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Santa Anita for Friday 18 January 2019

2019 Pegasus World Cup Day selections for the 9 Stakes races (which includes a new 7 million dollar turf race) at Gulfstream Park on January 27th are now available for purchase for $29.50. The selections will be sent to your email at about 4 p.m. pacific time on Friday night, January 26th. Please sign up as early as possible as logistically speaking it helps us out. 

With all the rain this week the selections with comments are for the races being taken off of the turf in races 4 & 8 and moved to the main track. We do have selections if those two races stay on the turf but without comments

Best of luck as always!

 

race 1    average clarity

1  Imminent   all three lifetime races with the blinkers on like today fit awfully well at today's lower maiden claiming level and drying out tracks at SA usually favor inside speed as the rail becomes a little quicker than the outside.......new sire is 3 for 7 with off track runners......drop of multiple levels is slightly suspicious

7  Meritocrazy   trainer somewhat appears in "drop to win" mode so with that in mind the move to MC20K after two decent efforts up for 50K bothers me a little less than it normally would

4  Reachreachreach   filly bobbled at the start and pulled up.........away since the 8 to 5 debacle 6 weeks ago and has only worked twice but one of them was a near bullet 59:4 2nd best of 28........suspect but dangerous

6  Noise Mandate

 

race 2    average clarity

2  Imperial Creed   one lifetime race fits nicely in this spot and it was run at SA in her lone endeavor at The Great Race Place and it was at today's one mile distance.....same jock up who rode the SA race and starts from a similar gate position........all that and by my book he owns the best pedigree in the field to handle an off track if that what we get

3  Vegas Strong Baby   SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE  should get a decent up close or on the lead position saving ground on a surface at SA that when drying out usually favors inside speed as the rail becomes a little tighter than the outside.........dynamite rider/combo of late in Pratt and Baltas

5  Divine Dharma    SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE  one effort/number stands out like a sore thumb and that was the only time she was able to get a loose lead.....that race was set up sprint to route off of 3 weeks rest.........sprint race 18 days ago......route today......hmmmm

 

race 3    average clarity

3  Weather Market   only sprint dirt race (and at SA in her debut) that this mare ever ran was a par like effort considering today's lower level.....claimed for today's 20K so the drop from 50K to 20K doesn't concern me much

4  Venice   lifetime best and better than it appears in print was run on a mud floated off track on 3 March 18 at SA.......if this filly is up for that effort with just an OK trip she should wind up in the winners circle.........obviously if the racing surface is void of much moisture at this point of the day her chances are diminished some but still not impossible as she still might get loose on the lead

5  Whata Flirt   seems quite sharp right now and often fires her best at 5 1/2 furlongs........she does tend to hang but might be quick enough to get loose early and thus not have anyone in front of her to hang

7  Tell My Fortune

 

race 4    below average clarity

(selections are for the races being taken off of the turf and moved to the main track)

4  The Daddy Factor   impressive prolonged work regiment the kind you don't give a MSW 1st timer to "give him a race"........trainer 17% win with his last 29 1st time starters

3  Arch Anthem   SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE  good time for blinkers on as this race sure seems to favor those who sit close up and with the addition of blinkers this Richard Mandella gelding might sit much closer to the lead today than he has in the past

2  Big Buzz    SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE gets the "full monty" here.......rider upgrade - 1st time gelding - blinkers on........and the works are improved..........dangerous sort

1  Englander

7  Sellwood

(If the race stays on the turf the selections are:  4-6-2-7-5)

 

race 5    average clarity

3  Li'l Grazen   by far at her best competing at today's 6 furlong distance.......1st out following the claim today and that is a dangerous proposition for the opposition when the trainer is by Peter Miller who is a stellar 31% win with his last 169 "1st after a claim"........and with the change in trainers comes a rider upgrade......needs race two back.......recent a.m. works hints we will see it

5  Chasin Lucas    only one lifetime race on the SA dirt and it was a good one nearly breaking her MSW debut at 1st asking.......continues to train at SA in the a.m. like her p.m. effort will be strong

4  Shylock Eddie   3 for 5 on conventional dirt and 1 for 11 racing everywhere else.........Aaron Gryder has started out a little chilly at the new meeting but about 1/2 the mounts he has gotten from Koriner the last two mounts have been live ones

 

race 6    above average clarity

7  Cioppino Pasadino   last three races run in the afternoon S Cal circuit (2, 6 & 7 back) all fit and the one at SA is disguised by a very wide trip up near a decent set of fractions.  ....gave it 8L of trip adjustment and she was beaten by 8 1/4 at two levels higher........all that and her new trainer Rafael Deleon so far has a good handle on what she needs to succeed

5  Hero for Hire   seems like the best of the speed types in this spot and her latest which was at SA is better than it appears as she ran on a slightly dull inside in decent pace and predictably faded late some to 3rd.......cut back of 1/2 furlong should be a plus

1  Irish and Lucky    well proven on an off track and not too shabby on a fast track either.......ironically jock Edger Payeras is riding better these days since he lost his apprentice allowance........go figure

3  Lovely English

6  Ciao Luna

 

race 7    above average clarity

2  California Journey   two brutal trips in a row since switching to the dirt.......he shows much more effort/energy on it than the turf......just needs a good trip.......work tab says he is up for another strong run.......it likely is up to a cold jock today as not only is Mario Gutierrez 0 for 26 with only two 2nds to start the meeting but he has had plenty decent mounts.....he is in the biggest funk that I can remember.......good time to break out of it here with this "live" Hollendorfer runner

1  Ground Attack   easily seems best at SA and he has shown he can handle two turns.........away for two mounts but training like he is fit and ready......should make a good account of himself

6  Nap Lajoie   last win came sprint AW race at GG to conventional dirt route at Sac.......6 furlong AW race at GG.......ships on down to Arcadia for today's route on the dirt...........hmmmm

 

race 8    average clarity

(selections are for the races being taken off of the turf and moved to the main track)

8  Clear the Mine   connections were way too ambitious in this fellows latest but he is back where he belongs this afternoon........bug boy upgrade ..........Steve Knapp has been on a roll of late and might add to his win total here

1  Secret Touch   at his best racing on the dirt at today's one mile distance.....believe with all the rain in the forecast this week the connections might have entered hoping this race was moved to the main........is it?

4  Kristi's Copilot   Baltas unlike most trainers is so much better 2nd out after a claim than 1st out (44% win with his last 32 (yikes)...........and the 1st out after the Baltas claim was too shabby

2  North County Guy   SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE 

3  Twentytwentytwenty   SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE 

(f the race stays on the turf the selections are:  4-7-2-3-5)

 

 

 

Posted on January 18, 2019 at 9:48 am by richs · Permalink
In: Free Information, Selections