Santa Anita for Sunday 15 April 2018
Ky Derby purchase pricing and banner will be available soon. For those of you planning on purchasing our special full card selections (14 races last year) for Churchill Downs on Derby Day, May 5th please don't procrastinate as logistically it makes in easier on yours truly setting up the emails that will be sent at about 6 p.m. central time on Friday night, May 4th. Thank you.
OK card today. Be back with you Friday.
Best of luck as always!
race 1Â Â average clarity
4 Shifty Dancer  Palma and company are fortunate they didn't loose this colt in his MC debut when he ran for 20K and crushed in a dirt sprint.......because.......his next out on the sod in a protected race was very solid both in pace and final time......the fig he earned fits well here and he gets 4 lbs off today.......should be tough unless he slips off of form
1 Sis Point Rack  Puype four year old runs well with ample time between starts and gets it today.....always like these kind as they have to be "ready" as it likely will be a long time until they can race again
2 Alsatian  key jock change to Nakatani today because when Drysdale has legged up a top echelon grass rider on this fellow he has produced some solid efforts/figs that fit well here
3Â Bold PapaÂ
7Â Waya Ed
race 2Â Â average clarity
3 Ride to the Wire  won his MSW debut for Cecil as the favorite last summer........been off since but he sure is working as if he is 100% ready fresh off of the bench once again.......in fact I can't remember a work regiment for Cecil horse that is so impressive
2 McKale  Baffert colt was pounded at the windows in his MSW debut and did not disappoint.......put away other speed going eye to eye in his debut breaking from the 2 post and likely needs to do it again today
5 Graycaster  improving sort is not out of the win picture if the positive trend continues today......that and I believe Prat will take him back some in a race that might favor those that do/can
race 3Â Â above average clarity
2 Downtowner  Van Dyke will be out to make amends for his poor ride on this Baffert cold who broke a length slow and then ran very wide throughout.......earned an adjusted for trip Santucci fig that is about 8L better than par for the MSW level
6 Papa Jazz  exits the same race as our top choice earning an adjusted fig that solid but still 5L less than our top selection.....but his works since hint he is up for even more today.....not impossible to turn the tables our top choice
4 Negro Lucero  race two back is a par like effort for today's MSW level.......and......he gets a rider upgrade......but as well as our top two choices ran he is easy to place as the 3rd pick-a-rue
race 4Â Â average clarity
2 Roses and Candy  rider/trainer teamed up to win a maiden race yesterday........three year old filly really flew in a two turn turf race opening up a 10L length lead.......cut back to a hill race with speed turf route types is usually a good thing.....can Elliot and McAnally to it again
7 Mongolian Window  might be a good claim of a promising grass who sure woke up in her 2nd lifetime start and 1st on the grass.......and like our top pick she showed turf route speed and cuts back to a race on the hill
6 Broome  owns some solid dirt figs for the MC75K level on the dirt.......tries the turf for the 1st time but I am not too crazy about her pedigree for the turf.......but if she does take to it she will be a major factor in the outcome of this race
5Â Sea Glass
4Â Ladybug
race 5Â Â average clarity
5 Uno Trouble Maker  toss her last two races as they were both off tracks.......race 3 back the day Miller claimed her was run on a fast track at SA and is solid for today's higher level......hard not to like even with the struggling bug boy up
4 Bonneville Flats  David Hofmans is waking-up of late so the drop into claiming for the 1st time with this filly seems more meaningful than it usually would be.........now we just need Martin Garcia to wake-up
6 Twisted Rosie  both races when up for a tag are solid.......with that in mind her latest endeavor might be a "dirty up her form" no go to keep the claiming vultures at bay
race 6Â Â average clarity
4 Achira  talk about a top rider who is night and day better on the dirt than the turf these days.......Smith best get the job done on this very nice grass filly whose last two races stand above the crowd here.......Smith will attempt to make in 3 for his last 45 on the grass with a win here
3 Vasilika  good history on the grass at 9F for this Hollendorfer filly.......last race is OK but to overcome our top choice this filly will likely need her effort two back........and if she gives it it's a 21% grass rider in Prat vs a 2% grass rider in Smith over approxiamtely same period of time
1 Persistence  last appears to be nothing but sprint tune-up to tighten up for her 2nd race in the good old U S of A since arriving from GB....... and.......go go go at a distance that fits
6Â Lynne's Legacy
2Â War Moccasin
race 7Â Â average clarity
5 Get Yourself Home  somewhat suspicious drop for this Machowsky filly following an improved effort with the blinkers on.......but.....if she is OK physically speaking she sure is the one to beat
3 Champagne Honey  three year old filly is on the improve......last might do trick if the top choice isn't doing too well......but if she moves forward again she might have as a good a shot at taking down this race as anyone in the field
7 Lucky Lula  Eric Kruljac is quietly having a very solid 2018.......add to that to the fact that over the years he is very dangerous stepping up a given horse up a level......that is the case today and his filly gets to carry 4 lbs less......such a deal
6Â So Euro
2Â Makenna's Song
race 8Â Â average clarity
11 Swiss Minister  5 for 11 on the SA dirt........1 for 18 everywhere else........low percentage rider up but he has ridden this fellow awfully well and in 9 straight races.......in this case the jock appears to be an asset
10 Rocket Fuel  not sure if he is up to his "A game" but if this six-year-old gelding is he will be stout today and with a rider in Maldonado who is awakening from the doldrums
9 Drizzy  all three lifetime racing endeavors for this laid up three-year old fit fine in this spot........if of course he is ready fresh off of the bench.......works hint that he is as does the fact he won his MSW debut by 5 1/2 lengths
2Â Jay Makes Us Laugh
6Â Southern Wind
5Â Eastern Morn
race 9Â Â average clarity
8 Amazon Cry  colt is proven at the 9F turf distance and most of this field is not......last effort might do the trick......race two back would be tough to beat......away from the game for the last 5 months but appears ready off of a solid series of works
7 Mo Over  another who has been off a while in his case following a solid one mile grass race at twice the MC level.......trainer has won his last two dropping multiple levels like today.......hard not to like
2 Starting Block  yet another racing off of a break and dropping down.......fits fine if he is feeling fine but R Mandella has only won 2 of his last 32 dropping from MSW to maiden claiming like today
1Â Street Indy
5Â Hoover Tower
9Â Odyssey Explorer