9/27/15 Santa Anita Late Pick Four - Preview

It's Day Two of Opening Weekend in Arcadia, and it's looking to be another hot one; so if you're going to be trackside, make sure that you find yourself a spot in the shade.  There're two turf stakes on the card: the featured Grade 2 City of Hope Mile, as well as the inaugural running of The King Pellinore.  We'll be looking at each of them, as we take another run at the Late Pick Four at The Great Race Place.

RACE 6 - The King Pellinore $75k - Ten Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 9 Kulik Lodge (Morning Line 4-1)

B's

# 2 Danas Best (Aus) (ML 6-1)
# 12 Abbey Vale (Ire) (ML 8-1)

C's

# 5 Texas Ryano (ML 9-2)
# 6 Class Leader (ML 12-1)

# 7 Bird E House (No Line) and # 13 Mr T Bird (NL) are program scratches.  Also scratch # 1 Ashleyluvssugar (ML 5-2) and # 11 Flamboyant (Fr) (ML 30-1).

Kulik Lodge has been showing steady improvement in each of his races this year.  There's not much in the way of early speed here, so Kulik Lodge could have things all his own way in the initial stages of this contest.  This will be Kulik Lodge's first try beyond nine furlongs, but as a son of Curlin he should hold his form just fine.

Danas Best (Aus) and Abbey Vale (Ire) are both trained by Phil D'Amato.  Abbey Vale took the Show in the Grade 3 Last Tycoon last time out, while Danas Best is the only entrant in this field to have won at today's distance.

Texas Ryano looked strong winning at the OC 62k/N2X level last time out despite being squeezed at the start.  Class Leader, trained by John Sadler, is trying the grass for the first time; but he has worked well on the turf, and his pedigree suggests that he should handle it just fine.

RACE 7 - OC 40k/N1X - Six and a Half Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 4 Skelton Pass (ML 5-2)

B’s

# 3 Sir Samson (ML 5-1)
# 8 Guns Loaded (ML 6-1)

C's

# 2 Distinctive B (ML 8-1)
# 5 Vegas Strip (ML 20-1)

# 11 Gangnam Guy (ML 8-1) has been scratched.

Skelton Pass won by the length of the stretch last time out in his second career start, earning this field's best last out Beyer Speed Figure in the process.  Sir Samson took the Show in the Grade 2 San Vincente two starts back.  Sir Samson is returning from an six month absence, but his recent works at Los Al suggest that he's ready to go.

Guns Loaded drops in class after not showing much in his return to California last time out.  Guns Loaded has a couple of wins at the N2X level earlier this year in the Eastern and Central Time Zones.

Distinctive B showed good heart in his first try at this level last time out.  Vegas Strip, trained by Bob Baffert, is making the first start of his four year old campaign, and has been training well at Los Al.

RACE 8 - The City of Hope Mile (Grade 2) - Eight Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 6 Talco (Fr) (ML 5-2)
# 7 Avanzare (ML 3-1)

B's

# 9 Alert Bay (ML 4-1)

C's

None

Avanzare and Talco (Fr) were one-two last time out in The Del Mar Mile Handicap, and there's no reason to think that can't happen again, except possibly with the order reversed.  Alert Bay ships in from upstate after winning The Rolling Green with an effort that suggests that he could win here.

RACE 9 - Md $30k - Eight Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 4 Sugar Buzz (ML 2-1)
# 6 Afleet Domination (ML 5-2)

B's

# 7 Palamon (ML 9-2)

C's

# 8 Nusret (ML 6-1)

Sugar Buzz goes first off the claim for Trainer Doug O'Neill.  Afleet Domination runs for the first time with a price tag on his head.  Palamon took the Show at this level last time out.  Nusret has failed as the Post Time Favorite in each of his two career starts; but he did show good early speed last time out.

OK, that's the analysis.  Playing our tickets in Crist fashion, we get:

All A Entries

$1.00 P4: 9 with 4 with 6,7 with 4,6 $4.00

All A Entries with All B Entries

$0.50 P4: 2,9,12 with 3,4,8 with 6,7,9 with 4,6,7 $40.50

A's with One C

$0.50 P4: 5,6 with 4 with 6,7 with 4,6 $4.00
$0.50 P4: 9 with 2,5 with 6,7 with 4,6 $4.00
$0.50 P4: 9 with 4 with 6,7 with 8 $1.00

Total: $53.50

Post Time for Race 6 is 6:40 EDT / 3:40 PDT.  Good luck to all.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo