Check out my Sunday (4-21-24) Race 9 analysis at Santa Anita below.
SA 9 (G2 Santa Maria, f&m, 8.5f)
Primary – #5 SUPER SHINE, #3 Desert Dawn
Secondary – #7 Coffee in Bed, #1 Big Novel
Horse Comments:
#5 Super Shine (4-1) plied her trade in Argentina in 2022 and 2023. D’Amato has her now and this is her first start since May 2023. She won four races in South America and three of those were Group 2 victories. She has been in steady training at SA since late January and fired a 6f bullet back on March 17. Dettori ends up here and her last move was from the gate.
#3 Desert Dawn (9-5) does not win these stakes races often but has knocked heads with some of the top distaff fillies and mares. D’Amato’s relatively consistent mare hit the board in a bunch of stakes. She won the G2 SA Oaks in 2022 and finally got back in the winner’s circle in the G3 La Canada on Jan. 20. She was fourth in the G1 Beholder Mile last time and clear runner-up Adare Manor came back to romp in the G1 Apple Blossom. Fresu got acquainted with her last time and she could easily stalk and score vs. this group.
#7 Coffee in Bed (5-2) never got seriously involved in the Beholder Mile. She was a length behind Desert Dawn in the La Canada and an effort like that would work in this spot. Her winning rider Mike Smith stays put and a stalking trip is expected.
#1 Big Novel (8-1) earned this stakes start after a visually pleasing 5 1/2 length romp in a local flat mile optional-claiming event on March 22. Hernandez stays put and she should be forwardly placed from the inside post.
Wagers:
#5 to win
Exacta 1-5-7/3
Trifecta 3-5/1-3-5-7/1-3-5-7
Recent Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
April 5 – De’ Medici/Feel the Magic Exacta ($55.40)
April 10 – Native Land/Heartened/Rocketeer Trifecta ($49.04)
April 14 – Tizzy in the Sky ($3.70) – Aqueduct Stakes Triple-Header
April 14 – Antonio of Venice/Doc Sullivan Exacta ($8.90) – Aqueduct Stakes Triple-Header
April 14 – Sunday Girl/My Shea D Lady/Sohana Trifecta ($37.40) – Aqueduct Stakes Triple-Header
April 15 – Palacein ($7.00), Trifecta ($63.60)
April 16 – Jackman/Connors Outlaw/C W Prize Trifecta ($85.20)
April 19 – Raging Sea ($7.58)
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