Santa Anita for Sunday 25 January 2015
OK card today. Let's call it a 6.5 on the 1 to 10 scale of things.
Best of luck as always!
race 1 Â Â average clarity
3 W. Giles  acted up in the gate in latest and still ran decent displaying some strong pace and tiring in the late stages........might be loose here and very dangerous if he behaves prior to his start today
2 Sudden Rumor  last two efforts are par like efforts.......and the extra 1/2 furlong he gets to run this afternoon seems like a plus.......slow start at the SA meeting for the jock put he sure gave this fellow a nice ride in his last and from the same 2 post that he has for today
1 Papa's Paisley  seems best sprinting at Santa Anita........curious step up in claiming of a couple of levels off of a distant 3rd place finish......might be feeling much better than his last start
4Â Friendswith K Mill
race 2 Â Â average clarity
1 Alamo   big move forward in his 2nd lifetime start run off of 5 weeks rest.......so 2nd out off of a layoff (with 7 weeks rest this time) seems like a dangerous proposition......1st on the sod but bred well for it
4 Opsec  seemingly on the improve with each and every start and his latest race is disguised by somewhat wide trip.......trainer is off to a slow start but he is likely to bust out of the doldrums soon
2 To the Bar  very similar to an Ellis winner yesterday where I wrote "Ellis is very dangerous with 2nd time starters that show something in their debut which this one did".......and the 1st start for this fellow was actually quite strong and hidden by a bad trip........bred just fine find to handle his 1st adventure on the grass and around two turns
7Â Native Ride
race 3 Â Â above average clarity
1 Deep Play  giant run in the slop (horrid surface rating of wet fast as it was slop) and the effort is hidden by a very wide trip.......only other race on an off track led to a win......so.......if this gelding takes to his 1st ever on a fast conventional dirt surface - lookout
8 Broadway Nika  deservedly steps up a claiming notch following an easy win despite running what usually is too wide of a run to win..... and win so easily
5 Cardio Royale switch in riders might be the key here......... to a stout trainer/rider combo the last couple of months........(3 of last 6 in the win column and 2 others in the money)........bit short on figs but likely moves forward.......and can close
6Â Street Serenade
race 4 Â Â average clarity
2 Why Two  44 to 1 in MSW debut strongly suggests the race was needed.....that and improved works since tell me this colt is highly likely to produce more in his 2nd lifetime start......and more sure fits here
3 New Summit  strong forward move (and fig) in his 2nd lifetime start........would have been top pick if this race wasn't at 7F as he shows a few small signs that he might get a little flat late at the extended sprint distance
9 Ideal  tough trip in latest hides an improved effort......still......likely needs more today........but the way in which Hollendorfer has been going these days he might provide it
7Â The Man
race 5 Â average clarity
2 Pearle de Vere  very big race 3 back and I think we might get that effort today........ran like a horse who needed a layoff run in last and the works since suggest she benefited from the race as intended
1 Sayes  both lifetime endeavors fit well here.......would have been top choice if she had drawn a better post and/or Solis wasn't off to such a slow start at the SA meeting
4 Mum's Truckee  plenty of heat in this race can set things up for this late runner......toss out her last as she flattens out too much running at 7f........6F today for this Miller five year old mare.......Peter Miller is hot
6Â Air of Royalty
race 6 Â Â average clarity
1 Jaded Glory  yet to get a clean trip in 3 lifetime races.....good post and Stevens is back to riding well.......nice grass filly seems highly likely to be in the mix late in this affair
3 American Sun  looks loose here with the blinkers on for today and that is a very dangerous thing with the always tough to get by in the stretch Martin Pedroza aboard
6 Rattataptap  after running an impressive winning MSW debut this filly and no shot in her next out with a brutal trip.....toss it out.........continues to train like she is still in good from......1st long and 1st on the green carpet but bred to handle both
10Â Prize Exhibit
Long-shot consideration:  5 Midnight Candy    trainer has woken up from a prolonged dry spell and he has improved this filly he claimed last fall for $40K.......only needs a length or two more horse today than what she ran in her last and she fits fine here
race 7 Â Â average clarity
13 Aperfectdaytofly  fits big if he is still in relatively good physical condition........whole career on conventional dirt fits.........should be able to range up from the outside close to the front and be very tough in the stretch
8 El Vaguro  very suspicious mega-drop to say the least..........but barn is in "win" mode and this gelding might have one or two efforts left in him
12 Kozani  shuffled back in her last or could have shown more......switch to Baze and Baze/Diodoro as a team are 3 for 5 over the last couple of months
6Â Ballard RulerÂ
Long-shot consideration: 1 Tancred  his one turn sprints are decent.....and might be finishing well at seven panels when others might be spent
race 8 Â Â average clarity
1 Lil Bit O'fun  believe the most ready (and as proven as anyone in the field racing down the hill) for this Stakes race down the hill.........should come flying last as usual provided he gets a realistic pace in which to close into
5 Sweep Swap  might get great position behind the likely leader in Ankeny Hill who has fallen apart in the late stages down the hill in the past......I don't believe Sweep Swap is at his sharpest but it might not matter if he gets the perfect stalking trip-a-rooo
6 Pure Tactics   switch to Mike Smith seems key as he won back to back turf races on this fellow last summer including a Stakes race down the hill..........horse is quite consistent when he competes on the sod at one mile or less
8Â Hey DudeÂ
Long-shot consideration:  7 Clubhouse Ride  seven year old sure appears to have legged up off of his layoff run last which was a grass race down the hill.......works since are vastly better.......and take a look at how well he ran 2nd out following a grass layoff run back on 8 March (albeit in a dirt race)
race 9Â Â average clarity
8 Nevada Time  blocked quite a bit in his last......repeat of the effort with a cleaner trip and he is the one to beat.......am a bit concerned that he has only shown 2 dull works since his last which was 5 weeks ago
2 Zen Zai Sun  notes said "very goofy ride" for this gelding that was making his debut.......new jock today for his 2nd lifetime start......and a decent work regiment since his debut 8 weeks ago
13 Sum Midnight Star  Bob Baffert drops this colt following two unimpressive MSW races........might be impressive down at the bottom mc level today
7Â Surfer Moon
10Â Rare Punch
4Â Exponentially