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Santa Anita for Sunday 31 December 2017

Not an easy card to decipher but I did work awfully hard on it. Hope it pays off. Pun intended.

Best of luck as always!

 

race 1    below average clarity

8  El Tovar   so much at his best competing on the SA hill turf course....as in 4 for 11......0 for 17 racing everywhere else......Bejarano fits him well

3  Fly to Mars   1 for 1 on the majestic Santa Anita hill grass course and I like the way he rated kindly in the race......not out of the win picture by any means

7  Secreto Primero   trainer is at his best 2nd out after a claim like we have here.....and look who lands of the five-year old gelding who is a respectable (4 1 0 1) on the hill........Mr Gary Stevens

2  Trifecta

9  Sword Fighter

6  Rate for Me

 

race 2    below average clarity

7  Iron Rob   good history at the 6F distance and drops back to where Knapp claimed him for 3 races back.....last sure fits well at today's lower level......and two very reassuring 4F works since.....Knapp might get a win with his 1st start of the new meeting

1  Bear Skinned   another coming off of an effort that fits......Espinoza might get a nice stalk position in the race....like his chances if he does

2  Top Brass   some of the success for David Jacobson in S California has been dropping a runner multiple levels and enticing Desormeaux to ride....that is the case here for this east coast invader

8  Logan's Moon

6  Matriculate

 

race 3    average clarity

7  True Valor   1st out following a claim is usually a good thing for the trainer.......colt was not so hot in his only grass race but it was at a route which he appears to dislike.....sprint down the hill today and if he can duplicate his solid race on the dirt in his last on the turf.....he should be tough

9  Brandothebartender   four-year old gelding is very good with plenty of time between starts and gets it....that and he has done little wrong in two starts down the SA hill

8  Little Juanito   colt has found a new home as on the grass.....race 2 back down the hill is much better than appears in print....decent rider down the hill in Van Dyke gets the call for the 1st time......dangerous sort

2  Green With Eddie

4  Skeleton Pass

10  Tristan's Trilogy

 

race 4    average clarity

2  Tiffany Diamond   toss out her last her 1st at a route.....toss out her previous her 1st on the turf.....do not toss out her race 3 back on the dirt which is very strong considering today's lower level

12  Chatty Carloe   sure like the work-out following her 14 December useful looking debut.....rather sure this Palma filly moves forward.......to what degree is the ? mark

7  Dressed in Prada   filly did well to be a 4 beaten length 4th with the very wide trip she received.......that and Wicker is the kind of trainer who is much better conditioning sprinters than route horses

1  Grace Hopper

6  Solar Corona

5  Lookingforthewire

 

race 5    average clarity

5  Make It a Triple   very sharp right now and the race profile for this affair seems to favor those who will sit on near the lead early like this fellow likely will........Bejarano is up and he knows and has done a nice job on this gelding

6  Sindys Luck   outstanding apprentice gets the mount with his weight off.......very nice speed bullet drill.......last fits and he might be up for more today

3  Tengas Ransom   Mullins four-year old gelding is in need of a significant drop down and gets it..........sharp a.m. work (with the blinkers on for the 1st time) hints he will make a good account of himself.....dangerous sort for sure

7  Hank the Tank

1  Rick's Dream

 

race 6    below average clarity

4  Simmy's Temple   last appears as though it might be the gimme in a protected race to....drop and go go go.....if that is the case by my estimation he is the most likely winner in this fairly difficult race

1  Gift of a Star   7-year-old mare might prefer the dirt over the turf some but she retains the hot bug boy and appears to be in good form right now....decent post especially with her tactical speed

10  Out Ofthe Ordinary   Frey has enough speed to work with to clear most or all of the field and not get caught 3 wide or worse on the first turn......like his chances if he accomplishs the task

7  Little Bit Lovely

9  Scattering

6  Arethusa

 

race 7    average clarity

3  Z Z Tiger   Bonde two-year old filly owns very good early speed and has never trained better following a 3rd and a 2nd to start her career....that and she gets 1st time Desormeaux on her back for the 1st time....should be on or near the lead from the opening bell and tough from start to finish

1  Judicial   bad trip in lone lifetime start at Emd........been away since that 17 Sept race but is training as if she is ready to roll for new trainer Glatt who owns two wins and two seconds to start the new meeting

6  Mo See Cal   heavy favorite in her MSW debut which was a turf route.......she has trained very sharply on the dirt at times and this time around gets to run on it for O'Neill and company

11  Inland Empire

7  Allie's Love

4  Irish Lassie

 

race 8    average clarity

4  Desert Law   on the improve seemingly with every start and his latest is somewhat hidden by a 3 wide trip up on the pace......Elliot stays up and that is a good thing considering his record on this three-year old gelding (4 3 0 1).....and......sharp a.m. work in preparation for today

6  Dr. Dorr   best at SA sprinting which is the case here.......away since April but Baffert seems to have him cranked up with a bevy of tightly spaced every 5 or 6 day apart drills.....very dangerous ability if he is fully ready

8  Bobby Abu Dhabi   key here appears to be the fact this colt has done little wrong racing in fast track sprints.....as in 2 wins and a 2nd in 3 starts.....away since May but training great and runs just fine "fresh"

1  Lewys Vaporizer

2  Clear the Mine

 

race 9    above average clarity

10  Ippodamia's Girl   exits a very fast one mile MSW turf race........not that much speed inside of this filly so a jock of Bejarano's caliper will likely find a way to get on over by turn one .......and if he does and this youngster holds her form.....she.....should....be.....tough

9  One Fast Board   very consistent filly to start her promising career as she seems to handle any distance or any surface.......regular rider Nakatani is not riding today but Gary Hall of Fame Stevens will have to do......LOL

3  Retro   Richard Mandella two-year old filly has done little wrong in two lifetime starts but she is a little short figure wise compared to our top two selections..........but she gets some time off and has the potential to fire her best to date considering her stout connections

1  Treasuring

7  Silken Spy

12 AE  Finess Bere

2  X S Gold

 

 

Posted on December 31, 2017 at 9:26 am by richs · Permalink
In: Free Information, Selections