Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for Saturday (12-26-20)
Mathis Brothers Mile (G2)
Storm the Court set the pace and strong favorite Smooth Like Strait tracked intently from 2nd. The chalk always had this race in control and he edged clear to win by a bit less than a length. Storm the Court fought bravely throughout in a solid runner-up effort. Whisper Not (GB) edged Field Pass for 3rd and he might be worth following. It took him a half-mile to settle from the inside post and he battled hard for the show for Joel Rosario and Richard Baltas.
San Antonio (G2)
Combatant and my top choice Sharp Samurai scratched and the field was reduced to six. Baffert returnee Mucho Gusto took all of the betting action and pressed inside speed Take the One O One. Idol sat the right trip in third but Kiss Today Goodbye rumbled past them all in a smart last-to-first tally under Mike Smith. Idol settled for the place and Take the One O One completed the trifecta. Mucho Gusto finished a disappointing 4th and looked like a short horse. Midcourt and Extra Hope trailed.
La Brea (G1)
This one was tough to come up with. Half of the ten runners were less than 10-1 odds and none of them prevailed. This has become a longshot race in recent years and 20-1 Fair Maiden switched to dirt and rallied to upset the applecart for Ricky Gonzalez and Eoin Harty. 12-1 Baffert trainee Golden Principal completed the exacta and her stablemate Merneith checked in 3rd. Beaten favorite Finite was along for 4th. Himiko (7th) and Motivated Seller (9th) were the big disappointments. The former lacked room late and the latter chased wide and weakened.
American Oaks (G1)
Duopoly is always tough when she is able to get to the front early, and today was no exception. Chad Brown’s filly made all of the running under Flavien Prat and scored by a comfortable two lengths. Going To Vegas stalked and secured the place at 14-1 odds. Sharing nipped Red Lark and Capital Structure in a three-way photo for third. Luck Money tried to commence a wide rally but did not have any luck and settled for 6th.
Malibu (G1)
Charlatan put on a show in his first start since early May. Nashville was the favorite and he set the pace. Charlatan and Mike Smith were content tracking the front running chalk, and they blew by that one and cruised to a 4+ length victory in a snappy 1:21.50. Express Train was a half-length better than Collusion Illusion for runner-up honors, and Nashville weakened to 4th in his first career loss. Independence Hall was next and Thousand Words trailed throughout.
Lady of Shamrock
My best bet top choice Nasty ($15.80) opened up a clear early lead, slowed down the tempo in the middle, and had just enough left in the tank to hold off Counterparty Risk’s late charge. Great front running ride by Ricky Gonzalez. The winning margin was a diminishing head. Warren’s Showtime stalked wide and finished 3rd, and On Mars made a wide menacing move around the far turn but could not sustain her run and completed the superfecta.
Rainbow 6 Jackpot Carryover for Sunday (12-27-20): $110,804.
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Saturday (12-26-20)
SA 2 WIPE THE SLATE ($7.40), Exacta ($9.30)
SA 3 ALVAARO ($10.20)
Double (races 2-3, $42.20)
Double (races 3-4, $20.40)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $20.80)
SA 5 Warren’s Memorable/Half Hoping Exacta ($25.50)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $31.00)
SA Early Pick 4 (races 2-5, $111.25)
SA 11 NASTY (SA Best Bet #3, $15.80), Exacta ($37.60)
Double (races 10-11, $41.80)
Pick 3 (races 9-11, $75.30)
GP 8 COLONEL LIAM ($4.40)
GP 10 VIGILANTES WAY ($7.00)
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Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for Sunday (12-27-20)
Eddie Logan Stakes
Five of the seven entrants in this race were exiting the Cecil B. DeMille (G3). I fancied the other two runners, and my second choice and recent maiden winner Cathkin Peak (IRE) rolled from off the pace under Prat to score by a length. Commander Khai set the pace and finished 2nd, and Beer Can Man stalked and ended up 3rd. Big Fish and Party Game were next, and that brings us to my value top choice Barrister Tom. He had a troubled start and steadied early, and just would not settle while uncomfortable for most of the journey. Ebeko was never involved and was injured at the top of the stretch and vanned off after the race.
Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3)
The biggest surprise of this race was the final odds. I really thought eventual winner Mucho Unusual would be less than 2-1. The class of the field went off a bit less than 3-1 and stalked outside and scored. Never be Enough (GB) rallied for the place at 32-1 odds and She’s Our Charm set the pace and held 3rd. My top choice Miss Teheran (IRE) had a tardy beginning, stalked inside, surged to the lead, and weakened to finish 4th. Not a bad effort overall but she was overbet as the favorite. Zee Drop was next, followed by Rideforthecause, Altea (FR), and a fading Colonial Creed.
Rainbow 6 Jackpot Carryover for Thursday (12-31-20): $167,262
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Sunday (12-27-20)
SA 7 JETOVATOR (SA Best Bet #2, $7.80), Exacta ($25.70)
Double (races 6-7, $13.80)
Pick 3 (races 5-7, $10.85)
SA 10 FABOZZI ($5.60), Exacta ($9.10), Trifecta ($15.90)
Double (races 9-10, $35.40)
Article by Jarrod Horak
