Santa Anita Recap for Friday (10-1-21)
Fast main track and firm turf course. One front running winner in the G1 American Pharoah at 8.5f on dirt. On the turf course, a closer scored at 8T, a stalker won at 5T, a front runner took the Speakeasy at 5T, a pace prompter won the Eddie D (G2) on the downhill course at 6.5T, and a closer won the MSW finale at 6T (rail at 10 feet).
Hat trick for Joel Rosario. Trainer Mike Puype saddled a pair of surface switching first turf sprint maiden winners and Rosario rode both.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 10-1-21
There were four stakes races on the opening Friday program. The Speakeasy was the first stakes carded, and One Timer ($5.80) was too quick. He hustled to the lead, opened up, and held on by less than a length in the 5T dash for juveniles. Time To Party was gaining late in a good runner-up finish, and Forbidden Kingdom battled on the pace and was best of the rest in 3rd.
Grace Adler was the strong favorite in the G2 Chandelier, but she never picked up her feet. Ain’t Easy ($9.00) tracked the pace and dominated for Rosario/D’Amato. She won under a hand ride and completed 8.5f in 1:45.20. Electric Ride set the pace from the inside post and was second best, and Desert Dawn was a clear 3rd.
Welcome back, downhill sprints! You were sorely missed. Lieutenant Dan ($7.00) flew down the hill in the G2 Eddie D, and held off my top choice Snapper Sinclair to win by a 1/2 length. The latter had an uncomfortable journey from the outside post and was probably best. Chaos Theory stalked the pace and checked in 3rd, and Gregorian Chant completed the superfecta from the tricky inside post.
The final stakes on the program was the G1 American Pharoah, and Corniche ($2.80) was in command throughout. He looked like a standout on paper and that is how it played out in real time. He made the lead from the rail post, swatted away stablemate Rockefeller, and kicked clear to score by a bit more than three lengths. Pappacap stalked the pace and held 2nd over stretch runner Oviatt Class. The final time for 8.5f was 1:44.75.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $160,893, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $367.80. The jackpot carryover stands at $36,836.
Oct. 1 Claims: Race 2 – Town Boy ($32k, Doug O’Neill). Race 4 – California Street ($20k, Peter Miller), P R Radio Star ($20k, Steve Knapp).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Friday (10-1-21)
SA 2 Bright Leaf/Town Boy/You’re My Boy Kat Trifecta ($25.00)
SA 8 CORNICHE ($2.80)
Double (races 7-8, $15.40)
Pick 3 (races 6-8, $61.80)
Double (races 8-9, $28.80)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $107.20)
$5 Golden Hour Double (SA 9 + GG 10, $63.50)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Saturday (10-2-21)
Fast main track and firm turf course. Three front running winners on dirt (8.5f, 6f, 9f). On the turf course, a closer won at 5f, a closer scored at one mile, a closer rallied down the hill, a stalker was victorious at one mile, a front runner tallied at 10f, and a closer won at 10f.
Four wins for Flavien Prat and three of those were graded wins. Johnny V and Bob Baffert teamed up for two wins. Peter Miller saddled two turf winners including Mo Forza, and Prat rode both. Richard Mandella saddled two turf route winners including United.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 10-2-21
The Breeders’ Cup preps were in full swing on Saturday. First up was the G2 City of Hope Mile, and Mo Forza ($3.20) finished powerfully and caught Smooth Like Strait to win by a 1/2 length under Prat, with Hit the Road another head back in 3rd. Those three were well clear of the other two, and Hit the Road did not have the smoothest trip.
In the G2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, Dr. Schivel ($5.60) turned in the performance of the day. He broke from the tricky inside post and his right reign broke in the early going. Prat did not panic and he kept his mount inside of Vertical Threat, and he got the lead, opened up, and coasted home to win by a very easy 3+ lengths. Flagstaff nipped C Rocket for 2nd, and Colt Fiction was well behind the top three. Collusion and Vertical Threat trailed. The final time was 1:09.44.
Going To Vegas ($4.20) controlled the pace under Rispoli and held off her stablemate Luck to win the G1 Rodeo Drive by a head, and Dogtag stalked inside and was best of the rest in 3rd. This ten furlong turf affair was slow early and fast late, and Luck ran a quality race and may have been best. The final time was 1:58.84.
The G1 Awesome Again was the feature race of the day, and Medina Spirit ($4.60) took control early and widened throughout to win by a dominating five lengths. Stilletto Boy outran his 54-1 odds in a surprising runner-up effort, and Express Train did not have the best trip and was best of the rest in 3rd. Tripoli and Tizamagician were next, and they clearly did not run back to their Pacific Classic efforts. Idol and Azul Coast were next, and Midcourt eased and walked off.
The final stakes of the day was the G2 John Henry Turf Championship, and Prat gave United ($4.80) a perfectly timed ride to score from off the pace by a nose. Acclimate made all the running and just missed stealing this one, and Friar’s Road flew late and was the third nose on the line. The final time for 10f was 1:58.41.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $269,061, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $206.90. The jackpot carryover stands at $98,437.
Oct. 2 Claims: Race 5 – Whooping Jay ($80k, Mark Glatt).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Saturday (10-2-21)
SA 4 BIG NOVEL ($4.60), Exacta ($13.60)
Double (races 3-4, $9.00)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $40.00)
SA 5 Commander/Crew Dragon/Whooping Jay Trifecta (SA Best Bet #1, $130.60)
Double (races 4-5, $17.20)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $31.80)
SA 6 EIGHT RINGS ($2.80), Exacta ($4.40)
Double (races 5-6, $9.80)
Pick 3 (races 4-6, $26.20)
SA 8 DR. SCHIVEL ($5.60), Trifecta ($39.60)
SA 9 Going To Vegas/Luck/Dogtag Trifecta (SA Best Bet #3, $38.00)
Double (races 8-9, $15.80)
Pick 3 (races 8-10, $42.80)
SA 11 UNITED ($4.80)
Double (races 10-11, $14.20)
Pick 3 (races 9-11, $43.20)
50 cent SA Late Pick 4 (races 8-11, $37.75)
$1 Golden Hour Pick 4 (SA 10, GG 10, SA 11, GG 11, $168.20)
$5 Golden Hour Double (SA 11 + GG 11, $72.00)
GG 10 Astronomer/Cardiff Crack Exacta ($37.40), Trifecta ($57.00)
BEL 8 JACK CHRISTOPHER ($5.40) – Dr. Atlas
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Sunday (10-3-21)
Fast main track and firm turf course. Two front running winners at 6f on dirt. On the turf course, an outside closer tallied down the hill, a last-to-first closer won at 9f, a closer won at 6f, a stalker sitting in 2nd scored at 9f, a midpack stalker was victorious in the 8f Zuma Beach, and a stalker took the Surfer Girl at 8f (rail at 20 feet).
Hat trick for Flavien Prat. Riding double for Johnny V. On the trainer side, Bob Baffert and Michael McCarthy both saddled two winners.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 10-3-21
The Sunday stakes action started with the Unzip Me in the opener, and Zero Tolerance ($7.80) did not have the best start but definitely had the best finish in a one-length victory under Flavien Prat. Carpe Fortuna stalked, led, and held 2nd over Burgoo Alley. Brilliant Cut and Miss Costa Rica were not far behind, and Thrilling and Equilove trailed. They completed their 6.5f downhill journey in 1:11.67.
Ce Ce ($2.40) did not disappoint as the strong favorite in the G3 Chillingworth. She stalked from 3rd, took over, and won for fun in a good looking prep for the BC Filly & Mare Sprint. She finished 6.5f in 1:16.00. On Deck edged Scottish Star for 2nd, and Proud Emma and Eyes Open also ran.
It was a good day to be the betting favorite and Mackinnon ($4.40) drove that point home in the Zuma Beach. He had some early trouble, sat in midpack, saved ground, angled out, and surged late to score by 2-1/4 lengths over my top choice Silver Surfer. Picota (GB) overcame some early trouble to finish 3rd in his US bow at 17-1 odds. Law Abiding stalked and was best of the rest in 4th, and Aquitania Arrival rallied to split the 10-horse field. The 8T final time was 1:33.80.
This was hardly the deepest renewal of the G2 Zenyatta, and Private Mission ($4.20) chased from 2nd and edged away in this 8.5f California qualifier for the BC Distaff. Her stablemate As Time Goes By stalked the pace and was clearly second best, and Miss Bigly had a troubled journey and was well clear of the others in 3rd. The final time was 1:43.77.
The card started with the Unzip Me and ended with the Surfer Girl at one mile on turf, and Cairo Memories ($10.00) smartly captured the latter for Kent D/Hess Jr. She stalked the pace, got first run while opening up, and rode the wave of momentum to score by a comfortable 2-1/4 lengths. Helens Well (IRE) broke slow, raced in traffic, and finished nicely for the runner-up spot, and Hemmerle completed the trifecta. Sterling Crest (IRE) was stuck out in post 11 and rallied from last to miss 2nd and 3rd by a couple of necks. She was floated wide early and had an uncomfortable trip, and she is worth following. The winning time was 1:34.27.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $314,216, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $83.84. The jackpot carryover stands at $170,377.
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Sunday (10-3-21)
SA 1 ZERO TOLERANCE ($7.80), Trifecta ($159.20)
Double (races 1-2, $68.00)
SA 3 EMPIRE PASS ($7.00), Exacta ($16.40)
Double (races 2-3, $58.40)
Pick 3 (races 1-3, $355.80)
SA 4 LANE WAY (SA Best Bet #1, $4.20)
Double (races 3-4, $19.20)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $177.80)
SA 5 CE CE ($2.40)
Double (races 4-5, $5.40)
Pick 3 (races 3-5. $30.00)
50 cent Early Pick 4 (races 2-5, $66.40)
50 cent Early Pick 5 (races 1-5, $478.85)
SA 6 EDDIE’S NEW DREAM ($6.20), Trifecta ($187.60)
Double (races 5-6, $10.00)
Pick 3 (races 4-6, $29.80)
SA 7 Winning Map/Sir London Exacta ($8.60)
Double (races 6-7, $14.60)
Pick 3 (races 5-7, $20.00)
SA 8 Mackinnon/Silver Surfer/Picota Trifecta (SA Best Bet #2, $100.80)
Pick 3 (races 6-8, $38.00)
BEL 9 ECHO ZULU ($2.70) – Dr. Atlas
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
Article by Jarrod Horak