Santa Anita Race 1: Post: 12:00 PT Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 4-Over the Ocean; 5-Mysterious Husband; 1-Final Edition
Backups: 3-Goodfella.
Forecast: There’s little separation on form among several contenders in this nine furlong maiden special weight turf affair for older horses. Over the Ocean makes just his fourth career start and may have more room for improvement than the others, so we’ll give him top billing. His numbers have risen with each start, plus he picks up Frankie and has the kind of tactical speed that should ensure a good trip. With another forward move, he appears ready to graduate. Mysterious Husband finished on a line with our top pick in a similar affair at Del Mar and should be in the fray once again. Final Edition closed willingly in a recent turf sprint and stretches out again. His only prior route try at the Big A last summer in a hot race earned a career top speed figure when a non-threatening third and it’s entirely possible he produces a significant forward move under these conditions.
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Santa Anita Race 2: Post: 12:29 PT Grade: C
Main Ticket: 6-Getemdusty ; 7-Canrejo; 1-Tigerson.
Backups: 4-Im Gunna.
Forecast: This bottom rung ($8,000) maiden claimer for Pleasanton-based runners doesn’t offer much to work with. Tread lightly. Getemdusty has numbers that can win but is a 13-race maiden and hardly inspires confidence. Cangrejo is comfortably drawn outside and projects to enjoy an ideal stalking trip. He’s in good hands and likely has enough improvement in him to pose a serious threat. Tigerson is an inside speed type who will appreciate the shortened sprint trip. He’s never found extra under pressure but should lead the way for at least a while.
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Santa Anita Race 3: Post: 12:58 PT Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 4-Our Expectation; 3-Bobby Anton.
Backups: 2-Donttestyourluck 6-Dr. Flash Dancer.
Forecast: Our Expectation is an old timer with 17 first or second finishes from 42 career starts. He’s in good form with solid numbers for the level and seems the likely choice in this NorCal restricted $5,000 seller. Bobby Anton earned a career top speed figure when finishing a close third after being worn down close home in a similar claimer at Pleasanton in late November. He’s won two of five career starts, is a strong fit on numbers, and clearly has much more room to improve than our top pick. These two earn residence on our top line but in this league anything goes, so will add some backup protection.
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Santa Anita Race 4: Post: 1:27 PT Grade: B+
Main Ticket: 4-Canani
Backups: 2-Desert Rocket; 6-Fight Back.
Forecast: Canani gives every indication that he’ll enjoy today’s two turn trip, and the existence of the popular two-sprints-and-a-stretch out angle in his chart provides evidence that the son of Pavel is set for a major effort. His best race was his grass debut over the local lawn during the fall meeting and with the return to the sod today plus the retention of regular pilot K. Frey this late-to-the-party four year gelding is a solid pick in this state-bred miler. We’ll include two others on a backup ticket but the main push goes to Canani.
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Santa Anita Race 5: Post: 1:57 PT Grade: A-
Main Ticket: 11-Cajun Brother
Backups: none.
Forecast: Cajun Brother is listed as the 8/5 morning line favorite in this starter optional claiming sprint but actually deserves to go lower based strictly on form. A win machine with fast recent numbers plus F. Prat in the saddle, the S. Knapp-trained son of Cajun Breeze has the benefit of the outside draw in this six furlong dash and likely will control the race from gate to wire. He won over this track and distance during the fall season in his only career start here, so we know he’ll handle the track. He’s a logical rolling exotic single.
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Santa Anita Race 6: Post: 2:27 PT Grade: B
Main Ticket: 8-Invincible; 7-Rexford.
Backups: 1-Caribbean King.
Forecast: Invincible has plenty in his favor in this starter’s allowance turf sprint in a race that projects to offer moderate early fractions that will favor the speed types. He was below form when forced into hot splits in his most recent outing, but after some freshening and over a course and distance we know he likes, the D. Pederson-trained colt should rebound in a big way today. Rexford has done enough to deserve favoritism based strictly on numbers. First or second in half of his 14 career starts, the P. D’Amato-trained gelding was a disappointing seventh in a similar starter’s race at Del Mar in November but the return to Santa Anita and with an extra furlong to work with the son of Tapiture should snap back. The one who brings his “A” game today probably will win.
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Santa Anita Race 7: Post: 2:57 PT Grade: C
Main Ticket: 10-Gold Currency; 2-Ridegold; 1-Expect Love; 9-Clubhouse Cutie.
Backups: none.
Forecast: This wide open straight maiden state-bred raffle for sprinting sophomore fillies is loaded with question marks and first time starters, requiring considerable coverage by rolling exotic players. Gold Currency looks quick enough to be extremely dangerous at first asking, though we’re not sure how much stick to her zip she has. The R. Hanson-trained filly definitely has plenty of gate speed and could get brave is she can shake loose from her outside draw. Ridegold doesn’t show anything fancy on the work tab but moves like she’s got some ability and is likely to come up live on the tote under J. Hernandez. Expect Love stumbled badly at the start to lose her chance when third in a softer maiden $50,000 affair at Los Alamitos. She was lengths the best in a race that already has produced a subsequent easy maiden claiming winner and based on numbers she can fit with this group. Clubhouse Cutie is a half-sister to The Chosen Vron, so on that basis alone she’s worth tossing in. We have no video of her workouts at Los Alamitos, so we’re flying blind.
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Santa Anita Race 8: Post: 3:27 PT Grade: B+
Main Ticket: Gem Mine
Backups: 3-Amelia Bleu; 6-Jai Ho.
Forecast: Gem Mine is winless in seven starts over the Santa Anita lawn but this might be her easiest chance to date and with a pivotal jockey switch to F. Prat there should be no excuses. Fourth in her last three starts against starter’s allowance foes, she drops into a restricted (nw-2) $32,000 affair and projects to inherit an ideal pace-stalking position. She’s more than fast enough on speed figures to handle this group.
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Santa Anita Race 9: Post: 3:57 PT Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 7-Speed Grazy; 4-Pass the Baton
Backups: 2-Nauvoo; 1-Morning District.
Forecast: Speedy Grazy has always preferred to run second or third rather than win but his best race is good enough and his recent form is solid. The M. Glatt-trained gelding employs an effective stalking style that keeps him free and clear of trouble for a potent trainer-jockey combo. Pass the Baton is a Pleasanton shipper with F. Prat and has won two of his last three, though on figures he’ll need to step it up against this group. He’s probably most effective when held up a bit and should get the kind of ride he needs.
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Santa Anita Race 10: Post: 4:27 PT Grade: B
Main Ticket: 2-Shagliato; 6-Exultation; 3-Bizzee Chanel.
Backups: none.
Forecast: Here’s another really tough and competitive one mile turf affair, with several of these having a legitimate look. Shagliato is a first off the $20,000 claim for V. Cerin following a series of strong recent races and should run at least as well if not better on the one level raise from a good inside draw and with the switch to F. Prat. Exultation has burned money as the chalk in his last two starts but is a five time winner over the local lawn and didn’t get the best of runs when a close third in a similar affair at Del Mar last time out. Bizzee Channel is a dangerous Midwest invader from the J. Thomas barn. It would not be surprising to see gate-to-wire tactics employed on the English Channel gelding who may be most effective utilizing that strategy.
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