SANTA ANITA
Race 2
No. 3 SAFETY BELT
Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally doesn’t win many any more but he can train. He put three straight 7 furlong works into this gelding for this, his second start in the States. Sent him down the hill after going long on the dirt in his first start. Had hit the board in five of his six grass starts in his native Argentina going 5 and 7 furlongs, so this distance looked perfect. Was let go at almost 9/1 in the betting and just won as much the best, paying $19.60. Hooked up with the chalk in a $56.60 exacta given out on our daily horse selections. We hope Ron keeps him on the grass. If so we will be playing again.
Race 7
No. 6 NAZARETH
Was being dropped in for a price for the first-time, and going down the hill broke sharp but took back and got in tight midway on the hill. That may have cost her the race as she made a good late run to just miss the place by a ½ length and the win by ¾ of a length. She moves into a new barn but we will still take our shot with her next time out at this level or lower.
Richard Saber, a former director of race and sports at the famed Stardust book, is GamingToday’s horse racing and sports handicapper. Follow Richard on Twitter @SabesBet. Contact Richard at [email protected].