Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
ANALYSIS
BEST BET: RACE 3, OCCAM’S RAZOR
FIRST RACE
Runner-up last out against older fillies and mares, TRAVIEZA drops to N1X for 3yo fillies and stretches back to two turns as the lone speed. She can be long gone over a turf course that recently played fair to all styles at this mile trip. WHIRLING stretched out in just the second start of her career to win MSW dirt route by a neck. The runner-up finished nine lengths clear of third. Both starts by WHIRLING were dirt, as a daughter of Twirling Candy she should handle turf. Twirling Candy progeny win at a 20-percent clip first-time turf according to Thoro-Graph. PACIFIC STRIKE will roll late, trying to reproduce her last-start maiden win.
SECOND RACE
In a mishmash $10k claiming sprint for fillies and mares, CORONADO COOL gets the call first start off the claim by Kristin Mulhall. The mare’s two recent starts were disappointing; her February win would be fast enough. Mulhall is 5-for-6 first off the claim since fall. BALLERINA HEADLINE is a win type from Golden Gate, where she won 3 of her last 7 on synthetic. The surface switch is fine; she is 2-for-6 on dirt. This is the first start for ‘HEADLINE since she was claimed by Jeff Metz. GEMINI JOURNEY, third last out in a N3L claiming sprint, will rally late. DRAGON FLOWER could make the lead in a race without much speed.
THIRD RACE
Early-season 2yo racing at Santa Anita has been dominated by low-odds winners. Seven of the first eight paid $6 or less. The trend is likely to continue with OCCAM’S RAZOR, a Square Eddie colt making his debut with sharp drills for trainer Doug O’Neill. The colt worked well at San Luis Rey, posted a :35.80 gate move at Santa Anita, and should come out firing. O’Neill already won three 2yo races this meet. ‘RAZOR was produced by a maiden dam that was purchased at a 2yo sale for $310k. This is her first runner. TAKEO SQUARED is the “other” O’Neill entrant. He finished an okay third in her debut, a race won by a stablemate. Second-start 2yos often improve dramatically; perhaps ‘SQUARED is an upset candidate. First-time starter HOT MAGISTRATE worked a half-mile from the gate last week in :48.60. The only filly in this field, she was sired by Unusual Heat and is the first foal from a stakeswinning dam.
FOURTH RACE
PLEIN AIR figures to control the pace in this mile and one-quarter turf stakes. If she gets comfortable out front, she might be gone. The 8-for-12 mare did exactly that her U.S. debut in January, but her second start stateside was screwy. Racing a mile and one-half, odds-on PLEIN AIR engaged in a pace duel with the longest shot in the field, got the best of that rival at the quarter pole but faded to fifth. It was a disappointing effort. But the pace rival she dueled with last time is not in this field, which means PLEIN AIR could be loose on the lead while shortening in distance. The laterunners are evenly matched. PANTSONFIRE is probably the most consistent; she finished third in the aforementioned marathon and might be benefit from this shorter distance. Look for her late. QUEEN BLOSSOM defeated the top pair last time out but finished behind the top pair two previous starts. She has enough speed to keep the pacesetter in her sights. CAUSEFORCOMMOTION finished second in the same race as the top three, she could get a nice trip positioned second behind the speed. The truth is that if the pacesetter does not win, any of the others can.
FIFTH RACE
Trainer John Shirreffs does not normally start 2yos this early in the season, so MOBOU must be precocious. Although the colt was sired by Kentucky stallion Uncle Mo, MOBOU is a Cal-bred. He also worked well from the gate on May 30 (work viewed on XBTV.com). He popped, showed speed in company, and was timed in :48.80. If he breaks cleanly from the rail, he might be gone. MR PAYTIENCE is another O’Neill-trained 2yo
with sharp works at San Luis Rey, while NO NEW
FRIENDS appears to have trained well. Looking for an upsettter? Trainer Dan Dunham, and ownerbreeders John and Allegra Ernst, sprang a $45 upset last month with a 2yo first-time starter sired by Eddington (Tap the Wire). They try to repeat the pattern with GOLDEN IMAGE, a first-timer starter sired by Eddington. CALIFORNIA BREEZE, beaten favorite her last two, returns to the maiden-20 level and tries a dirt route for the first time. In the money four of her last five starts, she enters as the “fastest” on numbers, at a class level that is typically predictable. IZZYS EXPRESS finished nowhere her first start two starts, but those were maiden-50s on turf. Class drop to the bottom, speed figures (turf) comparable to the top choice, ‘EXPRESS is a logical alternative. SWEET TREAT stretches back to two turns, gets in light with a seven-pound apprentice, and will be on or near the front. A curious track-profile stat has emerged at a mile and one sixteenth on dirt. None of the first eight races at this distance were won by the pacesetter.
SEVENTH RACE
VAN CORTLANDT bombed last time, but he had a built-in albi. The race was on dirt. He returns to preferred footing (turf), with races in January and February that are fast enough to win this N1X turf marathon. Hot stable also a plus. UNAPOLOGETIC drops in class from a series of N2X races, and returns to the level of his most recent win. He is entered for the optional $40k claim tag. The last time ran at this level, he won a turf marathon by more than two lengths. Similar circumstances here; UNAPOLOGETIC is a “must use.” THE BIG TRAIN finished an okay third last out under similar conditions, a half-length behind his stablemate ACKER. Both are contenders here.
EIGHTH RACE
PULPIT RIDER was not impressive last out winning on turf at Golden Gate. Odds-on, she was under a drive into and through the lane, struggled, but got the job done. She basically gutted out the win, which was her second stakes win vs. state-breds. Nonetheless, she is the tepid choice to win this dirt stakes for Cal-bred fillies. She improved this season racing on turf, but perhaps she improved also due to maturity. She did win twice on dirt as a 2yo, and if she handles the surface swtich can win win this rallying from off the pace. She’ll probably need to run better than she did last time. SPICED PERFECTION also won a stakes last out, albeit a sprint. Her only route was a creditable runner-up finish in a stakes in December. She has speed for a forwardly placed trip, she can rally from behind, and is a reasonable contender although two turns might not be her preferred trip. Lightly raced LOVING LYNDA scored a sharp maiden sprint win last. Tough to go from a maiden sprint to a stakes route, but her stable is on a roll and she has room to improve in just the third start of her career. Two-time stakes winner ONE FAST BROAD seems to have tailed off as a 3yo.
NINTH RACE
WHOA NESSIE finished an okay third last out first try on the hill; she is the tepid choice to win this Cal-bred MSW first start after a freshening of nearly two months. She is hardly invincible. COUNCIL WOMEN makes her first start in more than seven months; her third in a Cal-bred MSW turf route in fall was solid. Ten rivals she faced in that race returned to run: 2 wins, 1 second and 3 thirds next out. ‘WOMEN changed trainers since, she will fly from the back of the pack. MISS RICOCHET will keep the top choice company. The speedster has three runner-up finishes from four starts, she lost her last two at odds-on. She is quick, and if she handles the switch to grass will be formidable on the front end. This field also includes a handful of firsters. HERE’SLOOKINATYA is a Cal-bred by Lookin At Lucky; her only sibling to race won an $8k maiden-claiming race first out. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 4-for-16 with firsters since early January, four others finished second. DISLITLEAGLECANFLY is a sibling to two multiple winners.
TRACK INFORMATION
285 West Huntington Drive Arcadia, CA 91066 (626) 574-7223 Main track: One mile, oval. Distance from last turn to finish line: 990 feet. Turf course: About Seven Furlongs
TAKEOUT INFORMATION ■ Win, place, and show: 15.43 % ■ Two-horse exotic wagering: 22.68% ■ Trifecta, Superfecta, Super Hi 5, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 6: 23.68% ■ Early pick 5: 14% ■ Late pick 5: 23.68% ■ Daily Double: 20%
NOTE: A horse which wins a non-winners of $3,000 other than maiden or claiming, or two races, for Calbreds, shall remain eligible for that comparable open allowance race, provided that horse did not win a race other than claiming following that Cal-Bred win. Once a horse has won the two first condition allowance races (Cal-Bred and open), then the Cal Bred win will be disregarded in future allowance races for eligibility purposes only.