Printer Friendly View

Santa Anita for Thursday 1 February 2018

Not the easiest of race cards to handicap. But the good news is that both Friday and Saturday made more sense.

Best of luck as always!

 

race 1    average clarity

2  Capes Hot Rocket   drop seems very logical and what a good spot to be a horse with some early gas as there isn't much of the commodity in here and inside speed has been awfully good at SA the last week or so

5  Sawbuck   somewhat of a suspicious drop (quite the opposite of our top choice) but then again this bad claim was made over 13 months ago so why not drop to the lowly MC20K level......that and it seems like a good sign that this Sadler colt has worked twice (and not too badly) since his 5 January race

4  Luck Staxx   Paul Aguirre five-year old maiden has raced only once and it was way back in December of 2016.....he ran only so so......he returns as a 1st time gelding and his last 3 preparatory worked are rather good......dangerous sort with the ultimate equipment change

6  Tiz the Ticket

8  Spokane Eagle

 

race 2    below average clarity

3  Antioch   solid 1st out following the claim by Piccioni and the strength of the effort (his 1st at a route) is disguised by a wide trip ......very sharp 2 works since.....low percentage trainer but he seems to have a good handle on his new shooter

2  Surfside Sunset   nice sprint debut way back on 3 December 2016 and the race is better than appears in print......not too hot of a trip in his next as well which was his 1st going "long" .......away since the 16 Jan. 2017 race but his work regiment hints he is ready fresh just as he was in his debut.....we shall see

1  Momma's Baby Boy   best finisher in this 5 horse field and he should be able to save ground in the rear......and when the real running starts it should be easy for him to negotiate traffic with only having to deal with 4 horses in front of him......such a deal

 

race 3    below average clarity

5  Airfoil    if this consistent eight year old holds form 1st out after the Miller claim he should be a tough here even with the step up of multiple levels........and it sure seems significant that Prat sees fit to ride thru the claim

1  Madelyn's Wild Max   after running 4 races in less than 2 months time Vallejo smartly gave this fellow a break .....works during the break hint he is returning ready and with the potential for better......should sit last or 2nd to last and come motoring late

2  Next Speaker   Bejarano likely will get the wood with the 1 and the 3 horse being slower than his horse........and the more time you spend glued to the wood the last few weeks the better the outcome

 

race 4    below average clarity

1  Elwood J   lifetime best and a solid fit here was the only time this gelding raced down the hill on "fm" turf........and it was also the only time today's rider (Bejarano) was aboard.......away since August but his work regiment says ready

3  Rate for Me   useful layoff run in latest and it was also his 1st on the SA hill......last time he ran 2nd out after a layoff he won in a solid move forward....that race was run off of 35 days rest.......32 days since his last.....hmmmm

6  Taima the Hawk   consistent sort down the Santa Anita hill grass course .......a little short fig wise here but nothing that a good ride/trip can't overcome....nice "hill" rider in Van Dyke to provide one

8  Exotic Ghost

4  Green With Eddie

7  My Man Chuckles

 

race 5    average clarity

1  Red Carpet Cat   very bad trip (rank 4L & wide 4.5L) hides the energy/effort this gelding provided in his latest in a race down the hill......Van Dyke will be out to make amends and do so on a surface (conventional dirt) that this gelding appears to prefer

5  Well Measured   lowest level that this 7-year-old has raced since Carava claimed him.......and why not as the 25K level is still 5K more than Carava and friends claimed him for........and it is a very good sign that the "high in demand" Eclipse award-winning apprentice accepts the mount for the 1st time

6  Rocket Heat   diminishing sort but he has significant early speed and if the track doesn't change today having the lead is an awfully good thing to posses

4  True Valor

8  Classico

 

race 6    average clarity

2  C. C. Zipp   Hollendorfer is solid with 3 relevant training categories that apply here......3rd out after a layoff......turf to dirt......and 1st time in claiming.....all that and this five-year old mare might be loose on the lead and with the meets leading rider up

7  Little Nati   needs a rebound to her effort two races back.....only time she was risked for a tag she won and won rather easily.....7 lbs bug boy Franklin Cebellas has hit the board a respectable 2 times with 3 mounts so far at the meetings albeit without a win.......maybe he gets one here

6  Princess Dorian   trainer has gotten some solid forward moves out of a few of his claims the 1st time he runs them following a claim.......lookout if he works some magic with this filly who owns some nice back numbers

1  Chay Up and Away

3  Reckless Charm

9  Road Test

 

race 7    average clarity

9  Pistol Packin Rose   O'Neill is starting to heat things up so the consistency that this filly has shown on the sod becomes even more significant.....that and her preparatory works to handle a 43 day break is quite impressive hinting she is ready for a top effort

7  The Tulip  five-year old mare sat too far back in a race with a lackluster pace in her 1st endeavor in the good old U S of A following 10 races in Ireland.....another furlong of turf to cover today should be right up her alley.......that and you have to appreciate her trainers 24 for his last 73 2nd out following a layoff...... which is the case here

5  Pantsonfire   on the improve this fall and winter.......would have rated higher if the jock wasn't struggling so much attempting to break into the tough S Cal rider colony

2  Bombilate

11AE  Causeforcommotion

10  Antonina

8  Night Time Inc

 

race 8    average clarity

3  Lucky Lula   only cost 6K at sale so why not drop into maiden claiming for the 1st time....especially off of a long layoff and the doubt that it often brings for those thinking about placing a claim.......should be in the hunt from the get go and in an affair that doesn't have much speed signed up........trainer/rider have won 2 of their last 3 and with the other hitting the board

6  Impecunious   both lifetime races when not wearing blinkers like today fit well........nice 100:3H 5F 16 of 110 to work since her last.......should be a player

9  Dee Way to Go   moved forward in her 2nd lifetime start last summer.........so 2nd out after a long layoff should be a good thing.........rider upgrade and with his 5 lbs weight break.....such a deal

4  Irish Lassie

5  Proudly Elegant

2  My Scarlett

 

 

 

Posted on February 1, 2018 at 8:51 am by richs · Permalink
In: Free Information, Selections