HORSE RACING
January 16, 2009 - 10:00 pm
TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK
By Richard Eng
Post Time 1 p.m.
Race 1 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $37,000, Claiming $40,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
Savannah Peach - With the turf rail out 30 feet, that should really flatter her early speed; clearly the one to catch.
Blanche Sweet - Dead late closer missed by the narrowest of margins in last; can see a faster pace today.
Long Shot - Ditto This
Race 2 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $37,000, Claiming $40,000, 4-year-olds and up
Sensational Score - Short priced chalk need only run a normal race to win; this is a huge drop in class from Mitchell.
South Coast - Speedy sort figures to stalk the pace set by Seven Secrets; Talamo will try and hold the chalk off late.
Long Shot - Bad Boy
Race 3 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $39,000, Claiming $50,000, 4-year-olds
Tommys Luck - Returns to synthetic after some frustrating turf losses; reunited with the main man Rafael Bejarano.
Quityerbellyaching - Dead late closer switches to Rios with Martin Pedroza sidelined; should increase his value.
Long Shot - Coronel Moldes
Race 4 - 6 furlongs, Purse $15,000, Maiden claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up
Elusive Chief - Big class drop and Rafael Bejarano are two things to like; tactical speed to sit a perfect trip.
The Bengal Bus - The field looks so slow, I'll try a couple FTS underneatch; need not be much to compete today.
Long Shot - Gold Stock
Race 5 - 6 furlongs, Purse $13,000, Claiming $12,500, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
Alex's Wish - This is a big condition drop despite the price rise from $10K to $12,500; better start, can save ground.
No Cream Or Sugar - Bad field could be the key race in the pick 6 with a $461K carryover; like the turn back in distance.
Long Shot - Our Anastacia
Race 6 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $46,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 4-year-olds and up
Kaptain Kordough - Very rough trip in last boxed down along the rail; saves ground again, hope he gets out this time.
Magic Launch - Logical chalk lost in this condition by an inch last time; repeat race puts his right there again.
Long Shot - A Flicker of Light
Race 7 - 6 furlongs, Purse $48,000, Allowance, 4-year-olds and up
In the Woods - Powerful entry consists of a Bob Baffert and a Bobby Frankel; won't take much for them to run 1-2.
Onetimeatbandcamp - Ran a career best race in last; key is whether he can pair up the race or if he bounces big time.
Long Shot - Aggie Engineer
Race 8 - 6 furlongs, Purse $18,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds
Lucky Losty - Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; her race two back can upset these.
Voodoo's Vision - Key for me is Garrett Gomez takes the call for an injured Martin Pedroza; hope Martin isn't out too long.
Long Shot - Winningdancer
Best Bet - Sensational Score (race 2)
Santa Anita Thursday- Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/4/$20.20; Long Shots, 8/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Santa Anita Totals - 260/68/$451.60; Long Shots, 132/22/$262.80; Best Bets, 16/5/$19.80