Check out my Saturday (2-1-25) Santa Anita Park Race 8 analysis below.
SA 8 (G3 Thunder Road, 8T) – Post Time 6:37 PM ET
Primary – #7 EL POTENTE, #9 Seal Team
Secondary – #3 Zio Jo, #5 Astronomer
Horse Comments:
#7 El Potente (7-2) deserves a shot in this stakes race. He fired trifecta shots in his last nine starts and won five of the races. He is 4-for-6 at SA and 2-for-4 with a place and show finish at this distance. He was a close third in the restricted Lure in October, missed by a neck Nov. 17, and smartly won a local OC-80k/2x affair at 8T from post 11 Jan. 4. Hector Berrios rides back and he is 3-for-4 with Dan Blacker, and this one owns early-pressing versatility.
#9 Seal Team (5-2) won two turf races at SA at 9T in 2023 including the G2 Twilight Derby. He exits an improved show finish in the G2 San Gabriel at 9T and quality stakes performers Johannes and Mi Hermano Ramon finished 1-2 that day. He is classy enough to win this and should get pace to chase, but he is 0-for-2 with a show finish at 8T and this race might be a bit too sharp for him.
#3 Zio Jo (10-1) was part of the trifecta in 7 of 8 starts from 2-17-23 thru 11-17-24 and he won four of those races. He stepped up to face stakes foes in the G2 Seabiscuit Nov. 30 and split a 12-horse field at 37-1 odds. He earned a good number when beating El Potente Nov. 17 and might not be out of this.
#5 Astronomer (6-1) puts blinkers back on and Frankie Dettori takes the call. This is his third start after a layoff and he projects a decent stalking trip. He has not visited the winner’s circle since 8-19-23.
Wagers:
#7 to win
Exacta box 7-9
Trifecta 7-9/3-5-7-9/3-5-7-9
Recent Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Jan. 3 – Roll On Big Joe/For All Mankind/Slider Trifecta ($75.20)
Jan. 10 – Lush Lips ($6.20), Trifecta ($60.60)
Jan. 17 – Sharp Ride ($4.20), Exacta ($12.20), Trifecta ($37.40)
Jan. 18 – Old Pal/Coalinga Road/On the Whim Trifecta ($272.00)
Jan. 20 – Firenze Flavor ($5.40)
Jan. 26 – Mega Moon ($3.20), Exacta ($18.20), Trifecta ($80.40)
Jan. 27 – Relampago Verde ($12.80)
Jan. 28 – Veeson ($13.20), Exacta ($34.20)
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