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Santa Anita for Saturday 17 February 2018

Not the easiest cards to decipher. At 1st glance I like Sunday's card much more.

Best of luck as always!

 

race 1    below average clarity

5  Clem Dela Clem  last appeared to be nothing more than a spin around the track to muscle up like only the turf can do sometimes.......trainer is having one good Santa Anita meeting living up to his Hall of Fame status for the 1st time in many a moon.......that and he is much more dangerous with 2nd time starters than 1st

3  Cool Your Jets   1st time starter is bred extremely well to take to turf and his trainer is very dangerous with 1st time starters.......mom has tossed 5 winners from 5 starters and all 5 won on the grass.......and this seems like a semi-soft spot to debut

1  Huddle   good-looking work tab for this Sadler 1ster and a with decent turf pedigree ........and ........as mentioned above this seems like a decent spot for a new shooter

4  Croissant

9  Jersey's Heat

2  Rhettbutler

 

race 2    average clarity

9  Dizzy Diva   both races with the blinkers on fit well at today's lower level......quite impressed by the fact this filly just raced 15 days ago yet was able to work 4F since.......likely feeling good.......and a rider upgrade.......hard not to like

7  Tengas Best Girl   works for this Jeff Mullins 1st time starter seem rather decent for the new low-level of MC16K at The Great Race Place (still great even with the new low of MC16K)........fairly new sire but mom has tossed one winner from one starter

3  Yalla   3 of her last 4 races fit fine here and her latest endeavor is hidden some by too wide of a trip.......new jock gets a try today

2  Shining Armada

6  Grace Hopper

8  Magicalchic

 

race 3    below average clarity

3  Hottalabamba   decent MSW debut for this Baffert filly who has been off since her debut which was on the 1st of December.........vet scratch on Jan 5th but her works since are decent.....believe she has some physical issues but Baffert keeps her in a MSW race and a seemingly soft one at that

2  Two Steps Faster   two flat in her last two endeavors both of which were route races.......so back in a sprint today and with 1st time blinkers and a rider upgrade to Roman and his 5 lbs break in the weights......seems likely to sit closer today and possibly dangerous

6  Mojgan   apprentice rider Ceballos is making the most of his limited mounts and might have a shot at adding to his record of (14 2 1 4) with this Baltas filly........not much speed in here and she definitely owns some......5 lbs bug boy has a shot at getting loose and on a track that for the most part has been friendly to speed at 6F

 

race 4    average clarity

2  Here and There   east coast trainer has taken to S Cal racing in a big way with 5 wins in 10 starts with 3 others hitting the board.......drops one level in claiming and with a gelding who ran a very strong and disguised 6F in his last.......dueled 3 wide on a day the rail was slightly biased.......did really well to hold on for 3rd.....seems tough here if he holds form

4  Jes Jaa   quite consistent since the blinkers were put back on and all of the races were with today's rider up.....likes contact with the front end and seems likely to get that here....... works suggest he has held form......sure fits if that is the case

7  Heir of Storm   away since 2 December and returns with a new trainer in Mick Ruiz......works since he took over are vastly better hinting he has tweaked something for the better.....that and Ruiz sees fit to put him up 2 levels.......eight year old owns some nice back numbers........somewhat dangerous at a big price

5  Old Man Lake

8  Top Brass

 

race 5    below average clarity

9  General Ike   position/trip means a lot in these 25K claiming grass races and this 7-year-old should get a good mid pack or stalking trip and with one fine rider in Kent Desormeaux in the irons.......and this gelding has fired two efforts down the hill (his only two races ever on the hill) that fit well here

3  Hay Dude   (6 2 1 0) down the Santa Anita hill grass course and he ships in off of a few better than appears in print route grass races at GG.........seems best with ample time between starts and gets it this afternoon......and he draws the attention of Nakatani and his agent hinting he I ready to make a good account of himself

11  Coastline   seven-year old has seen better days but the works since Carava claimed him for today's claiming price of 25K hint he has changed something for the better.......lookout if the is the case

8  Rocket Heat

1  Theycallhimthekid

7  Holy Whirl Wind

 

race 6    average clarity

6  Sandbed   not much in latest but his dirt debut run 3 races back fits where he had a brutal trip......broke about 1/2 dozen lengths slow and then ran away from the rail which was quite biased on 29 September at SA.....blinkers off and just what you want to see as improved recent works.....good gate jock up

7  Sharon's Fury   when Bonde has legged up Fuentes of late the horses have been "live" for the most part.......colt went off 19 to 1 in his debut in a 6 horse field of MC50K runners hinting he wasn't all that cranked up and yet he managed a 4th place beaten 2 3/4 lengths for the win ......might be cranked up today and drops down some

4  Trapper Peak   definitely fits well here if his good health has remained intact........but.......he was a voided claim in his latest on 15 January and has only worked once since........tough call.....flip a coin

5  Curley's Mark

8  Geocas Dream

1  Papa the Legend

 

race 7    average clarity

3  Sweet Charity   ultra consistent on the sod (11 3 5 2 1) and her latest was a rather amazing win as she was bumped fairly badly at the start and then had a wide trip.......the race was off of a long layoff so she likely will benefit from the effort and move forward today........same rider but gets a much more favorable post

2  Madam Dancealot   never sharper and would have been top choice if this race was longer than one mile.........filly used to show better early speed and maybe Nakatani will utilize it here......believe her chances are enhanced if he does

4  Madame Stripes   when Desormeaux rides this six-year-old mare she seems to give her best and the record shows it (5 3 2 0).......that and Drysdale is very hot right now

1  Insta Erma

6  Sassy Little Lila

5  Thundering Sky

 

race 8    average clarity

6  Solid Wager   seven-year old handles seven furlongs awfully well........he hasn't won in quite a long time but he has faced much tougher.....so......Peter Miller who is seldom afraid to lose a given horse smartly puts him up for a tag this afternoon to greatly enhance his chances of visiting the circle of joy this afternoon

1  Lookie Loo   Baffert four-year old colt crushed his competition fresh off of the bench in his last in only his 2nd lifetime start.........should be in the mix from the get go even with the one hole at seven furlongs which can be a little tricky.......should be a major factor in the outcome of this race

5  Sigur Ros   you don't see too many 108:4's on the synthetic at GG..........but this gelding won by 6L to break his MSW in that time in only his 2nd lifetime start.......fits very well if he can produce similar on the SA conventional dirt surface this afternoon

8  Sir Samson

2  Sheer Flattery

9  Midnight Pleasure

 

race 9    average clarity

3  Mesa Jones   believe shipping on down to S Cal from GG is a good move as this three-year gelding appears better on conventional dirt than the AW.........off pace runners (which he is) do well at SA in & furlong races........Steve Sherman is 29% win with his last 137 "shippers"..........gelding should be motoring late

6  Builder   trainer shows signs off waking up some out of the doldrums and that might continue here with this gelding who is training markedly better since he took over the training of this three-year old.......that and he entices Bejarano to ride making for a significant rider upgrade

9  Royal Trump   solid rider/trainer combo in Roman/Cerin.......gelding appears to be in need of a drop in class and Cerin gives it to him........seems to be the speed of the speed and his lone win came when he opened up a loose lead which he might do today

1  Osos Strong

4  Ridgefield Rocket

2  Lipster

 

race 10    below average clarity

6  Eldritch   Talamo has a decent shot to find the wood most of the way around the 2 1/2 turns this 10F turf race has to offer as there are quite a few slower horses starting inside of him........good wake-up in last with 1st time blinkers and it is somewhat disguised.......extra furlong to cover today is right in the wheelhouse of this GB invader making his 3rd USA start

3  Saltini   like our top selection he should work out a decent trip from a good post and with a touch of tactical speed.......1st ever in a mini-marathon but the way in which he finishes at one furlong less hints that the 10F is very doable

5  Ice Kat   another who finishes up at 9F on the grass like 10F might be a plus.......over the last 2 months Baltas/Prat are 3 for 6 win and with another hitting the board.......dangerous sort

4  Plain Wrap

1  Excessive Kid

2  Miner Light

Posted on February 17, 2018 at 10:33 am by richs · Permalink
In: Free Information, Selections