Santa Anita Recap for Friday (5-24-24)
Fast main track and firm turf course. No front running winners on dirt. On the turf course, a 15-1 stalker was placed first through disqualification in the 6.5f opener, a 9-2 shot went last-to-first at 5f, a stalking favorite tallied at one mile, a 3-1 stalker won at one mile, and a 2-1 closer graduated in the 6.5f finale (rail at 30 feet).
Turf hat trick for Umberto Rispoli. It would have been a four-bagger on turf but his opening race mount crossed the line first and was placed third through disqualification. Peter Miller saddled two winners. Richard Baltas saddled two turf winners and Rispoli rode both, and they were taken down in the opener.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $134,316 and tickets with six winners paid $23,918.90. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $301.70.
May 24 Claims: Race 1 – Tomorrow Never Comes ($50k, John Sadler). Race 2 – Vulin ($12.5k, Jeff Bonde). Race 5 – Highlands ($35k, Mark Rheinford), Smart Kitten ($35k, Keith Craigmyle). Race 6 – Hardmoneymuchachos ($16k, Peter Miller), Syntactic ($16k, Hector Palma). Race 9 – Antibes ($50k, Kelly Bainum), Legitify ($50k, Steve Knapp).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Friday (5-24-24)
SA 3 REFOCUS (SA Price Play, $11.00), Exacta ($32.00), Trifecta ($71.80)
Double (races 2-3, $52.40)
SA 9 UNCLE REG ($6.80), Exacta ($13.80)
Double (races 8-9, $33.40)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $168.60)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Saturday (5-25-24)
Fast main track and firm turf course. No front running winners on dirt. On the turf course, a stalking favorite won the 5f opener, a front running favorite won the Crystal Water at 8f, a stalking favorite captured the Fran’s Valentine at 8f, a 2-1 dueling front runner took the Snow Chief at 9f, and a 7-2 outside stalker captured the downhill finale (rail at 10 feet).
Four-bagger for Juan Hernandez. Three were on turf and two were stakes scores. Mario Gutierrez booted home a pair on turf.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 5-25-24
Thor’s Echo (6f)
Fractions: 22.51, 45.27, 57.36, 1:09.37
Top 4 Finishers: The Chosen Vron, Sawsadee, Moose Mitchell, California Tiger
Comments: My top choice Big City Lights was a trainer scratch and this race was over after that. The Chosen Vron ($2.10) had no real competition. Sawsadee set the pace, and The Chosen Vron chased from second, cruised up to his foe in the stretch, and edged clear to win by a very easy 2 1/4 lengths under Hector Berrios. Sawsadee was second best.
Crystal Water (8T)
Fractions: 23.48, 48.44, 1:12.49, 1:24.17, 1:35.75
Top 4 Finishers: Kings River Knight, Barely Functional, Old Pal, Coalinga Road
Comments: Another easy win for the chalk. Kings River Knight ($2.40) seized control early and stayed clear throughout to win by a length and a half for Juan Hernandez and John Sadler. Barely Functional chased from the inside post and was second best at 61-1. Old Pal rallied from last to pick up the show.
Fran’s Valentine (8T)
Fractions: 22.60, 46.68, 1:10.50, 1:22.41, 1:35.13
Top 4 Finishers: Stay and Scam, Moment’s Pleasure, Cornelia Fort, Carmen Miranda
Comments: Stay and Scam was the 1-2 favorite and I liked her more underneath. I went with 8-1 Carmen Miranda and 27-1 longshot Moment’s Pleasure as my top two, but Stay and Scam ($3.00) was too good from post 10. She chased lively fractions, edged clear in the lane, and beat stalker Moment’s Pleasure by a length.
Snow Chief (9T)
Fractions: 23.31, 47.94, 1:12.68, 1:37.17, 1:49.70
Top 4 Finishers: Shady Tiger, Two by Four, Stolen Treasure, Size Does Matter
Comments: I took a shot with Two by Four at 5-1 odds, and he rallied from 10th and was motoring in the lane under Berrios. Shady Tiger ($6.60) was forwardly placed from the inside post under Juan Hernandez and he got the best trip and beat my top by a half-length.
Melair (8.5f)
Fractions: 23.62, 48.07, 1:12.57, 1:39.27, 1:45.82
Top 4 Finishers: Grand Slam Smile, Safa, Loretta Lynn, Madison Rae
Comments: Not much drama here. Longshot Only One America made the early running and Grand Slam Smile ($4.20) chased from second, took over, and scored by 4 1/2 lengths under Frank Alvarado. It was as easy at it looked for the winner. Safa held off Loretta Lynn for the place by a half-length, and it was 6 1/2 lengths back to the rest.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $229,212 and tickets with six winners paid $834.00. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $19.30.
May 25 Claims: Race 7 – Irish Wahine ($20k, Robert Hess Jr).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Saturday (5-25-24)
SA 2 Smiling Beast/Smokem If U Gottem/Golden River/Kiana Superfecta ($45.00)
SA 4 KINGS RIVER KNIGHT ($2.40)
Double (races 3-4, $2.60)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $6.20)
Double (races 4-5, $8.60)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $11.80)
Pick 3 (races 4-6, $15.60)
SA 8 Shady Tiger/Two by Four Exacta (SA Price Play, $40.00)
SA 9 Grand Slam Smile/Safa/Loretta Lynn Trifecta ($36.20)
SA Late Pick 4 (races 7-10, $328.60)
BAQ 7 Legend of Time/White Palomino/Royal Majesty Trifecta ($33.80)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Sunday (5-26-24)
Fast main track and firm turf course. One front running winner at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. On the turf course, a stalking favorite won the 6f opener, a 14-1 stalker scored at 9f, an 8-1 closer tallied at one mile, a 5-2 midpack stalker graduated at one mile, and an 11-1 front runner wired the field in the G3 Daytona on the downhill course (rail at 20 feet).
Hat trick on the dirt oval for Tiago Pereira (2 wins at 4.5f). Kyle Frey booted home a pair on the turf course. Steve Knapp saddled a pair of Stay Thirsty juvenile debut dirt sprint winners at 4.5f and Pereira rode both. Terry Lovingier bred all three juvenile sprint winners on the Sunday card (In the Air Tonight, Lil’ Bit Bossy, Rumble King). Rumble King was the fastest of the three (4.5f in 52.77).
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 5-26-24
Grade 2 Santa Margarita (1 1/8 miles)
Fractions: 23.65, 48.77, 1:12.97, 1:37.76, 1;50.86
Top 4 Finishers: Adare Manor, Coffee in Bed, Hennys Crazy Train, Super Shine (ARG)
Comments: This was practically a walkover and here is why. The first interior fraction was 25.12 and overwhelming favorite Adare Manor was loose on the lead. Game, set, and match. She was just coasting along under Juan Hernandez and was never seriously challenged at any point. She won by 4 1/4 lengths and paid $2.10. Coffee in Bed caught Hennys Crazy Train late to secure the place, and Super Shine chased from second and faltered in the lane. Bob Baffert’s talented mare will target the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 3, and the BC Distaff at that same venue in November. She won the Hirsch last summer and was unplaced in the BC Distaff.
Grade 3 Daytona (6.5T hillside)
Fractions: 21.87, 43.54, 1:05.41, 1:11.37
Top 4 Finishers: Mucho Del Oro, First Peace, Almendares (GB), Johnny Podres
Comments: Very big scratch of early runner Air Force Red (re-entered in G1 Shoemaker Mile). The pace was on the soft side with 11-1 front runner Mucho Del Oro showing the way. How slow were they going? Whatmakessammyrun and Daniel’s Magic were in chase mode and they are both closers, so that says it all. Post time favorite First Peace wanted to run early but his rider Mike Smith wrangled him back. With all of that going on, Mucho Del Oro ($24.80) was clear up front under Kyle Frey, and he spurted away in the lane and held off First Peace to win by a diminishing half-length. My top choice Almendares had an inside closing trip from the outside post, and swung out and kept coming for the show in a solid effort considering the race flow.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $286,155 and multiple tickets with six winners paid $5,662.00. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $74.60.
May 26 Claims: Race 1 – Marks Hip ($25k, Sergio Morfin).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Sunday (5-26-24)
SA 9 ADARE MANOR ($2.10)
Double (races 8-9, $8.20)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $43.20)
GG 7 EL JOY ($9.60), Exacta ($27.20)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Monday (5-27-24)
Fast main track and firm turf course. No front running winners on dirt. On the turf course, a 9-2 closer graduated in the 6.5f opener, a 7-1 stalker scored at 6f, a 47-1 longshot closed and graduated at 6.5f, a 19-1 longshot broke from post 11 and struck from midpack at one mile, midpack stalker Anisette ($7.60) won the G1 Gamely at 1 1/8 miles, and midpack stalker Johannes ($6.40) won the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile to end the card.
Hat trick for Antonio Fresu (2 turf wins). Umberto Rispoli booted home a pair of Grade 1 turf route winners (Anisette, Johannes). Doug O’Neill saddled two turf winners.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 5-27-24
Grade 1 Gamely (1 1/8 miles turf)
Fractions: 24.09, 47.57, 1:11.69, 1:35.40, 1:46.90
Top 4 Finishers: Anisette (GB), Olivia Maralda (IRE), Forever After All, Nadette (FR)
Comments: When the 24.09 opening quarter flashed on the screen and Ruby Nell was comfortably in front, it looked like the others might be in trouble, but she took off after that and opened up by five lengths. The first interior fraction was 23.48 and Ruby Nell was suddenly in deep trouble. Her lead dwindled to two lengths after six panels and it would not be long before this turned into a sprint to the finish. Anisette ($7.60), making her first start since December 2023, was in a good stalking spot under Umberto Rispoli, and she out finished inside stalker Olivia Maranda and scored by a half-length. Forever After All rallied from the outside post to pick up show dough at 17-1 odds.
Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup (1 1/4 miles dirt)
Fractions: 23.58, 47.25, 1:12.19, 1:36.88, 2:03.01
Top 4 Finishers: Mr Fisk, Reincarnate, Judge Miller, Subsanador (ARG)
Comments: Subsanador was the quickest out of the gate under Flavien Prat. Reincarnate was inside and Juan Hernandez wanted him close to the front, and he quickly took off and showed the way. He put away Subsanador and Judge Miller was advancing outside. Mr Fisk ($7.00) was loaded along the rail and was waiting for running room under Kazushi Kimura. He found clear sailing in the stretch, came after his stablemate Reincarnate, and pulled clear to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Reincarnate was a clear second and Judge Miller was best of the rest in third. Mr Fisk was vanned off after the race, and he had surgery for a condylar fracture and will be out of action for four months.
Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile (One mile turf)
Fractions: 22.28, 45.50, 1:09.20, 1:21.22, 1:33.00
Top 4 Finishers: Johannes, Funtastic Again, Du Jour, There Goes Harvard
Comments: Funtastic Again probably ran the best overall race under Frankie Dettori. He had the early advantage but Dettori backed off when Goliad was aggressively handled under Kyle Frey, and the latter opened up by 2 1/2 lengths after a half. Goliad gave up the ghost and Funtastic Again briefly led, but this race was far from over. Johannes ($6.40) got a great stalking trip under Umberto Rispoli, and he got the lead and outfinished a stubborn Funtastic Again to win by a half-length. Beaten favorite Du Jour was too far back in a strung out field of 11, and he came running wide in the stretch to secure the show under Prat. There was a three-horse battle for fourth with There Goes Harvard nipping Irideo (ARG) and Easter (FR). The latter was my top choice and he broke outward from the far outside post. He moved inside and trailed the field for much of the running, and advanced wide and belatedly in the stretch under Fresu, but it was too little, too late.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $346,246 and tickets with six winners paid $91,482.50. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $429.40.
March 27 Claims: Race 2 – Atomic Drop ($16k, Mark Glatt), C’Mon Man ($16k, Steve Knapp), Slew’s Joy ($16k, Sergio Morfin). Race 6 – Crypto Craze ($16, Sergio Morfin).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Monday (5-27-24)
SA 3 VIRAT (SA Price Play, $16.00)
Double (races 2-3, $36.40)
SA 8 EAGLES FLIGHT ($4.20), Trifecta ($24.40)
Double (races 8-9, $15.20)
SA 10 MR FISK (SA Best Bet #2, $7.00), Trifecta ($119.20)
Double (races 9-10, $40.40)
Pick 3 (races 8-10, $55.20)
Double (races 10-11, $35.00)
Pick 3 (races 9-11, $116.00)
SA Late Pick 4 (races 8-11, $247.80)
GG 7 Smile and Profile/Geejaytee/After My Own Heart Trifecta ($55.80)
GG 8 Reserve Proof/Eddie Crosswire Exacta ($36.60)
$1 Golden Hour Pick 4 (SA 10, GG 7, SA 11, GG 8) – $164.80
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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