

Race 3 – Maiden 2-year-old fillies, debut favorite Big Blue Nation (3) has shown speed in the morning according to workout analyst Andy Harrington. Jeff Bonde trains ’Nation, a daughter of Animal Kingdom likely to go lower than her 8-5 program odds.

Race 4 – This is the first leg of the Rainbow Six, a 20-cent wager with an effective takeout rate of 46 percent (23.68 percent standard takeout, with 30 percent of the net pool allocated to the single-ticket jackpot).

Sturdy One (3) is favored to win this starter allowance route. A sprinter most of her 10-for-43 career, Sturdy One routed twice and finished next to last in both. She is the one to beat, but reluctant to take a short price on a 7-year-old outside her comfort zone.

Race 5 – Five-furlong turf sprint scramble for statebred fillies and mares, and Moonshine Annie (6) is favored again. She has lost 13 straight since her maiden victory nearly two years ago. She missed by a nose last out, while Shylock Eddie (8) had minor trouble finishing third by a head in the same race. Christy Jackson (7) is a must use at 6-1. She is dropping in class from open $16k claiming to statebred optional $20k claiming.

Race 6 – Mr Classical (2) is the play of the day. The maiden-30 gelding shortens from a mile to a sprint and adds blinkers. Will be surprised if he starts anything close to his 8-1 program odds. Will settle for 4-1.

Race 7 – A case can be made for most in this turf mile stakes for statebred fillies and mares. Mild preference to last year’s winner Cordiality (1), her pressing style fits this week’s course profile. Gypsy Blu (9) is the program favorite, but can she route? A live longshot is Pulpit Rider (3), listed at 12-1. Although she is a closer, there is plenty of pace to flatter her rally. Wide open.

Race 8 – Chay Up and Away (5) is rounding into form, third start back. Expect her odds to drop from 5-1. Will settle for 3-1 in this bleak low-level N2L claiming sprint.

Race 9 – Front-runner Lucky Lately (10) could be gone in this statebred maiden turf mile. Both recent runner-up finishes were solid, the course this week favors her style.

Plays: Big Blue Nation low-odds single race 3, Christy Jackson longshot 6-1 or higher race 5, “best bet” Mr Classical 4-1 or higher race 6, Pulpit Rider longshot 10-1 or higher race 7, Chay Up and Away 3-1 or higher race 8.

First post Sunday, 1 p.m.