Check out my Saturday (9-28-24) Santa Anita Park Race 5 analysis below.
SA 5 (Unzip Me, 6.5T hillside) – Post Time 5:35 PM ET
Primary – #11 TOUPIE, #10 Golden Canary
Secondary – #6 Zona Verde, #12 Alluring, #1 Dreamfyre
Horse Comments:
#11 Toupie (5-2) is a competent turf sprinter for Graham Motion. In a pair of turf sprint stakes starts last year, she was second in the Rosie’s and first in the Stewart Manor. She was second in the Mamzelle on May 11, first in the Stormy Blues on June 16, and fourth in the Coronation Cup on July 12. Flavien Prat hops aboard the Uncle Mo filly and early-pressing types from outer posts can be dangerous on the downhill course.
#10 Golden Canary (8-1) was part of the trifecta in 6 of 7 turf sprint attempts. She wired the field in the Soaring Free at 6.5T last summer and exits a late running score vs. optional-claiming foes at 7T on Aug. 3. Mark Casse’s versatile Woodbine shipper ran well in all three turf starts at this distance.
I am a fan of #6 Zona Verde (9-2) but her overall form suggests that she is a Del Mar specialist. She is 0-for-5 at SA with two runner-up finishes, and one of those place finishes was at this distance in the Sweet Life in February. She hit the board in her last two graded turf routes at DMR, and she turns back in her third start after a layoff.
#12 Alluring (12-1) stalked the pace and weakened to 8th of 10 at 8T on Sept. 2. She graduated in a local turf sprint on Jan. 1 and missed by a nose in the Angels Flight at this course/distance on April 7. Kazushi Kimura is her new rider and he is 0-for-12 with Richard Mandella.
#1 Dreamfyre (4-1) started off her career with three straight stakes wins last year, and ended her 2023 campaign with a fading 9th of 14 from post 13 at 39-1 odds in the G1 BC Juvenile Fillies Turf. This is her first start in 11+ months and her winning rider Hector Berrios stays put. She drilled a 6f Pleasanton bullet on Aug. 30 and had a relatively fast gate work at this oval on Sept. 13. She is probably the one to catch from the inside post.
Wagers:
#11 to win
Exacta 10-11/6-10-11
Trifecta 1-10-11-12/1-10-11-12/6
September Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Sept. 1 – Formidable Man/Stay Hot Exacta ($8.80), Trifecta ($32.00)
Sept. 4 – Summer’s Gift/Sister Supream Exacta ($15.00)
Sept. 11 – It’s Hammertime ($5.80), Exacta ($12.80)
Sept. 12 – Echo Sound ($4.14)
Sept. 23 – Bostontonian ($3.50), Exacta ($6.90)
Sept. 23 – Rotknee ($4.10), Double (races 7-8, $5.60)
Sept. 25 – Eff Thirty Five ($2.80), Trifecta ($38.00)
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