
Santa Anita for Thursday 13 October 2011
[private]
Let's hope Daniel Vergara continues his impressive riding in Southern California as I have him in my selections in all six of his mounts on Thursday's card. Considering he doesn't get the quality mounts like Rosario, Bejarano, and the Gomez's of the world do, you have to be impressed with his win percentage which is over 20%. He is starting to be recognized by the trainers as his mounts are improving daily. Hope I didn't jinx him for today.Â
Difficult looking pick 6 sequence for today. Wouldn't be surprised if we get a large double carryover for Friday.
race 1Â Â Â average clarity
2 Spirit Seeker  best consistency in the field.....12 of 18 1st or 2nd in 18 races on conventional dirt.....best back numbers....best work tab......equal top pick
4 Tripped The Light  good history with Rosario on her back......last two wins came with 1 1/2 months between starts.....today's scenario
6 Ballistic Blonde  likes conventional dirt and likes today's distance.......Chambers won with our 2nd choice Sunday quite convincingly with another Prm runner
5 Crazyforlovingyou  laid up filly since May takes the drop into claiming and she looks well prepared in the a.m. to be ready fresh
race 2Â Â Â average clarity
5 He's A Bandit  trainer Mulhall is off to a hot start at the meet.....wide trip in last at twice the maiden claiming price and still only got beat by 5 bodes well for today.....laid up 2 months but working up to snuff....trainer is solid 1st at a route
2 Rare Song  looks loose here.......blinkers off and a patience rider can aid her ability to get a route of ground in her 1st attempt to do so
4 Victoriasugardaddy  Delgadilla has won his last 4 of 6 mounts for Hess......never easy to win at a route 1st out of the box but the work tab suggests this gelding is well meant for his debut into the glorious world of thoroughbred racing
7 Reinvent  you think 61 to 1 for an O'Neill 1ster was a gimme.....drops into maiden claiming and trying today
race 3Â Â Â average clarity
4 Lofty Ambition  powerful layoff run in last somewhat disguised with a poor trip......1st on the lawn and this filly has a good pedigree for it.......smoother trip and same energy on the sod and she should be very tough
6 Valeria  Shirreffs has been firing on all cylinders the last couple of months....filly has shown she can handle the sod.......2 months off but the work regiment is solid
10 Little Unusual  hidden rebound of sorts in last.....closed well in zippo pace up front......lone grass sprint was most impressive.....broke a little tardy and blocked badly in the stretch or would have graduated in her MSW debut quite easily....finally gets a turf sprint again
7 Tizalwaysomething  strong internal fractions in 2 consecutive turf routes might bode well for her 1st sprint race ever
race 4Â Â Â average clarity
4 For You My Heart  horse has yet to run a bad race on fast track surfaces......sure looks like the controlling speed in this race affair....most likely to chase our 2nd pick or grab the lead
1 Si Mar's Dear  significant recent 5/8ths drill hints at a sharpening filly......exits a decent heat at Fpx.....should be prominent from the get go in an affair without an abundance of early speed
9 March Mary  consistent sort is fairly well proven on conventional dirt surfaces....Carava is decent 2nd out after a claim
6 Meter Me Gone  turf tightener followed by a good series of drills should have this girl ready....lone race at SA at 6F on a fast track is good
race 5Â Â Â slightly below average clarity
9 Hurricane Harbor  made a premature early move at today's level at Fpx in latest......1 for 1 on the dirt at SA (her lone win).....positive rider switch to Pedroza who has won his last 2 mounts for Solis....closer seemingly gets ample speed to flatter his late run
8 Royal Heat  also won only lifetime conventional dirt race.....needs to avoid a speed duel as there are about 5 or 6 in here that may go after the lead
1 Thunder Of Zion  absolutely took off in very fast pace from the 1 post in last.....believes prefers "real dirt" surfaces.....shot to be speed of the speed here
5 Me Salty  only race out of 3 on the conventional SA dirt track that was good was without the blinkers.....no blinks on today
race 6Â Â Â below average clarity
8 Cranky Jack  as wide open a race as it gets....only the 3, 5 or 13 would surprise me if they won or placed...tepid top pick ran well on the lead in last.....most likely will need to show he can run without the advantage of a relaxed loose lead....laid up but the works say ready
9 Unstopper Topper  claimed at Fpx in mc debut and her new trainer puts him on the lawn which this gelding is bred nicely for....flashed big speed in that mc debut....might get away here if takes to the lawn
7 Unusual Beam  both lifetime grass races aren't too bad....recent drills indicate more might occur from this gelding this afternoon
4 Big Impact  don't know squat about the trainer but the works are good and so is this horse's pedigree to handle the turf
Longshot of the day: 1 Warren's Big Cat  only turf mile run on the SA sod is his best race ever....and just fired dirt best in last....so logic suggests running back on the lawn might produce best to date that he has fired on the sod....if so, fits
race 7Â Â Â slightly above average clarity
2 Starspangled Heat  improving sort who is on the right end of the learning curve is training as if the switch to the dirt won't be a problem
1 Lodi Red  only race on the SA dirt is a par like effort for today's level of racing......late runner should be motoring fast the last 1/16
4 Bluegrass Reward  consistent sort has shown he can handle conventional dirt surfaces.......Mitchell only had horse for a few days before his last start.....now he has a had for 6 more weeks....should be in top shape now
race 8Â Â Â slightly above average clarity
2 Top Torero  has caught two very solid mdn20K heats in 2 lifetime races and run distant 2nd's.......this looks like a much softer spot
5 Ed The Actor  Palma has been rather hot of late.....bad trip in mc debut at Fpx hides this one somewhat....trainer is better with 2nd time starters
9 King Of Swing  15 to 1 in mc debut hints the race was needed.....trainer is also good 2nd time out of the box......horse may show good early speed and that is rather hidden on paper
7 Del Mar Johnny  ice cold rider but might break out of it here with a mount on this improving Knapp charge
6 St. Valentino  moved forward quite a bit in last.....fits with another similar move in the right direction
3 Danceswiththewind  useful debut....trains well on the SA main track and finally gets to race on it
[/private]