
Santa Anita for Saturday 28 January 2012
Win or lose I never get tired of handicapping quality races. That is the case today at majestic Santa Anita. We also handicapped the 3 races at GP that are part of the $1 pick 6. Quite the exciting day of racing.
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Here at the picks at Gulfstream for races 8 thru 10 which our part of the GP/SA $1 pick 6
GP race 8Â Â Â average clarity
5Â Romacaca
1Â Speak Easy
4Â Unbridled Humor
7Â Trip For A. J.
GP race 9Â Â Â average clarity
1Â Slews Answer
5Â Little Mike
3Â Bad Debt
6Â Beckham Bend
GP race 10Â Â Â Â above average clarity
3Â Adios Charlie
5Â Turbo Compressor
1Â Duke Of Windsor
6Â Mucho Macho Man
Santa Anita Selections
race 1Â Â Â above average clarity
3 Sway Away  laid up but working great......all 3 lifetime sprints suggest he will be solid in this spot
5 Capital Account  just ran 2nd to the sharpest sprinter on the grounds.....should be on the engine from the get go and there isn't a lot of speed in this affair
1 Luckarack  very consistent efforts in sprint races.......jockey upgrade.....hoping for more pace than anticipated
race 2Â Â Â average clarity
3 Madeoftherightstuf  good chance to be feeling awfully good coming off a layoff run on the grass......fired a big effort turf to AW in 2nd lifetime start....1st on the conventional dirt but bred fine for it
1 Mary Helen's Storm  not sure why the barn made their MSW debut on the lawn because this colt trains exceptionally on the SA dirt....have to like that Bejarano sticks around after a dull race down the hill
8 Goodbye Charlie  showed he fits when last seen running......ran 2nd in a MSW affair in early summer......training impressively on the dirt at Tup......same or better seems likely today
9 Soi Phet  Gary Stute has a poor record with 1st timers but then again he has never flashed works like this for a MSW debuting horse
race 3Â Â Â average clarity
2 Eden's Moon  outstanding 1st ever at a route........and she came trotting home.......thru the years I've noted many horses finishing with a hand ride but very few trotting home.......Baffert appears to have another special horseÂ
7 Charm The Maker  done things right in all 4 lifetime starts......gets a 5 lb swing in weights to her advantage over our 3rd choice
6 Killer Graces   very sharp right now but she has to give 5 lbs to all in the field and still needs to show she can handle conventional dirt in a race....she sure handles it in the a.m......still a dangerous contender
race 4Â Â Â average clarity
4 Compari   easily best grass efforts/figs in this spot........should be prominent from the get go
6 MySummer Slew   some chance to have the race fall into his lap if the 2 and the 4 press each other to much.... shot to stalk the pace sitting pretty in 3rd
8 Red Defense  5 wins and 1 3rd in 6 lifetime races at 6 1/2 furlongs or less....still.....he will need lifetime best unless our top choice falters or has a bad trip Â
race 5Â Â Â average clarity
2 Bluegrass Reward  better horse on conventional dirt and just fired lifetime best on the AW....so....it seems logical she might fire best ever on the "dirt" today.....also like the 3 lbs off and that the red hot Talamo rides
5 Holladay Road  last 2 victories came with 6 weeks between races and that is what we have today.........seems pointed for this race which is usually a good thing with a Canani runner
4 Thirtyfirststreet  blinkers back on in last and it sure helped as this colt ran a big race.......that race repeated would most likely win this but Bejarano gets off the horse which hints the big effort might have made this colt fall off some....if not....he is the one to beat
race 6Â Â Â average clarity
9 Halo Dolly  3 for 3 on firm turf....in general a very consistent filly on any surface.....will need to go backwards or have a bad trip not to be formidable versus this field
1 Secret Cove  best race ever was her race 3 back which was run at SA at 1 mile with the turf rails in like today and at 118lbs...repeat of that race with a good trip might upset here
 3 Antares World  has made 4 trips into S Cal for grass Stakes races and only one of those races fit at this level....but it fits well enough to possibly upset our top pick....toss a coin
5 Chokecherymary  just keeps getting better......and better....and better.....andÂ
race 7Â Â Â average clarity
4 Jim's No Preacher   put away by a monster in last.......much softer spot here especially for a speed horse
5 RunFlatout  bombed as odds on choice in last 2 races but those efforts do fit here but at much better value
6 Thinking Of Girls  appears to appreciate conventional dirt surfaces....last race at 41 to 1 is very impressive especially considering Brueer claimed this gelding out of a 10K cond. claimer 4 races backÂ
1 Scofield Barracks  best of the off pace runners will have his fingers crossed that all the speed in this affair goes full bore for the front end
race 8Â Â Â average clarity
4 Charm The Crowd  last 4 one mile turf efforts/figs are quite strong.....and now we get a rider upgrade....and 3 lbs off
3 Van Brit  laid up since July but Cerin has had this mare ready to roll fresh in the past and his stock has been firing on all cylinders lately....5 for 10 at today's distance
2 Bonita Star  didn't care for the SA hill in last.....back to route where she fits for the 25K level.....last win was the last time Talamo rode
5 Blue Grass Music  very competitive in last 6 starts....off for 8 weeks but is training well enough to possibly be ready off of the break in the action
Possible Longshot: 9 Solerina  on the improve with every start in 2011.....1st ever on the sod in last......that race looks like a sprint tune-up to tighten up and be fully ready at a route....1st long but bred to be a good routerÂ
race 9Â Â Â average clarity
6 Rumor  chased a nasty pace in last and still won going away......Mandella has showed great patience not running this quality horse above her head too early.....that says she should be at her best today for her 1st ever Graded race
 2 Big Tiz  has never missed the board on the main track.....needed layoff last......should be ready for best today 2nd out after the layoff
3 Teddy's Promise  major move forward in last to upset at 16 to 1....same track and same distance......does have to overcome 5 more lbs in the saddle
5 She's Cheeky  often outruns her odds and this laid up filly has never worked better....1st on the conventional dirt is a question mark but her pedigree suggests she should handle it
race 10Â Â Â average clarity
5 Chickie Charms  3 awfully solid grass races not to have broken her maiden....definitely the one to overcome
6 Our Merv  nice grass race in only start a 3rd place finish at 33 to 1 in GB.....1st time Mitchell and the work pattern suggests she is well meant and ready for her U S of A debut
8 Fable Heaven   good grass pedigree and sizzling drills for this 1ster....trainer wins with about 1/3 his 1st timers
3 Risky Reward  very dangerous trainer with grass horses........works aren't too bad for a 1st timer....trainer is 2 for 2 at the meet
4 Declan  Kruljac is very dangerous with 2nd time starters.......love the breeding to handle the sod
2 The Roan Ranger  1st turf was decent....will need to move forward....fits if he does
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