Horse Racing
TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK
By Richard Eng
Post Time 12:30 p.m.
Race 1 – 6 furlongs, Purse $26,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
5 Big Tsimmis – Favored off 7-of-12 in the money finishes; not big on winning, but appears plain faster than these.
3 Mama Janka – Second start off a 2-month hiatus; showed good speed in last, Joel Rosario taking over.
Long Shot – 6 After Later
Race 2 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
2 Hey I’m Sobaa – Tired late in a slow motion sprint last out; to say this group runs under par is an understatement.
5 Babeneau – Third start off an 8-month hiatus; was closing well late in a grinding effort.
Long Shot – 3 Random Luck
Race 3 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 24 feet), $70,000 Clocker’s Corner Handicap, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
4 Mizdirection – Jim Rome Jungle Racing filly may be the best horse in his stable; she is a monster on grass.
1 Remit – Figures to be closing fastest of all from the rail; Rafael Bejarano takes over for the money shot.
Long Shot – 2 Givine
Race 4 – 1 mile, Purse $19,000, Claiming $10,000, 4-year-olds and up
2 El Martillo – Bob Baffert cull won last time and he drops him again in class; has done everything but gift wrap this horse.
5 Bench the Judge – Speedball has paired wins at this reduced class; these are his friends and he is a consistent performer.
Long Shot – 3 Maker
Race 5 – 6 furlongs, Purse $35,000, Claiming $32,000, 4-year-olds and up
7 Streakin’ Mohican – Speedball should enjoy the turf rail out 24 feet; parking lot post is a benefit down the hill.
4 Warning Song – Sliding down the claiming ladder to this new career low; from Mike Mitchell barn is fair warning enough.
Long Shot – 3 Avulsion
Race 6 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds
1 G’night – Like the turn back in distance from a mile to this turf sprint; figures to settle mid-pack and rally fast late.
6 Jonny’s Choice – Second best as a odds-on chalk in last; he is an Unusual Heat so handling turf should not be a question.
Long Shot – 4 Suances Candy
Race 7 – 7 furlongs, $200,000 San Carlos, 4-year-olds and up
3 The Factor – Bob Baffert wants him to win an Eclipse Award, for sprinters; super fast, just keep him to 1-turn racing.
2 Amazombie – Champion sprinter is always at the mercy of pace; if they don’t go fast enough early, it’s hard to do his best late.
Long Shot – 6 Sway Away
Race 8 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 24 feet), Purse $60,000, Allowance, 4-year-olds and up
8 Irish Art – Gets class relief from graded stakes for this; last race proved he prefers running on grass.
4 Joes Blazing Aaron – Suspect can use his early speed to take advantage of the turf rail out 24 feet tonight.
Long Shot – 1 Tamarack Smarty
Race 9 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Maiden claiming $30,000, 3-year-olds
6 Frenemy – Bob Baffert has been nearly unbeatable the past couple of weeks; big class drop from MSW to maiden claiming.
10 War Politics – His last two races are more like it adding blinkers on; takes the weight off with Eswan Flores.
Long Shot – 4 Teasing Bernie
Best Bet – 6 Frenemy (race 9)
Santa Anita Park Friday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/6/$29.60; Long Shots, 8/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Santa Anita Park Totals – 624/160/$1,000.40; Long Shots, 315/44/$533.60; Best Bets, 36/17/$60.00
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #2 Grace Hall (9/5) in race 11 at Gulfstream Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, De Price ran second at Aqueduct paying $2.70 to place. Stats – 33/25/$234.10; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick