2015 Santa Anita Handicap Preview

Thought that I would have time to record a preview for this race... but a few things got in the way and well it didn't happen. However, I do have a written preview for you instead. Here is the preview for this year's Santa Anita Handicap.

11th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, March 7th, 2015

STAKES. 1 1/4 Mile Dirt. Purse $1,000,000. Santa Anita H. (Grade 1). FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD. By subscription of $100 each to accompany the nomination (Closed with 27) or by supplementary nomination of $25,000 by 12 NOON Saturday, February 28. $2,500 to pass the entry box and $10,000 to start with $1,000,000 Guaranteed, of which $600,000 to first, $200,000 to second, $120,000 to third, $50,000 to fourth, $20,000 to fifth and $10,000 to sixth. Weights Saturday, February 28. Starters to be named through the entry box by the closing time of entries. The field will be limited to 14 starters. Preference shall be given to the high weights based upon the weight assignments, adjusted for the sex allowance. Total earnings in 2014-15 will be used in determining the preference of horses with equally assigned weights. No horseshall be assigned more than 126 lbs. A trophy will be presented to the winning owner. (05:00 PM)

PP Horse A/S M/E Wgt Jockey Trainer

1 Cool Samurai 4 G L 114 Gryder Aaron T. Shirreffs John A.

2 Diamond Bachelor 4 C L b 114 Pedroza Martin A. Biancone Patrick L.

3 Sr. Quisqueyano 5 H L 115 Talamo Joseph Walder Peter R.

4 Dynamic Sky 5 H L 117 Nakatani Corey S. Casse Mark E.

5 Shared Belief 4 G L 125 Smith Mike E. Hollendorfer Jerry

6 Moreno 5 G L 121 Gonzalez Santiago Guillot Eric J.

7 Patrioticandproud 6 G L 116 Trujillo Elvis Casse Mark E.

8 You Know I Know 6 G L 115 Van Dyke Drayden Sadler John W.

9 Crimson Giant 6 G L 114 Boulanger Brandon Chance Stutts Charles R.

10 Imperative 5 G L 117 Desormeaux Kent J. Papaprodromou George

11 Bronzo (CHI) 6 G L 117 Baze Tyler Drysdale Neil D.

12 Catch A Flight (ARG) 5 H L 114 Stevens Gary L. Mandella Richard E.

13 Hard Aces 5 H L 115 Espinoza Victor Sadler John W.

Cool Samurai (First Samurai): 2nd in lone start this year and won Allowance in November. 6th in lone stakes try (Robert B. Lewis last year).

Diamond Bachelor (War Front): 7th in an Allowance/Optional Claimer and 4th in the San Marcos. At one point was a Derby prospect.

Sr. Quisqueyano (Exclusive Quality): Won the Sunshine Millions Classic and 2nd in an Allowance/Optional Claimer. Best finish in a graded stakes was 3rd.

Dynamic Sky (Sky Mesa): 5th in the San Marcos and 6th in the San Gabriel  Has done well on dirt in the past, but better on turf.

Shared Belief (Candy Ride (ARG)): Won the San Antonio and Malibu. Put to rest who is better at the moment between himself and California Chrome in the last.

Moreno (Ghostzapper): 14th in the Classic and 9th in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Has never won on the West Coast.

Patrioticandproud (Proud Citizen): 7th in the San Marcos and 2nd in the San Gabriel. 3rd on this track BC weekend (Las Vegas Marathon).

You Know I Know (Simon Pure): 5th in the San Antonio and 8th in the Pacific Classic. Better on synth then dirt.

Crimson Giant (Formal Gold): 2nd in Allowance/Optional Claimer and 3rd in a Starter Allowance. 1 for 66 in his career. 

Imperative (Bernardini): 6th in the San Antonio and 15th in the Champions Cup. 7th in last year's Big Cap.

Bronzo (Fusaichi Pegasus): 4th in the San Antonio and 6th in the San Pasqual. 4th start in the US.

Catch a Flight (Giant's Causeway): Won Allowance/Optional Claimer and 3rd in the same class in US debut. Gave Gary Stevens his 5,000 North American win.

Hard Aces (Hard Spun): First start for new connections. Won the Louisiana Handicap and 2nd in the Tenacious Stakes.

Picks

Win- Shared Belief

Place- Hard Aces

Show- Moreno

Dark Horse- Bronzo