Printer Friendly View

Santa Anita for Saturday 18 May 2019

OK Saturday card. Keeping on eye on the weather for Sunday.

Best of luck as always!

 

race 1    below average clarity

7  Combat Zone   not my favorite route grass rider in Pedroza but he has done a nice job riding this Sadler five-year old......he should work out another good trip on this guy no worse than 2 wide on the turns on or near the pace

1  Big Sky Login   another who appears as if he will get a ground saving trip for a good portion of the race sitting in a stalk or mid pack position........good route rider in R Fuentes who just won on this gelding in his 1st ever mount on him.......and take note that it was from the 1 post

9  Monglian Greywolf   needs a clever ride from Martin Garcia who appears to have woken up from the doldrums and if he provides one this Ganbat runner is rather interesting........last 3 three times that this fellow raced on the grass led to efforts/figs that fit fine here

5  Fast as Cass

3  Broke Away Grey

 

race 2    average clarity

4  Meso   on the improve with each and every start in 2019 for John Sadler........now the blinkers go on his filly for the 1st time and if her improved a.m. work is any indication she is about to continue her positive trend and run the best race of her career today

2  Lucky Brite Eye  rider upgrade and a decent set of preparatory drills might lead to an overdue visit to the winners circle for trainer Martine Bellocq........Pereira should be able to work out an up close ground saving trip

9  Info Treasure  number earned in his MSW debut which was a turf route fits well here if of course he can run as well on the dirt this afternoon.........we shall see at approximately at 12:30 pacific time

8  Thanks

7  Reds Sacred Appeal

 

race 3    average clarity

5  G Q Covergirl   six-year-old mare is best "fresh" which is often the case with speed sprinters........basically she is 3 for 3 "fresh" winning her debut and also winning off of two layoffs.......one was off of a 7 1/2 months break and the other was off of a 7 months break.......10 months since her last racing endeavor.......good speed rider up......hard not to like

6  Left Alone   very consistent filly on the grass or the AW.......she is a perfect 2 for 2 since arriving from GB winning both of her races at GG on the AW.......and her preparatory work for today's turf race is quite impressive

3  Point Hope   decent 1st in the U S of A for this Ron Ellis filly especially considering it was her 1st race in 8 months.......she has only raced once 2nd out after long layoff and she fired a good race.......not out of the win picture by any means

 

race 4    average clarity

8  True Validity   might be quite the claim by Andrew Lerner and company of a filly who has put in back to back lifetime best races on the now deeper/slower/safer Santa Anita main track........she is definitely the one to beat if she holds form for her new connections this afternoon

3  Time for Suzzie   last four conventional dirt races on a fast track with the blinkers on have led to 2 wins and 2 2nd's in 4 starts.......still if our top selection holds form she will need her lifetime best to get to the winners circle today

7  Hot On the Trail  turf to dirt today.......rider upgrade.......route to sprint.......that and the last time she raced on the dirt (four races back) she fired what might be her lifetime best.......interesting upside potential

2  Queen of the Track

4  Interesting Times

 

race 5    below average clarity  

1  Via Egnatia   needs ample time between starts and gets it......toss out his latest as he isn't too crazy about sprinting........seems best in two turn grass races when the turf is firm.....should be firm today......should be in the mix from the get go with a speed rider who is doing awfully well there days

5  Alive and Well   4 wins in his last 6 grass races and it could be 5 of his last 6 if not for being disqualified in his latest.........N Cal trainer is more than capable of shipping south and winning

2  Jungle Warfare   on the improve and seems likely to get a nice mid pack ground saving trip at least thru turn one......and that folks is more than 1/2 the battle

8  Major Cabbie

10  Lomu

12  Overdue

 

race 6    average clarity

9  Posterize  early speed keeps improving and now he adds blinkers......should really fly today.......that and his lifetime best was run turf to dirt which is the case today

3  Melbo   work regiment for this gelding hints he is meant and ready for his MSW debut......and he might go off a price as his jock is 0 for 94 in 2019 and his trainer is 0 for his last 18 with MSW 1st timers......come on Alonso

6  Big Barrel   2 of his 3 dirt races when the rider doesn't fall off fit fine here......last was poor but gets a 7 week break to recover.......not sure if he is up to the task but he should have a shot at the circle of joy if he is

8  Play Money

10  Satchel Paige

 

race 7    average clarity

4  Silken Spy   loose on the lead with a very soft pace led to an easy 5 1/4 length win in this girl's latest which was also at SA in a one mile grass race........likely feeling great coming off of such a stress free race........we shall see if that is so at about 3 PM pacific time

9  A Walk in the Park   very solid history racing at today's one mile turf distance......as in (4 2 1 0 1) and in the 4th place finish she was only beaten by 3/4 of a length for the win.......away since last fall but seems wound up and ready to roll in her return to the race wars

1  Peter's Kitten   rather smooth running individual since Sadler took over the training.........she gets a good post to work with and retains Prat......mostly ranked as 3rd choice as she flattens out late in her races owning zero wins and four 2nds in 6 turf races

5  An Eddie Surprise

6  Qafilah

 

race 8    average clarity

3  Principe Carlo  (6 3 3 0) in his last 6 sprint races and he fired his best ever in his latest running 3 wide up on a strong set of fractions and still managed 2nd in a $200K Cal bred Stakes......seems likely to get a dream trip stalking our 3rd selection and a G3 that lacks speed

2  Sparky Ville   might need her best ever which was run 2 back (also at 7F) on an off track at Santa Anita.......if she can run as well on a fast track she has a solid shot at snatching the top prize in this Grade 2 extended sprint

1  Mucho Gusto   rated too low if I am all wet about this observation - somewhat unimpressive a.m. work on the now deeper dirt at Santa Anita for a Baffert horse getting ready for a Graded race

 

race 9    average clarity

11  Call You Tomorrow   sure hope this laid up colt can run as well in his 2nd lifetime race on a fast track as he ran in his MSW debut on an off track.......in that debut he dueled in a hot pace on a dull inside in a fast heat of MSW runners on April 6th at SA.........trainer has had a poor 2019 but might jump start things here

14  Next Generation   Richard Mandella and his owners likely realize they will lose this $235K purchase this afternoon as she is in a MC30K for her 2nd lifetime start.........so they sure appear to have their colt wound up and ready to roll with some very strong a.m. work........that and they don't mess around getting Prat to ride

2  Fortnite Dance   likely needs a really good trip to win and might get it here stalking 2 or 3 horses ahead of him saving sound ground while doing so.....trainer should be hungry for a win at SA where he is 1 for 41 for the meeting

4  Golden Image

9  King Charlie

12  Muscle Head

 

race 10    average clarity

2  Miss Hot Legs   many strong works for this Callaghan 1st time starter who is decently bred to handle the turf......trainer sure is having a fabulous 2019 winning 39% of the time......might add a couple of points to that win % here

1  Lucky Peridot   Peter Miller knows how to win turf sprint races and that includes with his MSW debut runners........works are good and so is the grass breeding for this filly.......mom has tossed 5 winners from 5 starters and three of them were able to win on the grass

4  Kiana's Love   another MSW 1st timer who appears ready for his debut......shows hints that she might have some early gas.......like her last gate work........and speed jock Maldonado is up and he seldom rides for the D'A.........hmmmm

6  Barbadolla

3  Super Bunny

 

 

 

Posted on May 18, 2019 at 8:48 am by richs · Permalink
In: Free Information, Selections