SANTA ANITA
Race 1
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has put in back-to-back 7 furlong works into No. 3 Shaun Washington for this 1 1/4 turf race, No. 5 Dreamcatcher just won at this distance on the cushion surface at Hollywood so we know he can get the trip. No. 6 Romp can get this trip and jockey Bejarano takes his first try on this 9yo gelding. 3-5-6
Race 2
No. 7 Off the Wall gets off the grass and drops a notch, if he can sit right off the hot pace he could pounce down the lane to get the win, No. 2 Cayambe is another that will be making a late run at them. 2-7
Double
1st 3-5-6
2nd 2-7
Race 3
No. 7 Uniformly Yours comes off the layoff and drops into a maiden claimer for the first time, this is a good wakeup spot for her, No. 11 Huera Bonita is a first-time starter for trainer Hector Palma who has been sending out live one at the meet. No. 2 Red Rachel is in from Turf Paradise and will be right there from the bell. 2-7-11
Exacta box 2-7-11
Race 4
No. 7 Empty Headed comes off the layoff for the ice cold Barry Abrams who is overdue for a win, this gelding will like the trip, No. 3 Ashley’s Bamabino and No. 12 Magnum Force both have big shots in here with the right trip. 3-7-12
Race 5
No. 5 Arinyes Love will be sitting chilly off a hot early pace as will No. 8 Gem in the Rough. No. 9 Cupid’s Bling won in her only start here on the dirt and it was at this claiming price. 5-8-9
Win and place 9
Race 6
No. 5 Jimmy Simms drops into an action spot, No. 7 Rock This Way will be gunning from the bell and will try and take them wire-to-wire. No. 4 Smokey Lonesome gives his best almost every race. 4-5-7
Race 7
No. 3 Luckarack will sit back off the hot pace and mow them down in the stretch, No. 8 Hardtap is the stranger danger. 3-8
Race 8
THE GRADE 2 MONROVIA AT 6 1/2 FURLONGS ON THE GRASS
No. 2 Byrama has hit the board in all three of her starts going down the hill, No. 5 Broken Dreams will sit right off the hot pace set by the very speedy No. 3 Kindle and these two will both try and hold off Byrama down the lane along with No. 6 Mizdirection the likely chalk in here off her huge win in the BC turf sprint here back on November 3rd, she is a perfect three for three on this course and the girl to beat as she won this race last year. 2-3-5-6
Race 9
20k maiden fillies and mares going 7 furlongs on the dirt, the new bug girl Casandra Branick gets her first ride on No. 4 Tiz Lovely and she has a shot if able to hold on, No. 8 California Roll exits our HTW list off a solid effort in her last start going 6 1/2 furlongs, the extra half a furlong will be perfect for her. 4-8
Exacta box 4-8
Double
8th 2-3-5-6
9th 8
GOLDEN GATE
Race 1
No. 2 Aerial Artist comes off a nice win here at this mile turf distance and is the one to beat. 2
Race 2
No. 1 Willie the Fox and No. 5 Bruno’s wager both exit the same race in which the winner came back to score they will try and upset No. 6 Diamond Geezah who is looking for his third straight win. 1-5-6
Race 3
No. 4 Smiles Contagious ran good in her only try on this turf course, she wlll be flying late, No. 7 Taba’s Gold is wheeled back in just six days. 4-7
Double
2nd 1-5-6
3rd 4-7
Race 4
No. 2 Pure Indy is in from Keeneland where she was tossed to the wolves in a Grade 1, these will be much easier but she will need to fire a big shot to beat the very fast No. 4 Marks Mine. 2-4
Pick four
1st 2
2nd 1-5-6
3rd 4-7
4th 2-4
Race 5
No. 5 City Chapel gets jockey Baze as they look for the win, No. 9 Layover in Seattle just missed in his one turf route, if this stays on the grass he will be our play. 5-9
Exacta box 5-9 and win and place 9 ( turf only)
Race 6
No. 3 Cohiba Cat drops into a race where he will wake up big time, No. 4 Cane Seeker tried tougher at Santa Anita in his last start and comes back to his correct level. 3-4
Race 7
We will use two exiting the same race No. 2 Magic Bert who finished 3/4 of a length behind the winner Mighty Marino who came back to score again next time out and No. 4 Jakob’s Magic. 2-4
Win and place 2 and a Q 2-4
Race 8
No. 1 Photo Shopped drops back to the level of his last win, No. 4 Magic of the Moon just got beat by a head last time out. No. 5 Heroically is the stablemate of Magic of the Moon. 1-4-5
Double
7th 2-4
8th 1-4-5
Race 9
No. 4 Tasya comes off the layoff looking for her fourth win in her last five starts with a narrow neck loss in her other race, No. 6 Mohanna Breeze is wheeled back in just six days off the Miyadi claim. 4-6
Pick four
6th 3-4
7th 2-4
8th 1-4-5
9th 4-6
CHECK FOR LATE SCRATCHES AND CHECK THAT THE SADDLE CLOTH NUMBERS MATCH OUR SELECTION NUMBERS
Richard Saber, a former director of race and sports at the famed Stardust book, is GamingToday’s horse racing and sports handicapper. Contact Richard at [email protected].