# 3 Book Review (Morning Line 7-5) three starts back won a state-restricted listed stakes at Belmont Park at today's distance by a comfortable four and a half lengths. While the competition in that event wasn't much, the speed figure Book Review earned (whether you're using Brisnet's calculations or the Beyers provided by DRF) tops anything any of the other fillies in today's race have ever posted for a mile and a sixteenth. In Book Review's last race (her first start over the Santa Anita surface and her first start for Trainer Bob Baffert) she won the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes; but since The La Brea was only seven furlongs in length, Book Review will get the full five pound allowance today, and will carry only 118 pounds.
# 2 Lady of Fifty (ML 6-5) was the winner of the Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap at Hollywood Park in her last start. Two starts back she won the Palm Springs Handicap over this Santa Anita main track. Lady of Fifty will carry top weight in today's field of 123 pounds. She is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who trained Fleet Lady to victory in this event in 1998 (TRIVIA QUESTION: Which trainers have won the La Canada the most times? Answer below.) Like Book Review, Lady of Fifty is undefeated at today's distance.
# 5 Ubelongtomemissy (ML 15-1) will be making her first start today for Trainer John Sadler. It took Ubelongtomemissy six starts to garner her first career victory, and that only after dropping into the Maiden Claiming ranks. While Sadler does exceptionally well with horses his first time with (approximately 25% winners, with a positive ROI), it's fair to say that Ubelongtomemissy is outclassed in this field.
# 6 More Chocolate (ML 9-2) is Sadler's other entry in today's contest. More Chocolate will be making her first start today while not on some California grass; but her works over the Santa Anita main track (especially the bullet at six furlongs on January 14) would indicate that surface change should not be a problem. Jockey Garrett Gomez gets the mount today; note that Sadler and Gomez teamed up to win this event back in 2008 with Dawn After Dawn.
# 1 Open Water (ML 10-1) was sired by Include, who also sired the winner of last year's running of The La Canada, Include Me Out. While Open Water is winless in stakes company, she has finished in the money four times in Grade 1 and Grade 2 events, including taking the Place behind Lady of Fifty in the Bayakoa.
# 4 Willa B Awesome (ML 8-1) has been out of the Exacta just once in her four career starts at Santa Anita, and just once in her five career starts on a fast dirt track. The last time Willa B Awesome raced eight and a half furlongs on the main track at Santa Anita, she won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks at 13.6-1. The last time prior to that Willa B Awesome raced eight and a half furlongs on the main track at Santa Anita, she won the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at 11.1-1.
Lady of Fifty and Book Review should both attract a significant amount of the wagering dollars in today's race; and rightly so, as they are the top contenders in this field. But my selection here is Willa B Awesome. She likes this track; she likes this surface; she has back class; and she has shown the ability to win graded stakes at long odds. That's a lot of positives for a horse whose Morning Line odds are greater than the field size.
Post time for the La Canada is 3:35 PST; 6:35 EST. Good luck to all.
ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION: The trainers who have won the La Canada the most times are D Wayne Lukas (Lady's Secret in 1986; Family Style in 1987; Spain in 2001) and John Shirreffs (Manistique in 1999; Tarlow in 2005; Life Is Sweet in 2009) with three wins apiece.
Peace and Love,
Jimbo
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