Los Alamitos for Sunday 18 December 2016
Closing day at Los Alamitos today. Hope everyone enjoys the holiday break. Be back with you with recharged batteries for opening day at Santa Anita the day after Christmas.
Best of luck as always!
race 1 Â Â above average clarity
6  Spindle  needed last off of the extended layoff in a protected MSW race and now drops to the lowest maiden claiming level of her life........Puype has been in drop mode (and with many successes) for the last 3 months or so
1  Sapodilla  away for 9 weeks following a predictably bad try on the grass as her pedigree for it is poor.....back to the dirt and drops.....works are decent and I doubt this is a tune-up as she likely would have been placed at a higher level to protect her
5  Zen Envy  effort in 2014 and her effort 10 days ago both fit and were at today's 5 1/2F distance and at Lrc........she has her physical problems so it seems to come down to this......if she "holds together" she likely moves forward and is a major player.....if not it it might be back to the farm
3 Â To B. Ava
race 2 Â Â average clarity
1  Bella Angelina  sharp 51:2 at LA in last......very consistent sort especially on conventional dirt as in 30 for 44 in the money.....hard trying filly seems likely to give you your money's worth
5  Sparkling Play  trainer claimed back and the one race that he had this filly for was decent.......she has been victorious the last two times she competed at today's 5 1/2 furlongs
8  General Ann  declining sort needs a rebound for Hess and company.......maybe she can provide one if she manages to build off of her layoff last
9 Â Goliath's Girl
race 3 Â Â average clarity
6  It Tiz Well  brutal trip in MSW debut on 28 October at SA......did very well to run 3rd only beaten 2 1/4 lengths.......trains at SA these days but used to work at LA and those works were strong......sure seems tough with a better trip and Van Dyke has been giving many of those these days
5  Fortunate Queen  best of 3 lifetime races was her lone effort at Lrc........so.........it sure makes sense that Baffert and company would want her feeling awfully good today's to take advantage of her last opportunity to run at Lrc for quite some time
3  Singleforareason  like the sharp work following a grass race for this Eurton youngster......highly likely to move forward today in her 3rd lifetime start......to what degree is the ? mark
1 Â Sheza Firstsamural
race 4 Â Â average clarity
2  Solar Zone  last two races running off of short rest like today were good efforts........and his last race is quite good running 3rd despite a very wide trip.......new jock gets a shot today.....lifetime two best efforts were at today's distance and they were the only two times he competed at one mile
1  Mimis Big Boy  another who hit the board despite a wide trip.......only lifetime race on the unique Lrc oval was solid and was at today's 8 panels
6  Johann's Command  sprinter has a good opportunity to get loose and thus dangerous around two turns......would have rated higher if Kerwin John wasn't 1 for 95 this year and 0 for 16 at a route
5 Â Jackson Teller
race 5 Â Â average clarity
1  Miz Graycee  Bob Hess is often at his most dangerous 2nd out following a layoff and that is the case here.....and the last time this filly raced sprint to route like today she won for fun
7  Stole My' Art  2 for 2 at Lrc and 1 for 14 elsewhere.......and both Lrc races were at the same distance as today......away since 22 September but training well
6  Sheswildnfree  very consistent sort in 2016 and (7 1 2 2) at Lrc over the last few years......seems likely to fire a competitive race but needs to overcome her tendency to hang in the stretch
2 Â Truly Ponti
race 6 Â Â average clarity
1  Ultimate Luck  decent sprint prep to be at full throttle 2nd out after the layoff at a distance (one mile) where he has 4 2nd's and a 3rd in 5 attempts........overall he has a slight tendency to hang but might not here vs. one soft bunch
3  Jackson Sundown  not much whatsoever unless he races on the Lrc surface where he is quite formidable with a record as follows ( 6 2 2 1)......five-year old gelding should be in the mix late
5  Accelerant  inconsistent sort as far as early speed is concerned........somethings he really cranks it up early and if he does here I believe it will enhance his chances
7 Â Nextdoorneighbor
race 7 Â Â average clarity
4  California Diamond  quite the iron horse as this is the ninth race for this nice two-year old with 5 wins and 3 2nd's in 8 starts......and he hasn't exactly faced chopped liver.........very impressive 6F 111:1 work at Slr in preparation for his 1st at a route
3  Milton Freewater  0 for 3 vs. our top pick but maybe he takes to his 1st around enough to turn the tables on the 4 horse
1  Ann Arbor Eddie  with the blinkers being taken off the 2 horse this O'Neill two-year old gelding might get loose and if he does that should enhance his chances of upsetting our top choice
race 8   average clarity  Â
4  Lob City  very consistent in her last 5 dirt routes two of which were run on the Lrc oval.......should be on or near the lead especially with the switch to the bug boy and his 5 lbs break......and Lindsay does his best work in routes
1  Merilore   seems at his best on conventional dirt and finally gets back to it following 3 straight grass races......sharp recent best of 31 bullet 4F work at LA is very reassuring that she will take to the track
6  Autumn Twilight  SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE
10 Â Margie's Minute
race 9 Â Â average clarity
4  Menace the Dennis  toss out his goofy debut which was in a $300K Stakes at CD in late October.......MSW race for his 2nd lifetime endeavor and if his last two LA drills are worth a hoot he should make a good account of himself this afternoon
8  Caustic  very impressive work regiment for this D'Amato MSW debut runner.......rather sure this youngster can run some and if he doesn't show it today he likely will in the near future
2  The Party Factor  nice move forward in 2nd lifetime start in a race run off of a layoff ........finally gets to compete where he trains...... and his training on the Lrc surface is quite impressive
5 Â Iliad
12 Â Kimbear
9 Â Stone Hands