ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 8, FLOWER POINT

FIRST RACE

The inside post is again a challenge for INCREDIBLY LUCKY, last-out runner-up at this level. She broke from the rail, pressed the pace, finished three lengths clear of third, and earned a respectable speed figure facing winners for the first time. She is the one to catch. Minimal value in a five-runner field, however. VEGAS STRONG BABY drops in class for her second start back from a layoff for a productive trainer jockey combo. BELLAZANO dusted maiden-20s last out, she has speed to keep the top choice honest on the front end. If the top choice misfires, BELLAZANO could get first run.

SECOND RACE

DULVERTON DARLING, compromised by a wide trip last out, can upset SUNRISER, who had a brutal trip last out. It is a close call. DULVERTON DARLING lost ground on every turn last out, including five-wide into the lane, yet ran her final quarter in a respectable 24.04 seconds. Not bad for this maiden-50 level. ‘DARLING proved early this year she can get this mile and oneeighth trip. The video replay of SUNRISER in the same race (SA, Oct. 3, race 7) is worth review. SUNRISER was blocked badly the final furlong, and never had a shot. Though she finished two and one-quarter lengths behind the top choice, the comparison is unfair; SUNRISER never had a chance to run. Legit shot with clear sailing. Y NOT SIZZLE drops for the first time to maiden-50 after finishing in the money six of seven starts vs. Cal-breds. Not sure what happened last out, however. She finished off the board for the first time in her career, with no visible alibi.

THIRD RACE

MAJESTIC GIGI was heavily bet in her comeback (20-1 morning line, 4-1 starting price), and ran to the action. She popped the gate, set blazing fractions and got won down. Super runner-up finish. Her opening quarter in :21.92 is the only sub-22 first quarter of the meet at 5.5 furlongs, her :45.61 half also is fastest of the meet (through Thursday). The point is, ‘GIGI is fast. The challenge is wheeling back in 15 days and stretching to 6f. Win or lose, the one to catch. Firsttime starter AUBERGE debuts with a series of sharp workouts for a stable that sends its rookies ready to

fire. On the flip side, first-crop stallion Palace is 1-for30 with debut runners according to Thoro-Graph. COSMIC COWGIRL appears to have trained well at San Luis Rey Downs for her debut at Santa Anita, although maidens from this stable typically race their way into condition rather than fire first time out.

FOURTH RACE

MEDIA BLITZ could have won his career debut racing a mile on turf at Del Mar, except for a bad trip. He broke slowly, lost ground four-wide on the far turn, rallied to the lead in midstretch, and got collared. Solid debut by a promising Medaglia d’Oro 2-year-old who will not be a maiden for long. K P ALL SYSTEMS GO also ran well in his debut. In fact, he ran super finishing fifth. Four-wide on the first turn, blocked saving ground on the far turn, in traffic into the lane, split horses without being asked, and finished with run. He went his final quarter in 23.07 seconds. Outstanding debut. The top pair are evenly matched, must use both. LIAR LIAR also ran well last out, his U.S. debut. The second-start maiden was off slowly, made an eye-catching move on the far turn, steadied at the quarter pole, hit more traffic into the stretch, and finished well. Good effort, he is another logical contender in what looks like a deep field of 2yo maiden turf milers. CHAMPERS improved on turf, first off the claim, and offers price potential.

FIFTH RACE

Lightly raced MESSAGE and PERSEPOLIS are the principals in this N1X filly-mare sprint. MESSAGE returns to the Santa Anita track on which she scored a dominating maiden victory in June; her most recent start was a decent effort in an age-restricted stakes. She set/pressed a fast pace and held third behind one-two finishers that rallied from last and next-to-last. Good effort by MESSAGE, who should make the lead from the inside post over a surface that has been kind to speed at 6f. Through Thursday, 13 of the 22 races at this distance won by the pacesetter. PERSEPOLIS scored a sharp maiden win one month ago over dubious rivals. But the lightly raced War Front filly was making just the third start of her career, and first since February. She has found a home on dirt, it appears. RATHER NOSY looms the stretch-running upset candidate if the top pair get in each other’s way early.

SIXTH RACE

Only seven in this $32k claiming turf mile, but a case can be made for more than half the field. FOREVER JUANITO gets the call based on a solid win in a similar $25k claiming race two months ago at Del Mar. The gelding has tactical speed, he has run well over the Santa Anita course, and has a productive trainer jockey combo that is 6-for-15 since the start of August. WINNING ELEMENT ran well three weeks ago in his comeback, runner-up by a head while making his first start in nearly a year and a half. The turnback from 9f to 8f is fine, although it could be a challenge for TEQUILA JOE. The latter would have been the top choice if this race was longer, but one mile might be shorter than he prefers. Will not be too critical however, because he enters with arguably the best current form, having won two of his last four, albeit 9f. ARCH ANTHEM goes first off the claim by a high percent f.o.c. stable, while PERFECTLY MAJESTIC is plenty fast enough but has not raced since last fall.

SEVENTH RACE

Five entered this mile stakes race including three that are difficult to separate. TWO THIRTY FIVE gets the call over LEADING SCORE and OLIVER, but all three are qualified. ‘FIVE defeated ‘SCORE by a nose last out in a similar stakes at Del Mar, ‘FIVE is 3-for-6 at Santa Anita, and should get sufficient pace to flatter his closing rally. LEADING SCORE did the dirty work on the front end last out. After pressing/pushing strong fractions, he opened up at the furlong pole but was collared on the wire. Good try in defeat, he will get the jump on the top choice. OLIVER stretched to a mile and dominated Cal-breds last out at Los Al. It was the 3yo’s career-best effort, no telling where he will level off. Three evenly matched runners in peak form, tough to separate.

EIGHTH RACE

Tons of speed in this turf sprint seemingly sets it up for late-runner FLOWER POINT. Extenuating circumstances (trouble, equipment, distance) prevented her career from taking off after a sharp debut victory here in April. Now she returns to a sprint, over the course on which she won, and is reunited with Prat for the first time since her debut. In a race loaded with speed, she can win rallying from off the pace. STEAL THE DIAMONDS stumbled at the start, like so may have done this season in 5.5f turf sprints that begin on the dirt oval. The stumble cost her all chance in the stakes race. Assuming a clean takeoff, she will be among the front-runners in a race with many of those. Two previous starts were sharp scores on the front end. ANONYMOUSLY has speed, but is versatile. She finished second opening weekend in a similar N1X. No knocks. MISS HOT LEGS adds speed, along with QUEEN OF THE TRACK and FACTOR OF TWO. This race sure looks like a pace meltdown.