HORSE RACING TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

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HORSE RACING

By RICHARD ENG
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 - 7 furlongs, Purse $21,000, Claiming $20,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

The Women's Diva - Solid second chasing an honest winner in last; looks like a paceless race so expect a tough scrum late.

Miss Olivia K - Gutsy graduation in last from the rail; draws the wood again and figures to lead early on.

Long Shot - Ida of March

Race 2 - 6 furlongs, Purse $14,000, Claiming $12,500, 4-year-olds and up

One Vote - Like the way the A.C. Avila barn keeps producing winners; this one has Pedro Arambula and not Omar Berrio.

Sea Rascal - Logical chalk off a strong second in last; Joel Rosario takes over, which may cause him to be overbet.

Long Shot - Pack Your Bags

Race 3 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $44,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies, 3-year-olds

Misinjennuous - Appears capable of sitting a trip and coming on late; ran like he needed a start, her first in 8 months.

Come Home Quick - Like the turn back in distance from mile route to elongated sprint; turf rail out 15 feet will help.

Long Shot - Timezone

Race 4 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $18,000, Maiden claiming $32,000, 3-year-olds

Mikeymike - Terrible 2/5 favorite in last and ran like it; Julio Canani switches to his main man Martin Pedroza.

Falaise Pocket - FTS from the Brian Koriner barn has been working up a storm for debut; watch the tote board for clues.

Long Shot - Warren's Concept

Race 5 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $30,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

Imperatriz - Keep an eye on The Women's Diva in race 1; one of the few A.C. Avila runners to disappoint lately.

Pretty Kinzie - Closed strongly in last while facing tougher; subtle class drop can only help her cause.

Long Shot - Water Biscuit

Race 6 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $30,000, 4-year-olds

Hiho Geronimo - Aggressive class rise by Mike Mitchell off a sharp win; historically that is a very good sign.

Leedstheway - Sliding down the claiming ladder to this career low class; tactical speed to lead or follow.

Long Shot - Dave's Pacemaker

Race 7 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $56,000, Allowance, 4-year-olds

Red Alert Day - Gets class relief from a good try in the grade 1 Kilroe; capable of blowing away the field.

Euroglide - This may not be his best distance, but it's a course he likes; saves ground and grinds it out late.

Long Shot - Dark Islander

Race 8 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $44,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds

Unusually Lucky - Of the ones with experience, he appears best suited to graduate; shorter distance can only help.

Bold Type - Like the parking lot post to stalk the early speed inside him; Joe Talamo saves energy for the lane.

Long Shot - Crispy Corey

Best Bet - Red Alert Day (race 7)

Santa Anita Thursday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/5/$23.00; Long Shots, 8/1/$7.40; Best Bet, 1/1/$3.00

Santa Anita Totals - 1,155/299/$1,974.00; Long Shots, 567/90/$920.20; Best Bets, 69/25/$138.00

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY - #7 Lady's Wish (5/1) in race 8 at Gulfstream Park. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Thursday, Road Track's Dream ran second at Gulfstream Park paying $3.00 to place and $2.60 to show. Stats - 69/51/$394.50

 

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RICHARD ENG : Pletcher's stable formidable, but fate always fickle at Derby

RICHARD ENG : Pletcher's stable formidable, but fate always fickle at Derby

RICHARD ENG : Pletcher's stable formidable, but fate always fickle at Derby
Todd Pletcher at last has figured out how to win the Kentucky Derby.

First you start a short-priced favorite in Wood Memorial winner Eskendereya. Then back him up with six or seven talented stablemates. Pletcher could start a third of the 20-horse Derby field, making his natural odds of winning the race about 1 in 3.

Pletcher has that many hopefuls, and most have the graded earnings necessary to make the field. But if anyone can understand the fickle fate of horse racing, it's Pletcher. His 0-for-24 record in the Derby is one for futility on the sport's brightest stage.

If Mine That Bird taught us anything in winning last year's Derby, it's that strange things can, and usually do, happen at Churchill Downs.

So, before you key Eskendereya on top of your Derby superfecta, at least watch the remaining prep races. Bear in mind the past eight Derby winners prepped in seven stakes. Only the Florida Derby has produced two in that time: Big Brown (2008) and Barbaro (2006).

On Saturday, the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn and the Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland could shed some light.

Noble's Promise will be favored in the Arkansas Derby off his nose loss to Lookin At Lucky in the Rebel, also at Oaklawn. If there is an upsetter, I like the pair from D. Wayne Lukas in Dublin and Northern Giant. They run as an uncoupled entry, so I'll probably bet more to win on the one with the higher odds.

In the Blue Grass, I like Make Music for Me, shipping in from Southern California. Horses really can grow up from ages 2 to 3. I liked what I saw in his comeback win in the Pasadena at Santa Anita. Make Music for Me should be a square price, too, 6-1 or higher.

■ GOMEZ'S MISTAKE -- A lot has been said and written about Garrett Gomez's ride on Lookin At Lucky in the Santa Anita Derby. To recap, Gomez tried to bull through on the rail and had to check sharply when tightened up by Victor Espinoza riding a hapless long shot.

One thing great riders have told me through the years is when they are riding the best horse, their goal is to stay out of trouble. A clean trip is more important than saving ground. Gomez allowed a rank outsider to control his destiny and not the other way around.

 

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Post Experts Pick the Winners

 

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Aqueduct Analysis

Aqueduct Analysis

Aqueduct Analysis

 

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Through the binocs

Through the binocs

Through the binocs



What would have been the $5M "Race for the Ages" between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta -- and is now the 500G "Race Everyone Forgot" -- will be run today at Oaklawn Park when Zenyatta takes on four opponents, minus Rachel, in the Apple Blossom Invitational, where she'll be 1-9 to run her record to 16-for-16, tying the consecutive win streaks held by Citation, Cigar and Mister Frisky. The Apple Blossom, which Zenyatta won two years ago, will be just her second start outside of California, so it was amusing to read in yesterday's Santa Anita Stable Notes the comments from West Coast trainers who thought it was a big mistake to name Rachel, not Zenyatta, 2009 Horse of the Year.



FIRST RACE: Mr. Serious, 22-1 under Joe Musarro, was rallying after 7-5 Man of Danger in mid-stretch when 7-2 Mr. Unstoppable, mounting his own rally, ranged up outside. Musarro tried to create a hole by shouldering his way through, but Victor Santiago, riding Mr. Unstoppable, held his ground. Mr. Unstoppable went on to run down Man of Danger; Mr. Serious, after checking out of the jackpot, came on for third. Inquiry sign went up, but stewards wisely let the result stand.

THIRD RACE: Sequoya Mountain, 4-1 in field of five going mile, stole off to daylight lead under Eibar Coa, tracked by 2-1 Full Liquidity, fresh off maiden score at Gulfstream for Nick Zito, with 4-5 favorite Framed the trailer under Ramon Dominguez. As Full Liquidity hooked Sequoya Mountain turning for home, 10-1 Fortunate Run, Fernando Jara up, circled the leaders to take lead mid-stretch, but Full Liquidity battled back to his inside under David Cohen to regain the lead and prevail. Framed loomed boldly top of stretch, but lacked the needed punch and settled for third.

FOURTH RACE: Classy Jet, 5-2, set pace under Jorge Chavez, tracked by 5-1 Green Arrows, and those two turned for home together as 2-1 favorite Waylady, Jose Espinoza up, rallied wide. Green Arrows struck the front mid-stretch, with Waylady continuing her rally outside. But in final furlong, Waylady hung, just as she did as the favorite in her last start, to finish second again as Green Arrows opened up late to give Cohen his third straight.

SEVENTH RACE: Fiona Storm, 4-5 favorite, pressed pace, bid for lead into the turn and quickly took command under Channing Hill. Fiona Storm still led by daylight into final furlong, but 7-1 Sweetheart Kiss, Edgar Prado up, stepping up to 25G maiden claimer after missing by nose for 12.5G, ran past her in deep stretch.

EIGHTH RACE: Telemachus, 5-2, set pace, pressed by 17-1 Coal Baron, Eibar Coa up, who rallied turning for home to take lead top of stretch. After being run down deep stretch by 5-1 Fortyninegeorgest, Coal Baron stumbled past the wire and fell, lying motionless under the rail until diligent work by track attendants got him back on his feet. The 4-year-old gelding limped onto the horse ambulance, was later diagnosed with a fractured left shoulder and had to be euthanized.

PICK SIX

Winning numbers: 6-3-6-5-6-6

6 winners each receives $6,940

82 consolation (5 of 6) paid $85

No carryover