
Santa Anita for Saturday 3 April 2021
Mandatory payout of the 20 cent pick 6 at Santa Anita today for Derby Day. The pool is estimated to exceed $5,000,000 and starts in race 7. The race card is first class and I hope my handicapping turns out to be the same.
Best of luck as always!!
race 1Â Â average clarity
1 Undisturbed  new trainer in Dean Pederson for this filly who has been absent for 13 months........and Dean sure seems to have the trump card for this filly as her a.m. work is vastly improved.........look for Tyler Baze to go after the front end and try and wire the field
2 Cinnte Winnte  Patrick Gallagher is decent with Euro invaders making their 1st start in the USA and this girl's lone start overseas in Ireland appears to be a solid effort on the turf and at today's one mile distance.......good grass jock in Rispoli and the only two mounts that Umberto has had for the trainer over the last two months were very "live"
8Â Crazy Speigty
7Â Lookintogeteven
5Â Lady Crocker
race 2Â Â average clarity
4 Zestful  last two races are quite a bit better than par for today's given level when you adjust for trip......cut back in distance should help his staying power........and he appears to be the most likely leader and with Maldonado up.......that is always a very dangerous proposition for the opposition
1 Pubilius Syrus  (5 4 1 0) since switching to dirt racing and 4 of the races were with today's rider J J Hernandez in the irons......late runner is a smooth running sort who seems to handle dirt in his face very well......six year old should be on the scene late
6Â Kershaw
3Â King Abner
race 3Â Â average clarity
2 I Will Not  very solid figs in his last 4 races albeit on the dirt but his lone USA grass race was a 5 1/2F turf race that also fits well vs. today's competition..........Gutierrez should work out a nice ground saving near the front end of things trip in a race likely to reward those that do
5 Took Charge  average turf pedigree for this Miller invader coming in from the east coast where he was trained by a 19% trainer (Miller for 20/21 is a 20% trainer).....if this colt does handle the green carpet he should be in a great spot as he appears to be the lone speed in the field
7Â City Rage
4Â Best Chance
race 4Â Â average clarity
5 Bobby Bo three year old colt is training exceptionally well for his MSW debut even be the lofty standards of a Baffert horse......that and Prat gets the call and Flavien has won his last 6 of 8 mounts for the world's best trainer with three year old colts
7 Patron d'Oro  trainer is much better with 2nd time starters than 1st time starters and Koriner sure has gotten his colt to train well since his MSW debut where he showed brilliant speed but tired in the stretch.......believe this three year old with plenty of early gas won't quit so easily today
1 Secret Weapon SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE
4Â Laurel River
race 5Â Â average clarity
6 Closing Remarks  difficult to separate our top three picks but this filly seems best on the Santa Anita turf and retains Rispoli who has given this filly good rides in 3 of his 4 races riding her........1st racing as far as 9F but she sure has finished her last two 8F races with vigor
4 Going Global  beat our top selection in her latest race but earned the same Santucci fig.......and today she carries 4 lbs more while our top pick carries the same weight..........but then again Prat is 8 for his last 20 riding for the D'A........so let me repeat that it is difficult to separate our top three picks
2Â Quattroelle
5Â Royal Address
race 6Â Â average clarity
1 Moraz  talk about being on the right end of the learning curve......filly just keeps improving and she likely only has to repeat her latest to be quite formidable here.....and of course her upward trend has a shot of continuing.......trainer has had a chilly meeting but this filly has been a bright spot for him
3 Soothsay  thru the years Mandella has been outstanding with young fillies and he just might have another good one here with this three year old who was impressive in her MSW debut and even more so in the a.m. since......and the fact that the red hot high in demand Prat stays put reinforces the idea this one is ready for today's big step up in class
5Â Beautiful Gift
race 7Â Â average clarity
7 Rip City  quite the individual as a four year old (6 4 2 0) and all of the efforts were run in one mile grass races..........1st to date racing at 9F of turf.........sire's stats are so so for 9F but the Dam's sire screams the longer the better......that and this gelding should get great up close position in a race that seemingly favors those that do and with Mario Gutierrez up who was aboard for all 6 of the aforementioned 2021 turf races
2 Club Aspen  like on top pick this colt should sit on or near the lead and with one fine jock in John Velasquez who is so tough with speed types route or sprint........four year old has only raced on the turf at 9F and the race is arguably his lifetime best
8Â Coast of Roan
3Â Storm the Bastille
4Â Motown Music
race 8Â Â average clarity
7 Medina Spirit  best credentials in this field by far and his works since his 2nd place finish in a Grade 2 have never been better.......as usual this Baffert youngster should be in the mix from the get go........Johnny V coming in for the mount......hard not seeing this colt being anything but tough
9 The Great One  bombed in his latest race but his efforts 2 and 3 back give him some shot at upsetting our top choice........I doubt O'Neill would enter this three year old colt in this prestigious Garde 1 if he didn't believe his colt could mount a rebound
2Â Dream Shake
6Â Ottothelegend
10Â Defunded
race 9Â Â average clarity
4 Warren's Showtime ultra consistent Cal-bred and especially so on the SA turf (10 5 1 4)........fell off slightly in her latest race but her previous 4 one mile grass races are very strong and the one on 27 December is disguised in it's strength by about 5L of trip adjustment......should be a decent price
3 Charmaine's Mia The D'A is awfully good at getting a turf sprinter to handle a two turn one mile turf race for the 1st time in their career and he sure showed it in this mare's latest winning a Grade 2 at today's one mile turf distance........five year old mare has run her two lifetime best figs since D'Amato took over as the trainer.......Prat wisely stays put.......she is proven running well without Lasix ........plenty to like
1Â Dogtag
6Â Laura's Light
5Â Raymundos Secret
race 10Â Â average clarity
5 Becca Taylor  last race run fits well at today's higher level of racing and today we get a monumental jock upgrade to the hottest jock around in Prat.......1st racing as far as 6 1/2F but the way she has been finishing her races suggests the added 1/16 will be a plus
6 Dylan's Wild Cat  needs her race 3 back and her a.m. work of late hints we will see it........one for one with today's jock Gutierrez up........Mario should get position stalking the lead.......6 1/2 furlongs should be a good fit
1Â Governor Goteven
4Â Maybe I Will
9Â Pray for My Owner
race 11Â Â below average clarity
4 A New Peace SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE  tepid top pick is improving with each and every race and if that can continue this afternoon 1st following the Knapp claim she should have a shot at overcoming today's significant step up in class......works since Steve Knapp took over are nicely improved hinting that the trainer has a handle on his new acquisition (Miller to Knapp you say - both stand at 17% win for the SA meeting)
6 Applecross  last two races hide this one's ability as two different low percentage turf jocks sat too far off lackluster fractions in both races.........back to Johnny V who rode her race 3 back.........and her fig earned in the race is about 3 lengths better than par for today's level
9Â Nice Ice
12Â Quiet Secretary
3Â Cassie Belle
race 12Â Â average clarity
3 The Chosen Vron  both lifetime races fit and are disguised in their strength.......three year old gelding was inside with pace on two days where the rail was dull which is rather unlucky......racing surface has been fair for quite awhile now and Smith stays put......won his only race at 6 1/2F by 7L and it was his MSW debut........hard not to like with money Mike Smith in the saddle
7 Good With People  believe this colt to be the speed of the speed.........three year old is (5 3 2 0) in sprint races restricted the Cal-breds........J J Hernandez is one nice jock and especially so in dirt sprint races......hard not like
2Â Letsgetlucky
4Â None Above the Law
11Â Mister Bold