
Santa Anita for Sunday 17 May 2020
Our many high priced top picks over the last two days have run great but things could have turned out better with some better trips. The one that really hurt was the 2 horse in yesterday's 9th as our bomb had multiple points of trouble and still only lost by a neck as tons the best. Oh well.Â
Best of luck as always!
race 1Â Â average clarity
8 Lofty  crushed her foes in all three of her lifetime 5 1/2 furlong grass races........Santucci figs earned in her last 2 races are better than par for today's slightly tougher level........hard not to like
10 Querelle  no pace to close into in her race two back which was at today's distance and yet she still won........lifetime best in her next putting in an impressive late kick........Miller is one dangerous trainer with turf sprinters
2 Thriving  SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACEÂ
5Â Shines Her Light
3Â Nice Ice
race 2Â Â average clarity
3 Love Wins  very nice a.m. preparation that stands out here and for a trainer in Luis Mendez who often has them ready to roll in these early baby races.....easy to put as top pick-a-rue
4 Judy With Grace  Ron Ellis sure has changed is ways with first time starters.........whereas he almost always gave his 1sters a race or two he is just the opposite the last year or so and is quite dangerous with a 1st time starter........last preparatory work was out of the gate and sure looks good
1Â Miss Glorious
race 3Â Â below average clarity
1 Afternoon Heat  very consistent late running colt and for a trainer in Steve Knapp who sure is having one of his best year 6 month periods in a very long time.........Italian rider Rispoli wisely stays put.......Umberto is starting to ride the main track as well as the turf........like Prat he is one great addition to SA and likely gives the track a little bit more of Euro attention/players
6 Quick Finish  back to Van Dyke who has both lifetime wins on this gelding who is versatile.........six year old has won on the pace and off of the pace......believe that 6F is his best distance......last time he saw 6F was 9 races back and he won by 7L
7Â My Patience
3Â Conte Cavour
race 4Â Â average clarity
4 Lovely Finish  hard trying improving sort ran a race on 14 March when last seen that if she can repeat it would win this race........work tab suggests she has held form.......break clean and hold on 10 lbs. bug boy Mauro Donoe
10 Liberalism  both lifetime races run at two last summer for this filly fit well........work regiment suggests she is ready to roll for her 3rd start.......jock upgrade........hard not to like
5Â Noor Khan
2Â Ole Silver
9Â Sweet Regards
8Â Gemma Royal
race 5Â Â average clarity
6 Fravel  SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE very big grass race 2 back and the strength of the effort is disguised by a bad trip.........poor race in his latest but plenty of time off to right the ship......1st time gelding.......1st time Rispoli.........trainer R Mandella is having a strong 2020 with limited starters and teamed up with Rispoli for a turf win yesterday
7 I Am Innocent  went off at 21 to 1 in a six horse field which hints he might not have been fully cranked up........and yet he ran 2nd in a 6 furlong dirt race.......turf route today and his pedigree to handle one is good......lookout today as he likely is fully "cranked" today
9Â Bud Knight
8Â Tropical Terror
1Â Pour On the Cole
race 6Â Â average clarity
7 Collusion Illusion  Glatt is firing on all cylinders at the moment and the works for this laid up colt are as good as you ever see from a given Glatt runner.......when last seen this colt won a Grade 2 in his 2nd lifetime endeavor earning one strong number for an August two year old.........Prat is up and he's off to a great start at the "new" SA meeting
4 Rowayton  (4 2 1 0 1) in fast track sprint races and the 4th was in a Grade 1 at Saratoga where he only lost by a neck for the win......like our top choice his works suggest it's a go fresh off of the bench
3Â St. Joe Bay
5Â Tiger Dad
race 7Â Â average clarity
6 Classy Ruler  very impressive 1st at a route two back earning a strong "real" number and an adjusted for trip fig that is off the charts.........likely bounced (hate the over used word but I have to use it here) in her last.......8 weeks off to get his mojo back.......Smith stays put as he likely sees the potential for a Stakes winner in the future
1 Sweet Devil  nice forward move in her 2nd lifetime start and 1st at a route.........cut back in distance should give this filly plenty of endurance to finish well.......1st on the dirt but McCarthy is often at his most dangerous with the turf to dirt move
3Â Crystal Ball
5Â Madison Parc
8Â Saving Sophie
race 8Â Â average clarity
5 Bellafina  not the best of gate horses but it usually doesn't matter when she races on the Santa Anita surface which she loves......toss last at OP as she had a bad trip......big bullet 4F work at SA since the OP race......Prat back aboard after being absent for a few races.....trainer is often at his most dangerous 2nd out following a break
6 Artistic Diva  like our top pick she tossed a clunker shipping into OP......back home and the last 4 preparatory works she put in are impressive..........2 for 2 at 6F and the 6F run at SA was very strong albeit in 2017
1Â Fighting Mad
8Â Hang a Star
2Â First Star
race 9Â Â average clarity
1 Lucky Ms Jones  tepid top choice drops to a level she should have a shot at the circle of joy after 8 straight races where she did not have much of one........works hint she has held form........good post and an adequate turf jock.......the D'A is very dangerous 1st time in claiming with a given horse
7 Harper's Gallop  a monumental jock upgrade especially for a turf race........trainer has been ice cold for a very long time but has a shot at jump starting things here with this route speed turf filly
6Â Social Graces
10Â Suto
9Â Kleen Karma
8Â Sabinos Pride
race 10Â Â average clarity
1 Lambeau  all three lifetime dirt route races are quite a bit better than par when you adjust for pace and position especially the two that were run at SA.......7 Feb race - slight tardy start and then had to deal with a nasty set of fractions......... Mar 6 race - he was on a dead rail and did extremely well to be in the money in both......1st time Mike Smith......such a deal
2 Winning Element  (9 5 3 1) over last 9 starts and the last two races both wins are quite a bit better than par for the nw alw......Prat was up for both races and stays up this afternoon.......he should get a nice grounding saving stalk position at least thru turn......hard not to like with the way Ryan Hanson is getting the job done in 2020
5Â Kiss Today Goodbye
3Â Unbroken Star
8Â Swamp Souffle