
Oak Tree at Hollywood for Saturday 2 Oct 2010
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What a pleasure for a Chicago boy to cover a California race day with all it's quality like we have this Saturday. Wish I was there live. With that in mind, I have been thinking of having a "seminar" next June for a day or 2 somewhere in the L. A. area. Please shoot me an email if you think you would be interested in attending.
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Don't see many contenders outside of my selections for the 1st 8 races. In the 9th I can see anyone hitting the board but doubt anyone besides my picks will win it. In the 10th only the 2 horse would surprise me running well in a seemingly wide open 32K claimer. Most of the 25k to 40k two turn turf claimers in California are rather wide open. This one is no exception. Good Luck. Have fun!
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race 1Â Â Â average clarity
4 Mr. Sierra  bet hard in 2nd lifetime start over at Fpx and ran a nice race earning a solid fig albeit on the dirt...1st start wasn't too bad on the AW
5 Titian  work series is solid for this 1st timer......trainer is reliable when he shows good preparatory drillsÂ
3 Cold Bay  debut was strong enough that with a good move forward today he could find the circle of joy
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race 2Â Â Â average clarity
4 Afleet Deal  total lack of speed in the race and this gelding has the most....sure likes today's distance
8 Tall Texan  trains as if ready off of an 8 week break.....good chance to range up from the outside and possibly get the chase position
7 Party Mandate  also has a shot to range up from the outside and chase.....needs to avoid flattens out late at 6 1/2
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race 3Â Â Â above average clarity
5 Go On Babe  powerful race in 2nd lifetime start and breaking her MSW in debut...just worked a bullet at Hollywood suggesting the surface change is OK
4 Jet Blue Girl  has never run a bad race sprinting on the AW....Barn is heating up as well
3 Missdealornodeal  has had a solid campaign in 2010 and is trained by a red hot trainer...can be prominent from the get go
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race 4Â Â Â average clarity
1 Dixie Cross  caught wide stalking a strong pace and still was battling for the win at the wire....solid aggressive work tab since says we may see even more today
5 Basic Strategy  Miller 1ster is training sharply and appears to have good early speed which is right up the trainers alley
7 Marker Down  Baffert 1st timer looks dangerous.....what's new?.....we've seen about 6 months straight of ready looking Baff 1sters
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race 5Â Â Â above average clarity
3 Majestic Afleet  really getting good quickly....chased a fast pace and a stout horse and finished an impressive 2nd in last...training sharply since...can chase and ponce in stretch
6 Square Deal  big return to his Florida form in last....wide with pace and still only lost be a whisker...shot to wire here
5 Blue Jay Attack  solid 1st ever on the lawn in last....broke a little tardy and ran a little wide and lost by a head to a good horse who won his next out....hard to split may 3 (solid) choices
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race 6Â Â Â above average clarity
1 J P's Gusto  impressive solid pace duel and the won going away for his 3rd straight Graded win.....can be on or near the lead thru-out in 1st ever at a route of ground
7 Jaycito  broke slowly and ran 5 wide and still came flying late....bred to appreciate a route
5 Acaffella  one of only 2 horses in here proven at a route....get get a nice mid pack position for Mr R Baze
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race 7Â Â Â above average clarity
5 Zenyatta only a crawling pace up front can stop her as it almost did in her last...should fly on by even with a semi-soft pace up front
1 Switch  3 filly appears to be very sharp and maybe sitting on her lifetime best...seems to have the best shot at upsetting the Queen if she can stalk a soft pace
3 Rinterval  training as sharp as ever at Kee.....doubt gets a pedestrian pace here but she can run off of the pace
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race 8Â Â Â average clarity
3 Gypsy's Warning very impressive in arguably the toughest race in the USA outside of the Breeders Cup for F & M's...multiple Grade 1 wins in SAF
1 Lilly Fa Pootz  fits solidly in this spot if she holds her form....compromised greatly by a lack of pace in her latest...toss it out
9 Hibaayeb  stout Euro invader is obviously a good horse....hard to tell how ready she is....does draw the services of BejaranoÂ
8 Turning Top  responses to ample time between races and gets it today....has enough early speed to get on over and sit close
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race 9Â Â Â above average clarity
5 Twirling Candy  nothing but brilliant her whole undefeated career.....ran out of her mind in 2nd race race at Hollywood
2 Crown Of Thorns  limited career starts but she sure is impressive when she runs.....powerful work tab and it was at Hollywood
4 Crowded House  seems to fire big turf to AW...that's today's scenario
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race 10Â Â Â below average clarity
1 Yvett's Pride  just claimed by Polancoon 21 Aug 2010...best set of drills from him in quite some time....trainer is pretty solid with turf horses...difficult race but a price here
5 Hammurabi  also just claimed....good drills.....take a look at the race she ran in the Summer of 2009 at Hol...rated and won big at 1 1/16....believe that is the tactic the barn and rider will employ today
7 When We Met another just claimed and also working well
3 Silent Soul  has won 2 straight since claimed...obviously fits if O'Neill can get a 3rd straight good effort out of him
9 Knockout Artist  owns some solid figs on Top Turf Today at today's 1 1/16 distance...will need a clever trip from Flores who is riding better these days
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