HORSE RACING
TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK
By Richard Eng
Post Time 11:45 a.m.
Race 1 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $38,000, Claiming $40,000, Fillies, 4-year-olds
Phoebe’s Song – Third start off a 2-month hiatus; has transformed herself from a speedball into an efficient closer.
Lucky Rylie – Tepid chalk in a wide open abbreviated sprint; tactical speed to sit in position and grind it out late.
Long Shot – Belly Button Dawn
Race 2 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 8 feet), Purse $50,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
Soothing Touch – Frankel filly is stretching out around 2-turns for the first time; distance not a problem in turf debut.
Loh Collado – Pletcher adds blinkers on, retains main man Gomez; will improve in second career start, can she save ground.
Long Shot – Golden Lips
Race 3 – 7 furlongs, $150,000 Santa Ynez, Fillies, 3-year-olds
Indian Blessing – BC Juvenile Filly champion can win even if she doesn’t run her best; speed was flattered on Saturday.
Izarra – Draw a line thru the awful BC Juvenile Filly race, she never found decent footing; should be charging hard late.
Long Shot – Golden Doc A
Race 4 – 6 furlongs, Purse $26,000, Starter allowance $40,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds
Love Happens – Logical chalk did a classic pop and stop last time as a beaten favorite; Gomez figures to be more patient.0
Quid Non – Was flattered in last when Sunset Tijuana won her next start; tactical speed to sit a perfect trip throughout.
Long Shot – Testify to Love
Race 5 – 1 1/16th miles, $100,000 Santa Ysabel, Fillies, 3-year-olds
Turn Away – Lost all chance at the start of the Golden Rod, she did very well to run 3rd; tough if she takes to the track.
Initiation – Graham Motion filly has shipped all over and still runs well; like that Julien Leparoux is riding her here.
Long Shot – Final Fling
Race 6 – 6 furlongs, Purse $36,000, Maiden claiming $100,000, 3-year-olds
Quityerbellyaching – Claimed by Sadler, who has not cooled off since winning the Hollywood meet; expect improvement.
Recoil – Tepid chalk in an incredibly difficult heat; Cerin taking the blinkers off, has speed which was good on Saturday.
Long Shot – McArthur
Race 7 – 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 8 feet), Purse $44,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
Categorize – These pick 6 races are so tough, I won’t be surprised with another carryover; value in another difficult race.
Udriga – Chalk has something few in here have, early speed; rail is out 8 feet, she’ll go as fast and far as she can.
Long Shot – Formal Rush
Race 8 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $50,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds
Alonzo – Kin to Tiago and Giacomo was given a classic test drive in debut; suspect the effort will be sincere today.
Option – Stretchout out after a strong career debut effort; figures to sit a lot closer to the pace on the stretch out.
Long Shot – On the Virg
Race 9 – 1 1/16th miles, $150,000 El Encino, Fillies, 4-year-olds
Indescribable – Graham Motion opted to prep her on grass and she won despite of herself; could move forward big time here.
Zenyatta – Gets tested for class today, but she looks like a future grade 1 stakes filly; she’s fresh as a daisy too.
Long Shot – Romance Is Diane
Race 10 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 8 feet), Purse $57,000, Allowance, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
Bartok’s Bling – Set very slow fractions in last and held on gamely to win; Gomez remains loyal and can sit a trip.
Raebear – Frankel filly got some air into her in U.S. debut; she stretches out and figures to move forward in here.
Long Shot – Scarlet Love
Race 11 – 7 furlongs, Purse $17,000, Maiden claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up
Knoblock – Third start off a 1-year sabbatical; was closing fast in last and nearly dead-heated with Street Number.
Street Number – If you’re live in the pick 6, I hope you’re spread in another difficult race; will be grinding in the lane.
Long Shot – Handsome Bill
Best Bet – Indian Blessing (race 3)
Santa Anita Saturday- Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 22/4/$34.20; Long Shots, 11/2/$17.80; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Santa Anita Totals – 182/45/$349.80; Long Shots, 92/15/$161.40; Best Bets, 11/3/$18.00
