Los Alamitos for Thursday for 18 December 2014
OK card for Thursday. Let's call it a right in the middle 5.5 of the 1 to 10 scale of things.
Best of luck as always!
race 1 Â Â average clarity
4  Brackendale  sure appears to be the best speed in this field of five.......highly likely to be loose on the lead........and the only time this three year was loose it led to his lone win in four lifetime starts......and........he ran a solid fig
1  Echo Zulu  a little more to prove on conventional dirt but drops 2nd out after the claim to one notch lower than Kitchingman and company claimed him for.......seems likely to sit in a desirable ground saving stalk position
2  Papa's Paisley  claimed two months ago in a race in which this gelding had to ease........ouch..........working OK so he might be back in relatively good health......fits fine in this group if he is
race 2 Â Â average clarity
1  Faith Proof  Glatt and friends might have been thrilled to drop from $25K to $8K and not be claimed and have their filly win for fun........and now they step her way up into a non-claiming affair which strongly suggests she is doing well........last 3 races fit fine.......4 in a row might be in the cards
4  Rosewhitenblue   consistent sort was just snatched at the claiming box by Machowsky.......their new filly is 1 for 1 at Los Alamitos..........last was better than appears in print
5  Warren's Gussie  deep closer does fine with ample time between starts and gets it........might need more pace than anticipated to aid his late running style
race 3 Â Â average clarity
6  Mosso  not so hot in latest.....race two back is good and his recent back to back solid drills spaced 6 days apart suggest he is sharpening and will rebound to his 26 Oct effort
3  Luck Lasts  low percentage trainer.......but.........his three year old gelding might be ultra sharp as he just popped an impressive best of 74 five furlong drill at GG and the trainer bothers to ship.......and the conditioer does OK when he ships.....Joseph Brook has hit the board with 4 of his last 6 shippers
4  End of Time  woke up some in last both in pace and final time with the blinkers taken off......might be able to shake free and shake free with an improving bug boy and his 7 lbs break up
race 4 Â Â average clarity
6  Forbidden City  N Cal bases trainer John Martin is stout when he ships and he ships a mare that is tough when she runs off of short rest......and 3 weeks qualifies as "short rest".........five year old mare is 3 for 8 at today's distance
4  Goldilocks Planet  big wake up two races back.......race sure fits here.........clunker in next out........needs a rebound
1  It's Aine  last off of an 8 week break in the action fits decently.......back in 6 days and her last win came off of micro rest of 6 days......would have rated higher if she didn't switch jocks to a struggling one
race 5 Â below average clarity
1  Accelerant   just claimed by Kitchingman and a very impressive 5F drill since he made the claim on 28 Nov.....that suggests the trainer might own the trump card for this seven year old........2 for 7 at today's distance on main track surfaces.......0 for 8 on other main track distances
4  Unmatched Force  good chance to shake free and be loose on the lead here......1 for 1 at one mile winning his latest.......if fact would have been top pick if he had showed more in the a.m.
3  Smart Ellis  competitive horse in Grade 2 events (albeit in 2013) drops down from the clouds from alw racing to cheap condition claiming........talk about a flip of the coinÂ
race 6 Â Â average clarity
5  Eight Spokes  Puype 1st timer sure looks dangerous........tightly spaced drills and the last couple are solid and out of the gate.......and mom has tossed 3 winners from 3 starters
6  Dr. Suer  decent debut two back on conventional dirt........not so hot on the AW at Del Mar in 2nd start.....back to conventional dirt today at Los Alamitos for 3rd start.....and recent works have never been better
4  Tough Sunday  decent debut on October 29th finishing strongly in the stretch............was a vet scratch on 16 November but since has worked a strong 5F near bullet drill at SA.......should be motoring late
2 Â Price of Glory
race 7 Â Â average clarity
2  Incredible Journey  exits a fast heat and that might hide his layoff run some........back quick today and he has been successful multiple times running off of short rest in the past
4  Gelila  best track surface for this mare is Lrc and this is her last shot to take advantage of her favorite dirt until next summer........connections seem likely to pull out all stops to have her feeling good for today
1  Acute  needs the lead and has a shot at getting it here.......race two back is solid.......if this filly is up to that effort and gets loose............she.............might.............go............all.............the.............way
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race 8 Â Â average clarity
4  Doubledeesonthetee   Golden Gate invader's 3 of last 4 races (including one race on "real" dirt) fit and all of the races were at today's one mile distance.....and I like the fact that the rider ships on down to Lrc to ride
1  Waitwaitdonttellme  wide trip in last hides a move in the right direction 3rd out following a layoff......likely fits today if the trend continues in his 4th race since mounting a comeback (seems to be running into shape as opposed to training into shape) which started in late October
9  Tama County  trainer was having one of his best years..............but.......... has turned rather cold the last couple of months.........maybe he can get back in the wining mode here with this gelding who put in a decent layoff run and will fit OK with a logical move forward 2nd out after a six month layoff
6 Â Warren's Tyler S.
5 Â Cole Cole
7 Â Green Tag