Los Alamitos for Friday 4 December 2015
Average card handicapping wise this afternoon. Let's call it a 6 on the 1 to 10 scale.
Best of luck as always!
race 1 Â Â average clarity
1  Red Stich  best lifetime race by far and a strong fit here was run route turf to dirt sprint.........turf route in last........dirt sprint today.......hmmm
6  Star of Munster  might be able to clear and get loose on the lead.........and if she does she...............might.................go....................all..................the..................way
2  Aiming Straight  fairly consistent summer and fall but likely will need lifetime best or have things go wrong for our top two picks one way or another
race 2 Â Â average clarity
6  Midnight Lien  best ever and an effort that fits here was run two back at Lrc off of some decent a.m. work.......preparatory works look good once again......trainer sure could use a win
1  Avo   best distance by far for this Edward Freeman three-year old filly is running at today's 5 1/2 furlongs.......seems likely to get a nice stalk or mid pack position
2  Daphne's Day   didn't exactly tear them up 1st time in maiden claiming but has the right to move forward with that effort under her belt following a 13 month hiatus from the game
4 Â Blooming Hannah
race 3 Â Â below average clarity
2  Take It Easyplease  on the right end of the learning curve and sure vaulted forward in latest with a significant rider upgrade.......can he repeat the effort......sure will he tough if he does
6  Bonus Spin  all four of her lifetime dirt races fit well.......Mullins has had a tough year but might jump-start things here with this 1st time up for a tag four-year old filly
4  Behest  graduated in lone lifetime race run way back in Feb. despite a slow start.....the number earned that day is a fit but she will need a cleaner start and a decent trip after that at today's level which is about 2L tougher
race 4 Â Â average clarity
2  Selection  has only raced once at Lcr and it was his lifetime best effort/fig........and the race was run turf to dirt which is also today's scenario..........seems like enough speed in here to flatter his off pace style
6  Travel Bound   seems like speed of the speed in this affair and both of his dirt route races run fit fine vs. today's competition
4  Lucky Shoes to Win  has responded well to 6 to 8 weeks between starts and Mullins and company shows patience and gives it to her............7 weeks to be exact........should be in the hunt from the get
1 Â Alltheleavesrbrown
race 5 Â Â average clarity
3  Preordained  seems to have rounded back to top form.......and very sharp in the a.m..........late runner might run out of real estate at 5F but yesterday's track was kind to deep closer's
2  Next Book  Marty Jones has snapped out of a prolonged slump and he makes a logical drop with this four-year old gelding.......and the abbreviated sprint distance of 5 furlongs appears to be a good fit
7  Heavenly Haze  bad trip 1st following the claim by Bill Spawr...........earned an adjusted for trouble number that fits here........not too crazy about the 2nd straight drop following the claim.....but hopefully they are just trying to cut their loses and they still have some horse left
8 Â Clever More
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race 6 Â Â average clarity
9  Lord Walton  Hollendorfer 1st time starter has hit the track at 7 day intervals for the last 3 months........and he draws Mike Smith who you will be very selective in who he rides at the Lcr 3 week meeting
6  Iron Rob  only horse with racing experience in the entire field.......colt was on the improve with each and every race until the dirt sprinter attempted a route turf race which he did not handle......back to a dirt sprint and the turf route might have muscled him up some and helped his staying power......we shall see
3  Best Picture   seems the most dangerous of the 3 Baffert runners in this affair.......he is the only one of the three that has been training at LA......and 4 of his last 7 works are from the gate.......a good indication he is meant and ready
4 Â Pete's Play Call
race 7 Â Â average clarity
6  Carlot Cowboy  just claimed by Knapp and he brings out his new shooter for the same tag he took him for........last three races fit in this softer spot.......and this five-year old gelding is fairly consistent for a cheap claimer
4  Indian Nate  claimed back on 1 August and the best he has done so far is one distant 3rd.....time to cut the loses dropping his claiming price in 1/2........or......claim me please.........we shall see
5  Atascaderan  has flashed some very stout early speed since the blinkers were put on 3 races back........should open up a nice lead.......that seems dangerous in this cheap conditioned claimer
8 Â Planet Sunshine
Long-shot consideration:  1  Valentine Boy   needs a major form reversal......last win did come at Lrc........and the trainer does pop (seemingly out of nowhere) now and then
race 8 Â Â average clarity
9  Love Phone  very sharp since Tom Bazley claimed with 4 wins in 7 starts........and........(5 4 1 0) with today's rider Aragon in the saddle.........and 1 for 1 at Lrc......should be tough unless she picks today to go bad
1  Shallot  last win came turf alw (non-claiming) race to dirt claimer.......same maneuver for today......owner has a barn full of horses so why not drop one of their cheaper runners
4  Winninginfashion  cut back in distance appears to be a plus and so should the drop to the lowest level of her career.......unless of course she has taken a turn for the worse
8 Â Irish and Lucky
5 Â Miss Swiss Rose
3 Â Awe Gee