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Santa Anita for Saturday, 31 March 2012
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Average card this afternoon. Pick Six sure looks awfully difficult. Two day carry-over might occur. Best of luck!
race 1Â Â Â average clarity
1 Patriotic Lion  5 1/2 sure seems to be a good fit for this colt.....best ever was with blinkers on and Flores up and 5 1/2 furlongs.....that is what we are looking at today
6 V. C. Ali Mac  way wide close to a nasty pace hides a much improved effort in last....and I believe this fellow is better placed in a sprint than a route
8 Zander  owns decent early speed in this spot......after an extended roll in S Cal the Belvoir barn has been cold the last 3 or 4 weeks and might be a little overdo to pick things up a bit
12 Divorce Ahead  decent drills for this 1st timer and would have rated higher if those works were spaced at tighter intervals and he had a better post
race 2Â Â Â slightly below average clarity
4 Saturday Nite Wish  good speed down the hill in last and was a little short in 1st race in 8 weeks.....back in 4 weeks with 3 more drills......can be on the lead here with a good lead rider aboard in Pedroza
12 Best Present Ever  good 1st ever on the grass in latest in a race where this filly had been away for 2/3rds a year......and the trainer is good 2nd out after long layoffs......tough post but the right guy for the job in Gomez who is riding super since returning from injury
10 Angel's Moon  on the right end of the learning curve........hot rider/trainer combo over the last couple of months.....seems like the best 4 year old in the race
5 Lil Swiss Echo  doubt this filly was fully cranked up in her MSW debut last to have gone off at 21 to 1 odds .....did show some life in the run down the hill......more seems likely today....how much more is the ? mark
race 3Â Â Â slightly below average
4 Battle Lou  shipper from GG looks like he didn't appreciate going a route of ground in last.....back to a sprint where he has done little wrong.......1st on conventional dirt but he owns a pedigree that should handle it
2 Oskar Hval  wide trip in last somewhat hides an improved effort in his 2nd out after a long layoff....and Hendrick's is historically better 3rd out after long breaks in the action....more likely today
1 Siempre Mio  low % jock up but offset some by a hot trainer at the helm......all 3 races since O'Neill took over the training duties for this gelding fit solidly here
9 Goux Would Do  solid forward move in 2nd lifetime start.....would have rated higher but I am somewhat concerned that Mandella passed on a non-claiming starter alw race for this horse...still....very dangerous
race 4Â Â Â slightly above average clarity
2 Reneesgotzip  had trouble drifting out on the first turn or would have probably beaten Eden's Moon in last....sharp recent bullet 5/8ths work probably with the blinkers on which is a change of equipment for today to help this filly focus
1 Eden's Moon  done little wrong in 3 lifetime starts....and.....is bred and runs as if the extra 1/16 is a good thing
3 Willa B Awesome  connections have their fingers crossed that the top two picks and heavy favorites will duel each other into oblivion and totally soften things up for this mid back runner
race 5Â Â Â slightly below average clarity
7 Husband's Folly  made a major vault forward in last and owns a solid work tab since hinting the same or better can occur this afternoon
5 Aliza's Dream  low % trainer but not with this gelding.......Stein seems to have the trump card for this filly.........can be in the hunt from the get get go
2 Star Nicholas  bad start in last or would have won at today's level.....good sign Rosario sticks around....should be motoring late once again
1Â Intuitive Nature (tie for 4th pick)Â Â broke the rules here because I spent 15 minutes trying to determine a 4th pick....so I said screw it, rules (not laws) can be broken.....needs effort 3 back and the recent work tab hints we will see it
4Â Dance With Gable (tie for 4th pick)Â Â old timer is slowly diminishing in ability but he is still very dangerous in this spot
race 6Â Â Â slightly above average clarity
7 Square Deal  O'Neill keeps dropping and nobody claims so he drops again....last two races sure fit here......fragile sort sure seems solid here if his relative health remains intact today
11 Hidden Blessing  (see horse above).......an almost identical situation here with this Mitchell charge
4 Bell Zone  and just the opposite here....invader is on the improve and steps up off of the claim for a GG conditioner who is stellar 1st after a claim and up in price
2 Howmuchisit  seems best suited for the conventional dirt and finally gets back to it....when last seen on the dirt this gelding ran an effort that fits fine here
race 7Â Â Â average clarity
3 Miss Communication  all three sprint grass races are par or better for today's level....first long but bred just fine to handle a route of ground....and has the added plus of drawing a good post
9 Dubai Cyclone  good tune-up dirt MSW debut in last.....mom has tossed an incredible 13 grass winners so you know this is where this filly has been pointed for all along.....pedigree is stellar for going long
2 Bobina  terrific work tab...hard to imagine with such a prolonged and stout work tab that this 1ster isn't meant and ready for her debut
4 Flashy Dame  3 fairly decent races on the main track....bred fine to get a mile on the lawn.......very sharp recent drills....Eurton has had a much better meeting then his 14% win percentage would indicate
race 8Â Â Â slightly above average clarity
2 Starry Skies   stellar MSW debut......broke slow and ran 4 wide and still broke her maiden........switch to the dirt but bred to handle it.....same effort with a cleaner trip and she should handle the big step up
10 Belloma   improving sort and owns some early speed in this spot....has a nice stalking style.....the kind of style that wins many races across the good old U S of A and Canada
6 Starlight Magic  sure has the ability if fully fit off of the layoff......that is the ? mark
4 Vicki Victoria  another with a good stalking style......race 2 back at today's distance might be her best race ever and it is a somewhat hidden effort
race 9Â Â Â average clarity
2 Lamm  poor trip in last hides an improved effort....might have come out of the race in great shape for a quality trainer like Puype to wheel him back so quickly in a route race
4 Matto Mondo  responds for today's jock Alicea (3 2 0 1) who sure has been riding well the last 3 weeks...horse is a ton when he brings his best
6 Muny  bad trip in last.....horrid trip in previous.....new jock in Blanc to right the ship
5 Stoneside  ultra consistent sort and Canani is stout with turf claimers but careful because he is only 3 for 16 at today's distance and when he wins it is by the smallest of margins
Possible Long-shot:  7 Sir Hamilton   Mullins is sizzling hot on the turf and this gelding just worked a strong 5/8ths and it was just 3 days ago....that says this guy is feeling good and feeling good right now
race 10Â Â Â slightly above average clarity
4 Pulpit's Express  capable of solid early pace and holding things together come crunch time.....few do
 9 Three Vases  exits a fast heat in an effort that fits fine at today's higher level......and gets 4 lbs off....have to like that
13 The Black  late runner gets an excellent jock on closers in G. Gomez
2 Real Conundrum  race 2 back is decent....never trained better....might be sitting on lifetime best on the right day for it
11 Derby Gold  broke slow and rushed....used up badly....blinkers off to relax more.....Baffert maiden has a tall task but is not impossible
7 Passing Game  solid move forward on the grass in last....needs the same but on the dirt...that seems to be the question mark
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