
Santa Anita for Sunday 31 October 2021
It has been a solid month of returns for The Racing Digest and we might add to the good times with a very good closing day card that of course has mandatory payoffs.
Next up is Del Mar who will race Wednesday and Thursday of the upcoming week; host the two-day Breeders’ Cup extravaganza on Friday & Saturday, then come back with a Sunday card. The following two weeks it will race Friday through Sunday, then for its final week it will race four days starting with an early card on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25.Â
Best of luck as always!
race 1Â Â average clarity
2 Big Strike  works sure are steady and plentiful and some of them put in are awfully good........that and mom has some decent stats as in 5 wins from 5 starters which include two turf winners and one Stakes winner.......decent bug girl in Pyfer when it comes to breaking well is aboard
4 Ready Jet Go  nothing special in 2 grass races as a two year old in August of 2020........but returns with the addition of Lasix and that is significant for a Peter Milller runner.......also this filly gets quite the rider upgrade for a grass race........three year old seems dangerous
6Â Bowl of Cherries
8Â Air Force Woman
5Â Va Va Voom
race 2Â Â above average clarity
6 Bristal Bayou  seems like a very good claim by Cerin of a filly who prefers the dirt yet has spent way too much time racing on the turf.......last two dirt races are much better than par for today's level of racing...........work regiment is impressive.........one of the trainer's go to guys in Desormeaux gets the call
2 Bye Bye Bertie  SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE powerful vault forward 1st out following the Powell claim in this mare's latest race.........Prat widely stays put.......big shot at the circle of joy if this gal doesn't regress following such a big effort
1Â Sadie Bluegrass
4Â Full of Grace
race 3Â Â above average clarity
2 Ready Soul  seems best at SA and of course also seems best with Prat up.......four year old just ran his lifetime best in his latest which was a Grade 2 where he was only beaten by 4 1/4L despite a bad ride by Johnny V........two very reassuring works since.......should be a tough cookie
3 Red Storm Risen  double barrel action from the DA as D'Amato also conditions our top choice.....jock upgrade today to Rispoli who should be able to work out a great trip saving ground thru turn one and sitting 1st, 2nd or 3rd down the back-stretch.......like our top choice his a.m. prowess hints he is doing well
1Â Evening Sun
race 4Â Â average clarity
4 Awake At Midnyte  filly sure appears well meant in her MSW debut for the hottest trainer on the grounds in Doug O'Neill........works are numerous and two of her gate works are very impressive.......feel strongly that this two year old has plenty of talent
8 Under the Stars Baffert MSW 1st timer is training like she owns some speed and Bob is using Prat who has won 5 of his last 10 mounts for the world class trainer.......filly sure is well-bred and she is a sibling to a multiple Graded Stakes winner and other runners of merit
1Â Adare Manor
5Â A Paycheque Smile
7Â Hot Tea
race 5Â Â average clarity
1 McWherter  four year old gelding is a perfect 2 for 2 racing at 6 furlongs on firm turf at SA.........he likes to have contact to the front end and this race lacks speed so with Maldonado up and blinkers on it seems highly likely that he gets the position in this race......such a deal
9 Mesut  gelding has been facing much better and would have been top choice if it wasn't for a race shape that doesn't aid his off pace running style......still.......number wise he sure stands out
2Â Swiss Swoo
8Â Ka'nah
4Â Johnny Podres
race 6Â Â average clarity
9 Queen of Love  filly seemingly needs ample time off between starts and did not get it in her latest start and ran "up the track".......she gets it today in the form of 8 weeks off........and her a.m. work is vastly improved......believe she mounts a rebound today and at a handsome price
8 B'esame Me Mucho  solid sprint race in this girl's 2nd lifetime start and 1st following the Yakteen claim where she put in a strong stretch run despite a wide trip........she earned a number that is 3L better than par........but her pedigree to handle her 1st at a route is not too hot......but then again maybe the 5 lbs weight break she gets in retaining Pyfer will help her get the 8F
3Â Dynamite Queen
6Â Medusa's Gaze
10Â Aristeia
race 7Â Â average clarity
5 Mongolian Mission  rather flat race when last seen on 22 August but Mike Maker has put 8 endurance works into her and legs up a better turf jock this afternoon......that and Maker is usually quite tough 2nd out following a claim which is the case this afternoon for this three year old filly
3 Momma Mocca  quite the trainer upgrade for this filly changing hands to Mullins.........and he legs up Rispoli who should work out a nice stalking ground saving stalking (or maybe even leading) trip.......would have considered top pick if this filly had a better pedigree to handle running as far as 9F
4 Floral Essence SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE
7 Witch Moon  the Halloween pick for many today (Dam is Magic Broomstick)
race 8Â Â average clarity
12 Handy Dandy  no action on the board for this Miller 2nd time starter (55 to 1) so you know that makes his debut nothing more than a gimme to drop and go at the MC50K level.......supporting the notion is that Frey was up for his debut and Prat is aboard today.......plenty of furlongs of work put in since his 4 September debut......seems like a full blown go today
8 Town Boy  seems like a decent claim by O'Neill and Victor Espinoza rides thru the claim.....like this colt's 1st two starts he should be in the mix from the get go.......and one has to respect that his red hot trainer moves him up a couple of MC levels
9Â Con On the Run
6Â Commissioner David
3 Curly Esa SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE
race 9Â Â average clarity
4 Go On  colt made quite the break thru in his last start (par for the course for O'Neill runners these days) graduating despite a slightly tardy start and getting blocked about 4L on the turn and stretch.....that and he acts as if an additional 1/2 furlong will be to his benefit
2 Vantastic  five year old has handled the SA hill grass course in the past and he appears awfully sharp in the a.m........last two races fit decently here ..........Prat looks like he took our 3rd choice but Rispoli will do just fine.......trainer could use a win and might get it here
6Â Mac Daddy Too
7Â Barraza
8Â Cotopaxi
race 10Â Â above average clarity
2 Subsconscious  on the improve with each and every start and this three year old ran one big number (both in real fig terms and adjusted fig terms) in his latest......if he runs similar today with a better trip he will win
8 Rock Your World  2 for 2 on the turf to start his career then he won the SA Derby beating a strong field including the Ky Derby winner.....the 2 bad races in a row but after that he woke up some.........Rispoli sure fits as he is (3 2 1 0) on this Sadler colt who might be best on the lawn.......we shall see if that is so today in race 10 the final race of the lucrative SA Fall Meeting
1Â Flashiest
4Â Hudson Ridge
3Â Zoffarelli