After an incredibly successful first week of the Santa Anita Park meeting, there is plenty of more fun to be had and money to made this week. Part of the usual fun at the “Great Race Place” is the large horizontal pools and to add to it, 1/ST BET and Xpressbet have a 2 million 1/ST Rewards Points Hit & Split over the last four races. Just as always, remember to register on the promotional landing page.
Grade Descriptions: Grade A=Highest degree of confidence; Grade B=Solid Play. Grade C=Least preferred or pass; Grade X=probable winner but likely at odds too short to play.
Race 7:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 2 Eagles Flight (pictured)
Backups: None
Forecast: There is little doubt this first-level allowance event for 4YOs+ goes through #2 Eagles Flight. Normally, I would be concerned that we have not seen the colt since his professional debut score on May 27, but not in this case. The son of Curlin is the younger half-brother to undefeated $4.5M earner Flightline, who was also handled with kid gloves throughout his six-race career. There are questions to be answered for sure on the stretch out to a route of ground against winners for the first time, but it would be nothing short of disappointing if he failed to handle this group despite the time off.
Race 8:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 3 Havoc
Backups: 6 Afternoon Nap; 12 Uncle John
Forecast: There appears to be plenty of early zip signed on in this state-bred optional claimer at six-furlongs over the Santa Anita lawn. I am hopeful #3 Havoc will be able to take advantage in his first start in over a year. The son of Sir Prancealot won 2 of 3 for former trainer Kristin Mulhall before going to the sidelines on December 2, 2023. Now, the 4YO gelding appears in the George Papaprodromou barn and attracts the services of Frankie Dettori. Papaprodromou sports a positive ROI and 15%-win rate with his last 115 runners returning off a 90+ day break. If Havoc can relax off the long layoff, he can make it 3 for 6 to start his career.
If Havoc needs a race off the bench or is not the same horse, #6 Afternoon Nap is a solid alternative. The 5YO gelding took a long time to get to the races, but hit the board in his only two starts over this course last year. If they really go at it early, #12 Uncle John could be the one to make the last move. He should appreciate getting back to a turf course he has earned both of his wins over after finishing fourth going a little shorter than he prefers at Del Mar in November.
Race 9: Las Flores (G3)
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 6 Pleasant; 3 Richi
Backups: None
Forecast: To no one’s surprise trainer Bob Baffert holds a strong hand in the second graded stake of the afternoon. #6 Pleasant is the clear one to beat after running a huge third at nearly 15-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint to close her 4YO campaign. She has run well in both starts over this surface and draws favorably outside the main speeds. The Juddmonte homebred will be very tough to beat, but I will also include her stablemate #3 Richi. The Chilean-bred mare has only raced once in the States and it came in June when she mixed it up early in the Desert Stormer and could not hold off last-to-first winner Chismosa. There is no doubt Richi will have to run better in her second North American try to get to the wire first, but she comes in off a strong series of local drills and Baffert removes the blinkers. This suggests to me she is relaxing better in the mornings. Expect a move forward for the daughter of Practical Joke.
Race 10:
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 1 Siennois
Backups: 7 Escape Artist; 12 Living Life
Forecast: The pace should be honest in this full-field turf allowance to end the day, so I will look to horses who can relax early and finish with energy. Of those I prefer #1 Siennois. Trainer Phil D’Amato entered the Irish-bred ambitiously in the Mathis Mile (G2) on opening day, but opted to scratch him to run in this second-level allowance event. The 4YO gelding draws favorably along the inside for his third start of the form cycle and should be finishing well under jockey Antonio Fresu.
As alternatives, I will use two horses that raced against the flow in the November 17 second-level event over the Del Mar grass. #7 Escape Artist was claimed out of that race as the 2-1-favorite by trainer Steve Knapp, who wheeled him back in the San Gabriel (G2) last week. The quick return raises questions, but he loves this course and should get a favorable setup. #12 Living Life will be a bigger price and draws way outside, but has earned both of his victories over this course and thrives when they go at it on the front end. I like the move to Kazushi Kimura.
Good luck!!
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