Santa Anita Recap for Friday (3-1-24)
Fast main track and firm turf course. Front runners captured all four dirt races (5.5f, 5.5f, 6f, 8f). On the turf course, a front running favorite just lasted in the 8f opener, a 5-2 stalker won at 6f, a 4-1 presser graduated at one mile, a last-to-first closing favorite won at a mile and a quarter, and a 9-2 front runner captured the flat mile finale (rail at 30 feet).
Edwin Maldonado and Doug O’Neill teamed up for two wins.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $89,977, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $4,005.70. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $68.50.
March 1 Claims: Race 9 – Quaria Thunder ($25k, Steve Knapp).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Friday (3-1-24)
SA 4 BELLE EPOQUE ($2.60), Exacta ($4.60)
Double (races 3-4, $13.80)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $30.40)
SA 6 PRINCESS OF TIME ($5.80), Exacta ($11.80)
Double (races 6-7, $20.20)
GG 6 GABBY HAYES ($7.60), Trifecta ($364.80)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
Stakes Race Highlights for Saturday (3-2-24)
AQU 7 JODY’S PRIDE ($3.90)
Double (races 7-8, $26.60)
GP 10 R CALI KIM ($4.40), Exacta ($30.80)
Double (races 10-11, $15.80)
GP 12 Emmanuel/Siege of Boston/Ice Chocolat Trifecta ($174.00)
Pick 3 (races 10-12, $71.00)
GP 14 DORNOCH ($2.40)
Double (races 13-14, $9.00)
Pick 3 (12-14, $19.20)
50 cent Pick 4 (races 11-14, $32.00)
50 cent Pick 5 (races 10-14, $75.65)
TP 6 Encino/Epic Ride/Blue Eyed George Trifecta ($128.32)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Sunday (3-3-24)
Fast main track and good turf course. One front running winner at one mile on dirt. On the turf course, a stalking favorite won the flat mile opener, a last-to-first closer graduated at 6-1 odds at one mile, a 7-1 front runner scored at one mile, inside closer Du Jour won the G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at 3-1 odds, a 9-1 stalker scored by a nose from post 10 on the doiwnhill course, and front running favorite Ruby Nell went all the way in the Buena Vista (G2) at one mile.
Hat trick for Juan Hernandez (2 turf wins). Frankie Dettori booted home two dirt route stakes winners, and Flavien Prat guided home a pair of flat mile turf winners. Bob Baffert saddled a trio of graded stakes winners and Dettori rode two.
Santa Anita Stakes Recaps for 3-3-24
Grade 2 San Felipe (8.5f): This became a competitive heat following the defection of 1-5 favorite Nysos. Baffert wanted more time between starts and has rerouted the early Preakness favorite to the SA Derby on April 6. Baffert still had two runners and the stablemates had quite the battle. Wine Me Up was on top early but was quickly joined by post time favorite Imagination. Those two traded places from the outset and battled all the way to the wire. Imagination got his head down on the line to win a close decision over Wine Me Up, and those two were more than six lengths clear of maiden Mc Vay. Scatify had early trouble from the inside post and lost all chance. He was a distant last of 4. The final time was 1:44.55.
Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (8T): Bob Baffert had Du Jour ready to roll in his first start since an unplaced finish in the BC Mile. The pace was honest Goliad doing his thing on the front end as usual, but First Peace chased and kept the leader on his toes. Du Jour was patiently handled under Flavien Prat, and race favorite Easter (FR) was starting to unwind on the outside. Trips made the difference here. Du Jour got a nice inside closing trip and Easter was wide under Antonio Fresu. Du Jour got the jump and scored by two lengths, and Easter rallied to finish a clear second. 61-1 outsider Ah Jeez was along for the show. First Peace weakened to fourth and was followed by Dandy Man Shines (IRE), Goliad, Prince Obama (IRE), and Mackinnon. The final time was 1:33.95 and top two finishers could meet again in upcoming graded turf routes in SoCal.
Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap (10f): Subsanador (ARG) almost stole this as the longest shot on the board at 22-1. He was a 7-time winner in Argentina prior to his US bow in the San Antonio (G2) late last year, and he was an even 4th of 5 as the beaten favorite that day. He was definitely ready to go in his stateside start for John Sadler. He got out there and controlled the pace under his new rider Hector Berrios, and he started to edge away around the far turn and looked very good at that point, but never count out Frankie Dettori. The later was aboard Newgate and he had the Baffert trainee within striking range throughout. He came after the longtime leader in the lane and timed his move perfectly in a head victory. Subsanador ran too good to lose in a clear runner-up finish, and Reincarnate stalked inside and just held off my top choice Highland Falls for the show. Mixto, Newgrange, and Salesman (IRE) also ran. The final time was 2:03.49.
Grade 2 Buena Vista (8T): Ruby Nell was the deserving favorite in this graded turf route. She reunited with her winning rider Edwin Maldonado, and he put her on the lead as expected. She was humming along at a nice clip (clicking off 23’s), and remained clear throughout and safely held off Mouffy’s stretch bid to score by a bit less than a length. The latter was clearly second best from the outside post under Frankie Dettori, and Nadette (FR) got up to complete the trifecta at 25-1. Be Your Best (IRE), Bellabel (IRE), Closing Remarks, Lucky Girl (IRE), Justique, and Lakota Spirit also ran. The final time was 1:35.01 and Richard Mandella was the winning trainer.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $276,302 and multiple tickets with six winners paid $7,768.90. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $122.70.
March 3 Claims: Race 4 – Ship and Scam ($16k, Andrew Harris), Syntactic ($16k, Mark Glatt). Race 5 – Crosby Beach ($50k, Peter Miller).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Sunday (3-3-24)
SA 6 IMAGINATION ($3.80)
Double (races 5-6, $20.40)
SA 7 Du Jour/Easter Exacta ($28.20)
Double (races 6-7, $19.40)
Pick 3 (races 5-7, $205.40)
Pick 3 (races 6-8, $83.20)
SA 10 RUBY NELL (SA Best Bet #3, $3.60)
Double (races 9-10, $55.00)
Pick 3 (races 8-10, $191.80)
GG 8 J T’S WATCH ($13.20)
$1 Golden Hour Pick 4 (SA 9, GG 7, SA 10, GG 9) – $356.30
$5 Golden Hour Double (SA 10, GG 8) – $61.00
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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Santa Anita Recap for Monday (3-4-24)
Fast main track and firm turf course. One front running winner at one mile on dirt. On the turf course, a stalking favorite graduated in the flat mile opener, a 5-2 front runner earned his diploma at one mile, a front running favorite graduated at 6.5f, a 9-1 closer scored at 6f, and an outside stalker won the flat mile maiden claiming finale at 7-1 odds (rail at 20 feet).
Hat trick for Juan Hernandez (2 dirt routes). Phil D’Amato saddled two turf winners.
The $1 Pick 6 pool was $138,995 and multiple tickets with six winners paid $1,456. The 5 out of 6 consolation prize was $29.80.
March 4 Claims: Race 2 – Dream Princess ($10k, Steve Knapp). Race 6 – Zzyzx ($16k, Sergio Morfin).
Santa Anita Full Card Highlights for Monday (3-4-24)
SA 1 Marinas Tina/She’s Muy Muy Exacta ($14.20), Trifecta ($50.00)
SA 3 SNEAKING CANDY ($7.20)
Double (races 2-3, $22.00)
Pick 3 (races 1-3, $59.20)
SA 4 REFOCUS ($3.40), Exacta ($14.60)
Double (races 3-4, $33.60)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $59.60)
SA 5 AVOIR ($5.40), Trifecta ($72.40)
Double (races 4-5, $11.00)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $112.40)
Early Pick 4 (races 2-5, $211.20)
Early Pick 5 (races 1-5, $426.20)
Double (races 4-5, $17.60)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $33.80)
SA 8 COWBOY MIKE ($4.40)
Double (races 8-9, $40.80)
*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.
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