The Grade 2 Santa Ynez is being run today at Santa Anita; it drew all of four horses. That event is followed by The Midnight Lute, a listed stakes which drew all of five entrants (one of whom is now scratched). But those two are on the front end of the card; we'll be turning our attention this Saturday to the final four races at Santa Anita today, the Late Pick Four.
RACE 6 - (F) MSW - Six and a Half Furlongs Downhill Turf
A’s
# 4 Divine Way (Morning Line 4-1)
# 7 Keezheekoni (ML 3-1)
C’s
# 1 Hey Pretty Girl (ML 6-1)
# 5 Among the Stars (ML 15-1)
# 6 Sheza Smoke Show (ML 7-2)
Divine Way took a big step forward while taking the Place at this level her last time out, earning a Beyer Speed Figure that should get the job done today if repeated. Keezheekoni took the Show at this level her last time out in her debut, and today adds Bejarano in the saddle.
Hey Pretty Girl exits a key race, having taken the Place in an event where the Winner and the Show horse came back to win their next contests. Among the Stars is virtually tied with Divine Way for Best Tomlinson Rating for today's distance. Sheza Smoke Show, like Keezheekoni, is trained by Peter Eurton. Sheeza Smoke screen finished two lengths behind Divine Way her last time out, but could turn the tables today if Divine Way doesn't take to charing down the hill.
RACE 7 - OC 40k/N1X - Eight Furlongs Dirt
A’s
# 4 Cat Burglar (ML 9-5)
C’s
# 1 Appealing Tale (ML 9-2)
# 3 Curly Top (ML 9-2)
Cat Burglar, trained by Bob Baffert, broke his maiden in his first start on real dirt over this Santa Anita main track, and then took the Place in his first try against winners. Appealing Tale could be the controlling speed on the rail. Curly Top was victorious in his only prior start over this main track, and is also trained by Bob Baffert.
RACE 8 - The San Gabriel (Grade 2) - Nine Furlongs Turf
A’s
# 1 Slim Shady (GB) (ML 9-2)
# 9 Jeranimo (ML 5-2)
C’s
None
Had he not scratched, # 4 Dubai You X Y Z (ML 3-1) would have been a "C" contender.
Slim Shady is a multiple Graded Stakes winner, and should be the controlling speed on the rail. There's a good chance that he'll be crossing the wire before most of the field has a chance to get into gear. In my opinion, the entrant with the best chance of running down Slim Shady in the stretch is Jeranimo, who has twice won this event (last year and in 2010).
RACE 9 - [S] Md $50k - Seven Furlongs Dirt
A’s
# 1 Mahalo Arturo (ML 6-1)
# 8 Seeking Asylum (ML 7-2)
# 9 Regal Randy (ML 6-1)
# 10 Sooo Major (ML 6-1)
C’s
# 2 Prospector Alley (ML 6-1)
# 3 The Mad Hungarian (ML 6-1)
# 4 Head South (ML 12-1)
# 5 Awesome T (ML 5-1)
# 6 Warrensgoldenyears (ML 8-1)
# 7 Mosso (ML 10-1)
Mahalo Arturo makes the drop from state-bred MSW to state-bred claimer. Mahalo Arturo's trainer, Doug O'Neill, also does well when sending out a runner, like Mahalo Arturo here, who is coming back after a two-to-six month freshening. Seeking Asylum has the best Tomlinson Rating for the distance in this field, as well as the best last out Beyer Speed Figure. Regal Randy was weakened by the speed duel his last time out; perhaps the additional half-furlong today will ease the fractions for him on the front end. Sooo Major has twice taken the Place against $30k open maidens, but has yet to hit the board against state restricted $50k maidens; if he can relax and rate, he can win.
The C's are the rest of the field. Were I being more discriminating I would have eliminated Prospector Alley and Warrensgoldenyears, and possibly Mosso; but as the savings would have been minimal, I thought it best to leave them in.
Play the tickets as usual with the Crist method: all "A's" on a one dollar ticket (should cost $16) and then fifty cent tickets using "A's" in three legs and "C's" in the other (those three tickets should have a combined cost of $40). In addition, I'm going to purchase a one dollar ticket of "Super A's", if you will, as I see a good possibility that we could get a very chalky result. That ticket will be 4, 7 / 4 / 1, 9 / 8 which will cost $4. Put it all together, and the total investment is $60.
Post Time for Race 6 is 6:03 EST / 3:03 PST. Good luck to all.
Peace and Love,
Jimbo
No comments:
Post a Comment