HORSE RACING

[Lumi]

HORSE RACING
TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 11:30 a.m.

Race 1 - 6 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Yodelady O - Claimed by Ted West and spotted nicely to win right now; like that Rafael Bejarano remains loyal.

Joint Agreement - Good second in last, flattered when Victory Dancer won right back; good tactical speed.

Long Shot - Carnival Queen

Race 2 - 1 mile (turf), Purse $48,000, Optional claiming $25,000, Cal-breds, 4-year-olds and up

Tamarack Smarty - No shame second best to the good Red Sun favored in race 9; Joe Talamo had choices, stays loyal here.

Renegade Storm - Dead late closer was a stride late in last; with the turf rail at zero, closers finally have a chance.

Long Shot - Brushburn

Race 3 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $19,000, Claiming $16,000, 4-year-olds and up

Laser Point - His race two back is fast enough to upset these; like that Garrett Gomez takes the call for Jeff Mullins.

Fiery Trippi - Logical chalk dropped to a career low class in last to win; has the backbone to repeat the race.

Long Shot - Devil Cat M D

Race 4 - 6 furlongs, Purse $49,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 4-year-olds and up

Lt. Hopeful - Off poorly when unprepared for the start; he is a speedball who could run off and hide at a price.

Euroglide - Consistent sort figures to be right there again; improves in second start off a 2-month hiatus.

Long Shot - Position A

Race 5 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf), Purse $44,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds

Mister Do It - Like the parking lot post down the hillside turf course; his sod starts are much better than synthetics.

Deputy Max - Let's play beat the chalk with this comebacker; Brian Koriner adds blinkers on and Victor Espinoza.

Long Shot - Face and an Ace

Race 6 - 6 furlongs, $200,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Rate of Exchange - Must respect Calder shippers coming to SoCal; like that suspended Joel Rosario takes the call.

Libor Lady - Bullet fast mare gets the services of Garrett Gomez; brutally fast and tough as nails to pass.

Long Shot - Dotsy Jean

Race 7 - 1 1/8th miles (turf), $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Closeout - Ran great when second in the Las Palmas two back; saves all the ground and will fire fast late.

Tight Precision - Joel Rosario has been on suspension, but returns today with live mounts in the Sunshine Millions.

Long Shot - Saucey Evening

Race 8 - 1 1/8th miles, $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic, 4-year-olds and up

The Usual Q. T. - Logical chalk has become the scourge of the SoCal turf division; all he does is win races.

Bad Action - Ambitious placement in first start for Todd Pletcher; his turf races are sneaky good, huge upset chance.

Long Shot - Jeranimo

Race 9 - 6 1/2 furlongs (turf), Purse $46,000, Allowance, 4-year-olds and up

Red Sun - This guy still does not know how good he can get; carefully managed like fine china by Carla Gaines.

Atticus Jack - Strong win in last in turf debut; suspect it was no fluke, value comes from Garrett Gomez exit.

Long Shot - Hidden Blessing

Race 10 - 6 furlongs, Purse $22,000, Starter allowance $40,000, 4-year-olds and up

Proud Hillbilly - Freshened 2-months, returns in a very winable spot; tactical speed to protect his inside position.

Bullfighter - Didn't beat much in last maiden claimer, but barely moved a muscle; Bob Baffert cull moves forward.

Long Shot - Scofield Barracks

Race 11 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $15,000, Maiden claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up

Chailepis - Broke thru with a much improved race in last; clearly not very much to defeat in here.

High Tide Rising - When the ones with experience look this slow, you must examine all of the FTs.

Long Shot - Shark City

Best Bet - Lt. Hopeful (race 4)

Santa Anita Friday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/2/$21.20; Long Shots, 7/4/$36.60; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Santa Anita Totals - 374/96/$617.40; Long Shots, 187/29/$285.00; Best Bets, 23/10/$44.80

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY - #3 My Lady A. P. (5/2) in race 3 at Tampa Bay. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, racing was canceled at Philadelphia Park. Stats - 22/15/$95.00

 

[Lumi]

At the Gate - Saturday

At the Gate - Saturday

At the Gate - Saturday

The feature at Aqueduct on Saturday is the $65,000 Correction Handicap, which drew a compact field of five fillies and mares.

It seems most of the stakes at the Big A this time of year come up lacking, and today?s stake is no exception.

I really like Hold That Prospect, who is the 2/1 morning line favorite. The mare raced against the bias last out, and figures to bounce back withy a better effort.

The only problem is I doubt we are going to see 2/1, and 6/5 seems more likely.

The rest of the card looks better, and the six stakes making up the Sunshine Millions today all appear to be excellent wagering races.

There are three races each at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, with $1.8 million in purses.

The event is supposed to be a competition between California and Florida breds, complete with a points system to declare a winning state.


Nobody really cares which state wins, and I could not tell you which state won the first seven running?s of the Sunshine Millions.

However, this year?s races are good betting races, and I included all six races (two below in today?s column) in my Aqueduct Report for Saturday.

Selections, analysis, and wagering recommendations for all six of the Sunshine Millions races are included in my Aqueduct Report for Saturday.

Here is today's opening race from Aqueduct to get our day off to a good start:

AQU Race 1 Clm $15,000N2L (12:30 ET)
#3 Taxadame 15/1
#8 Stratton's Girl 7/2
#6 Punt's Kitty 8/5
#2 Moon Drop 5/1

#3 Taxadame is going to need to run a career top to win here, but the filly could be ready for some improvement in her second start off a 11 month layoff. Last out she lost all chance when she broke poorly, raced wide down the backstretch and was caught out even wider on the far turn, fading to finish eighth. The third place finisher in the race was Hello Gold, who came back to win at this level in her next outing on Jan. 15. Her maiden score did come on the inner last February and we should catch a generous price and would be a good way to get the day started if she fires.

#8 Stratton's Girl did not fire last out in her first go off a 2 1/2 month break for the Terranova barn. Last fall this gal put in a couple of solid efforts in a second and a third, and note that third two back came against non winners of three. She was claimed out of her last start by the Galluscio barn that is 25% winners (with a +ROI) first off the claim. She gets a jock upgrade to Ramon and catches what looks like a weak group of state breds here.

Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 8/1 or better.
EX: 3,8 / 2,3,6,8
TRI: 3,8 / 2,3,6,8 / 2,3,5,6,8

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Aqueduct:

AQU Race 3 Correction Hcp (1:26 ET)
#5 Hold That Prospect 2/1
#2 Heaven's Voice 3/1
#3 Fascinatin' Rhythm 5/2
#1 What Time It Is 7/2

#5 Hold That Prospect makes her first start since Dec. 5 where the mare set the early fractions and weakened to finish fifth in the Garland of Roses over a sloppy surface that was playing to outside stalkers and closers. The third place finisher in the race was Distorted Passion, who returned to win the Interborough Handicap in her next outing on Jan. 1. The mare owns a good edge in early and mid pace numbers and will prove tough to catch in this spot as the short priced favorite.

#2 Heaven's Voice finished a neck behind our third choice last out in the Maryland bred Squan Song, but may be able to turn the tables on that foe and complete the exacta. She should have the jump on #3 Fascinatin' Rhythm when they turn for home.

Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 7/5 or better.
EX: 5 / 2,3
TRI: no play

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Gulfstream Park:

GP Race 8 Sunshine Millions Sprint (4:33 ET)

#6 This One?s for Phil 9/5
#3 Accredit 6/1
#4 Pashito the Che 8/5
#2 Sneaking Uponyou 8/1

#6 This One?s for Phil returns off a two-month break and is making just his second start since last June. The gelding earned a career top winning the Dash over the main track here last January, popping a 115 Beyer. The gelding was put up in the Swale after getting bumped around and had a tough trip in the Withers where he checked in second, then had more trouble in the Woody Stephens. He came back off the bench last out with a sharp win and look like he is sitting on a big one here as he returns to his favorite surface. Dutrow put a couple of bullet works into this guy, both over the main track here.

#3 Accredit was beaten just a neck and a nose last out at Turfway Park on the poly and will appreciate the returns to conventional dirt here. Two back he was a good second in the Bet On Sunshine at Churchill Downs, a race that produced three next out stakes winners. The winner Custom for Carlos returned to win the Mr. Prospector (G3) with a 103 Beyer.

#4 Pashito the Che was beaten just a nose last out in the Gravesand Handicap at Aqueduct behind Digger, who came back to win the Fire Plug Stakes in his next outing on Jan. 16 at Laurel Park. The Scott Lake trainee has landed in the exacta in 10 of his 12 career starts, but has now been involved in three straight photos and now starts over the sixth different racing surface over his last six outings. The colt likely goes off as the favorite here and if this guy regresses, he might be in deep waters late against a solid group here.

Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 7/5 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 2,3,4,6
TRI: 3,6 / 2,3,4,6 / 1,2,3,4,6

Today's Featured Race of the Day from Santa Anita:

SA Race 8 Sunshine Millions Classic (3:38 PT)

#9 Bold Chiefain 6/1
#7 The Usual Q.T. 5/2
#8 Compari 3/1
#4 Palladio 30/1

#9 Bold Chieftain had a three race win streak snapped last out when fourth in the San Pasquel (G2), beaten two lengths for the top spot. The seven year old has lost a step or two from his younger days, but he did look good winning the Cal Cup Classic three back over the Pro Ride and he is making his third start of his current form cycle here. He certainly will offer better value than our second choice in here.

#7 The Usual Q.T. has won six in a row, all on turf, and Cassidy decided to keep the gelding home and try Pro Ride for $500,000 rather than ship top Gulfstream park for the Turf, which has a $300,000 purse. The gelding is 0 for 4 with three seconds on synthetics, all in the maiden ranks. There is no doubt this guy has come a long way since taking six tries to earn his diploma. The gelding is the logical one to beat in here but may get too much attention at the windows.

Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 7,9 / 4,7,8,9
TRI: 7,9 / 4,7,8,9 / 4,7,8,9,11

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Aqueduct
R1: #3 Taxadame 15/1
R4: #3 Whateverittakes 10/1
R9: #6 Cathy?s Rascal 20/1

Good luck today!