Horse Racing
December 29, 2010 - 12:00 am
TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK
By Richard Eng
Post Time 12:30 p.m.
Race 1 – 6 furlongs, Purse $31,000, Maiden claiming $50,000, 2-year-olds
2 Polished Nickel – Claimed by Kathy Walsh off a good second in last; adding blinkers on and Joel Rosario, the one to beat.
5 Just Jumped In – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; big rider switch to Rafael Bejarano.
Long Shot – 3 Schuykill Punch
Race 2 – 6 furlongs, Purse $28,000, Starter allowance $40,000, 3-year-olds and up
4 Marcy’s Woods – Big run last time if repeated is fast enough to win here; Brice Blanc on a short priced favorite.
3 Lone Justice – His last two races with a price tag in mind are more like it; tactical speed to be involved from the get go.
Long Shot – 2 Cynical Wager
Race 3 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $28,000, Starter allowance $40,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
3 Ruby Lane – Has had 5 chances on grass, but shows some ability; appears better when she has a target to aim for.
5 Bar Rock Omama – Tepid chalk in an open turf route; suspect she’ll be sent to the lead and try to bottom out the field.
Long Shot – 1 Lilly’s Perfect
Race 4 – 1 mile, Purse $56,000, Allowance, 2-year-olds
1 Riveting Reason – To say he’s faced tougher foes is an understatement; like the main man, Garrett Gomez, in the saddle.
2 Awesome Patriot – Highly regarded Bob Baffert colt regroups in a first level allowance; he’s supposed to win a race like this.
Long Shot – 3 Anthony’s Cross
Race 5 – 7 furlongs, Purse $20,000, Claiming $12,500, 3-year-olds and up
1a Self Assured – Powerful entry from trainer Jack Carava; the closers look better due to a lack of early speedballs.
3 Lit’sgoodlookngray – Sliding down the claiming ladder to this career low level; he’s another who will be closing fast.
Long Shot – 7 Flashmans Papers
Race 6 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $20,000, Claiming $12,500, 3-year-olds
1 Camicory – Speed and the rail have been a good thing so far this meet; seems like the old days of pop and don’t stop.
9 Ranger Heartley – Sliding down the claiming ladder to this career low class; tactical speed to sit a trip and grind late.
Long Shot – 5 Luv Dragon
Race 7 – 1 mile, Purse $56,000, Optional claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up
9 Gladding – Calder shippers have a nice history in SoCal, especially in the hands of John Sadler; we know he likes the dirt.
10 Cee’s Pryme – All the wheels came off this speedball last time; he figures to clear the field and relish a speed favoring oval.
Long Shot – 4 Low Gear Power
Race 8 – 7 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Maiden claiming $30,000, 2-year-olds
3 Twice the Appeal – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; need not be much for Garrett Gomez.
7 Minutesandtouches – Sliding down the maiden claiming ladder to this career low class; adding blinkers on for this try.
Long Shot – 2 Captain Shawn D
Best Bet – 1 Riveting Reason (race 4)
Santa Anita Park Monday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 18/5/$24.40; Long Shots, 9/2/$16.20; Best Bet, 1/1/$4.60
Santa Anita Park Totals – 35/11/$67.00; Long Shots, 17/2/$16.20; Best Bets, 2/2/$7.20
SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY – #3 Kenta Kun (8/1) in race 5 at Tampa Bay Downs. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Monday, Carts Last Dance ran out at Hawthorne. Stats – 2/1/$11.40