Check out my Friday (1-3-25) Santa Anita Park Race 8 analysis below.
SA 8 (OC-80k/2x, 6.5f) – Post Time 6:40 PM ET
Primary – #6 SLIDER, #7 Roll On Big Joe
Secondary – #2 Agency, #4 For All Mankind
Horse Comments:
#6 Slider (7-2) was no threat in the Stormy Liberal at 5T Dec. 1. He faced stakes foes in 4 of his last 5 starts (won Speakeasy in 2023), and he goes back on lasix. He ran well in all four dirt sprints and might bounce back on the surface switch in his second start after a short layoff. Flavien Prat stays put and he is 0-for-8 with John Sadler (4 underneath finishes).
#7 Roll On Big Joe (2-1) finished in the top three in 9 of his last 10 starts (3 wins), and his only unplaced effort during that stretch was a last of 10 finish at 5T. The early-pressing gelding is a solid performer in dirt sprints and should be in for a nice forwardly placed trip under Umberto Rispoli.
#2 Agency (4-1) removes blinkers and returns to dirt, and this is his first start as a gelding. He graduated in a local dirt sprint (June 2022), won a local turf sprint in 2023, and landed the show in 1 of 3 turf sprints in 2024. Ricky Gonzalez is his new rider and he is 2-for-3 with Mark Glatt (all 3 finished in top three).
#4 For All Mankind (9-2) reconnects with his winning rider Juan Hernandez, who guided him to a strong front running win vs. OC-40k/1x foes Aug. 10. He faltered in the G2 SA Sprint Sept. 29, dueled and weakened in a route Oct. 26, and was a flat 5th of 6 in a sprint Dec. 1. He sports three local moves since his last and might bounce back for John Sadler.
Wagers:
#6 to win
Exacta box 6-7
Trifecta 6-7/2-4-6-7/2-4-6-7
Recent Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Dec. 1 – Scotland ($12.92), Exacta ($78.94)
Dec. 6 – Kale’s Angel ($9.20), Exacta ($17.00)
Dec. 7 – Tony Eclipse ($6.20)
Dec. 10 – Lansdowne/Meant for Me Exacta ($14.20)
Dec. 11 – Ejtimaa ($5.20)
Dec. 12 – Ashima ($9.00), Exacta ($15.20)
Dec. 13 – Flashy Lass ($2.20)
Dec. 14 – Corningstone ($6.80), Exacta ($15.60)
Dec. 18 – Pass the Baton/Shot of Courage/Trusty Rusty Trifecta ($146.60)
Dec. 28 – Caprice ($2.40), Exacta ($7.00), Double ($7.80)
Dec. 31 – Arrest ($5.80), Exacta ($36.80)
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