Mar/100
Santa Anita Recap – March 10th
One Shot ($8.80) began the Wednesday festivities with a wire job tally under Santiago Reyes. James Barnes was the winning conditioner.
Another coast to coast winner in the 2nd as Born To Shop ($7.80) graduated for Amador/Periban.
Pick 6 time, and my value oriented 3rd choice Nitro Active ($12.60) got up to beat purse nibbling fav Cavanal in this flat mile grass claimer. Garrett Gomez guided home the Doug O’Neill trainee.
Even money Budget Ticket single Free Flying Soul failed to grab the early lead and just did land the show. No worries for the big spenders as the Big Ticket offered up 5-2 winner Quisisana (Bejarano-Puype).
Mar/100
Santa Anita Recap – March 7th
Popular wire job by Good Measure ($2.80) to get the Sunday card off and running. Espinoza was up for Carla Gaines.
Chalk early double with Saxophone ($6) tallying in the 2nd for Pedroza/Canani.
Pokomoke ($11) rallied for the win in the extended sprint 3rd for Quinonez/Mullins.
Off the turf to begin the pick six, and Budget Ticket single and heavy fav Red Sun ($3.80) held off Guns On The Table by a neck. Used the runner-up on the Big Ticket, and many would have been eliminated, but no dice. Show finisher Calmonco was my turf top, and he grabed a piece at 16-1.
Typical two lifetime claimer in the 5th as five were bunched up at the wire, and my contender Marquet Rebel missed by a head. Pacific Halo ($24.20) was the upset winner for Tyler Baze and Tim Rosier.
Went for the experienced runners in the 6th, but the first timers dominated with Jaws n’ Paws ($31.80) rallying for the victory. Talamo booted home the Koriner trainee. I thought my top She’s Here Now would show the way, but she rallied for 4th following a troubled beginning.
Off the weeds for the Joe Hernandez Stakes, and synthetic specialist Sangaree ($10.20) got his preferred footing for Garcia/Baffert. My turf top Gallant Son ran much better than expected to land the place.
Went two deep in the 8th, and that was enough as dropper Kanan Dume ($7.20) rallied to score for Espinoza/Mandella.
Did not use obvious contender Uncle Don ($6.40) in the finale because he had a weak turn time in latest outing, but he found a field he could handle and cruised under Rosario. Richard Rosales was the winning conditioner. If Red Sun had dropped the opening leg, we were probably looking at another carryover…almost!
Mar/100
Santa Anita Recap – March 6th
Gonna cut to the chase and get right to the pick six action in this abbreviated rewind of the Big Cap card…
Got off to a good start in the pick six with maiden no more Make Music For Me ($15.40). Blinkers and turf did the trick, and note that he has plenty of graded earnings for the Derby if connections go in that direction. Mike Smith booted home the Alexis Barba trainee in the $60k Pasadena Stakes.
Alphie’s Bet ($19) gave the Alexis Barba barn a stakes double with a sharp off the pace tally in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes. Guess barn has two Derby players now! Alex Solis rode the winner. My top pick Setsuko did not have the smoothest journey in a clear place finish. I like the Mandella runner-up as a long range prospect.
I have never been on the Blind Luck bandwagon, and she just did get up to beat me last time. Picked her 2nd again today, and she finished well but failed to get the job done. I fancied Sadler trainee Cozi Rosie, but her stablemate Crisp ($13.60) sat the right stalking trip to grab the candy in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks. As for my top, she’s best as a closer, but she tracked the tepid pace and weakened to 5th today. Blind Luck wants more ground. Joel Rosario was the winning pilot.
Called the Grade 1 Kilroe as Proviso ($11.40) got her nose down on the line to beat an unlucky Fluke. The latter did all of the pace dirty work and deserved a better fate. Mike Smith guided home the Mott/Juddmonte runner.
No dice in the Big Cap as my two contenders failed to fire. Misremembered ($10.80) fell into the perfect tracking trip behind speedster Mast Track, and he had enough in the tank to hold off Neko Bay. Martin Garcia booted home the Baffert trainee. St Trinians flattened out, and Loup Breton did not seem to handle the footing.
11th and final went to my 2nd choice Crash Landing ($10). Talamo guided home the Marty Jones trainee. Ended up with 3 wins, a 2nd, and a 3rd on both tickets in the difficult sequence. No one had all six, so the Sunday pool gets a $200k jump start.
Mar/100
Santa Anita Recap – March 5th
Eternally Fast ($5.20) went all the way in the Friday opener for Talamo/Carava.
Enchanting Moment ($10.60) got up by a nose in the 2nd for Talamo/Spawr.
No dice in the opening leg of the pick six as professional maiden Sister Lucy ($9.40) beat my value first timer Devil’s Mate. Pedroza booted home the Denise Breuer trainee.
Down the dip for the 4th, and my contenders ran 1-2 with Warrens Summergold ($7.40) getting the job done for Santiago Reyes/Gutierrez.
Tough beat in the 5th as I was a close-up 2-3 behind upset nostril winner Tiz a Knight ($59.60). Espinoza guided home the son of Tiznow for Ron Ellis.
Ran 1-2-3 in the 6th with Spot The Diplomat ($7.40) edging my top Spirit of Cochise by a nose. Mike Smith booted home the Jeff Mullins runner.
No luck in the downhill feature as Tanda ($4.60) kicked clear like a fav should. Solis booted home the winner for Dan Hendricks.
Bombs away in the finale with first timer Dubai X Y Z ($106.80) lighting up the tote for Hunt/Tsagalakis. On a normal day the pool would have carried, but with a double carryover it was hit as expected. Someone walked away with a cool $550k.
Mar/100
Santa Anita Recap – March 4th
Chalky start to the Thursday program with Smokey Beau ($4) cruising for Leyva/Sadler.
Value Stream ($18.40) went last to first in the 2nd for Rosario/Drysdale.
Flat mile on the turf to kick off the pick six festivities, and Worth A Punt ($13.40) got up by a nose for Solis/Zucker.
My value top Warrensmysterydice ($17.60) posted a sharp stalk and pounce tally in the 4th for Talamo/Gutierrez.
Tyler Kaplan found the winners’ circle in his first mount aboard Soldier Betty ($7.60) in the 5th. Vladimir Cerin saddled the winner.
Crossing The Line ($8.80) went last to first in the hillside 6th for Bejarano/Sadler.
Ellafitz ($17.20) got loose in the optional claiming feature and held sway under Martin Garcia. Bob Baffert saddled the winner.
Wire job in the downhill finale as Blind Optimism ($12.60) scored by a 1/2 length for Espinoza/O’Neill.
Again, no perfect tickets, and the carryover pool has reached $332,613.
Mar/100
Santa Anita Recap – March 3rd
Upset to begin the Wednesday card as Ava’s Charm ($21.60) tallied for Martin Garcia and David Hofmans.
Cenizo ($5.40) went all the way in the 2nd for Pedroza/Canani.
Down the dip to kick off the pick six, and Asanti ($7.80) was best by a head under Mike Smith. Paco Gonzalez was the winning conditioner.
Two straight after Maybe Yes ($7.20) scored a stalking win for Gomez/Fanning.
No dice in the 5th. Sandy Cheeks ($6.20) rallied to score for Quinonez/Abrams.
Could only manage the show in the 6th. Thomas Baines ($11) got up by a 1/2 length for Bejarano/O’Neill.
Flat mile turf feature went to You Life Me Up ($17.20). Joel Rosario booted home the Jerry Hollendorfer trainee.
Another upset to end the card as No Grande ($24) held sway for Cosme/Zamora. No perfect tickets, so Thursday’s pool has an $82k kick start.
Mar/100
Santa Anita Recap – Feb 28th
Candy Arches ($6.20) came again to nab the Sunday opener for Flores/O’Neill.
Off the turf for the 2nd, and Jehan ($8.40) sat the right stalking trip under Gomez. Mike Mitchell was the winning conditioner.
Two in a row for Gomez. He guided Carava trainee Capt. Sparrow ($9.60) to a prominent throughout tally in the 3rd.
Off the turf to begin the pick six, and Richard Mandella first timer Sensational News ($8) got the job done under Gomez.
Key To The City ($15.60) won the 5th for Quinonez/Mulhall.
Sky Marni ($8.20) went last to first in the 6th for Berrio/Avila.
Haka ($5.60) necked my Big Ticket single Fund Raiser in the 7th. Bejarano booted home the Clement returnee.
The scratch of Red Sun meant less pace in the Crystal Water Hcp, and Compari ($4.60) took full advantage in a sharp wire job tally. Another winner for Gomez, and Marty Jones saddled the gelding.
First time starter Gray Zulu ($13.40) went all the way in the finale for Flores/Eurton.
Feb/100
Santa Anita Recap – Feb 26th
Bejarano booted home chalky fav Part Time Luck ($3.60) in the Friday opener. Jerry Hollendorfer saddled the winner.
Chalky early double as Sidepocket Lou ($3.80) cruised in the 2nd for Amador/Periban.
Off to a fine start in the pick six with singleton Lullabytime ($4). Talamo booted home the grass winner for Jack Carava.
Half of the six pack was not enough as Ivory Fudge ($5) jumped up and bit me for Talamo/Sadler.
Made it out to see the 5th live, and my top On The Virg could not quite overcome the 30 foot rail setting in a clear place finish. Kris Silver ($7.60) looked the part in the paddock, and he was never headed under Mike Smith. Jeff Mullins was the winning conditioner.
Back on the beam in the 6th as Total Bull ($5.40) went all the way for Martin Garcia and Bob Baffert.
My 2nd choice Temerity ($6) took full advantage of the turf rails with a wire job head tally for Solis/Ellis. Nice rallying place finish by Brushburn.
Dreaded 4 of 6er came to fruition after Renzo Sean ($4.20) nabbed the finale for Bejarano/Ellis.
Feb/100
Santa Anita Recap – Feb 25th
Twoformeoneforyou ($10.60) nosed heavy fav Recess in the Thursday opener. Joe Talamo booted home the Carava trainee.
Willie The Fox ($8.80) rallied for the win in the 2nd for Amador/Morey.
Finished 2-3 behind first timer Fifie’s Fantasy ($9.40) in the opening leg of the pick six. Valdez booted home the Janet Armstrong trainee.
Lucks Mine ($5.40) went all the way in the hillside 4th for Mike Smith/Sise.
Two straight after Ride Along ($6.40) graduated in the 5th for Flores/McCarthy.
Pulpit Magic ($17.40) stole the grassy 6th for Michael Baze and Caesar Dominguez.
Back on the beam with Blame The Wine ($6) in the 7th. Omar Berrio booted home the A C Avila runner.
Finished with 4 of 6 after Devil On The Roof ($3.60) tallied in the finale under Mike Smith. Beau Greely was the winning conditioner.
Feb/100
Santa Anita Recap – Feb 24th
Miss Seamless ($4.20) went all the way in the Wednesday opener for Tyler Baze and Doug O’Neill.
Another wire job winner in the 2nd as Exile ($7) was never headed under Victor Espinoza. Back to back for trainer Doug O’Neill.
Pick 6 time, and I’m on the board after Sabina Fay ($17.40) went coast to coast under Mike Smith. John Shirreffs saddled the downhill winner.
Underground ($3.20) cruised as expected in the compact 4th for Martin Garcia and Bob Baffert.
Both of my contenders ended up scratching out of the 5th. Speed rules today as Fashionita ($14.20) held sway for Quinonez and Efrain Miranda.
Tribal Justice ($9.80) stalked and pounced her way past my three contenders in the hillside 6th. Espinoza booted home the Sadler trainee.
Yet another wire job in the 7th with Emma Darling ($7) scoring for Rosario/Sadler. My top choice Via Veneto scratched.
Fitting end to the card as Fermelia ($10.20) wired the field for Quinonez/Stein. Top pick Edenise rallied strongly for the show over the speed conductive oval.
