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.

Derby Preps for the Weekend

There will be only one video this weekend and that will be the SA Handicap, however I do have time to do written previews for this weeks Derby prep. However, they are not going to be that in depth. Sorry!

Donn and San Antonio Preview

The most important winter race for Older Horses on the East Coast and the return of the Horse of the Year on the West Coast are the highlights for this weekend. Lets take a look at this year's Donn and San Antonio fields.

San Vincente Preview

The Champ is back! BC Juvenile Texas Red makes his 3yo debut on Sunday in the San Vincente. Lets take a look at this year's field.

2014 Santa Anita Handicap preview

Furlongs and Horses returns with a preview of tomorrow's Santa Anita Handicap!

Here is the video (not sure what's up with the blackbars sorry about that):



The field:

Race 9 - Santa Anita H. (Grade I)

Purse $750,000. For Four-Year-Olds And Upward. By subscription of $100 each to accompany the nomination, closed with 16. $2,500 to pass the entry box and $7,500 to start with $750,000 guaranteed, of which $450,000 to first, $150,000 to second, $90,000 to third, $45,000to fourth and $15,000 to fifth. A trophy will be presented to the winning owner. One And One Fourth Miles.
P# PP Horse A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Will Take Charge (KY) 4/C L L Saez 123 D W Lukas 2/1
2 2 Mucho Macho Man (FL) 6/H L G L Stevens 124 K Ritvo 9/5
3 3 Blingo (KY) 5/G L A T Gryder 117 J A Shirreffs 8/1
4 4 Imperative (KY) 4/G L K J Desormeaux 114 G Papaprodromou 12/1
5 5 Rousing Sermon (CA) 5/H L R Bejarano 114 J Hollendorfer 12/1
6 6 American Blend (KY) 6/G L J Talamo 114 C Gaines 20/1
7 7 Game On Dude (KY) 7/G L M E Smith 122 B Baffert 5/2
8 8 Hear the Ghost (KY) 4/G L J Rosario 114 J Hollendorfer 20/1

Sham Stakes Preview

  The Santa Anita's Derby trail kicks off tomorrow with the Sham Stakes. The G3 mile race has yet to produce a KY Derby winner, but some nice horses have won this race. Among the winners include Colonel John, The Pamplemousse and recent BC Dirt Mile winner Tapizar. Let's take a look at this years field.

 Santa Anita Park - Saturday, January 5, 2013 Race 3 - 1:31 PM     

STAKES

Sham S. (Grade III)

Purse $100,000. For Three-Year-Olds . By subscription of $100 each to accompany the nomination closed with 0. $1,500 additional to start, with $100,000 guaranteed. The winner to receive $60,000 PLUS 10 KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS, $20,000 to second, $12,000 to third, $6,000 to fourth and $2,000 to fifth. 123 Lbs. Non-winners of a Graded I or Grade II Stakes at One Mile or Over, allowed 3 Lbs. Non-winners of a Graded Stake at One Mile or Over , 5 Lbs. *Early Bird nominees to the 2013 Santa Anita Derby (Closing Date: December 22, 2012) are automatically eligible to the Sham Stakes with all fees waived. A trophy will be presented to the owner of the winner. One Mile.

PP Horse                  A/S Med   Jockey         Wgt Trainer

1 Den's Legacy (FL) 3/C L G K Gomez 120 B Baffert

2 Goldencents (KY) 3/C L K Krigger 120 D F O'Neill

3 Greeley Awesome (KY) 3/C L M Gutierrez 118 D F O'Neill

4 Dry Summer (KY) 3/R J Talamo         118 J Mullins

5 Dirty Swagg (KY) 3/R L T Baze         118 M K Cho

6 Manando (KY) 3/C L M Garcia         118 B Baffert

Going horse by horse.

Den's Legacy (Medaglia d'Oro): Third in the G1 Cash Call Futurity in his last race. Before that he won the G3 Generous on turf. Lone start on dirt was a fifth place finish in the G1 Front Runner.

Goldencents (Into Mischief): Won the G3 Delta Jackpot and 2nd in the G1 Champagne in his last two. Sire is a 1/2 brother to BC Juvenile Fillies winner Beholder.

Greeley Awesome  (Mr. Greeley): Broke maiden in his last. Makes stakes debut and was 2nd in one other try on dirt. 

Dry Summer (Any Given Saturday): Stakes winner on turf, lone dirt try was a 8th place finish in the Front Runner.

Dirty Swagg (Street Hero): Third in the Real Quiet two back, has finished out of the top three in stakes races other then that. 

Manando (Bluegrass Cat): Makes stakes debut, 3rd in lone dirt try.

So who wins? In theory, Goldencents has the best resume at this point. However, I'm going with Den's Legacy. His sire's foals tend to improve at 3 and him losing the CashCall might have been the best thing to happen to him. Goldencents for second and   Greeley Awesome for third. 

Super Saturday preview (Part 2)

Welcome to Part 2 of the Super Saturday preview! Today it will be about the Ladies Classic and Classic. 2 stakes, 1 on each coast per division! Lets take a look at them all.

Starting off with the Ladies Classic races.

5th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012

STAKES. 1 1/8 Mile Dirt. Purse $400,000. Beldame Invitational S. (Grade 1). FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. (02:58 PM) (7)

Post #	Horse's Name	Age/Sex	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
1	Go Unbridled	5/M	123	Rosario Joel	Jerkens H. Allen
2	Maristar	5/M	123	Velazquez John R.	Pletcher Todd A.
3	Royal Delta	4/F	123	Smith Mike E.	Mott William I.
4	Cash for Clunkers	4/F	123	Garcia Alan	Violette, Jr. Richard A.
5	Disposablepleasure	3/F	120	Dominguez Ramon A.	Pletcher Todd A.
6	It's Tricky	4/F	123	Castro Eddie	McLaughlin Kiaran P.
7	Acting Happy	5/M	123	Castellano Javier	Dutrow, Jr. Richard E.

This is billed as what could be one of the final races between Royal Delta and It's Tricky. The latter is a bobble away from being undefeated and the former looked very flat in the Personal Ensign. They have faced each other four other times with them going 1-2 in two of them. This will be Round 5 for them. Go Unbridled won against NYB company in her last. Her best finish against graded stakes company was last November 3^rd place finish in the Turnback the Alarm. Maristar has not run well since a runner up finish against males in the Washington Park Handicap last September. This will be her first start as a member of the Pletcher barn. Cash for Clunkers was the runner up in the Ogden Phipps, but then ran seventh in the DelCap. Disposablepleasure was the runner up in the Black Eyed Susan and Mother Goose, but hasn't run well since and finally Acting Happy whose been running in allowance races lately, but was fourth in her last stakes race. When all is said and done, it should be between Royal Delta and It's Tricky. While the nine furlongs is to Royal Delta's advantage, this is a 1 turn race, so It's Tricky has a big chance. I'm going with Royal Delta, I think whatever happened in the Personal Ensign won't carry over, but I do think It's Tricky will give her a tough time on the front end as they go into the stretch. Go Unbridled for third. Now of course if the track is muddy, then I think It's Tricky has the advantage and then I'll still have Royal Delta in the top three, but second and Acting Happy for third.

8th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012

STAKES. 1 1/16 Mile Dirt. Purse $250,000. Zenyatta S. (Grade 1). FOR FILLIES AND MARES, THREE-YEARS-OLD AND UPWARD. (04:38 PM) (9)

Post #	Horse's Name	Age/Sex	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
1	Amani (CHI)	4/F	121	Bejarano Rafael	Drysdale Neil D.
2	Love Theway Youare	4/F	124	Flores David Romero	Cho Myung Kwon
3	Switch	5/M	119	Gomez Garrett K.	Sadler John W.
4	Joyful Victory	4/F	119	Napravnik Rosie	Jones J. Larry
5	Star Billing	4/F	121	Espinoza Victor	Shirreffs John A.
6	Include Me Out	4/F	124	Talamo Joseph	Ellis Ronald W.
7	Love and Pride	4/F	124	Garcia Martin	Pletcher Todd A.
8	Via Villaggio	3/F	116	Pedroza Martin A.	Hollendorfer Jerry
9	Miss Mittagong	5/M	119	Gutierrez Mario	Cecil Ben D.A.

This is formally what was known as the Lady's Secret. You have some East Coast horses against the best of the West, should be a pretty fun race. Love Theway Youare is the only horse to defeat Include Me Out this year, but that was on a synthetic surface and she then finished fifth in the Hollywood Gold Cup against males. Amani hasn't won in the US yet, but she was third in her first US start against Include Me Out and was sixth in the Pacific Classic. The East Coasters Joyful Victory and Love and Pride are coming from oposite directions. The filly from the same owner and trainer as last year's Horse of the Year was second in the Gardenia, but was hung wide. She gets a big jockey change from Gabe Saez to Rosie Napravnik. Love and Pride got the blinkers removed for her Personal Ensign win in her last, the speed bias track that is Santa Anita will be very helpful for her. Miss Mittagong is 0 for 4 this year, but she was third in the Santa Margarita in March. However, she's only made one start since and that was a 7^th place at Del Mar in the Adoration. Via Villaggio was second in the DE Oaks and third in the Alabama in her last two starts. However last year, her trainer sent out Blind Luck to a very suprising last place finish in this race. Star Billing has never raced on dirt and is a G1 winner on turf. Her pedigree on first apprience looks like it could go either way and has a family member who did very well on dirt (Stellar Jayne) and she was second in the Hirsch at Del Mar. My gut feeling the reason why she was entered was because her trainer was also the trainer of Z, namesake of this race. Switch is more likely for the F/M Sprint then the Ladies Classic. Still, there are no true sprint prep for females in California, this was the only spot for her. 4^th in the Hirsch in her last. Finally, there is Include Me Out who has defeated almost every top quality filly in California. Ron Ellis did make some contraversial comments on Tuesday on the NTRA Teleconfernce that basically said that there is a “East Coast Bias” and that he didn't think that she was being respected enough. When going through all the information, in the end I think it comes down to a good old East vs West showdown between Love and Pride and Include Me Out. In the end, I think Include Me Out gets the job done and sends a message to the East Coast fillies that she is not to be messed with. Love and Pride for second and Amani for third.

And now the now the Classic prep races!

STAKES. 1 1/4 Mile Dirt. Purse $1,000,000. TVG Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational S. (Grade 1). FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. (05:46 PM) (10)

Post #	Horse's Name	Age/Sex	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
1	Ron The Greek	5/H	126	Lezcano Jose	Mott William I.
2	Stay Thirsty	4/C	126	Dominguez Ramon A.	Pletcher Todd A.
3	Ruler On Ice	4/G	126	Garcia Alan	Breen Kelly J.
4	Hymn Book	6/G	126	Velazquez John R.	McGaughey III Claude R.
5	Fort Larned	4/C	126	Hernandez, Jr. Brian Joseph	Wilkes Ian R.
6	Atigun	3/C	122	Smith Mike E.	McPeek Kenneth G.
7	Fast Falcon	3/C	122	Nakatani Corey S.	Zito Nicholas P.
8	San Pablo	4/C	126	Castellano Javier	Pletcher Todd A.
9	Flat Out	6/H	126	Rosario Joel	Mott William I.
10	Game Ball	5/H	126	Maragh Rajiv	Chatterpaul Naipaul

Fast Falcon and Atigun where 3^rd and 4^th respectively in the Travers. Ruler on Ice and Stay Thirsty who where 1-2 in last year's Belmont have not shown the same spark this year as they did as 3yo's. Even though he is the defending champ, Flat Out has not really shown the same tancity that he had shown last year, although as the year has gotten longer he's been finishing higher in the order. Hymn Book won the Donn earlier this year, but has been a little inconsistant since then. San Pablo is a bit of a dark horse as he's won his last 2 races, both of them stakes races. Game Ball has no chance in this race has he has been struggling in stakes races. Finally Fort Larned and Ron the Greek where 1-2 in the Whitney. The latter won the SA Handicap and Stephen Foster while the former has had 1 bad race this year and that was against Ron in the Foster. My pick for this race is Flat Out, he loves Belmont and has one of the most talented jockeys currently riding on his back. If it is a sloppy track that won't be a problem for him as he won on that type last year. Ron the Greek for second and Fort Larned for third. For the latter two, it might actually not be a bad thing for them to lose as they could end up being horses with a chance when it comes to Santa Anita time. With that being said, I would not be surprised if either of them wins the race as well.

10th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012

STAKES. 1 1/8 Mile Dirt. Purse $250,000. Awesome Again S. (Grade 1). FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD. (05:38 PM) (9)

Post #	Horse's Name	Age/Sex	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
1	Game On Dude	5/G	124	Bejarano Rafael	Baffert Bob
2	Winning Machine	6/G	119	Matias Javier	Lucarelli Frank
3	Nonios	3/C	116	Pedroza Martin A.	Hollendorfer Jerry
4	Groovin' Solo	3/C	116	Flores David Romero	Cho Myung Kwon
5	Suggestive Boy (ARG)	4/C	121	Talamo Joseph	McAnally Ronald L.
6	Empire Way	3/C	116	Blanc Brice	Harrington Mike
7	Richard's Kid	7/H	119	Gomez Garrett K.	O'Neill Doug F.
8	Balladry	4/C	119	Espinoza Victor	Harty Eoin G.
9	Rail Trip	7/G	119	Valdivia, Jr. Jose	Ellis Ronald W.

Formaly known as the Goodwood. Winning Machine takes a big step up in class from the Longacres Mile where he was the runner up. Balladry was third in the Cougar II. Richard's Kid was third in the Pacific Classic makes his first offical start for his new trainer. Groovin' Solo hasn't run since March and has never run well in graded stakes company. Empire Way is the full brother to Royal Delta, but he is not as talented as she is. Suggestive Boy makes his US dirt debut after his first off the board showing in the US. Rail Trip is the sentimential favorite and is already guarenteed a spot in the Dirt Mile. Nonios ran 5^th in the Travers after finishing second in the Haskell. Finally, Game on Dude was runner up in the Pacific Classic, but gets a key jockey changed from Chantal to Rafael. On heart alone, then Rail Trip wins. However, sadly that is not There happens to be a son of AA's in the race, and he is also my pick for this race. I'm going with Dude to win and position himself to be the Breeders' Cup Classic morning line favorite. Richard's Kid for second and Rail Trip for third. 

So that's it for this weekend, there are a couple of other races outthere this weekend including the Oklahoma Derby and the John Henry Turf Championship (formally known as the Clement Hirsch Turf Championship, both of those races will run on Sunday. Good luck to all the horses and may they return safe and sound.

Super Saturday Preview (Part 1)

Outside of the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup, Super Saturday is the biggest day in horse racing. Oodles of G1 races ending with the Jockey Club Gold Cup in New York and the Awesome Again (formally Goodwood) in California. This is Part 1 of a 2 part weekend preview. Tonight will be most of the undercard stakes races for both coasts and then tomorrow it will be 4 races, 2 on each coast. Each of them will be a preview for horses who might go in the Ladies Classic or the Classic. Lets get it started.

The following races are all at Belmont

6th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 Mile Dirt. Purse $400,000. Kelso H. (Grade 2). A HANDICAP FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. (03:30 PM) (9)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Isn't He Perfect	4 C	114	Luzzi Michael J.	Dutrow, Jr. Richard E.
2	Golddigger's Boy	5 H	115	Lezcano Jose	Preciado Ramon
3	Jersey Town	6 H	116	Castellano Javier	Tagg Barclay
4	Tapizar	4 C	117	Nakatani Corey S.	Asmussen Steven M.
5	To Honor And Serve	4 C	121	Velazquez John R.	Mott William I.
6	Shackleford	4 C	121	Dominguez Ramon A.	Romans Dale L.
7	Gallant Fields	5 G	114	Rosario Joel	Dutrow, Jr. Richard E.
8	Pacific Ocean	5 G	116	Garcia Wilmer A.	Dutrow, Jr. Richard E.
9	Trickmeister	5 H	116	Velasquez Cornelio H.	Dutrow, Jr. Richard E.

4 horses in this race are trained by Rick Dutrow. Of those 4, Trickmiester might be the one who has the best chance. Shackleford will try to rebound from a last place finish going shorter. To Honor and Serve is more likely to be Classic bound then Dirt Mile bound. Tapizar has a world of talent, but has only raced 4 times this year, 3 of them in Jan, Feb and Mar, although he did win in Aug in his last start. Jersey Town was 3^rd in the Forego in his last start and finished 3^rd in this race last year. My pick for this race is Shackleford, he won the Met Mile on this course in May and should love stretching back out to a mile. To Honor and Serve for second and Jersey Town for third.

7th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 6 Furlongs Dirt. Purse $400,000. Vosburgh Invitational S. (Grade 1). FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. (04:04 PM) (10)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Poseidon's Warrior	4 C	124	Ortiz, Jr. Irad	Reid, Jr. Robert E.
2	Little Drama	4 G	124	Maragh Rajiv	Mareina Michael
3	Zero Rate Policy	4 G	124	Lezcano Jose	Pompay Teresa M.
4	Sean Avery	6 G	124	Bravo Joe	Iwinski Allen
5	The Lumber Guy	3 C	124	Velazquez John R.	Hushion Michael E.
6	Fort Loudon	3 C	124	Nakatani Corey S.	Zito Nicholas P.
7	Rothko	4 C	124	Leparoux Julien R.	Asmussen Steven M.
8	Royal Currier	4 G	124	Elliott Stewart	Farro Patricia
9	Caixa Eletronica	7 H	124	Castellano Javier	Pletcher Todd A.
10	Justin Phillip	4 C	124	Dominguez Ramon A.	Asmussen Steven M.

Little Drama is the ½ brother to 2010 BC Sprint champ Big Drama. Sean Avery returned in his last start off an over a year layoff to win. Fort Loudon finished second in the King's Bishop and has the same owner/breeder as Jackson Bend. Poseidon's Warrior won the Vanderbilt in his last start. Rothko has a world of talent. The same can be said about Justin Phillip who needs to just finish it at the end to get a win. Caixa Eletronica has won stakes races at 9 and 6 furlongs this year. Sadly I don't know enough about Zero Rate Policy and Royal Currier. Finally The Lumber Guy had battled horses who where on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year. My pick for this race is Sean Avery, on paper I think he's the most talented of those in this year's race. Justin Phillip for second and Fort Loudon for third.

8th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/4 Mile Turf. Purse $600,000. Flower Bowl Invitational S. (Grade 1). INNER TURF FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. (04:38 PM) (9)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Dream Peace (IRE)	4 F	119	Leparoux Julien R.	Brown Chad C.
2	Hessonite	4 F	119	Lezcano Jose	Donk David G.
3	Hit It Rich	5 M	119	Castellano Javier	McGaughey III Claude
4	I'm A Dreamer (IRE)	5 M	123	Turner Hayley	Simcock David
5	Starformer	4 F	119	Smith Mike E.	Mott William I.
6	Bizzy Caroline	4 F	119	Cohen David	McPeek Kenneth G.
7	Zagora (FR)	5 M	121	Dominguez Ramon A.	Brown Chad C.
8	Nahrain (GB)	4 F	121	Velazquez John R.	Varian Roger
9	Halo Dolly	4 F	121	Rosario Joel	Hollendorfer Jerry

East, West, Europe this race has it this year. Dream Peace was second in the Diana in her New York debut and makes her first start for Chad Brown in this race. I'm a Dreamer won the Beverly D and will try to make history with Hayley who could become the first woman to win the race in 24 years (Julie Krone being the last to do so). Zagora set a track record at Saratoga in her last and finished right behind her new stablemate in the Diana. Nahrain was last year's BC F/M Turf runner up. Halo Dolly heads East to take on these girls as she is not BC Nominated. Hit it Rich and Bizzy Caroline where 1-2 in the Glen Falls in their last. Starformer won the Dick at Delaware and was second in the Waya in her last. Finally Hessonite has been recently facing NYB company, but she was second in a G3 at Parx in July. My pick for this race is Nahrain. She was so close in last year's BC and while her record hasn't been great this year (only 1 top three finish), she has been improving her position, so she might be finally hitting her stride this year. Zagora for second and Starformer for third.

9th Race - Belmont Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/2 Mile Turf. Purse $600,000. Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (Grade 1). FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. (05:12 PM) (6)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Hailstone	5 H	126	Leparoux Julien R.	Ribaudo Robert
2	Point of Entry	4 C	126	Velazquez John R.	McGaughey III Claude
3	Treasure Beach (GB)	4 C	126	Spencer Jamie P.	O'Brien Aiden P.
4	Little Mike	5 G	126	Dominguez Ramon A.	Romans Dale L.
5	Kindergarden Kid	5 G	126	Castellano Javier	Maker Michael J.
6	Finnegan's Wake	3 C	121	Rosario Joel	Romans Dale L.

Outside of the two big races at Belmont on the day, this is going to be a doosey. You have the European Treasure Beach won won the Secretariat last year, ran in the Arc, ran okay in Canada as well. Not having a fantastic season, but Cape Blanco had possibly his gutsiest race in the Hirsch last year. Then there are the two very strong Americans in Sword Dancer winner Point of Entry and Arlington Million winner Little Mike. A mile and half is a question mark for the latter, but for Treasure Beach and Point of Entry it shouldn't be a problem. Watch out for Finnegan's Wake as well, he ran a bang up race in the Secretariat in what the American's only won the Million, but showed a better then expected showing. Going with Point of Entry here, Treasure Beach for second and Little Mike for third.

The following races take place at Santa Anita on Saturday

6th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/16 Mile Dirt. Purse $250,000. Chandelier S. (Grade 1). FOR FILLIES, TWO YEARS OLD. (03:36 PM) (11)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Majestic Minister	2 F	122	Gryder Aaron T.	Puype Mike
2	Renee's Queen	2 F	122	Garcia Martin	Guillot Eric
3	Switch To The Lead	2 F	122	Espinoza Victor	Biancone Patrick
4	Wittgenstein (IRE)	2 F	122	Gutierrez Mario	O'Neill Doug F.
5	Beholder	2 F	122	Gomez Garrett K.	Mandella Richard E.
6	Butterfly Soul	2 F	122	Carreno Jorge	Vallejo Genaro
7	Executiveprivilege	2 F	122	Bejarano Rafael	Baffert Bob
8	Scarlet Strike	2 F	122	Talamo Joseph	Hollendorfer Jerry
9	Salamera	2 F	122	Castillio Angel	Garcia Rodolfo
10	Contessa's Moment	2 F	122	Puglisi Ignacio	Aguirre Paul G.
11	Miss Empire	2 F	122	Pedroza Martin A.	Miller Peter

This is what formally was known as the Oak Leaf Stakes. Executiveprivilege is the filly to beat here, but Beholder gave her fits when trying to hold onto the lead that she had in the Del Mar Debutante. However, niether of them on dirt. Miss Empire is one who could enjoy the surface switch from synth to dirt. Butterfly Soul is one of the few who has a start on dirt, it was at Fairplex, but it was on dirt. Contessa's Moment also has dirt starts under her belt. I'm going with Miss Empire in this race. I feel that she has the pedigree that can go two turns the best, and I feel that Executiveprivilege might end up tailing off at the end. Beholder for second and Butterfly Soul for third.

7th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/16 Mile Dirt. Purse $250,000. FrontRunner S. (Grade 1). FOR TWO-YEAR-OLDS. (04:07 PM) (11)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Carving	2 C	122	Garcia Martin	Baffert Bob
2	Gabriel Charles	2 C	122	Talamo Joseph	Mullins Jeff
3	Dirty Swagg	2 R	122	Flores David Romero	Cho Myung Kwon
4	The Whole Deal	2 C	122	Maldonado Edwin A.	Knapp Steve
5	Dry Summer	2 R	122	Napravnik Rosie	Mullins Jeff
6	Imperative	2 R	122	Gryder Aaron T.	Harty Eoin G.
7	Know More	2 C	122	Gomez Garrett K.	O'Neill Doug F.
8	Capo Bastone	2 C	122	Espinoza Victor	Sadler John W.
9	Den's Legacy	2 C	122	Quinonez Alonso	Baffert Bob
10	Power Broker	2 C	122	Bejarano Rafael	Baffert Bob
11	Wild Student	2 C	122	Puglisi Ignacio	Aguirre Paul G.

Formerally known as the Norfolk. This is a very interesting race. With Carving you have as owners Bob's wife Jill and Bode Miller (yes THAT Bode Miller), he won at Fairplex in his last start. With Know More, it's the first big race day that Doug O'Neill is back from his suspention. Capo Bastone just missed finishing in the top three in the Del Mar Futurity in his last race. Dry Summer won a stakes on turf, but he should take to dirt well. In the end my pick for this race is Power Broker. He's yet to win, but he's out of a ½ sister to Miss Shop and Trappe Shot, by the sire of Trappe Shot's sire. Two turns and dirt should be no problem for him and the fact that he has Baffert's #1 jockey on him is a big plus. Capo Bastone for second and The Whole Deal for third.

9th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, September 29th, 2012 STAKES. 1 1/4 Mile Turf. Purse $250,000. Rodeo Drive S. (Grade 1). FOR FILLIES AND MARES, THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. (05:08 PM) (13)

PP	Horse	A/S	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer
1	Go Forth North	5 M	119	Flores David Romero	Avila A. C.
2	Let's Go Cheyenne	4 F	119	Bejarano Rafael	Cerin Vladimir
3	Stormy Lucy	3 F	116	Pedroza Martin A.	Lucarelli Frank
4	Left A Message	3 F	116	Blanc Brice	Proctor Thomas F.
5	My Gi Gi	3 F	116	Espinoza Victor	Eurton Peter
6	Cambina (IRE)	4 F	119	Garcia Martin	Bonde Jeff
7	Camelia Rose (FR)	4 F	119	Gutierrez Mario	Callaghan Simon
8	Thisismystage	4 F	119	Maldonado Edwin A.	Dollase Craig
9	Vivo Per Lei	5 M	119	Quinonez Alonso	Proctor Thomas F.
10	I Dazzle	4 F	119	Valenzuela Patrick A.	Van Berg Jack C.
11	Marketing Mix	4 F	121	Gomez Garrett K.	Proctor Thomas F.
12	City To City	5 M	121	Talamo Joseph	Hollendorfer Jerry
13	Nereid	4 F	119	Napravnik Rosie	Shirreffs John A.

Formally the Yellow Ribbon Stakes. Stormy Lucy and My Gi Gi have been battling Lady of Shamrock who skips this race the past few months. Marketing Mix could very well be the #1 turf female based in the US. Nereid has only been in the top 3 once since her dead heat win in last year's American Oaks and that wasn't a win. Cambina, her co-winner also hasn't won since, but she has been in the money a few more times. Let's Go Cheyenne and Left a Message where 1-2 in a listed stakes at Del Mar. Marketing Mix is my pick for this race off her game second place finish in the Beverly D. I've been on the Cambina for quite a while, so she's my pick for second and Go Forth North for third.