Horse Racing: Today at Santa Anita, April 26
April 25, 2014 - 10:56 pm
Post Time 1 p.m.
Race 1 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 8 feet), Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $80,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds
6 Famous Alice – With her Kitten’s Joy pedigree, should stretch out around 2-turns just fine; tactical speed to sit a perfect trip.
4 Cause Im a Bigshot – The Mike Mitchell era is over, Phillip D’Amato era has begun; he has served his apprenticeship under a maestro.
Long Shot – 3 Princess Genevieve
Race 2 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up
6 K Thirty Eight – After two solid races, appears ready to step forward; Karen Headley has learned her lessons from her dad Bruce.
9 Sir Perservere – FTS from Marty Jones gets leading rider Rafael Bejarano to pilot; watch the tote board for additional clues.
Long Shot – 1 Next Book
Race 3 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds and up
9 Fifteen Black – Another taking a steep class drop in search of a diploma; need not be much horse to beat these.
5 Dead Easy – Has been away a full year; taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming.
Long Shot – 8 Dehere Is Gone
Race 4 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 8 feet), $100,000 Fran’s Valentine, Cal-breds, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
2 Unusual Hottie – Wouldn’t take much to have an Unusual exacta box; consistent turf star is back with her own Cal-bred kind.
4 Halo Dotty – When she faces Cal-breds she is nearly unstoppable; tactical speed to sit a perfect trip for Corey Nakatani.
Long Shot – 3 Unusual Way
Race 5 – 1 mile,, $125,000 Tiznow, Cal-breds, 4-year-olds and up
3 Storm Fighter – Going for a price off a career best race in last; key will be if he can repeat or if he bounces off the topper.
1 Rousing Sermon – This is clearly class relief after battling open heavyweights; let’s see if he hasn’t been too frustrated about it.
Long Shot – 2 Soi Phet
Race 6 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 8 feet), Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up
4 It Is Living Water – Huge rider switch gives this gelding a puncher’s chance; after 3 even efforts, could be ready to explode.
1 Heat Flash – Morning line favorite despite an 0-for-10 record on grass; the one to beat, but he’s been beaten an awful lot.
Long Shot – 8 Eddie’s First
Race 7 – 6 furlongs, $125,000 Spring Fever, Cal-breds, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
6 Our Pure Creation – Has excelled over Santa Anita dirt; Rafael Bejarano is live in every race, but this one looks like his best.
7 Warren’s Veneda – Been away 4-months but has faced this kind before; like the cut back in distance where she should finish.
Long Shot – 1 Marks Mine
Race 8 – 1 1/8th miles (turf, rail at 8 feet), Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $20,000, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up
2 Woodmans Luck – Returns to turf, which could be his preferred surface; gets class relief from open company races.
6 Volkonsky – Frustrating Santa Anita meet where he’s run well but little to show for it; key vote is Rafael Bejarano remains loyal.
Long Shot – 3 Awesome Prospect
Race 9 – 1 1/16th miles, $250,000 Melair, Cal-breds, Fillies, 3-year-olds
2 Rovenna – Is in the best form of her career, now stretching out around 2-turns; key will be if she is left alone early.
1 Swiss Lake Yodeler – Draw a line thru last over Turfway Park Polytrack; her dirt resume points her out as one of the ones.
Long Shot – 8 Harlington’s Rose
Race 10 – 1 1/8th miles (turf, rail at 8 feet), $250,000 Snow Chief, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds
6 Tamarando – There was no doubt the maestro Jerry Hollendorfer would try him on grass; this is a good spot against an average group.
2 Alert Bay – Speedy sort will like the turf rail out 8 feet; expect Tyler Baze to send and try to back things up until mid-stretch.
Long Shot – 8 Patriots Rule
Race 11 – 6 furlongs, Purse $20,000, Claiming $16,000, 3-year-olds and up
1 Southern Sunrise – Tried blinkers on in last to break thru his nibbler ways; second again, though this is an even slower group.
11 Jovita’s Tuffy – Claimed by Ron Ellis who has done little wrong at Santa Anita; would not take much improvement to beat this bunch.
Long Shot – 2 Awesome Indy
Best Bet – 4 It Is Living Water (race 6)
Santa Anita Park Friday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/2/$9.80; Long Shots, 7/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Santa Anita Park Spring Meet – 16/2/$9.80; Long Shots, 7/0/$0; Best Bets, 1/0/$0
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #8 Zivo (race 8) at Aqueduct. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Helm ran second at Keeneland paying $6.40 to place and $4.00 to show. Stats – 66/37/$359.10; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick