Saturday, June 20, 2015

6/20/15 Santa Anita Late Pick Four - Preview

Saturday is the last full day of Spring, so it seems an appropriate time for Santa Anita to run the Grade 2 Summertime (nee Hollywood) Oaks.  The contest is the featured eighth race on the card, so we'll be taking a look at it as we take a run at Saturday's Late Pick Four at The Great Race Place.

RACE 6 - Clm $12.5k N2L - Six Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 7 Molten Image (Morning Line 5-2)

B’s

# 5 Takem by Surprise (ML 5-1)
# 10 Price of Glory (ML 8-1)

# 9 Outthink'em (No Line) is a program scratch.

Molten Image was vanned off the last time he competed back in April; but he's worked fine since then, and had been able to take the Place twice at this class level.  Takem by Surprise certainly has the talent to win at this class level, as he's hit the board on multiple occasions at this level of competition; so now it's just a question of does Takem by Surprise want to win.  Price of Glory takes a huge drop down the class ladder, going from open $20k claimers to this N2L contest.  It's also worth noting that Price of Glory was able to make the lead against those more expensive runners, making it quite possible that Price of Glory will be able to get loose on the lead against this group.

RACE 7 - The Singletary $75k - Eight Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 3 Harmonic (ML 8-1)
# 13 Royal Albert Hall (GB) (ML 4-1)

B's

# 1 Seve's Road (ML 8-1)

# 10 Anytime Anyplace (NL) is a program scratch, which allows Royal Albert Hall (GB) to draw in off the Also Eligibles List.

Harmonic, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, has yet to finish out of the money in three turf tries.  Royal Albert Hall (GB) turned in a couple of fine efforts over this turf course back in May.  Royal Albert Hall should also appreciate the turn back in distance from his last contest.  Seve's Road could be over-matched in his first try against winners; but Seve's Road is trained by Phil D'Amato, who's been winning everything else this meet; so on the ticket he goes.

RACE 8 - (F) The Summertime Oaks (Grade 2) - Nine Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 9 Stellar Wind (ML 5-2)

B's

# 6 Tara's Tango (ML 4-1)

C's

# 2 Sheer Pleasure (ML 4-1)

# 10 Fantastic Style (NL) is a program scratch.  # 1 All-Star Bub (ML 20-1) # 3 Danette (ML 15-1) and # 4 Guild (ML 30-1) are also scratched.

Stellar Wind is the clear class of this field, the only runner with multiple Graded Stakes wins.  Tara's Tango, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, has taken the Place in the two listed stakes in which she's competed this year, and could improve with the stretch out to two turns.  Sheer Pleasure, trained by Phil D'Amato, takes a big leap up the class ladder in this, her first try against non-state restricted company.  But Sheer Pleasure has been showing steady improvement in each of her races, and proved in her last event that today's distance is right in her wheelhouse.

RACE 9 - [S] MSW - Eight Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 1 Shanty Irish (ML 10-1)
# 2 Over Par (ML 7-2)
# 11 Unusualy (ML 8-1)

B's

# 5 Fly Over (ML 15-1)
# 12 Gigantis (ML 12-1)

#13 Noble Hawk (ML 8-1) does not draw in off the Also Eligibles List.

Shanty Irish goes back to competing without blinkers, as they were of no help to him in his last contest.  Over Par, trained by Doug O'Neill, returns to the non-winners ranks after trying stakes competition his last time out.  Unusualy took the Show at this class level two starts back, albeit while charging down the hill.

Fly Over is a first time starter trained by Donald Warren, who wins with approximately a quarter of such.  Gigantis should show much improvement with the switch from dirt to turf.

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

All A Entries

$1.00 P4: 7 with 3,13 with 9 with 1,2,11 $6.00

All A Entries with All B Entries

$0.50 P4: 5,7,10 with 1,3,13 with 6,9 with 1,2,5,11,12 $45.00

A's with One C

$0.50 P4: 7 with 3,13 with 2 with 1,2,11 $3.00

Total: $54.00

Post Time for Race 6 is 6:07 EDT / 3:07 PDT.  Good luck to all.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

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