FRIDAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

                     


                             SANTA ANITA PARK

RUMOR BY DAVID MORANT

Race 1


The opening race is a age restricted sprint for the claiming price of $50K. The line up includes:

1. Lime Rock Revenge has the pedigree of stakes winner Silver On Silver. This three year old is trained by Doug O'Neil. He looked good beating up on $40K maidens at Hollywood last summer. Check out his fast work out tab. A player if he clears from the rail.

2. Luckarack......This Pulpits colt started off his career with three straight wins. Do not take lightly and merits respect for trainer Jeff Mullins. He drops down in class after facing much better company on the turf going two turns. He cuts back in distance with the stalking style that plays favorable at this distance. Fast workout on March 31st.

3. First Strike is a Vindication colt trained by Tim Yakteen and ridden by Bejarano. He is shipping down from Golden Gate Fields. He won at first asking on synthetic surface then ran third on starter allowance starter. He switches barns for his first start on dirt.

4. Chinese Praise trained by Peter Miller with Pedroza in the irons. He is making his first start on the West Coast. He broke his maiden on a wet track then won again by three lengths in New Oreleans. He is the even money favorite.

5. Montellano  just might be the speed of this race. Speed is deadly if left unchecked on the front end. He merits respect on the outside post. He won on this track against Runaway Wildcat won came back and won last week. On March 10th he finished a very close second to Runaway Wildcat again. He has a excellent blowout on April 5th..... four furlongs in :46.


    1. Montellano  2.Luckarack 3. Chinese Praise

Race 2

The bottom level route maiden races with no speed except Wicked Trip. Wicked Trip will be out on the front end trying to hang on. Sexy Melody who is in this race has beat up in her two tries. Dancing Tiger drops in class having faced state restricted maiden special weight company. She has been training smartly for Mark Glatt. She looks spotted for action with David Flores re-riding her. One Game Dude trained by the leading trainer Bob Baffert and Martin rides. One race does not make a career but she has modest works and the rail. Giveupforthelady makes the scary drop from open maiden company. James Cassidy trains this new face at the bottom level. She just might outrun her odds.

   1. Dancing Tiger  2. Sexy Melody  3. Wicked Trip



Race 3

A wide open one mile maiden turf race is the third race on todays card.

1. Tashzara from Ireland merits respect as she is the one to fear. But having said this she gets second to many times for my taste.... five out of eight races with two thirds. The good news is she has been freshen up for this and lures Bejarano to ride.... All systems indicate a Go!

2. Great Passion is bred top to bottom for trainer Richard Mandella. This is her first turf race and remember she is kin to turf winner Champ Pegasus........beware!

3. Last Sting will be over-looked by the public because she is moving in class. Her first debut at Gulfstream Park was excellent! She trailed early then flew at the top of the stretch finishing full of run. She switches today to the John Sadler barn.... do not under-estimate.

4. Mutually Benefit exits the same race as Tashzara. She ran third as today's rival ran second. She has been freshened up for this race. Check out her last two works. Looks like she is fit to rock and roll here.

5. So She Dances exits a highly regarded maiden race. This daughter of Tiznow needs racing room to show her turn of foot. A Player on her best day.

6. Haleigh's Moment has been off since Hollywood Park. This daughter of Thunder Gulch has some good works in her tank. Her first race was respectable only geting beat by three lengths. Check it out she did have a somewhat troubled start at the gate. I love her odds at 20 to 1. No Throw-out here!

7. Roxanne O merits respect because of her turf pedigree with Ghost Five who has three wins on turf. One race does not make a career............ and she should move forward with a race under her belt. The deadly trio of Moss and Shirreffs and Smith make this four year old by Rock Hard Ten a contender.

     1. Great Passion  2. Tashzara  3. Mutually Benefit


Race 4

This might be one of the hardest races on todays card. Every horse in this field has a shot to win this sprint race for the claiming price of 16K dollars. I love how You Can Dream dropped down to a ten thousand dollar claimer and won. She switches back to the main track at a level she can win at. Flashy Traveler merits respect after winning at the $12K level on Feb. 10th. She takes a slight drop in class. She needs to catch the speed with looks to be Fairway Road trained by Mike Mitchell. She is a main threat to win this after pressing a fast pace at a higher claiming level. Angels' Share is a player as she switches to the main track while moving down in class. Look she has won on February 26th at the level of $25K. Church Avenue finished right behind her on Feb 26th. She drops with tactical speed. She has five wins to her record. River Glow beat two horses in this race Fairway Road and You Can Dream. She looks spotted for action today and is a contender!


    1. Angel's Share 
    2. River Glow 
    3. You Can Dream and Fairway Road...... wide open!!

 

Race 5

A $50K maiden claiming race on the turf going the distance of one mile. One Bad Romance adds the blinkers today. She is bred for the turf after two good dirt races for Mike Mitchell. She is a major contender here. Blue Grass Music gets off the down hill course and goes long for Proctor. She was steadlied in her last race. Team Builder switches back to the turf after a somewhat dull dirt race on March 18th. She'sawontontomato is bred for the turf. She moves up in class but do not disregard her in this spot. She has racing experience with a good turf pedigree and speed to make her a instant contender. Reddy Go Jaylo is trained by Mike Puype who has been hitting on all gears. She exits a key maiden race on turf on Feb 18th where in that race three horses have come back and won. Beware! Noverre's Vision from Ireland gets back to the turf after running up north. Minor Award if any! As with Dee's Dee Flight a longshot. Dominating Holiday cuts back in distance. She merits respect as a live longshot.

      1. Reddy Go Jaylo
      2. One Bad Romance
      3. She'sawontontomato





Race 6

Mensa Heat wins at a slightly lowel claiming level then today. Jack Carava hikes him up in class. He is fit and in form. Mayor Merv has not raced on two years. He is training lights out....... Baffert and Garcia... so beware of him coming back firing a big race. Western Smoke pressed the pace and has speed which suits him to run better this time around. A major contender with Talamo driving down at the wire. A Player! Lone Justice switches to the main track and drops in class for Bejarano who has won with him before. Dave's Pacemaker has five wins under his belt. AC trains and Berrio rides which warrants respect on the outside post. A threat to win!

    1. Mayor Merv  
    2. Western Smoke 
    3. Mensa Heat/ Dave's Pacemaker

   

Race 7

1. Rumor is bred to go long and has the turf pedigree. She finished right behind Kilograme her last race. She is the fillies to beat!

2. Fifth Ave a new face from over the pond. She has run well with 2 wins two seconds and three thirds. She has been training solid for a trainer who sends out live imports James Cassidy and Mike Smith rides... a solid contender.

3. Forty Paces loses Bejarano to ride Rumor but remember she has won at this distance and on this surface before. She gets the acid test on class today~

4. Rosehill Drew warrants respect....... from France who last year beat 15 horses then finished second on October 1st. She makes her US debut.

5. Teroda is a tough cookie who ran third to So Belle who finish third last weekend in the Grade two Providencial. A player!

6. Up In Time should move forward after her fifth place finish in the China Doll on March 11th.

      1. Rumor 
      2. Rosehill Drew 
      3. Teroda/ Fifth Ave.


Race 8

A seven furlong maiden race at the very bottom level. Wild Cat Lore has one thing going for her......... speed and a drop to the bottom. She merits respect at this level. But P-Val jumps off for another. I picked Coastal Cathy to hit the board her last start. She did at odds of 38 to 1. Today her odds will be alot lower. Nip Of Gold has blue blood pedigree by Formal Gold. She should move forward. Louisa L. K. cuts back in distance after showing speed routing.......... She is trained by James Cassidy....... I like her odds today and sprint to route angle. The Great Bernardine has the most racing experience of this group. The knock on GB is the fact that this is her 23rd start without breaking her maiden. As for first time starters Dawngonegold a daughter of Formal Gold looks like she needs a race. But Golden Tranquility has the looks of a live first time starter.

    1. Coastal Cathy  2. Louisa LK 3. Wildcat Lore