Santa Anita Recap for Friday (5-26-23)
Fast main track and firm turf course. No front running winners on dirt. On the turf course, a front runner beat three rivals at one mile, a 9-2 stalker scored at one mile, a 5-1 front runner tallied at six panels, and a pair of stalkers finished in a dead-heat for the win in the flat mile finale (rail at 30 feet).
Armando Aguilar (routes), Kent Desormeaux (turf routes), and Mario Gutierrez (sprints) each booted home a pair.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $106,138, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $4,361.66. The jackpot carryover stands at $225,627.
May 26 Claims: Race 4 – Sweet Hello ($32k, Bob Hess Jr).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Friday (5-26-23)
SA 4 AWESOME TAYLOR ($11.80), Exacta ($17.40), Trifecta ($44.40)
SA 7 SHARP RIDE ($9.40)
Double (races 6-7, $59.20)
Double (races 7-8, $13.20)
Pick 3 (races 6-8, $90.20)
GG 8 VANISKY ($14.40)
$5 Golden Hour Double (SA 8, GG 8) – $63.00
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Saturday (5-27-23)
Fast main track and firm turf course. One front running winner at 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt. On the turf course, a front running favorite won the 6f opener, a 2-1 front runner scored at 6.5f, a 2-1 front runner opened up and held on by a neck in the Daytona (G3) on the downhill course, and a stalking favorite graduated from the inside post in the flat mile finale (rail at 20 feet).
Tiago Pereira booted home four winners. Jorge Periban saddled two winners and Pereira rode both.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 5-27-23
Daytona (G3): Fast Buck ($6.20) got the aggressive ride he needed. Hector Berrios just opened up early with the rails at 20 feet. My top choice Whatmakessammyrun was bet down to 3-2 and cut the gap from six lengths to just about even terms in the lane, but the speedster had something left and dug in to prevail by a neck. Lovesick Blues closed along the inside and was another head back in third. Burnin Turf was an even fourth and Indian Peak, Restrainedvengence, and Prince Lancelot (GB) also ran. The final time was 1:11.68 on the downhill turf course.
Triple Bend (G2): Forbidden Kingdom carved out the fractions as expected but Spirit of Makena ($3.90) was always moving like a winner. The latter sat patiently in second, took over when asked in the lane, and rolled home by 3 1/4 lengths under Joe Bravo. Wily veteran C Z Rocket nosed out Desmond Doss for the place and Forbidden Kingdom weakened to fourth. Positivity was next and he did not have the best trip, and it was a long way back to Midnight Mammoth and Howbeit. The final time for seven panels was 1:23.07 and the winner was visually impressive.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $221,527, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $1,056.62. The jackpot carryover stands at $276,345.
May 27 Claims: Race 3 – Classymademoiselle ($16k, George Papaprodromou), Movinglikeawinner ($16k, Jeff Metz). Race 4 – Took Charge ($25k, Steve Knapp). Race 9 – Paid in Gold ($50k, Peter Miller).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Saturday (5-27-23)
SA 1 Princess Adaleigh/Secrets Told Exacta ($12.40)
SA 6 Katonah/Flying Drummer Exacta ($36.40), Trifecta ($201.20)
SA 7 Fast Buck/Whatmakessammyrun Exacta (SA Best Bet #1, $13.20)
SA Late Pick 4 (races 6-9, $82.00)
BEL 7 QUEEN PICASSO ($7.70)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Sunday (5-28-23)
Fast main track and firm turf course. Two front running winners on dirt (8.5f, 6f). On the turf course, a front running favorite won the Crystal Water at one mile, a 2-1 front runner won the Fran’s Valentine at one mile, a pressing favorite graduated at 6f, a 5-2 closer captured the Snow Chief at 1 1/8 miles, and a 3-1 closer took the flat mile finale (rail at 10 feet).
Hat trick for Juan Hernandez. Trainer Carla Gaines saddled two winners.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 5-28-23
Crystal Water (CA-bred, 8T): Kings River Knight ($3.60) made the lead with ease from the inside post and won by a comfortable 2 1/4 lengths for Juan Hernandez and John Sadler. Coalinga Road stalked and gamely came after the winner. She tried hard and was clearly second best. Carmelita’s Man was along for the show and Bang for Your Buck and None Above the Law trailed. Indian Peak and The Chosen Vron trailed. The final time was 1:34.55.
Fran’s Valentine (CA-bred, 8T): Eddie’s New Dream ($6.20) controlled the pace from the inside post and the closers never had a chance. She won by a half-length over stalker Rose Maddox and Shocking Grey was along for the show. Big Switch chased the pace and weakened to fourth as the beaten favorite. She is better on dirt. Warrens Candy Girl was next and it was a long way back to Taming the Tigress. Morning line favorite Closing Remarks scratched. The final time was 1:35.05.
Melair (CA-bred, 8.5f): Ceiling Crusher ($2.40) crushed these. She made the lead, put away Chismosa, and won by a remarkable 17 lengths. Tom’s Regret necked Chismosa for the runner-up spot and Carole Lombard trailed throughout. Danzing Cat scratched. The final time was 1:44.25.
Snow Chief (CA-bred, 9T): Clouseau got out there and tried to steal it but Old Pal ($7.40) sat in midpack and wore him down late to score by a bit less than a length. Clouseau held second over my top choice Boss Sully. My top choice was bet down to favoritism. I thought she would control the pace but she was rank inside chasing the pace and was a clear third. Be Punctual, Upward Mobility, Tom and Jazzy, and Hacking It Up also ran. The final time was 1:50.14.
Thor’s Echo (CA-bred, 6f): Sunrise Journey dueled with Brickyard Ride and set the table for The Chosen Vron ($3.40). A wicked speed duel should never happen in a 4-horse field. The winner was much the best over late running place finisher Tigre Di Slugo. Brickyard Ride was a distant third and Sunrise Journey faded to last. None Above the Law and Positivity scratched. The final time was 1:09.58.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $365,012, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $49.98. The jackpot carryover stands at $359,911.
May 28 Claims: Race 10 – Atomic Drop ($40k, Keith Craigmyle), Tropical Terror ($40k, Mark Glatt).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Sunday (5-28-23)
SA 1 KINGS RIVER KNIGHT ($3.60)
SA 2 TIZZ A GOOD THING ($8.00)
Double (races 1-2, $15.60)
Double (races 2-3, $18.40)
Pick 3 (races 1-3, $33.20)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $65.40)
SA 5 CEILING CRUSHER ($2.40)
Double (races 4-5, $7.20)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $19.00)
Early Pick 4 (races 2-5, $107.80)
Early Pick 5 (races 1-5, $182.40)
SA 6 GOLDEN MICROPHONE ($7.40), Exacta ($23.80)
Double (races 5-6, $9.00)
Pick 3 (races 4-6, $27.00)
SA 7 BUS BUZZ ($2.60)
Double (races 6-7, $13.80)
Pick 3 (races 5-7, $12.40)
Double (races 7-8, $8.80)
Pick 3 (races 6-8, $63.60)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $12.80)
Late Pick 4 (races 7-10, $118.20)
GG 9 Livermore Heat/Motown Classic Exacta ($14.40)
$5 Golden Hour Double (SA 10, GG 9) – $70.00
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Monday (5-29-23)
Fast main track and firm turf course. One front running winner at 1 1/4 miles on dirt. On the turf course, a 21-1 stalker graduated in the 9f opener, a 6-1 closer captured the Gamely (G1) at 1 1/8 miles, a 3-1 stalker took the Shoemaker Mile (G1), a last-to-first import scored at one mile, and a 13-1 closer won the hillside finale.
Hat trick for Juan Hernandez. Riding doubles for Tiago Pereira and Ramon Vazquez (dirt sprints). Steve Knapp saddled a pair of dirt sprint winners.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 5-29-23
Gamely (G1): This was an odd slow early/fast late event. School Dance and Bellamore battled on the pace and post time favorite Queen Goddess was perched perfectly in third. The latter struck the front in the lane but Macadamia (BRZ) ran them all down and tallied by a length at 6-1 odds under Tiago Perreira. Quattroelle (IRE) rallied to nip Queen Goddess by a nose for the runner-up spot. Viareggio (IRE) was an even fourth and Bellamore, Closing Remarks, and School Dance rounded out the order of finish. The final time for this 1 1/8 miles turf race was 1:48.01.
Shoemaker Mile (G1): The pace was fast and Exaulted ($8.20) sat a dream stalking trip behind a pair of early runners. He got the jump on the closers and held on by a half-length under Juan Hernandez. Irideo (ARG) ended up working out a sweet inside closing trip from post 10 under Hector Berrios, and he was getting to the winner in the late going. Hong Kong Harry (IRE) rallied for the show as the beaten favorite with Prat in the saddle. Il Bellator stalked the pace and was an even fourth as the longest shot on the board. Cabo Spirit, Du Jour, Gold Phoenix (IRE), Balnikov (IRE), Salesman (IRE), and early runners Flavius and Lamplighter Jack completed the order of finish. The winning time for this flat mile turf affair was 1:34.08.
Hollywood Gold Cup (G1): Defunded ($3.20) won as the favorite but it was not easy. He got the early lead and was hounded throughout by Piroli. Those two dominated. Defunded refused to bend and Piroli kept coming after him. The favorite would not be denied and prevailed by a length. Piroli was clearly second best and Kiss Today Goodbye held off Country Grammer for show honors. Senor Buscador and Yes It’s Time also ran. The final time for the mile and a quarter event was 2:02.85.
The 20 cent Rainbow 6 pool was $3,560,020, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $40,920.68. The jackpot pool starts over on June 2.
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Monday (5-29-23)
SA 3 The Reign Song/Queenies Way Exacta ($10.20)
SA 8 DEFUNDED ($3.20)
Double (races 7-8, $12.80)
Double (races 8-9, $38.80)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $97.00)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
Article by Jarrod Horak
