HORSE RACING TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

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HORSE RACING

By RICHARD ENG
TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $20,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, 4-year-olds and up

Unclaimed Heart - Ran big in debut, now is taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming.

Halo's Law - Has had many chances at this class level without graduating; Jeff Mullins adds blinkers on.

Long Shot - Starcatter

Race 2 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $44,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds

Leroy's Dynameaux - You have a big edge over me because you'll see the tote board action; bred to love the grass.

Cranky Jack - There are 6 FTS so the tote board action will be very important; a real crap shoot to handicap.

Long Shot - Isle of Prado

Race 3 - 1 mile, Purse $14,000, Claiming $10,000, 4-year-olds and up

Candy Arches - Not much to separate the two favorites; tactical speed to lead or follow close up.

General Dan - Been battling Candy Arches tooth and nail the last 2 starts; will try to turn the tables.

Long Shot - Shelter Island

Race 4 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $46,000, Optional claiming $80,000, Cal-breds, Fillies, 3-year-olds

Excellent News - Did everything but win last time versus Shes Funomenal; class relief can only help.

Siberian Heart - Dead late closer should see a healthy pace to close into; big rider switch to Rafael Bejarano.

Long Shot - Seeking the Queen

Race 5 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $10,000, Claiming $8,000, 4-year-olds and up

Nima's Pad - Added chance on the big class drop; second start off a 5-month hiatus, like Joel Rosario up.

Bilo - Speedball did everything but win last time in a gutsy try; key will be how he reacts, especially at his age.

Long Shot - Swiss Ski

Race 6 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $44,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds

Fandino - Was flattered when Face and an Ace won next time out; big rider switch to Rafael Bejarano for the money shot.

Ziggy's Stardust - Reunited with Joel Rosario; beaten favorite in last should enjoy the turn back in distance today.

Long Shot - Fly Boy

Race 7 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $48,000, Optional claiming $80,000, 3-year-olds

Indian Firewater - Lost to an underrated foe in last in Thomas Baines; ran a winning race for this modest class.

Distorted Dave - Dead late closer should see plenty of pace today; Joel Rosario special, sit back and make one run.

Long Shot - Big Man Has a Sign

Race 8 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $27,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Birdie Birdie - Sliding down the claiming ladder to this career low class level; need not be much to beat these.

Connie the Queen - Been away 10-months, but has won in SoCal before; speedball aided by the turf rail out 30 feet.

Long Shot - Powerofvoodoo

Best Bet - Excellent News (race 4)

Santa Anita Thursday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/5/$27.40; Long Shots, 8/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Santa Anita Totals - 988/256/$1,692.20; Long Shots, 483/77/$802.40; Best Bets, 59/20/$100.00

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY - #2 Prestidigitation (9/5) in race 4 at Gulfstream Park. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Thursday, Buddha Pass ran out at Oaklawn. Stats - 60/45/$345.60

 

[Lumi]

RICHARD ENG: Dubai World Cup raises bar

RICHARD ENG: Dubai World Cup raises bar

RICHARD ENG: Dubai World Cup raises bar
The Dubai World Cup is what the Breeders' Cup first set out to be. Where the Breeders' Cup strayed by creating a second day of watered-down races, Dubai kept to its original goals.

One day, seven championship races, purses of $26 million and full, truly international fields make the Dubai World Cup a phenomenal event.

We will be able to bet on Dubai on Saturday morning. However, because the first race is the Al Quoz Sprint at 6:20 a.m. PDT, I suggest you advance wager in a local race book Friday. Then you can enjoy breakfast and watch the Dubai races live on HRTV.

This will be the first Dubai World Cup at the new $2.7 billion course, Meydan. As one journalist wrote, ''It has set the benchmark too high for any other country to follow.''

The layout is comparable to Woodbine, where a massive turf course circles the main track. And like Woodbine the main track is synthetic, in this case Tapeta, which has earned rave reviews from horsemen for predictable reasons. Its developer is former trainer Michael Dickinson, who perfected Tapeta during 10 years of research on his Maryland farm and from installations at Golden Gate and Presque Isle Downs. Meydan is his crowning achievement.

The feature race is the $10 million Dubai World Cup. Two-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti from the United States is the 7-2 favorite. My choice is Gitano Hernando at 9-2, who is 4-for-4 on synthetic surfaces. He proved his class by winning the Grade I Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita last fall.

There are two $5 million races, the Dubai Sheema Classic and the Dubai Duty Free. Spanish Moon at 6-1 offers great value if you can get that price at post time. He has lost two devilish nose decisions, in last year's Sheema Classic and in the Hong Kong Vase his last time out. In the Duty Free, I'm playing Alexandros at 10-1 with Frankie Dettori up. In turf racing, the trip makes losers out of winners all the time, so I'll rely on Dettori for a clean journey.

I'll offer one more long shot: Sirocco Breeze at 8-1 in the Al Quoz. He's turning back in distance after two seven-furlong wins and should be closing fastest of all.