Los Alamitos fro Friday 18 December 2015
Outside of race 1 the fields are significantly larger this afternoon than they have been of late. Good looking card as well. Let's rate it a 7 on the 1 to 10 scale of things.
Best of luck as always!
race 1Â Â average clarity
5  Amberella  believe it will be pedal to the metal to get a jump on the field with a successful light weight bug boy in the irons.....D'Amato has basically been ready and competitive with all his starters at the abbreviated Lrc meeting
1  Rockin Rhythm  as she was in her 1st three lifetime endeavors she is once again well placed to win at the lowest claiming tag of her career..........winning is contagious and Peter Eurton ($24 top choice winner for us yesterday) sure has been winning with high frequency in the 2nd 1/2 of 2015
3  Luvuryan  at his best running one mile on the dirt.......inconsistent sort fits fine if he is up for one of his top efforts.....rather tough to tell if he is or not
race 2 Â above average clarity
5  Kronwall  last two races fit well and now this gelding finally gets to run where he trains and both races are better than appear in print........great year for the trainer/rider/owner as a trio
10  Desert Express  5 1/2F is a fit.......anything further is like a marathon to this three-year old.......lone race on conventional dirt was at SA and it was his lifetime best and solid here if he can produce similar on the Lrc dirt
4  Del Grotto   broke about 4 slow out of the metal monster and then showed some ability after that.......logical forward move in 2nd lifetime endeavor combined with a better trip and he will have a shot
3 Â Starship Ekati
race 3Â Â average clarity
3  Feasibility   low percentage trainer but one for one at the meeting and she has a decent record 1st time running in maiden claiming which is the case today ......and red-hot jock Maldonado and his agent see fit to take the mount
1  Selection  trainer shows signs of awakening from the doldrums......three year old gelding gets a major league rider upgrade.........maiden making start #14 owns  some back numbers that would crush these
6  Yoked  on the right end of the learning curve.....and appears to appreciate two turns as he vaulted forward 1st time routing on a fast track in his latest........repeat of his last fits.....more and I have him rated too low
7 Â Magic Moon
race 4 Â above average clarity
3  Exit Sixty Slew  nice awakening 1st time at a route in latest......pressed a very strong set of fractions for the level and still hung on for 2nd.........should be on or near the lead once again today and likely with more endurance
6  Gone to Bali  last appeared to be a public workout to put some doubt into the claiming crowd and be at a full throttle go 1st time up for a tag this afternoon.......solid a.m. work with the blinkers put on
8  Blazeinblairsden  brutal trip in MC debut......I have 8L of trip trouble in my notes and he was beaten by 12L......rider upgrade........dangerous
1 Â Cordiality
race 5Â Â average clarity
1  Qatar's Pearl  all 5 lifetime one mile dirt races fit decently in this spot........but can this six-year-old handle back to back route races  off of 8 days rest........he has run well off of 16 & 17 days rest........we shall see
4  Blackford  obviously a bad claim by Palma and company.......time to cut loses with a significant drop in class.....or.......claim me please and hope the claim isn't voided
7  Atascaderan  brutal journey in last.......4L of trouble & 6L of pace........10 total lengths of wasted energy - only lost by 9L......blinkers off in hopes of getting him to settle down.........but you still have a 1 for 48 in 2015 jock up.......come on Felipe
2 Â Valentine Boy
race 6Â average clarity
10  Who Said Luck  horrid trip in MSW debut 2 back.....so so trip in 2nd lifetime start and still managed to run 2nd at Lrc........same effort with a better journey and this filly seems likely to visit the circle of joy
12  Hurricaine Callie  3 of her 4 races since Peter Miller took over the training responsibilities fit here and her latest is disguised by about 4 lengths of trip trouble.......gets a jockey upgrade......sharp recent bullet drill
1  Spread the Joy SCRATCHED OUT
4  Dancing Sunset  SCRATCHED OUT
Long-shot consideration:  5  Bishops of Compton  eventful MSW debut breaking slowly and then checking.......showed life after that ominous beginning........not too shabby for a 74 to 1 1st starter.........blinkers on to help her focus........lookout if it works
race 7Â Â average clarity
6  Fast Magoo  solid effort stepping up 1st out following the Miller claim in last......deservedly steps up once again......cut back in distance of 1/2 furlong sure seems to be to her advantage with the high level of early speed that she possesses
5  Fab Four Ever  big win on the step up in latest.......deservedly makes another step up the class ladder........won her lone start over the Lrc surface
7  Rockin Dorita  so far six furlongs has been a better fit than 6 1/2 furlongs.......5 1/2 furlongs might be even a better distance.......seemingly never sharper in the a.m. for Kruljac
2  Desert Chief  SCRATCHED OUT
race 8 Â above average clarity
6  Mr. Itkins  5 1/2 panels has been a very good fit for this four-year old who has popped two consecutive strong races.......back to hot rider Gonzalez who got the lifetime best out of this fellow the only time he rode him
4  Swiss Cheese  seems best for Hess (3 1 2 0) with all 3 races fitting well here........somewhat suspcious 50% drop in claiming.....we shall see
3  Mr. Zippers  diminishing sort drops once again.......pulled it off last time with a win but can he do it again
2 Â Royal Alexei
8 Â Swiss Silver
10 Â Backstreet Boss