Santa Anita for Sunday 24 May 2015
Interesting decent card this afternoon. Be back with you for 9 more races tomorrow.
Best of luck as always!
race 1 Â Â average clarity
1  Dr Fager's Gal  impressive MSW win in last her 2nd lifetime start.....sharp work series to follow......NY bred but does have family members that suggest the two turns won't be a problem
5  All Star Bub  running line history suggests that today's 2nd out following a break will move her forward........Hollendorfer has double barrel action with the 1 and 5 horse here
3  L. A. Magic  on the improve........solid drills since her winning last......might try to wire the field
race 2 Â Â average clarity
1  Bluegrass Reward  very consistent in conventional dirt route races.......I know very little about the new trainer but I like that he has put two very tightly spaced 6F drills into his 1st out following the claim seven-year old
3  When We Met  another consistent sort who scored the last time he ran off of a 2 month break.........2+ months since his last a winning effort at SA at today's 1 1/16th distance
5  Fit To Rule  might have needed his layoff run.....if so he fits in the spot with a move forward of about 4 or 5 lengths
race 3 Â Â above average clarity
3  Ganesh  Grade 1 ARG winner is rounding into form for Mandella.....love his solid one mile drill put in just one week ago......and the 1 1/2 miles is right up his alley
5  Ashleyluvssuger  crushed a next out Grade 1 winner in his latest which was his 1st at the marathon distance of 1 1/2 miles.....does pick up 6 lbs off of the eye-opening win or might have made him top choice
1  Divine Oath  another who seems to cherish running a marathon........and Pletcher bothers to ship x-country......dangerous but I still prefer the locals
race 4 Â Â average clarity
10  Exposure   Baffert is very tough with these quality laid up drop down maidens.....the kind you can wager on but wouldn't want to claim as they usually have a "hole" in them and only one or two more races  left in them before once again going on the sidelines
2  Mackenzie's Moment  like the rider change and the cut back in distance.....pedigree suggests she should be slow early and run all day........but she has shown good early speed and not much endurance in two lifetime starts both at a route
7  Stella Moon  blinkers on for the 1st time......Bejarano on for the first time.....and a drop of one notch following an improved last......a trifecta of positives
3  Barbs Angel  layoff last which was run at a route on an off track is better than appears in print......needs race 3 back which was at today' 6F distance
race 5 Â average clarity
7  Super Majesty  beautifully bred Hollendorfer 1st time starter is training exceptionally well.......and the Hall of Fame trainer is dynamite at getting fillies ready to fire at a high level in their MSW debut
5  Lady Bull  Baffert filly 1st time starter has been in training forever and has really gotten sharp when it counts the most as in right before her MSW debut
8  Girl Downstairs  laid up Baffert runner ran fairly well in her MSW debut but likely will need to return slightly better unless I am all wet about my assessment of the top two choices
2  Tiz Josselyn  trainer Tom Proctor is due to break out......filly likely needed last and more can occur this afternoon
race 6 Â Â below average clarity
3  Johnny's Choice  decent SA history for this six-year old.......steps up multiple levels following a strong layoff win for $8K......Glatt has won with 2 of his last 5 stepping up more than one claiming level and for a handsome return
6  Ranulf  very good history when today's jock is up.........small drop helps.....new trainer is off to a promising start.....only endeavor at 7F is better than appears in print
1  North Pacific  claimed......rested.....returns as 1st time gelding for his new trainer Bob Hess.....dangerous especially with go to guy Desormeaux up  Â
4  Roman Tizzy  turf tightener in last.....full throttle go back on the dirt and facing easier today
Long-shot consideration:  9  Bob Consultation  broke slowly and rushed up in latest and rightfully tired near the wire........the race was 1st out following the claim and trainer Castaneda is much more prolific 2nd out following c a claim.....steps his new shooter way up today....might have the trump card for this gelding who showed promise early in his career
race 7 Â Â below average clarity
2  Lovenseek  away since Oct but training nicely (blinkers off) at Slr for Peter Miller........1st on the sod but owns a decent grass pedigree........seems wound up and ready fresh
4  Nakamoto  away two months but returns as a 1st time gelding and drops into maiden claiming (albeit high priced maiden claiming) for the 1st time in her career.....about 1/2 of her career grass races fit here....cut back from turf routes to a turf sprint looks like a plus
7  Larry Birdstone  best ever was the only time he ran off of short rest (2 races back)......hill race in latest wasn't bad and back in short rest.....hmmmm
8  Roth   dangerous turf pedigree and solid a.m. work........when is Mullins going to snap out of the doldrums........maybe here?
Long-shot consideration:   5  True Deja Vue   trainer has had a tough year but he has this 1st timer working as if he is ready and Marty Jones still has been very dangerous with runners down the hill despite an off year in 2015
race 8 Â Â average clarity
8  Guy Code  all 4 races when Espinoza was is up (4 2 2 0) fit solidly here and the rider in the National focus once again is back aboard today.....5 1/2F appears to be a good fit for the three year old gelding who has done little wrong on main track surfaces since the blinkers were taken off 7 races back
2  Field Report  16 of 18 lifetime on the board but only 2 wins.....a hanger for sure but gets Bejarano back aboard today who won on him 4 races back
6  Rule He Will  on the right end of the learning curve.....showed he can rate some in latest.........rule he might
5  Gutsy Ruler  strong par like run in last seemingly out of nowhere.......same jock......same assigned weight.....only 1/2 furlong more to travel
race 9Â Â average clarity
1  Solomon Northup   very powerful grass race (and hidden to some degree) run off of 27 days rest.......24 days rest today.......trainer starts very few but is capable
2  Perfectly Majestic  very much on the improve and today we get a rider upgrade.....1st at a route but definitely owns a pedigree that should handle one
3  Architop  blew an easy lead with soft fractions in latest but never sharper in the a.m......poised for another move in the right direction.......R Mandella is firing on all cylinders these days
6  Air Pocket  1st on the sod but bred for.......likely will attempt to wire.....dangerous if he is a turf "move up"*
7  Malibu Wood  no pace up front to close into in last......might be today.....trainer is good 2nd time Lasix and 2nd time grass.....both of which are the case here
10  Seve's Road  claimed by the ever dangerous (especially on the grass) D'Amato.....smartly retains Bejarano