Santa Anita Recap for Friday (12-31-21)
Good main track and no turf races carded. Four front running sprint winners on dirt (6f, 6,5f, 7f, 6f). Forwardly placed runners dominated all day and we will see if that trend continues over the weekend.
John Velazquez and Bob Baffert teamed up for four special weight winners.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $184,955, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $222.66. The jackpot carryover stands at $135,053.
Dec. 31 Claims: Race 5 – California Street ($32k, Ruben Alvarado), Zimba Warrior ($32k, Bob Hess Jr.). Race 8 – Loud Mouth ($80k, John Sadler).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Friday (12-31-21)
SA 4 McLaren Vale/B Dawk/Balladeer Trifecta ($38.40)
SA 8 Arham/Took Charge/Canadian Pride Trifecta ($59.40)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Saturday (1-1-22)
Fast main track and good turf course. Three front running winners on dirt (6f, 6f, 8f). On the turf course, a front runner took the 6f opener, a stalked won at 6f, a midpack stalker won the Joe Hernandez (G2) at 6.5f, a closer won the Robert Frankel (G3) at 9f, and a stalker captured the 6f finale (rail at 10 feet).
Fiavien Prat was the riding star of the day with six wins. Bob Baffert saddled two dirt route stakes winners.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 1-1-22
Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2): Beer Can Man stalked front runner Momos and gained a short lead, but Chewing Gum ($13.40) was lurking in a good stalking spot, battled with Beer Can Man all the way to the wire, and got the bob of the nose in a very close finish. The top two dominated and Bran (FR) raced in 3rd throughout. The final time for 6.5T was 1:15.27.
Sham Stakes (G3): Newgrange ($7.40) controlled the pace and was never seriously threatened in a 2+ length victory over his stablemate Rockefeller. The latter chased from 2nd and just edged Oviatt Class for the runner-up spot. Mackinnon stalked from the rail and was an even 4th. He is better on turf. Degree of Risk chased early and weakened to finish well behind the others. The final time for 8f on dirt was 1:38.32.
Robert Frankel Stakes (G3): I took Moraz on top at 6-1 because I thought she could steal it. She did set the pace but was not good enough and weakened to 4th in the stretch. Luck ($3.80) was much the best in this spot. She was patiently handled under Prat and spurted away in the lane to win by 3+ lengths in a sharp late running effort. Bodhicitta (GB) stalked from the inside post and edged Mucho Unusual by a nose for the place. The final time for 9T was 1:48.26 and the winner flew home.
La Canada (G3): This one was never in doubt. Park Avenue had the early advantage by As Time Goes By ($3.20) was breathing down her neck, and she took over and won for fun by 13+ lengths under Prat. My value top choice Park Avenue was clearly second best and Moonlight d’Oro was best of the rest in 3rd. The winner completed her 8.5f journey in 1:44.31.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $274,951, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $190.62. The jackpot carryover stands at $197,994.
Jan. 1 Claims: Race 4 – Invincibella ($25k, Ruben Alvarado), Trickle In ($25k, Ryan Hanson).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Saturday (1-1-22)
SA 1 WHO’S CANDY ($6.80), Exacta ($21.00)
SA 2 QUEEN OF THORNS ($3.80)
Double (races 1-2, $22.60)
SA 3 SMUGGLER’S RUN ($2.60)
Double (races 2-3, $6.00)
Pick 3 (races 1-3, $34.40)
Double (races 3-4, $7.00)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $19.40)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $24.60)
Early Pick 4 (races 2-5, $66.20)
Early Pick 5 (races 1-5, $294.20)
SA 7 NEWGRANGE ($7.40), Trifecta ($33.40)
Double (races 7-8, $15.60)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $32.40)
SA 10 Riding With Dino/Aligato Exacta ($13.20)
TP 9 Sir Alfred James/Souper Highvoltage Exacta ($26.20)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Sunday (1-2-22)
Fast main track and firm turf course. Three front running winners on dirt (6.5f, 6f, 8.5f). The other dirt race was captured by a presser at 6f. On the turf course, a closer won the hillside opener, a closing FTS scored at 6f, a stalker won at 6f, an outside midpack stalker scored at one mile, a stalker took the Blue Norther at 8f, and a midpack stalker captured the Eddie Logan at 8f (rail at 20 feet)
Riding doubles for Flavien Prat and John Velazquez. Training triple for Phil D’Amato, and Vladimir Cerin and George Papaprodromou both saddled two winners.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 1-2-22
Kalookan Queen: Edgeway ($2.80) broke running from the inside post and got the jump on her main rival Merneith. Those two dominated throughout with Edgeway winning by a bit less than two lengths. Merneith was clearly second best in her first start in more than ten months. Stellar Sound and Queengol rounded out the compact field. The final time for 6.5f on fast dirt was 1:16.85.
Blue Norther: Bellabel (IRE) stalked from 4th under Prat, and she struck the front in the stretch and pulled clear to win by 2+ lengths. Shoppingforpharoah set the pace and held 2nd over Helens Well (IRE), and the top three finishers were well clear of the other three entrants. The winner paid $7.00 and stopped the clock in 1:36.86 in this flat mile turf contest.
Eddie Logan: Cabo Spirit ($7.60) gave George Papaprodromou the late double. He sat in midpack and outfinished fellow closer Maglev (IRE) to score by a length and a quarter. The latter broke slow, skimmed the rail, and finished a neck in front of Handy Dandy for the runner-up spot. The final time for the flat mile turf finale was 1:36.38.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $221,993, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $1,890.18. The jackpot carryover stands at $248,819.
Jan. 2 Claims: Race 5 – Busy Paynter ($10k, Cesar DeAlba), It’s a Riddle ($10k, Milton Pineda). Race 8 – Shooters Shoot ($60k, Richard Baltas).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Sunday (1-2-22)
SA 1 BARRAZA ($8.80)
SA 2 SHE’S BULLETPROOF ($6.40)
Double (races 1-2, $34.80)
SA 3 EDGEWAY ($2.80), Trifecta ($7.00)
Double (races 2-3, $8.60)
Pick 3 (races 1-3, $62.60)
SA 4 That’s Amare/Taming the Tigress Exacta (SA Best Bet #1, $15.00), Trifecta ($49.00)
Double (races 3-4, $11.20)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $30.60)
SA 7 HEAD START ($4.20)
SA 8 Bellabel/Shoppingforpharoah/Helens Well Trifecta (SA Best Bet #2, $105.80)
Double (races 7-8, $19.20)
SA 9 American Theorem/Shooters Shoot Exacta ($14.60), Trifecta ($38.20)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $68.20)
SA 50 cent Late Pick 4 (races 7-10, $82.60)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
Article by Jarrod Horak
