
Santa Anita for Wednesday 29 Dec 2010
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Should be sloppy and off the turf today. Card was fine but I am always leary of any off going. Should be most interesting to see how the track plays. Sure don't miss studying for the slop. Adds time to the homework and is not usually very formful. Glad to be covering sunny California where sloppy tracks are rare.
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race 1Â Â Â average clarity
2 Polished Nickel  exits two straight strong heats/figs....just claimed be the reliable K Walsh
3 Schuylkill Punch  what we want is his mc debut 2 races back...recent works on the SA surface suggest we will see it
6 Preferred Mandate  1st timer has worked progressively better....especially strong his last 2 works....dangerous 1st timer
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race 2Â Â Â average clarity
6 Tommy And Buster  all 3 lifetime sprints (run at Tup) fit at today's level......excellent works say the invader is set to roll off of the long hiatus from the track
4 Marcy's Woods  good awakening with the blinkers off in last....1 for 1 on dirt......3 lbs off......good recent drill....4 positives for a low % trainerÂ
5 Make It A Cougar  impressive maiden breaking win when you consider it was off of a 15 Month layoff...fits well if he benefited from the race and progresses forward today
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race 3Â Â Â average clarity (raining hard, picks are for the main track)Â
5 Bar Rock Omama  good move forward for the Pres. both in final time fig and pace.....bred to appreciate the 1 mile distance....should be prominent from the get go...usually a good thing in the slopÂ
2 Secret Oath  deep closer should be motoring late if she handles the off going
1 Lilly's Perfect  just claimed at GG off of a romping victory and is training up to snuff since for a trainer who often manages just a couple of horse's at a time and manages them well
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race 4Â Â Â average clarity
1 Riveting Reason  wide trip in Grade 1 last or could have gotten a bigger slice of the big purse money.......facing much easier today....slop will be the question mark as it will for almost everyone entered today
2 Awesome Patriot  very aggressive work series for this Baffert charge......finished brilliant series with a solif 7F drill just 5 days ago...feeling goooooood Â
3 Anthony's Cross  proven on dirt....trained by the red hot Eoin Harty......and training up to snuff
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race 5Â Â Â average clarity
7 Flashmans Papers  has a good history on tracks rated "gd" and "sl"...owns 3 wins on the "dirt"....invader is training up to snuff....drops
3 Lit'sgoodlookngray  proven on the dirt but not the off going....takes a significant drop and retains Bejarano who is off to a hot start at SA
1,1AÂ ENTRYÂ Â Â under the "two average contenders are better than one" category
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race 6Â Â Â below average clarity
8 E. P. Bombay  if he puts forth the effort (in the slop) he showed in his last race or his race 3 back and gets an OK trip he is the one to beat
7 My Last Tycoon  good history on convention racing surfaces and sure is training great at SA for this race
3 Manogold  consistent closer gets plwenty of pace to run at if there aren't too many scratches of the speed types
5 Luv Dragon  handled dirt solidly at Fpx.....another closer with a race profile that seemingly fits
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race 7Â Â Â average clarity
9 Gladding  only dirt run (which was at Crc) with lasix this gelding won by 17 lengths....private purchase and training exceptionally well at SA
3 Oilisblackgold  good form....big bullet drill.....won lone dirt race quite easily
2 Equiparado  1 win and 1 2nd in 2 off races (typical for many ARG breds).......last was solid and traing nicely since
4 Low Gear Power  only 2 dirt races run (which occurred at Fpx) were solid....laid off 2 months but training like Mitchell means business
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race 8Â Â above average clarity
7 Minutesandtouches  wide with pace in last run compromised his chances 1st time in a mc claimer.....4 works since and drops again.....M Smith's only mount of the day
3 Twice The Appeal  only race on a non-synthetic was seemingly his best ever....7F should be a good fit coming off of 2 route racesÂ
4 Visual Intensity  trouble trip in mc debut and Rosario sticks around to try and make amends
6 Welcome Home Ryan  3 straight races with not the best of trips....training like he really likes the new SA surface
2Â Captain Shawn DÂ Â Â good mc debut 2 back followed by a 1 1/16 mile affair should have put some speed and endurance into him to make today's 7F distance a good fitÂ
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