FRIDAY AT SANTA ANITA

                          HAPPY NEW YEAR'S

Race 1     One Mile Sixteenth Maiden 30K

On paper it looks like Long Legged Lovely who got beat by Zippin E her last race will set the pace. Good Friday Gal who puts on blinkers for the first time today adds fuel to the pace. Both are big time players in this route race.  Pegastorm might pick up the pieces if the speed melts down. Ancient Holiday adds blinkers today. Cho is hitting at 43% with first time blinkers and first time Lasix........ Beware of this filly off the long lay off and the additional equipment changes......like lasix and blinkers! Most of these fillies have the look of slow podders to me!

   1. Ancient Holiday


Race 2     Six Half Furlongs Turf Claimer 35K

A contentious race on the turf:

1. Trumpet Player Jay named after quess who..... Jay Cohen. The pedigree suggests turf but has only a third after six tries on the turf.  A closer with Joel Rosario riding will be well backed by the betting public.

2. Belongs To Gothman......... I like this one.... looks live with the morning line of 15 to 1....... He beat Gray Zula and other quality horses. This is his third race after a long lay off. The deadly trainer and jockey combo of Victor and Adam hook up. Lot's to like!

3. Brenthurst....... has been a hot in the claim box by many trainers. Ted West trains this closer. He almost beat Spirit Of Cochise at Hollywood last May. He switches surfaces to the turf where he has won before. Beware! I like this horse in my pick three!

4. A Lil Dumaani........ exits a fast talented race last time out when he beat by Moonlark and Stoneside. Stoneside came back and won. He has run with Cost Of Freedom. Blinkers go on....... and Joel Rosario jumps off. A major contender!

5.Generalito Nain.......... trained by Vienna and his main man David Flores rides this new face from down south..... We saw what happened yesterday in the feature race when Princess wired the field........ He does take a major drop in class. It would not shock me to see this dude show up and run his race.

6. Sassou is one tough customer at this level. He wired a five furlongs sprint race at Hollywood. He will be on the lead! A Player if no one goes with him.

7. Dapper Gene........ a stone cold closer........ He will need some help with the pace...... so He can put his killer closing kick down the lane........ The horse I fear in this race to win.

8. Caught A Flyer......... the blinkers go off Today....... He has some gas........ but there seems to be speed signed up for this turf sprint....... Pass!

9. Stoneside...........weird the jockeys are playing musical chairs......... Gomez goes to number 4..... He is a player and can sit right off the pace and run down his rivals..... Lot's to Love about him.... A Major Player....... He gets second and third ......... more times then he wins........ that's my main conern with this dude!

   1. Dapper Gene  2. Belongs To Gothman 3. Brenthurst

Race 3     One Mile Eighth Claimer 12K

It's hard to trust any of these horses at this level and at this distance. The pace looks hot and contested on the front end with Southern Victory stretching out..... P-Val will sent him. Candy For Pasena with Bejarano who has been red hot and has had some live mounts at this meet will most likely be a rabbit with heart to stick around at the wire. Contender!  Dontmesaroundwitjim claimed for 16K drops....... and faces a easier group of rivals. He can sit right off the pace and make his final closing kick. A contender...... I like Martin Pedroza's horse trained by Doug O'Neil who has been lately a team that has won.... Take A Hard Look  with this pedigree should relish the distance. He has run some very good races at the maiden special weight condition. He was dropped to the bottom level of maidens and posted a good speed numbers flying at the wire to get third by a nose. He had a impossible outside post that day. I expect this Rock Hard Ten colt to relax having the speed horses burn up and he can make a winning closing kick today!

   1.Dontmesswjim 

  


Race 4     Blue Northern One Mile Turf

A Great turf race for two year old fillies going one mile. Tales In Excess tries the turf for the first time for Jerry Hoffendorfer...... the pedigree is bred for the turf. Her last race was with the superstar....Turbulent Descent.... enough said! She is the horse to beat in the Blue Northern. Her main rival is acouple of fillies........If Wave Of Applause can break fast out of the gate she has the pedigree to be a very nice filly. She will be overbet! Beware of the new jockey coming from Europe...... Winston..... this filly Scantily Clad does have racing experience sprinting...... and is stretching out to two turns for the first time. She has been off three months for Doug O' Neil but she has the look of a runner! True Way Of Grace drops in class and she also tries the turf for the first time. The distance is ideal for her if the pace is fast..... she is a stone cold closer! She will make one final run at the wire for Gomez. Art Sherman does excellent with horse going from dirt to turf......... Darling Ciana will close like True Way Of Grace....... hard to separate...... but I expect Tales In Excess to win this race.

   1.Tales In Excess 2.Wave Of Applause 3. Scantily Clad

Race 5     Six Furlongs Claimer 40K

Great tough race at this semi high price level of claimers sprinting. A very hard race to separate the contenders from the pretenders......Position A loves the track at Del Mar but elsewhere is 0 for 9..... At post time most likely will be the favorite..... Sea Rascal looks tough after having bounce his last race. Tab the switch in jockeys leads me to think he will run a big race in this spot. Lately it has been hard to go against Hoffendorfer and Bejarano.......This race has the look of a upset......and that might just be the old dude B R Remark........ has earned some oats ....... but has not won in  three years. Alonzo climbs aboard..... I can hear you guys laughing but...... this race looks suspect... I might play and I might pass..... I want to see what B R looks like before I play.......






Race 6     Six Furlongs Maiden Special Weight

Great race with some blue-bloods first time starters..... Rumor catches my eye right off the page....... Trained by Richard Mandella gets the hot Bejarano with long fast workouts. Bauble Queen catches my eye with her fast long work outs and excellent win early pedigree to make her a contender first time out for Eric Kruljac. Bob Baffert's filly Blazing Along.... check out her Dec. 10th workout....Wow.... one of the very best I have seen at the gate in some time....1:10 and change....... fast ....but Baffert works them at a blazing fast speed. Look ..who.. She almost beat her first race.. Riggioltta........ she looks fit and ready to roll if the first time starts need a race... Hey Maria showed promise and was well bet at Del Mar. Great filly maiden race!

    1. Blazing Along  2. Rumor  3.Hey Maria

    Bauble Queen


Race 7     Six Furlongs Optional Claimer

Beware of Separted Forest going wire to wire. She smoked the field on dirt up North. If she runs back to those speed numbers she is ready for a smasher..... Check out who is coming back here Summer Games with fast solid works.... Tab the Jockey...

   1. Summer Games  2. Separted Forest

   




Race 8     Eddie Logan One Mile Turf

Hard not to like the enty of Richard Mandella's colts Robbie The Cat and  Ten Devils. Both looked awesome winning there maiden race. Moment Of Weakness has the edge in racing experience.......and most likely the favorite at post time. He gave Comma To The Top a scare down the lane. I like OakCrest Ridge to outrun his odds.

  1. Moment Of Weakness 2.Robbie The Cat3. OakCrest R




Race 9     Six Furlongs Maiden 40K

 I love the pedigree of the first time starter the daughter of Pulpit and the dam of one of my favorite horses of all-time Afternoon Deelites........Lucky Timing has the look of a runner to me. The sire is one of the best win early sires in the country....... if she needs a race then Scott to Bejarano is the horse to fear. Benicia Beauty...... Taptap I'm Gone trained by one of the best trainers when it comes to get young horses fit and ready..... looms large as a contender. Seachi trained by Victor Garcia has been working long drills...... She has the look as a quality runner to me. Cee Tizzy fillies usually need a race under there belt to produce a winning effort. I expect major improvement! She needs to break fast....... with Corey in the irons....

    1. Suwaalif  2. Lucky Timing 3. Seachi