Check out my Friday (10-24-25) Santa Anita Park Race 1 analysis below.
SA 1 (Clm-25k/3L, 8T) – Post Time 4:00 PM ET
Primary – #7 HAWKER, #1 Dakota Country
Secondary – #3 Smooth Salute, #4 McClusky
Horse Comments:
#7 Hawker (2-1) was the favorite in a $25k/2L turf route Aug. 2 and he set a fast pace and won by 1 3/4 lengths (2-3 finishers next-out winners). That was his first start after the George Papaprodromou claim and he dueled inside and weakened to 9th of 12 at 8T Sept. 1 (9-1 odds). He drops back into a restricted claimer and his new rider Umberto Rispoli wins races with Papaprodromou.
#1 Dakota Country (5-2) turned back for O’Neill and cruised by 5 lengths in a $25k/2L affair at 6.5T Oct. 17 and he is back in a week. He stalked and graduated from post 11 in a turf route in NY in May and the runner-up was a next-out winner. He rallied for the show in a $35k/2L turf route at SAR in July and was 5th of 9 at that same venue in August. He shipped to DMR and finished 8th of 12 from the outside post last time. Antonio Fresu sticks with him and he might be able to click right back.
#3 Smooth Salute (7-2) was part of the trifecta in three of his last five turf starts. He won a local $25k turf route May 9 and was a clear third in a $30k/3L affair May 30. He was overmatched in an OC-40k/1x turf route July 20 and the winner and show finisher both returned to score. He rallied to miss by a neck Aug. 7 and the runner-up was a next-out winner, and he was up the track at 8T Sept. 1. Alfredo Marquez is a quality, low profile trainer and his new rider Hector Berrios is a sharp turf pilot.
#4 McClusky (5-1) rallied for the place in a good effort at 8T July 31, and he was an even 5th of 8 (beaten 3 1/4 lengths) Aug. 21. Berrios abandons for Smooth Salute but Kazushi Kimura is not a bad substitute, and he will try to get involved from off the pace.
Wagers:
#7 to win
Exacta box 1-7
Trifecta 1-7/1-3-4-7/1-3-4-7
October 2025 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Oct. 1 – Night Nurse/Inanna’s Quest Exacta ($19.20)
Oct. 2 – Going Up ($4.40)
Oct. 10 – Betterdaysrcoming/Jetovator/Simplexity Trifecta ($25.20)
Oct. 11 – One Magic Philly ($4.68), Exacta ($11.88), Trifecta ($41.44)
Oct. 13 – Vibez ($7.20), Exacta ($15.40)
Oct. 15 – Arya Stark ($2.88), Trifecta ($16.80)
Oct. 16 – Proctor Street ($4.26), Trifecta ($115.32)
Oct. 17 – Frog ($4.60)
Oct. 21 – Claramente ($5.40)
Oct. 22 – Sister Troienne ($4.18)
Oct. 23 – Fulleffort/Easy Wind Exacta ($12.18)
Please visit The Runaway Horse Shop to purchase my full cards.
