Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Blame It On Jack (Race 2)
Race #1: Selections: 6-1-3
The two-month Hollywood meet kicks off Friday afternoon. Post time 4:00 p.m. PT/1:00 p.m. ET.
6-Suntory Time makes career try number seven today for conditioner Richard Baltas, but drops in for a first-time tag off some decent tries against considerably better, and should be making up solid ground late. 1-Baby Needs Shoes adds blinkers this afternoon and is also dropping from MDSW company to Maiden Claimers. The 3-year-old daughter of Smiling Tiger figures to show more speed today, third try off the bench, and draws well. The Dean Pederson-trained 3-Intuitivebynature stretches out on the class drop in start number two after a forgivable wide journey on debut last month. She’s by Halladay, a multiple G1 winner routing on turf. Blinkers on, and improvement is likely.
Race #2: Selections: 2-5-4
Reluctant to load at the start, 2-Blame It On Jack was away slowly on debut April 2, finishing a well-beaten third. The 3-year-old gelded son of Blame stretches out in start number two for trainer Peter Miller and switches to Hernandez. This barn is 3-for-9 (33%) with a $2.96 ROI with second-time dirt route starters the past five years. Second off the bench, 5-Beer Buzz moves back to the main track on the stretch-out for his low-profile connections and figures to take this group as far as he can on the front end. 4-Dr. Filkins makes his first main track start today for conditioner Sean McCarthy, and although his breeding doesn’t scream dirt, he’s trained well enough over it in the a.m.
Race #3: Selections: 4-1-2
4-How Lovely (Ire) drops out of three consecutive starter allowance grass sprints into this $30k claimer today and has consistently run some of the fastest turf speed figures in this field. The 4-year-old daughter of No Nay Never should sit a perfect trip off the flank of Cyprus Moon. 1-Cyprus Moon usually prefers to finish underneath and has surrendered the lead in his last three turf sprint tries. Nonetheless, he has good speed from the rail and figures to be the one to run down late once again this afternoon for the Papaprodromou barn. The 5-year-old mare sports the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (74). The Mike Puype-trained 2-Delightful Hart undoubtedly needed that last start when returning off a 600-plus extended layoff, and now moves to the grass second off the bench.
Race #4: Selections: 6-3-7
6-Soi Ngern makes career start number 12 today and has managed to hit the board in eight of those dozen starts. The 4-year-old gelding was a well-beaten runner-up as the odds-on choice when dropped to this level in last. He could prove tough to reel in late with an alert break despite having several chances to break through the maiden ranks. 3-Subic Boy has not hit the board in three career tries, but returns from an eight-month freshening and drops from Maiden Special Weight to today’s $20k maiden claimers. The 5-year-old gelding has trained well over at San Luis Rey for his return to action. 7-Kiki Ride drops back down in class today and finished second and third at this level two and three back.
Race #5: Selections: 4-2-1
The ultra-consistent 4-Shangrilama has won back-to-back turf sprint tries and has hit the board in eight of her last nine starts since arriving Stateside. She makes her first start off the March 13 claim today for a top barn that has excellent stats with new acquisitions. A threepeat is well within reach. Class dropping 2-Long Mayshe Reign flashed solid early zip through some taxing early splits over the downhill course when last seen back in February and figures to be steamrolling along on the front end again this afternoon. 1-Invincible Molly (GB) finished a game second when dropped to this level on March 13, facing a trio of today’s returning rivals, including Shangrilama, who has beaten her twice.
Race #6: Selections: 1-6-5
1-Can’t Say That ran into and through the temporary rail in a turf route declared a no-contest on Feb. 27, and now returns to dirt off that mishap dropping in for a career-low $20k maiden claiming tag. The Vino Rosso 3-year-old finished a solid runner-up (when coming up just a nose shy) two back over the Del Mar dirt. The late-closing 6-Cammy’s Girl goes turf to dirt on the class drop, and both her main track tries were competitive for this level to begin her career. Kimura takes over the riding assignment today. Off the board in her last four turf MDSW route tries, 5-Danzig Til Dawn makes career try number nine today and has never tried dirt. The 5-year-old mare drops in for a first-time tag today and could hold on for a share of this with her customary early zip.
Race #7: Selections: 4-7-6
4-Druidic is 0-for-8 over the Santa Anita lawn, but moves back to turf on the class drop and cut back in distance, and owns the best late pace figure in this field. The 6-year-old gelding should be motoring home late in what is projected to be a live race flow. Upset chance. The lightly raced 7-Sir Percival has two wins and a second in his last three turf starts, proving to be effective at six panels and going long. The Sir Prancealot gelding has been well-rested since popping a strong (87) turf Beyer back on Feb. 7 and is the horse to beat with a similar effort. 6-Known Idea goes dirt to turf off the Papaprodromou claim and has been just as competitive on grass.
Race #8: Selections: 2-3-4
2-Leyas Candy has been beaten by double digits in his last pair but takes a sizable class plunge this afternoon and could prove difficult to reel in late if allowed to carve the tempo on the front end. Maldonado sticks. Claimed out of his last three of four races, 3-Mighty Kai drops in for a career-low $8k tag today, exiting four consecutive ITM finishes. The 5-year-old gelding has never been off the board at Santa Anita (6-1-3-2). 4-Contrary Chieftain scooted away to a sharp 3 ½-length score against cheaper on March 15 at 2-5, earning the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer (75). The 7-year-old gelding is a nine-time winner but has never strung together victories.
Race #9: Selections: 5-4-6
5-Tom Seaver returns off a year’s layoff as a first-time gelding for new trainer Steve Miyadi and has fired four consecutive six-furlong synthetic drills in preparation for his return to racing. He is offered for the $20k claiming tag today, which is always a concern with class droppers off extended layoffs, but he is the horse to beat if able to replicate the 84 and 86 turf Beyers earned before hitting the sidelines. 4-Miles Finch returns off an eight-month freshening for Sadler but has trained sharply in his a.m. drills. The 4-year-old colt by Vronsky showed solid ability last season and should be even better this campaign. 6-Curlin Command steps up in class off a solid maiden score on March 28, where he posted a career-best grass Beyer. The gelding makes his third start of the form cycle today and is dangerous with another potential progressive move forward for Hernandez and Galvin.
