I trust that all of you are enjoying your three day weekend in the good old USA as we celebrate the birthday of Dr King. There was plenty of good racing throughout the country Saturday, with even more to follow today and tomorrow. After taking a look at Sunday's card at Santa Anita, I decided that my best play would be to take a swing at the Players' Pick Five. So with all that said, let's take a look at the first five races at Santa Anita today.
RACE 1 - (F) Clm $16k N3L - Six Furlongs Dirt
A's
# 4 Goldilocks Planet (Morning Line 8-5)
# 5 She's a Go Girl (Morning Line 5-2)
C's
None
Goldilocks Planet moves to the barn of Trainer Paul Aguirre, who gets approximately 13% winners his first time with a new runner. Goldilocks Planet also gains the services of Jockey Ignacio Puglisi, meaning that this will be the first race since her debut that she won't be ridden by an apprentice. If she can return to the form that she displayed two and three races back, when she earned Beyer Speed Figures of 72 and 74, Goldilocks Planet should win without problem.
So why not single Goldilocks Planet? Well, for one thing, she finished out of the money in both of her prior starts on a fast dirt track. The layoff is also a concern; this is Goldilocks Planet first start since October, and she exits a race in which she posted her lowest career Beyer. This is also the first time that Goldilocks Planet is running with a price tag on her head; not something you like to see from a horse returning from a layoff, especially one returning with new owners, as it suggests that the new owners have decided the best thing to do with their investment is to sell cheap to cut their losses.
She's a Go Girl projects to be the speed of the speed in this one. She's been running against open claimers, so this move to an event restricted to non-winners of three lifetime could give her the class relief that she needs. She's a Go Girl's conditioner, Adam Kitchingham, shows high marks in all the relevant trainer stats.
RACE 2 - (F) Md $35k- Eight Furlongs Dirt
A's
# 5 Browsing (ML 2-1)
# 6 Moonlight Stroll (ML 5-2)
C's
# 4 Raja's Rose (ML 12-1)
Had she not been scratched, # 1 Spinning Steel (ML 4-1) would have been a "C" selection.
Browsing returns to the Maiden Claiming ranks after trying her hand against state-bred non-claiming maidens last time out. This will be Browsing's first time around two turns; but her breeding (as expressed by her Tomlinson Rating for the distance) suggests that should be no problem. Moonlight Stroll enters this contest with the best last-out Beyer, and runs for Trainer Richard Baltas, who gets 30% winners when taking his runners from sprints to routes. Raja's Rose, the most experienced runner in this field, earned her best two career Beyers when running a mile or longer on a fast dirt track without wearing blinkers; the very same conditions under which she'll be competing today.
RACE 3 - (F) Md $50k- Six Furlongs Dirt
A's
# 5 Salsita (ML 8-5)
C's
# 4 Shared Image (ML 7-2)
Salsita makes the big drop today, going from Maiden Special Weights to Maiden Claiming. Salsita's two best career Beyers were earned in her two races over this main track. Shared Image has the best Tomlinson Rating for the distance in the field. Shared Image was sired by Rocky Bar, whose progeny win approximately 21% of their debuts.
RACE 4 - (F) Alw 40000s N2L - Six and a Half Furlongs Dirt
A's
# 3 Pearl de Vere (ML 7-2)
# 6 Zuzu's Petals (ML 2-1)
C's
# 1 Sidebar (ML 7-2)
# 4 Miranda Rose (ML 6-1)
# 7 Small Moves (ML 6-1)
Pearl de Vere earned her career best Beyer when she broke her maiden in her only career start over this main track. Pearl de Vere has finished in the money in three of her four career starts on a fast dirt track. She'll be getting some much needed class relief here.
Zuzu's Petals makes her return to competition after a five month vacation; her trainer, Marty Jones, has a .30 Winning Percentage with such. Zuzu's Petals broke her maiden in her debut, her lone career race over this main track.
Sidebar tries winners for the first time; Trainer Bill Spawr wins one out of every five when placing last out winners. Sidebar sports the best Tomlinson Rating for the distance in the field. Miranda Rose and Small Moves project to be the early speed; if either falters at the start, the other could be long gone. Miranda Rose has flashed her speed on the synthetics, so it should carry over to real dirt; while Small Moves makes her first start off the claim for Trainer Mark Glatt, who wins approximately 29% of the time with such.
RACE 5 - (F) OC 62k/N2X - Eight Furlongs Turf
A's
# 2 My Gi Gi (ML 3-1)
# 7 Sensationalize (ML 6-1)
# 8 Indecise (ML 9-2)
C's
# 10 Wittgenstein (Ire) (ML 10-1)
My Gi Gi makes her first start in a non-stakes event since breaking her maiden in her debut back in August 2011. This is also her first start in a non-Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes since taking the Place in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes in May 2012. My Gi Gi is a clear favorite here based on the class drop alone; but the fact that she hasn't gotten her picture taken since June 2012, along with her inability to finish in the money in her two career tries on this turf course are areas of concern. Add in that her late running style leaves her open to traffic problems in the stretch, and it seems prudent to not single My Gi Gi in this spot.
Sensationalize enters this contest with two wins in her last three tries. Worth noting that her one loss in that trio came in the one race where today's jockey, Joe Talamo, was not on her back. Indecise won at this level two back, but was DQ'd and placed seventh, making it the only race in her career on this turf course that she has not finished in the money. Wittgenstein (Ire) missed by less than a length last time out at this approximate level. Both of Wittgenstein's career victories have come over this turf course.
OK, that's the analysis. Playing our tickets via the Crist method we get:
All A Entries
$1.00 pick P5: 4,5 with 5,6 with 5 with 3,6 with 2,7,8 $24.00
$0.50 pick P5: 4,5 with 4 with 5 with 3,6 with 2,7,8 $6.00
$0.50 pick P5: 4,5 with 5,6 with 4 with 3,6 with 2,7,8 $12.00
$0.50 pick P5: 4,5 with 5,6 with 5 with 1,4,7 with 2,7,8 $18.00$0.50 pick P5: 4,5 with 5,6 with 5 with 3,6 with 10 $4.00
Total: $64.00
Post Time for Race 1 is 3:30 EST / 12:30 PST. Good luck to all.
Peace and Love,
Jimbo
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