Printer Friendly View
Santa Anita for Sat 15 Jan 2011
[private]
Track is back to being unbelievably fast. Another track record fell yesterday with our top pick winning the 7th in 113:11. Yikes! Maybe it is the temperature which has been warmer the last few days.
race 1 slightly above average clarity
7 Pat Olcott best early speed in this affair and very positive rider change...see ya
2 Angel Before Us barn is in go mode...only race on conventional dirt is strong and so our the drills at SA
4 Kahlua Mast fell off some in last but the recent drills (at SA ) hint of a rebound and an appreciation for his new surface
3 Girlwithegoldhoof crushed in lone race on "real" dirt....laid up but works are up to snuff and trainer is good off of layoffs
race 2 average clarity
2 Arousal all three lifetime starts which were on the AW are better then par for the MSW level.....1st on the sod but an adequate pedigree to handle it
5 Mr. Commons useful debut on the main track andnow on the grass where with his stellar grass pedigree he most likely was always pointed for.....Shireffsis much better with 2nd time starters as well
6 Lula Talullah good MSW debut on the grass sprinting and then a dull effort in a turf route.....back to a sprint today
1 Akkadian Canani isn't much of a 1st starter trainer but works are too hard to ignore and leave him out of my selections
race 3 slightly above average clarity
1 Clubhouse Ride 2 solid races on conventional dirt and a strong 4F recent drill on the SA surface...seems sharp and easily has the most racing experience in this field of youngsters
4 Tapizar long layoff but works suggest he is ready...when last seen (at CD) in late Nov this colt ran his eyeballs out...very tough here if he is as fit as he was that day
race 4 average clarity
4 Our Bellini Bikini consistent city...4 wins and 3 2nd's in last 9 starts...great job of conditioning by O'Neill keeping this 8K claimer sharp...few reasons he can't keep it going
3 Irridescent Red lead type only might get what he needs....a loose lead on a track that is kind to speed types
5 Miner Pic 15 out of 24 "place" finishes the last 2 years puts her in the ultra consistent category....but....she does tend to hang
8 Alphabet Cat subtle positive switch in appr. riders for this late runner...good shot to move forward 2nd out after the layoff
race 5 slightly below average clarity
6 Screaming Destiny on the improve with every start and now gets the grass for the 1st time with solid grass breeding...retains meets leading rider
7 Le' Heat loved him last time and the saddle slipped and that was that....tougher spot here but still is a major contender with his recent improvement in his races and his workouts
4 Kumiva fired fresh in his last race which was run last Fall....and he is training as if he will once again
8 War Element 1st timer is beautifully bred for the grass (mom's tossed out 5 turf winners in 5 foals, 3 of which were SW's) and shows promise in her morning preparation
race 6 slightly above average clarity
3 Zazu since I have been covering S Cal racing J Sadler has been outstanding with his young Stakes fillies going 7 furlongs....solid figs on AW..really tough if she handles the "real" dirt as well
1 California Nectar last was better then par for today's level and it was at SA and at 7f....very consistent career so far so there is a good likelihood she can repeat the effort
4 Plum Pretty very solid MSW winning debut way back in mid Fall....laid up but the works are good and Baffert is hot hot hot
race 7 slightly below clarity
11 Cherokee Heaven owns some very strong figs/efforts down the SA hill which is 1/2 the battle...will need a clever trip from a difficult post
4 Red Alert Day 1 for 1 on the SA hill grass course and owns significant early speed with arguably the meets top speed rider aboard in P Val
10 Camp Victory was on a steady impressive improvement when he had to be laid up last Summer....new barn and he appears to appreciate his new surroundings flashing some very strong works
5 Smokey Lonesome on the right end of the learning curve and gets 3 lbs off....can upset here with a good trip and as most of you know the trip down the hill is more significant than any race configuration anywhere in the good old U S of A
race 8 average clarity
6 Thikyhasnolimit last was the extended sprint tune-up to be fit and ready for the challenge of getting it done in this Grade 2 affair....and Asmussen sure knows how to get it done
8 Make Music For Me works indicate shes glad to get back to sandy dirt (4th in Ky Derby) and she should fly late if she gets the needed pace up front
1 Tweebster got away with ridiculously slow pace in last and effortlessly wired.....basically the race was the perfect workout.....should have a ton of horse left for today
4 Hamish Hy keeps outrunning his odds on multiple surfaces.....1st ever on the conventional dirt but bred to run fine on it
race 9 slightly below average clarity
3 My Pal Val same team of rider trainer won with a 1st timer that wasn't training as well as this guy...bred and trains like he owns speed and that's a good thing at the speed friendly 5 1/2 F distance
7 Cabo San Lucas owns plenty of early speed and gets a positive rider speed...Joe T can go all the way if able to slow things down early
4 Ultimate Question decent run off of the layoff and past history suggests he will move forward
10 High Valley Guy trainer is seldom ready with 1st timers so....last was the gimme in a non-claiming event and today it's full throttle in a m c claimer...works are good and suggest he has early speed
5 Brereton Park works are good enough to consider ready for his debut into the racing world...and....seems significant that Rosario is up
[/private]
