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Santa Anita for Saturday 5 January 2019

Average card at best today and the same can be said for Sunday's at first glance. 

Best of luck as always!

 

race 1    average clarity  (SHF carryover here of $9K)

7  Iron Alex   hope this five-year old is up to a top effort like his latest race (albeit on the dirt) as for the 1st time ever he has a top echelon turf jock on his back in Bejarano

6  Union Rebel   both of his turf races likely are not good enough but he sure woke up on the dirt in his last with the blinkers taken off......so this is 1st time blinkers off on the turf......dangerous price shot

8  Encumbered   won his 1st two grass races and then went south from there........he did run one race that fits here fresh off of the bench like today at Pen........fresh today and 1st time racing as a gelding and finally drops........hmmm

3  Incedible Luck

1  Van Cortlandt

 

race 2    average clarity

4  Queen of the Track   speed had a field day yesterday as the inside appeared slightly biased......if that is the case today this Bonde fillies chances are enhanced to open up a lead and never get caught

3  True Validity   Callaghan is an eye-popping 34% win & 71% in the money with the MSW to MC move......that and his filly should be able to stalk our top selection and get the 1st crack at her

1  Lily Con   another dropping from MSW racing to MC but off of a long layoff......plenty of works put in......a good pedigree to handle her 1st route........rider upgrade.......hot trainer

2  Super Klaus

 

race 3    average clarity

4  Tastemaker   9 furlongs of turf especially racing with 7 lbs less than his competition gives this Sise five-year old a shot to be the last one standing at the wire.......he seems to have the best running lines and pedigree to have something left running as far as 9F......bug boy won two races yesterday

3  Aussie Fox   after a very solid race two back this gelding fell off some in his next start.......if he rebounds he is rated too low......if he doesn't he is not......tough to tell which will occur but the trainer is a bit chilly to start the SA meeting

7  Falcone   very strong race two back and with a low percentage rider up.......fell off in his last maybe because he tried to come back too quick 2nd out after a strong layoff........gets ample time off now.......brother team at the helm

6  Mo Bob

5  Reckless Gravity

 

race 4    average clarity

2  Cayate   not too crazy about Lrc but handles the SA dirt decently.......two ultra impressive drills since his last only 3 weeks ago at Lrc........good shot to get a loose lead and with 1st time Prat on his back......such a deal

6  Spa Shackalacka   cut back of one half furlong seems like a plus especially with weight off.......last is better than appears in print.....takes a logical drop......slow start to the meeting for the D'A but he has a shot to win this trial

8  Kidmon   suspicious drop to some degree but if this gelding is healthy enough he sure is at his best on the SA dirt.........2 of his 3 lifetime dirt races at SA would crush these

5  Bear Chum

3  Vintage Hollywood

 

race 5    below average clarity

9  Parsimony   both lifetime dirt sprints not wearing blinkers are good 2nd place finishes at SA.....no blinks for his 1st on the grass today.......good pedigree to handle the sod.......away 4 1/2 months but ran well in his MSW debut......good a.m. work.....believe he is "meant and ready"

1  Stubbins   double barrel action for O'Neill and as he also trains our top selection.........like the trainer's other horse this colt has ran well on the dirt and is bred to handle the grass.......also like our top pick his a.m. work hints he is ready at 1st asking off of the layoff just as he was in his debut

8  Mutineer   decent forward move in his 2nd lifetime start and now switches to grass racing for his 3rd lifetime endeavor.......pedigree for the turf is solid......trainer & rider are 2 for their last 5.....dangerous sort

10  Secret Courier

14 AE   Mountain Spirit

4  Volubile

 

race 6    average clarity

4  Zatter   both lifetime sprints races for this Baffert colt are dynamite......and the preparatory works for today indicate he is returning to the race wars as good as new

2  Cool Bobby   better than par for today's nw alw level in all of his 3 sprint races one of which was his only race at SA and it was his MSW debut......but if our top pick-a-rue runs as well as I believe he will he well need even more today

5  Best Two Minutes   solid improvement in his latest and another move in the desired direction might occur as his works since his last are vastly improved......Knapp is fairly hot of late and he might have discovered the trump card for this fellow

1  Goren

 

race 7    below average clarity

7  Next Shares   Baltas has been in the exacta 16 of 32 to start the SA meeting.........with that in mind there is a good chance this six-year-old with some time off might bring his effort two back (or three 3 back for that matter) and if he does he appears tough in this spot.....we shall see

3  Cleopatra's Strike   D'Amato so often moves up a given horse the 1st time he takes over the training duties.......that is the case here.......works are good and the 9F of turf should be a good fit......new kid on the block is dangerous

2  Platinum Warrior   jock Foley is a competent rider overseas and shows up here with experience and a Grade 3 win on this fellow who Van Dyke didn't give very good rides on........rather interesting change in jocks hints this colt is ready for a strong effort today

9  Big Bend

10  Arms Runner

 

race 8    average clarity

7  Popular Kid   (6 4 2 0) since the blinkers were put on 7 races ago.......and his number earned 1st out after the Hollendorfer claim in his last is awfully strong......if he repeats it he should be very tough

3  Extrordinary Jerry   big race in last in a race taken off of the turf and moved to the dirt......and it might have been a piece of luck for the barn as he popped his best ever (other lifetime dirt was poor but in only his 2nd lifetime start).........3rd reassuring works since.......if he is up for similar today on a different dirt surface lookout

6  Show Me Da Lute    believe this laid up Baffert five-year-old will attempt to take the lead and never look back.........and speed was quite powerful yesterday

5  The Big Train

1  Mongolian Groom

 

race 9    above average clarity

5  Coliseum   here's my comment for this fellow in his MSW debut "Baffert colt is working at SA as if he is a Stakes caliber horse but unlike many overzealous barns Baffert does what most should do and debuts him in a MSW race".......I was right and then some........and the works since stand out like sore thumb here

6  Gunmetal Gray   quality colt can be flying late if the pace up front gets really hot.......connections should be crossing their fingers that is what occurs

2  Gray Magician   seemingly a very easy stress-less maiden breaking wining by 9L with something to spare in his last which was his 1st at a route and nearly par for today's G3 level.......works hint the race took little out of him.....if that is so look for even better today......how much is the ? mark

1  Sueno 

 

race 10    average clarity

4  Sergio   races seems set for someone coming from off of the pace........away  since October of 2017 but training as a 1st time gelding as if he is ready to compete at a high level.........should sit mid pack and pounce on the leaders when called on

7  Getaloadofthis   speed of the speed and if the track doesn't change much from what we saw yesterday of might have been better placed as our top pick

5  Paul's Diva   SCRATCHED OUT   races seems set for someone coming from off of the pace and maybe way off of the pace and that is where he likely will be

2  Bless His Heart

3  Bitter Ring Home

 

 

 

Posted on January 5, 2019 at 10:38 am by richs · Permalink
In: Free Information, Selections