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Santa Anita for Saturday 26 May 2018

Belmont is only 2 weeks away and our special pub with full race card selections and comments will soon be available for purchase at a discount for a few days.

Nice Saturday card. Be back with you Sunday and Monday.

Best of luck as always!

 

race 1    average clarity

2  Allaboutmike   great spot for a speed horse which this Miller gelding happens to be......hard not seeing this fellow loose in this race and with one of the USA's top turf riders up

6  Ralis   suspicious drop for sure........but........this O'Neill five-year old hasn't seen a dime since 4 September 2016.......if he is 80% "healthy" he should stalk the lead and have a big shot at today's lower level

1  Uber Star   seems best racing at SA on the grass at one mile and with today's rider Geovanni Franco in the saddle.....best shot of the off pace runners

5  Defiantly

 

race 2    average clarity

3  Lucky Staxx   trainer has snapped out of the doldrums in a big way and it seems that the winning feeling is contagious as he places this gelding where his chances of going back to back wins is enhanced......all three lifetime sprint races with the blinkers on fit well here

6  Isee It in Hiseyes   colt won his 2nd lifetime start last summer........so......2nd out following a long hiatus from the game will likely bring the best out of him.......and if that is so he should be tough

5  Captain Walker   rather consistent sprinting on the dirt and the 5 1/2F offered here appears to be a good fit.......bug boy has yet to do much in S Cal albeit with limited starters but he has won 24 of 100 races in 2018 and with 31 others hitting the board....not too shabby

2  Sharon's Fury

 

race 3    average clarity

2  Munny Sport   Frey/O'Neill combo can do no wrong so I have to believe that this laid up filly is ready to roll fresh off of the bench........and her a.m. work sure supports the notion.....seems best at SA and she is 2 for 3 at today's distance

4  Princess Princess   Baltas five-year old mare has plenty to prove on fast rated dirt but her a.m. work at SA is brilliant......if she can run to her works she can take down this affair

5  Queen Laila   rated too low if she brings her "A game" which she did in her last but she has been an every other sort.......maybe David Jacobson can change that as he just snatched her up by way of a 40K claim

 

race 4    average clarity

9  Ficanas   beat 13 of 14 foes despite a horrid start in her lone lifetime race which was run last fall in GB......that and she was 50 to 1 hinting she wasn't all that meant.......works at SA are strong for her 2nd start and with new trainer John Sadler......sure seems formidable if she breaks OK this time around

5  Rockin Ready   filly has done little wrong in 3 lifetime races....that and she seems likely to get a good close up position in the 2 path or better on turn 1.......hard not to like

10  Bring On The Band   brutal trip in her 1st U S of A endeavor and 1st on the grass........she did show that she can run on the grass........good grass rider Drayden Van Dyke will be out to make amends

4  Jazaalah

2  Curlin's Journey

 

race 5    average clarity

4  City of Light   colt has done little wrong with 4 wins and 3 2nd's in 7 lifetime starts and did he ever take to route racing as he won a G2 at OP in her 1st ever around two turns.....and his preparatory works since his win in the Oaklawn Hcp are very impressive

5  Dr. Dorr   just keeps getting better.......and better.......and better...........not the typical pattern for a Bob Baffert horse but the barn has to love the progression of this five-year old gelding

2  Accelerate   proven at the distance and like our top two selections she has a ton of ability.....but take note he is only 1 for 9 at SA when the main track has been rated "fast" and carries 4 more lbs. than everyone else......definitely not out of the win picture but fairly easy to make him 3rd choice

6  Pavel

 

race 6    average clarity

8  Syntax   like the mile turf - mile turf - 1 1/4 turf maneuver for his 3rd out after a long layoff.......could have won the 2017 version of this race if he wasn't blocked in the stretch......sharp a.m. work.......on negative - the post might hurt

6  Itsinthepost   the epitome of consistency and T C Baze knows this multiple G2 winner inside and out as he is always up....the "post" was beaten by our top choice last year in this G2 but has a good shot of turning the tables this afternoon

5  Kenjisstrom   not sure if he can avoid flattening out some at the 10F distance but if he can he should get a very good trip stalking the 4 horse who likely will tire in the stretch or sooner......thus inheriting the lead......seems dangerous with that scenario

2  Full of Luck

3  Frank Conversation

 

race 7    above average clarity

7  Baby Gronk   seems like a good spot for early speed and this Spawr three-year old appears to have the most.....both races at SA are better than par for today's Cal-bred MSW level........good speed rider in Pedroza remains up

2  Fashionably Fast   very impressive MSW debut in mid Feb. that fits very well here.....tossed a clunker in his next start in mid March........but he gets 10 weeks to recover and his a.m. prowess hints that he has....dangerous sort despite Dean Pederson being win-less with 12 starts in 2018 (

1  Old Indian Trick   wide trip in his MSW debut hides a decent effort.......not out of the win picture this afternoon if he benefits from the effort

5  Git On Your Pulpit

8  Jonas

 

race 8    average clarity

1  Madam Dancealot   lifetime best was the only time this four-year old filly raced at today's 10F distance on the turf.......good post and one nice turf rider in Corey Nakatani.......if she performs like I think she will today I believe Baltas will stick to races at 10F or maybe even further most of the time in the future

3  Mopotism   the "wildcard" in the race as she has plenty of ability on the dirt and tries the grass for the 1st time with an adequate pedigree for it.......that and she is working extremely well in preparation for today's race hinting O'Neill and company believe she will like the grass......and maybe he worked on it somewhere privately 

7  Hawksmoor   controlling speed in the race for sure but will need to slow things down or she will be vulnerable late as she has flatten out in all 8 of her races in the USA......sharp preparatory works should help

6  Beau Recall

 

race 9    above average clarity

10  Flynn   good debut.......not too hot of a 3rd start.......no shot whatsoever in his 3rd start as he dueled in fast pace on a dull rail which basically would do anyone in........subtle very sharp 4F work on the SA tr.t.........seems better suited for a sprint

7  It's a New Year   like the cut back in distance for this gelding who keeps flattening out in his races........he ran his career best in his last race running quite a bit better than par.......so if he can handle a sprint as well lookout as he likely will finish up with vigor for the 1st time in his career

4  Imagineiamfastest   drop should help but he still will likely need his effort 3 races back.....and he might give it as his preparatory works appear very similar to the drills prior to that Feb race......hmmmm

2  Katzumoto

1  North County Guy

 

 

 

Posted on May 26, 2018 at 7:24 am by richs · Permalink
In: Free Information, Selections