HORSE RACING TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

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HORSE RACING

TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
By Richard Eng

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $48,000, Optional claiming $80,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

Full Mandate - Can rebound from a disastrous U.S. debut; Jim Cassidy switches to his main man David Flores for the ride.

Hot Citizen - Kentucky invader figures to be undervalued; like the vote of Joel Rosario, suspect will outrun her high odds.

Long Shot - Glory Pride

Race 2 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $16,000, Claiming $12,500, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Sunny Peace - Claimed by Steve Knapp from Gary Stute off a clever win; she has enough back class to repeat the effort.

First Queen - Won a condition claimer over lesser lites; top combo of Joel Rosario and Kathy Walsh, taken to repeat.

Long Shot - Spell Caster

Race 3 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $36,000, Claiming $40,000, 4-year-olds and up

Pleasure to Ride - Sliding down the claiming ladder to this career low class; tactical speed to sit a perfect trip.

Squallcreek - Speedball win in last, now claimed by Mike Mitchell; aided by the turf rail out 15 feet.

Long Shot - Big Wig

Race 4 - 6 furlongs, Purse $18,000, Maiden claiming $32,000, 3-year-olds

Blackman Bay - For Garrett Gomez to ride in a bottom level maiden claimer, he must have been told a good story.

Country Impact - Second start off a 3-month hiatus; suspect Martin Garcia will push him early in a no passing zone field.

Long Shot - Michaels Jila

Race 5 - 1 1/8th miles (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $52,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 4-year-olds and up

Hyades - Sharp win in U.S. debut for trainer Ben Cecil; he moves up in condition, but he may be this good.

Riviera Cocktail - Part of an uncoupled entry from trainer Neil Drysdale; like that he exits graded stakes for this.

Long Shot - Roar of Applause

Race 6 - 6 furlongs, Purse $38,000, Claiming $50,000, 3-year-olds

Joyful Success - Big class edge running first time ever for a price tag; tactical speed to sit a perfect trip.

Ishmael - Was flattered when Skipshot won his next out; is reunited with Rafael Bejarano, post to clock the speed.

Long Shot - Buyer's Remorse

Race 7 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $53,000, 4-year-olds and up

Mr Gruff - To say he loves the hillside turf course is an understatement; can lead or follow close up.

Peace Chant - Interesting Florida invader for Doug O'Neill; with so much speed in the race, Bejarano will be closing.

Long Shot - Prairie City Road

Race 8 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $18,000, Maiden claiming $32,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds and up

Lady Adelle - John Sadler filly taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; her last was fairly fast.

Pay for Play - Mandella filly taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; expect her to show speed.

Long Shot - Mary's Dancer

Best Bet - Lady Adelle (race 8)

Santa Anita Thursday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/4/$25.60; Long Shots, 8/1/$7.60; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Santa Anita Totals - 902/228/$1,519.80; Long Shots, 447/71/$749.40; Best Bets, 542/18/$88.60

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY - #1 Liberty St. Outlaw (5/2) in race 5 at Tampa Bay. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Thursday, Convocation won at Gulfstream Park paying $3.40 to win, $2.40 to place and $2.10 to show. Stats - 55/41/$301.00

 

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RICHARD ENG: Less-is-more philosophy makes sense at Monmouth

RICHARD ENG: Less-is-more philosophy makes sense at Monmouth

RICHARD ENG: Less-is-more philosophy makes sense at Monmouth

It is refreshing to see horse racing leaders who understand that the status quo isn't good enough anymore. I'm referring to New Jersey and Monmouth Park, where the state, track and horsemen agreed to a dramatic change in the way they're doing business.

Monmouth will race only 50 days this summer, with a 21-day fall meet. That will replace the fall thoroughbred meet at the Meadowlands, which now will conduct only harness racing. The reduction in dates is from 141 to 71 in 2010.

This will allow Monmouth to offer on average $1 million a day in purse money this summer, making it the richest race meet in the United States. Further changes include a three-day race week and 12 races per card.

The ''less is more'' philosophy makes sense. The U.S. has a horse shortage. Horseplayers want to play fuller fields. Thus, combining quality and quantity should produce an outstanding product.

Industry experts have assumed this will negatively impact the competing Saratoga meet. I disagree. I think the tracks that will lose the most are in the Mid-Atlantic, such as Delaware, Penn National, Philadelphia and Pimlico. A short ship, for purses 50 percent or more higher, is enticing.

I will play a simulcast signal of such quality. I'll also volunteer this proposal to Monmouth: Offer a subsidy to us horseplayers. It's known that Atlantic City casinos are giving a $20 million subsidy to Monmouth for purses.

What I suggest is a reduction to 10 percent takeout in the straight pools, win, place and show. The takeout is currently 17 percent. The 7 percent difference is in essence a subsidy for horseplayers. Between higher returns to bettors and more handle because of an improved racing product, the Monmouth churn in straight pools should explode. The increased revenue will theoretically offset givebacks by the track and simulcast outlets.

Considering Monmouth is courageous enough to make this great experiment, why not include us players, too?

■ STILL A WINNER -- It is amazing that many racing fans are saying because Rachel Alexandra lost last week that she was not a deserving Horse of the Year. There is no connection between the award and the loss. In 2010, Rachel Alexandra was 8-for-8 wins. This year she is 0-for-1, that's all.

■ SOUTH POINT -- The Thursday South Point Six progressive carry-over was not won this week. The contest carry-over has grown to $11,370.