Santa Anita Park Opening Day

         

                Santa Anita Park

Welcome Fans as Santa Anita unveils its brand new natural dirt track. This is the 74th opening day of the winter/spring meet at Santa Anita. As you know Santa Anita did not host the Oak Tree Racing Association's annual fall meet for the first time since 1969. The track has been dark since April 18th. We will see how this track is........ A speed bias I expect with a fair balance track for closers. Remember check out the trainers who get hot...... and see if there is a speed bias or pace bias advantage on the new surface. Welcome back Santa Anita and have a great meet. Great Value Bet "The Pick Three's"....... good pay-offs Today!





Race 1     One Mile Sixteenth Claimer 10K

Capture The Call looks scary with a race under his belt. He did show speed at a higher claiming level. Terry Knight is the trainer who drops this one for the money run! Skellytown at seven looks to still have some run in him. He has earned more money in this field then his rivals. He will try to make his final closing kick at the top of the lane. Troubletimesthree was claimed for $10K last summer at Del Mar. Dean Greenman can flat out get them to run. He adds the blinkers today which just might be the key for him to run a respectable race. He also get the 5 pounds off in weight. I expect he will be more near the pace because of the addition of blinkers.

 1. Capture The Call  2. Streets Of Heaven 3. SkellyTown

    Troubletimesthree  Longshot Look!




Race 2     Six Furlongs Maiden 30K

The pace scenario looks to have the coupled horses Mi Marino and Fuerte Royal contesting the lead at the quarter and half mile pole. Both are contenders. Swiss Hero will likely sit right off the pace. It's now or never for Swiss Hero. He is starting to looks like the classic hanger down the lane. Rockin Harbor gets the rail and has the highest speed figure in the field. This 2 year old gelding has the win early pedigree. He ran into a buzz saw his last race with Make It Cozy. He shortens up to an ideal distance. Two horse  coming off a short lay off that look live are Warren's King Kong who if the speed melts down will reel in the speed at the stretch. Ultimate Question has run races that puts him right in the mix. He got smoked by Dime two races back. He is trained by Art Sherman who is a cagey trainer who usually has them fit and ready to rock and roll. Beware of the Harris Farm horse..............Brite Red Reason who should improve big time with a race under his belt and a drop in class.


 1. Brite Red Reason  2. Rockin Harbor  3. Fuerte Royal



Race 3     One Mile Turf  Starter Allowance

On past performance Valley Cat and No Stadium at this condition and at Hollywood finished second and third. Both look like players for a win!  Beware of Jones Brother the new face for Jerry Hoffendorfer who has run on turf at Calder looks live!

    1. No Stadium  2. Valley Cat  3. Jones Brother

     Lucky Fitz  Longshot look!

Race 4     Six Furlongs Maiden Special

Welcome to the West....... Steven Asmussen who has Houston Harbor. A two year old son of Rockport Harbor has the highest speed figure in the field. No mortal lock but a contender to win. Check out his last workout at Santa Anita! This is a salty tough race and Bob Baffert sends out The Factor. He stalked the pace in his debut and was one lenght and a quarter behind Eric The Ram. I checked out his debut again. The Factor did have some trouble getting thru the traffic and had to swing out wide. He did do his best running late down the stretch. Beware of The Factor. Bob Baffert looks to have him cranked up a ready for a smasher. Eric The Ram has the edge in racing experience and blew the start his last race. Ransom Demand gets off the turf and his debut was respectable. He adds the blinkers for Ransom Demand which should make him more focus down the lane. As for first time starter John Saler sends out a Candy Ride colt with Gomez in the irons and solid strong workouts...... Beware! Ron Ellis gets the leading rider on this circuit Joel Rosario with Hope And Believe...... looks live to me!

    1. The Factor  2. Hope And Believe 3. Houston Harbor   
       The other Candy Ride horse looks live here!

Race 5     Seven Furlongs 2 yr. old Stakes

The pace scenario looks to have Arresting Officier on the lead. He exits a tough maiden win at Oak Tree. He has tactical speed and can sit right off the pace if need be. He was well bet in his debut. He comes in fresh with a solid work out tab! Moreover, he toyed with his rivals on October 30th and was much the best. Arresting Officer was a eye catching winner and steps up to stakes company. One caveat is that he is the least-experienced horse .......His main rival I think might be Contemplated who comes back to statebred company after finishing 4th in the Hollywood Prevue. Woodman's Luck ran third in the California Cup Juvenile............. I expect at this level he will outrun his odds. Remember and do not sell short both 31street who defeated maidens after getting second to Arresting Officier in his debut. And Gab Power who ran with Comma To The Top and got a respectable 4th on the turf. This to me is wide open if Arresting Officier........ has a kink in his armour.

  1. Arresting Officier  2. Contemplated  3.ThirtyoneStreet

    Gab Power Longshot look



Race 6     Seven Furlongs La Brea Stakes

A quality field of 13 in the seven furlong La Brea Stakes race on the main track.

1. Pica Slew..... a daughter of Pico Central and trained by John Shirreffs. He has the hat trick winning three in a row at Calder.  It is hard to get a handle on how good she is. I expect she is better then her last race at New York with the elite. She was hammered down that day by the rich. The speed monkeys might bet this one on her speed figures!


2. Tornado Betty........blinkers go on today..... P-Val will get her in the mix early. On past performance she looks out-class......... Cerin will run most any horse if he thinks might have a shot.  A minor award if any here!.. The owners are calling the shots.....

3. Switch...... put a scare into Zenyatta in the Oak Tree Secret Stakes and is coming off a respectable second to the talented Dubai Majesty in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup for filly and mares. The horse to beat with other's!

4. Patriotic Viva..... She started to climb the class ladder quickly. She is a pure sprinter with good speed numbers to match.. She is not out of the realm of a win but I expect she needs her A game to win this race. Mike Smith is a plus!

5. La Nez...... A talented filly and if she has her A game on...she can be very dangerous......but there are other's in this field that scare me........and she is not one of them!

6. It Tiz........ Her third race after a short lay off..... She does not put the fear in me for a win........... I'm siding with others.

7. Malibu Pier..... She is trained by Carla Gaines and Go-Go takes the call. She does scare me because she can become a special talented filly when she matures....... A contender for a win....... do not dismiss this filly for a upset win! She should love the distance and can sit off the pace and have a killer closing kick.......... It's her call if she has maturity to climb this class ladder today........lot's to love about her for a win. She gets the acid test in class. She has never faced this company before.

8. Hard Way Ten........ She has been freshen up for Richard Mandella....... She looks scary because she has the talent with the pedigree to be special. She is a better sprinter then router.......and this distance is right up her alley.


9. Always A Princess....A Grade 2 winner for Bob Baffert.  She won the Indiana Oaks on a muddy track.  Her last race was a disastrous when she almost fell to her knee's at the start. She has gas and I expect she will most likely show her best performance today. A Major Player to win this race. Rafael Bejarano is a plus!


10. Shotgun Gulch........ First, she has talent because she looks like a gamer down the lane. She will be overlooked by the public because of the class of rivals she has faced. Do not be fooled......... she needs her best!


11. Champagne D'Oro.... A two time Grade 1 winner! She has a series of wins that makes her one of the horses to fear. She can wire this field or sit back and make a run at the top of the stretch. She is not a single but you must include her in your tickets.


12. Arte Viva........... She gets the Kool Aid Acid Test today in speed numbers and class........... minor award if any!


13. Bonnie Blue Flag.... trained by Bob Baffert ran 4th in the Cotillion Stakes at Philly Park. He was beaten that day by Champagne d 'Oro....... Corey takes the call. He does have the extreme outside post position. Not a user friendly postition.


      1. Switch  2. Champagne D'Oro 3. Always A Princess

       Malibu Pier........


Race 7     One Mile Turf Sir Beaufort Stakes

The turf feature is the One Mile Sir Beaufort Stakes Race for 3 year olds.

1. Blue Panis'........ a Blue blood from Paris shortens up in distance and has a great asset....... and that is speed. He was the rabbit in the Oak Tree Derby and was bumped in mid-stretch and faded!


2. Nextdoorneighbor..... blinkers go off...... for Michael and Victor takes the call for this first time turf starter. I'm siding with others.....remember he was second to Alcindor..... he has talent and the distance is ideal!

3. Bogie trained by Paddy Gallagher is coming back off a good finish at Hollywood in June. That day he was the favorite and flew by at the wire to come up a foot short. Garrett Gomez takes the call.

4. Sebastian Flyer....... had a troubled trip in the Hollywood Derby when he was in tight at the start of the race then was forced to steady at the eighth pole. He just need a few more feet and he would have won that race. Ben Cecil trains and the call goes to Julien Leparoux. He has a deadly closing kick down the lane. He is going for his second win in the States....... A Major Contender if Sidney's Candy does not fire!




5. Sidney's Candy making his first start since the Breeders Cup mile. He had a valid excuse in the Breeders' Cup because he was off for 3 months and needed a race. He was entered in the Oak Tree Mile but was scratch because of his pending sale....... which looks like that fell by the wayside.




6. Indian Firewater looked great coming back and winning the Hollywood Nashville Stakes on the cushion track. The son of  Indian Charlie is trained by Bob Baffert. He makes his turf debut today! He has finished in the money in all of his races in 2010..... Beware!




7. Stephen's Got Hope....... has excellent pedigree and gets the acid test in class......

8. Make Music For Me.....remember he finished 4th in the Kentucky Derby..........His second race after a lay off. He gets a new jockey as Joel Rosario goes to Sidney's Candy. Mike Smith takes the call. I like him here!



9. Accelerant........love the jockey ....... Don Warren trains this colt...... light on speed numbers but take note of the excellent pedigree....... I will follow this one!


    1. Sidney's Candy  2. Indian Firewater




Race 8     Malibu Seven Furlongs

The traditional feature race at Santa Anita is the Malibu Grade 1 stakes for 3 year olds going seven furlongs on the main track.

1. Paris Vegas a talented colt by Maria's Mon who looked good at Hollywood flying at the wire after a bad start to get up in time to finish second. This is a elongated sprint which is fine with him. He needs to break cleanly and fast from the rail to win this!

2. Alcindor by Unbridled's Song that has cost a cool million and change to buy as a yearly two year old. A budding star for Bob Baffert. He has long strides coupled with blazing speed. A winner in his debut he then smoked a first level allowance foes and earned a big speed figure...... Beware he ran a half mile in .44.....

3. Theskyhasnolimit.......trained by Steven Asummen ran second to Concord Point. He ran second to Lookin For Lucky. He has talent and has tactical speed which he shortens up today in distance. His pedigree Sky Mesa is excellent for this elongated sprint. Check out his last three workouts....... He gets Gomez and will most likely to overlook for a win! A contender. His best effort was a second in the Indiana Derby........ a muddy track. He is bred for a wet track and has proven that he is a contender over these conditions before.


4. Caracortado  trained by Michael Machowsky a talent Cal Bred who wins races. He has beaten Evening Jewel and beaten  Alphie's Bet when he was fit! He has won 6 races out of nine........ Remember he was a Kentucky Derby hopeful last year. He wants a fast pace in this race........ front runners Smiling Tiger and Alcindor so it will set up by a horse coming off the lead...... a closer with a killer kick.




5. Noble's Promise a Grade 1 winner by Cuvee won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He almost won the Hollywood Futurity. He should relish the distance for trainer Ken Mcpeek. He should have a great trip from off the pace. Jockey Julien L........ isn't coming here if he did not think he could win this race! As I stated above he is a talented classy runner who looked awesome in the Breeders' Cup race....... has been given some time off with solid workouts at Gulfstream Park. The distance is right up his alley..... Tab him for a big time performance with a field of salty talented performers! Beware he can win this race at good solid odds!


6. Setuko..... Trained by one of the best... Richard Mandella and Alex Solis comes back to ride this stone cold closer. He shortens up in distance. Remember he beat Lookin at Lucky at this track. Please remember that he was a Kentucky Derby hopeful last year. He wants a fast pace to run at! He has not raced since April......but he shortens up in distance and has a series of solid drills for his comebacker today. As Mandella has stated " Do not sell this guy short."

7. Don Tito is trained by John Sadler and P-Val takes the call. Sadler has two entries..... and the other horse is the favorite....... how many times have you seen when a trainer who has 2 horses in a race and the horse that does not figure in the race runs a big one......... well this is the other colt!

8. Thomas Baines.... trained by Doug O'Neil and Martin Pedroza rides...... I was disappointed with his last race where Indian Firewater smoked this cat......... I do not see it.

9. Twirling Candy........... I read in the DRF that Twirling Candy galloped out in a minute and two-fifths...."It was beautiful to watch." I love his crusing speed. He can stalk the pace and then pounce on the leaders. His first real test on dirt. With a few much needed months for John Sadler he should be more maturity and he might just come back a freak! Remember how he smoked the field in the Del Mar Derby. In the Goodwood on synthetic he looked like a different horse in fading to fourth. I expect a more polish mature horse today then we saw in the Goodwood Stakes.

10. Our Minesweeper....... trained by a old cagey trainer and Blanc rides....... third race off a lay off is the best point I could make......... I do not see this guy hitting the board.

11. Smiling Tiger ....Hold That Tiger gets his own age group. He has won two Grade 2 Stakes against older rivals. He looked awesome winning at Del Mar on the synthetic track. He was a close up third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint on dirt. He is training at Golden Gate and Russell Baze comes down to ride. He has pure speed and tactical speed if need be...... He draws outside which gives Baze the option to sit right off the speed and then make his move!

The pace scenario might have Twirling Candy on the lead. He has won going  nine furlongs at Del Mar. He should get seven furlongs. Noble's Promise should have a great trip in post position 5. This race has no real early speed except Twirling Candy and Smiling Tiger and of course Alcindor!

  1. Twirling Candy 2. Alcindor  3. Smiling Tiger

    Noble's Promise  / Setuko



Race 9     Six Furlongs Maiden Claimer 20K

Gifted Student trained by Eddie Truman takes a much needed class drop and catches a weak field in this maiden claimers today. Rafael Bejarano and Eddie Truman have been a dangerous team in the past. He looks live to me! Another deadly trainer and jockey team for years has been Vienna and David Flores......... they team up together with a first time starter........Our Last Monte.......Beware!


    1. Gifted Student   2. Our Last Monte