Santa Anita for Friday 1 January 2016
Wouldn't you love to know which jocks partied too much last night and/or had less than 4 hours of sleep. That would be valid inside information instead of all the B.S. that "the insiders" toss out daily.
Happy New Year and of course best of luck as always!
race 1 Â Â below average clarity
2  Storm Comin Thru  lone lifetime turf race albeit a sprint is solid and with a much weaker grass jock than who rides today.......well proven routing on the dirt........decent history back in short rest like today
7  Burnaroundtheedges  good effort (and somewhat hidden) 1st on the grass especially considering it was off of an extended layoff........1st at a route bur bred just fine to handle a mile........plenty of furlongs of work put in since his last.......should be fit to get the distance
3  Preacher Roe  very consistent (and on the improve of late) 2015 for this now turned 5 yr old gelding.......not my favorite grass rider but he does OK when he can be near the front which should be the case today
8 Â Cowboy
race 2Â Â average clarity
4 Â Untouchable U Â seems like to get a nice stalk position behind our 3rd selection.......and seems muscled up in the a.m. coming of a decent route turf race
3  Send Me a Sign  lifetime best was her only dirt route race run two races back.......might be the one to beat if she rebounds to that effort following a so so 1st ever on the sod in last
2  Rastanora  decent shot to be loose on the lead.......a great spot to be on Weds.........not so hot on Thurs......sunny and nice both days......usually takes weather to mess with a racing surface.......but not at Santa Anita
1 Â Longstocking
race 3 Â below average clarity
4  One of the Greats  Miller on the drop with a speed horse......we've seen that maneuver work successfully quite a few times especially with a maiden.......stout rider/trainer team the last few months
3  Unleash the Dream  dangerous looking work regiment for this Hollendorfer 1ster.......and the stout conditioner is 18 for his last 50 with debuting maiden claimers.........that's 36%.......yikes
7  Zarqa Star  solid when placed in sprints from 6F to 7F.......appreciates ample time between starts and gets it........decent shot for Iggy to get a nice stalk position behind our top choice
5 Â Ultra Sharp
race 4 Â Â below average clarity
1  Back to Backo  last win can at 6 1/2F down the Santa Anita hill grass course with Gonzo up and it was at one level higher......Hollendorfer is stout 2nd out following a claim
3  Smokey's Legacy  seems at his best these days with ample time between starts and gets it....and he might be at his best down the hill......Van Dyke is a little cold these but he has always been at his best down the SA hill
5  Pure Loyalty   drop should help.......cut back in distance should help......blinkers going on today seems like a good thing as his last win was down the hill with the blinkers on 10 races back in Nov of 2013
8 Â Hear the Footsteps
race 5Â Â average clarity
5  Bolitar  ran well enough in his MSW debut on the grass to fit well here if he can repeat the effort/energy in his 2nd lifetime start on the on the dirt at a much softer level.....went off at 21 to 1 hinting he wasn't all the "meant".......should be to today
10  Two Ten  another with little support at the windows in his debut......believe he greatly benefited from his lackluster MC debut as the a.m. prowess soice is markedly better.....looking for a big move forward this afternoon
7  Fin de Semaine  might have a fitness advantage in this affair cutting back from one mile to 7F.....should come flying late of the low % bug boy manages a decent trip
3 Â Mountain Hero
race 6Â Â average clarity
6  Be a Lady  seems like a good claim by Carava and company of an improving filly.......fits fine at today's higher level with a better trip than she had in her last.....6L of trip trouble and she still crushed her foes.....Bejarano wants back
8  Noble Edition  won for fun in her maiden claiming debut finishing up her runaway win with a hand ride.....should be plenty in the tank for her 2nd lifetime start.....top gun at Lrc and so far at SA Gonzo wants back
3  Miss Fireball  pulled off a 29 to 1 shocker in her mc debut at Gpw and with gaps of 6L-3L-2l behind her.....and for her 2nd lifetime start she gets a major league rider/trainer upgrade........dan-ger-ous
4 Â Red Stitch
race 7  average clarity
9  Pear de Vere  by far at her best down the majestic coolest race in America SA hill grass course.....and gets the very reliable rider/trainer team of Gutierrez/Eurton
5  Campionessa Dolce  lone race down the hill is a touch "false".......as she steadied and sat last in a "false" pedestrian pace being set up front....and it was versus much tougher........ignoring last as it looked like a public 60 to 1 work-out to set up today's drop
3  Grazenette  dangerous drop down as crafty D'Amato and company seem to be shopping for a good spot as they have scratched this mare 3 times since her last.....decent history on the hill to boot
7 Â Q' Viva
race 8Â Â average clarity
12  Kafistar  outside sprint posts are doing poorly so far at the new meeting but this fellow does too well with them to ignore.......6 for 12 in the win column at SA with his last two wins coming from the 10 & 11 posts and at 6F
5  Cautious Giant  big wake-up 1st out following the Mulhall claim with the blinkers on.......gelding seems to respond to ample time between starts and Mulhall shows patience and gives it to her .......and the a.m. work hints she is more than ready off of the refreshing
1  Serbian Syclone  (3 2 1 0) at 6F on the main track........(9 0 1 1) elswhere......capable on or off the pace..........dangerous rider/trainer team over the last 3 months or so
3 Â Oligarch
race 9Â Â average clarity
1  Bench Ruling  sky-high % trainer is even higher when he drops off of a claim and that is the case here..........and his new mare appears loose in this spot but doesn't necessarily need the lead to win....such a deal
5  Tell Her Yes  Periban runners have been firing better than his record indicates......and he gets Gonzo to stick around....sure seems like a major  player
7  Abets Abet  diminishing sort for sure but his recent drills tell me to give him one more shot....the kind you can consider wagering on but don't want to claim
6 Â Individual Design
2 Â Bar Car
8 Â Chia Love