
Santa Anita for Friday 7 Jan 2011
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Looking forward to a dry period now in S Cal where the new SA surface can settle down and we can see how the track is playing under a more controlled environment for the track maintenance crew. This also makes it much easier for yours truly to make good selections. If you make picks for a particular racing surface and get something else you have little chance at giving out enough good choices.
Average card at best today. Tomorrow looks better at 1st glance.
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race 1Â Â Â average clarity
3 Miss Buxley  tossed a clunker in last but works are sharpening hinting that a rebound is imminent
6 Banana Cream Pie  races before last fit fine.....last looks like O'Neill did the Racing Office a favor and filled the race to make it go (in a non- claiming affair)....back to Rosario....full throttle today
2 Excellent Point  1 for 1 on the "dirt" and a very positive rider switch
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race 2Â Â Â average clarity
6 Alpine Yodel  trainer means business dropping this consistent mare who has a stellar history on conventional dirt
4 Samba School  good history at this level of claiming and is 1 for 1 on the "real dirt"
3 Stevie's Afleet  has done nothing but improve since Palma claimed in early Sept.....most of his stock seems fit and ready the last few months
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race 3Â Â Â average clarity
5 Mother Ruth  trainer is white hot and sends out what looks like lone speed in the race......also can chase if necessary
1 Gilded Gem  very consistent closer from same white hot trainer....stellar rider/trainer tandem of late
4 Quisisana  all a matter of ready off the layoff or not....a big factor here if she doesn't need the race....tough call
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race 4Â Â Â slightly above average clarity
6 Fast Master  great name for this expensive 1st timer who is training as if he is extremely fast...and Baffert babies are firing
3 One Nation  best set of drills for a Mandella 1st timer in a very long time....just won with a 1ster last week who ran very impressively
5 Temp  nice move forward in 2nd lifetime start....another move in the same direction and it would take a very big debut run from our 1st 2 choices to beat him
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race 5Â Â Â average clarity
1 Startjumpin Marine  seemingly very sharp.....should be in control of the race sitting 1st or 2nd in a nice ground saving position
5 Van Brit  late runner is usually an easy to handle smooth runner which enhances his chances of making his closing run a winning one
6 Hot Citizen  impressive turf sprint win off of the bench getting up to win from off the pace in a pace-less affair.....handles 2 turn races just fine
3 Farley Star  U S of A debut off of a year layoff was a par like effort.....7 more weeks off but training well for the ever dangerous C Gaines barn
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race 6Â Â Â average clarity
4 Excessively Trick  decent MSW debut run and I sure like the fact that Rosario sticks around.....that suggest more horse today in 2nd lifetime start
3 Rolling Tide  significant speed and a good final time fig on the turf at 5F.....should be legged up and ready for 1st run on the main track...trainer is off to a good start at the SA meeting
1 Clubhouse Rules  what we need is the very strong effort this filly ran 3 races back and the drills sure hint that we have a shot at seeing it
2 Cookinthisorthat  2 respectable races at this level since the blinks were added......can get a good ground saving close up position with P Val aboard
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race 7Â Â Â average clarity
5 Blue Chagall  11 of the last dozen grass races fit versus these and he is training as if he feels really good....and a positive rider switch
3 Sky Cape  last 3 turf races for this horse with the blinkers off are significant efforts for today's level....blinkers off today
7 Riviera Cocktail  laid up animal fits as well as anyone if he is fit enough off of the hiatus from the track....tough call
1 Allegre  faced better in last.....seemingly on the improve.....3rd after a layoff is a good stat for Koriner
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race 8Â Â Â average clarity
7Â Merlin ZÂ Â hasn't run since mid Summer but training as if he is all set and drops out of MSW into a very weak group
1 Free Time   very fast last Spring in 2F affairs and blinkers on...trains well enough to be ready and 1st time blinkers....wire to wire shot
4 Graydle's Red   appears to like conventional dirt better then the synthetics....fairly sure last was a gimme to come back quick and fire
2 Thunder Of Zion  showed life on the dirt at Fpx in shorter races.....laid up but training up to snuff including a decent reassuring 6F drill hinting that this colt might get the distance
 3 Klassy Saint   works seem good enough to be competitive in this gelding's debut into the world of thoroughbred racing
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