
Santa Anita for Saturday 20 March 2021
Purchase for our special publication covering the Stakes races carded for Florida Derby Day at Gulfstream Park (9 Stakes races last year) on March 27th is now available. As in the past the selections will be sent in your email Friday afternoon at approximately 5 p.m. central.
Best of luck as always!
race 1 average clarity
1 Sweet Sonny trainer seldom steps a given horse multiple levels so Kornier must really like what he sees......last race was run on 9 Jan on the dirt and the effort is better than it appears in print as this filly set the pace on a dull rail and predictably tired.......7 works since the race.......might be better on the turf......gets in light......speed of the speed
3 Lalic decent MC50K debut on the grass at 6 1/2F.........jock upgrade to Prat who has won 2 of his last 3 riding for Sadler.......filly cuts back in distance 1/2 furlong........hard not to like
2 New Drama
6 Predictable Tully
5 Chiquita Piquita
race 2 average clarity
2 None Above the Law despite being beaten by 17L in a Grade 2 the race still worked out to be par for today's much lower level and he likely needed the race to boot.......Prat stays put........1st time Lasix......better than par should be in the cards for today
1 Kennebec solid move forward in his latest racing with Lasix for the 1st time.......away two months but training up to snuff......blinkers on likely to keep this colt in the mix from the get go which he responded to last time out.......Prat takes our top choice but J J Hernadez will do just fine
4 Club Cal
race 3 average clarity
1 Armour Plate wide trip in his last or this six year old gelding could have won the 12 Feb version of this one mile race.......three nice reassurring works since.......Prat stays put and will be out to make amends........hasn't won since 2017 but the drought has a good chance at ending today
3 Hard Count likely needs a little more than his latest and two solid works since his last hint he might provide it.......that and he gets a grass jock upgrade to Rispoli.........he was beaten by our top choice on 12 Feb but he has some shot to turn that tables on him this afternoon
7 Full Draw
6 Invictatatus
race 4 average clarity
3 Atomic Drop MSW debut's strength is disguised by being caught 3 deep close up to a hot pace.......he earned a Santucci fig that is par like for the MSW level.........two nice drills since.......he went off at 12 to 1 in his debut so he might not have been fully cranked up.......if that is so lookout today
4 Thrive this fellow was our top choice in his MSW debut and he ran a decent race.......blinkers on today likely to get him to sit closer in the early stages.......sharp recent 4F drill supports the notion.......red hot Prat stays put
5 I'll Stand Taller
race 5 average clarity
5 Oscar Dominquez eight year old is better than his his record indicates at 12 furlongs of turf (tuff trips and/or no pace to run at)........but maybe more improtantly is he ever working exceptionally well of late......that and when Baltas legs up Gutierrez these days good things happen as in 6 wins and 2 more in the money with their last 10 starts over the last two months
3 Ward 'n Jerry (3 1 0 1) at today's marathon distance and he retains the red hot Flavien Prat.......but overall he does not have as good of numbers at the 12F distance as our top choice and when he ran his best 12F number he lost to our top choice on 1 Dec 19......still it is hard not to like his chances
2 Red King
7 Tartini
1 Lure Him In
race 6 average clarity
5 Zorich wide trip in his latest but he still managed to put in a strong stretch run to earned a better than par for the level effort........sprint-sprint-route maneuver today and that is one of the trainers better stats
3 Robin's Legend quite the team in Hanson/Ellingwood as in three wins and four others in the money with a dozen starts as a combo.........like last race this three year old should be in the mix from the get go and with only 111 lbs on his back he might not quit running in the late stages like some of the other speed will do in this affair
2 Street Behavior
6 Brazilian Summer
1 Czechmight
race 7 above average clarity
3 United fabulous preparatory drills for today's Grade 3 put into this six year old by R Mandella........last five starts at SA and all with today's rider Prat aboard (5 3 1 1)........and.........all were run at the Grade 1 or Grade 2 level.......Grade 3 today......should be one tough cookie
4 Say the Word big Grade 1 win three races back at WO in a 12 furlong grass race on October 18th......switched trainers for his next start and under the guidance of D'Amato he nearly broke the 12 furlong turf track record at Del Mar running a fast closing one beaten length 3rd.......then he got a brutal trip in a big Grade 1 at GP (toss it out)........money Mike Smith gets the mount for the 1st time........hard not to like
2 Masteroffoxhounds
race 8 average clarity
4 Fratelli Miller claim back ran his lifetime best the only time Miller had him which was on 25 September 20 and he ran the race 2nd out after a two month break.......same scenario today........high in demand Prat rides thru the claim.......hard not to like
1 Wilson Monk nice MSW debut winning effort and he earned a number that fits fine at today's higher level........that and he is an off pace runner in a field with enough speed signed up to flatter his running style........hot trainer in the D'A.......dangerous sort
3 El Diablo
7 See Through It
race 9 below average clarity
5 No Foolery Here decent race in his debut with no action on the board for this Baltas MSW 1st timer especially considering Prat took the mount.......believe he wasn't fully cranked up.........works since are improved........trainer is 7 for his last 19 2nd time grass race.......plenty to like
10 Eagle Chief all three lifetime turf sprint races are decent and his pedigree seems better for the turf route than a turf sprint........1st time Rispoli........10 post shouldn't be as big of a deal as it often is with the rails in (longer run to 1st turn) and a top turf rider up........dangerous sort
9 Hudson Ridge
11 Enough Nonsense
3 Airman
1 Man Friday