ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 10, AX MAN

FIRST RACE

Eleven-race card begins with maiden 2-year-olds at a mile on turf. Also-eligible FLASH OF GENIUS wheels back in a week and stretches out from a better-than-looked fifth in a debut sprint. He reportedly showed speed in works, but broke slowly first out and finished evenly. With a clean break, back on short notice, he could be gone despite the outside post. Flashback is not a turf route sire, but the dam of ‘GENIUS was a turf router. AGADOR SPARTACUS raced evenly and virtually split the field his first two starts in dirt sprints. He galloped out fairly well last out; he runs like a horse who may appreciate the slower pace of a route race. This is the first crop sired by Shaman Ghost, the dam of ‘SPARTACUS was a turf runner. First-time starter LOOKOUT POINT is a Peter Miller-trained stablemate of the top choice. The presence of the meet’s leading rider suggests positive intent. The filly SWANNING was dusted her first two starts, but sired by Square Eddie she might like grass.

SECOND RACE

SUMMER ROSE finished 10 lengths clear of third last out in her initial try around two turns. The 5-year-old mare meets a soft bunch of maiden-20s and should win with a front-running/pace-pressing trip. CIRCLE OF HONOR will be grinding from off the pace. In the money all three routes this meet, she will catch a field she can beat sooner or later. Her snakebit stable has been stuck on minor awards. Since late March, 0-for-37 with 10 seconds and 6 thirds. QUEEN OF LOVE was one-paced throughout in her sprint debut. But she posted a wake-up gate drill two weeks ago, drops from maiden-50, stretches to two turns and might improve.

THIRD RACE

Cal-bred maidens sprint six furlongs on turf; REALLY BIG NEWS rates top billing off his runnerup debut. He did not get away well, raced between rivals in the back half of field, rallied wide and finished well. Promising debut, improvement likely second out. GONE SOMEWHERE also is likely to improve following a better-than-looked debut.

Strongly supported at 5-2, he was anchored early, held up behind runners, then went evenly in what appeared to be a schooling run. He might have more speed than he showed. SLEIGHT OF HOOF finished nowhere his first two starts on synthetic at Golden Gate, but now makes his first start on turf and first since transferring to the meet’s leading trainer Phil D’Amato. Blinkers on.

FOURTH RACE

Grade 1-winning comebacker DR. SCHIVEL and in-form allowance sprinter SPEED PASS meet in a N2X sprint. DR. SCHIVEL has worked very well for his comeback/first for trainer Mark Glatt. The colt was purchased privately prior to winning the Del Mar Futurity when trained by Luis Mendez; he needed time off before resuming his career for Glatt this year at 3. Comeback works are solid, expectations high for a top effort first start back. Flavien Prat has worked DR. SCHIVEL, who adds Lasix and gets the nod despite the rail. SPEED PASS has a race over the track this meet and a favorable outside post. ‘PASS is among the quickest in the field while switching to speed rider Edwin Maldonado. He finished a disappointing third last out at odds-on in a similar spot, but it was a weird race in which the longest shots in the field finished one-two. Despite his underachieving record over the Santa Anita dirt (beaten favorite three times), ‘PASS enters as a gate-to-wire candidate. CANADIAN PRIDE followed his sharp N1X victory two back with a runner-up finish last out at this class level. He will give ‘PASS company on the front end.

FIFTH RACE

The absence of speed in this claiming turf sprint benefits allowance dropper MISS LUCY. She chased fast fractions and split the field both recent starts against better, but could make the lead here. With a seven-pound apprentice allowance and murky pace scenario, ‘LUCY can win with a front-running or pace-pressing trip. A NEW PEACE goes route to sprint while facing easier than last out when fourth as the favorite racing a mile. Not sure if sprinting is her deal, but she fits on class. INVINCIBELLA will pick them up late, though the tepid pace scenario poses a challenge.

SIXTH RACE

An evenly matched trio coming off impressive front-running wins top this N1X route for fillies and mares: OLE SILVER, SHEZAGHOST and SHE’S A DIME. The call is OLE SILVER, who ran the race of her career last out in the first dirt route of her career. Facing Calbred N1Xs, she widened by nearly five lengths. Up in class to open N1X for the meet’s leading stable, the gray can win right back. Long on dirt seems her cup of tea. Lightly raced SHEZAGHOST might have the most upside; she crushed maidens last out by six lengths in her fourth career start. Sharp filly in peak form moving up the ladder. SHE’S A DIME stretched for the first time in her career last out, and scored a demonstrative front-running win in a starter allowance. It was her sixth win from 19 starts. She will need to use her speed again here while moving up in class, and may take heat from her two main rivals.

SEVENTH RACE

BRITTLE AND YOO passed her initial two-turn test last out, runner-up on dirt at Oaklawn Park. She has run well on turf, her speed figures are suitable for the level, she gets the call to win this N2L claiming turf mile with a pressing trip. BLUEGRASS SKY goes long for the first time; she ran an improved race last out in her first start on turf. Blinkers on while stretching to two turns, she should be involved in the pace. PREDICTABLE TULLY finally got the money in the 15th start of her career. She figures as a contender right back in her first against winners in the U.S.

EIGHTH RACE

The workout pattern by comeback filly TAMING THE TIGRESS suggests she can fire first start since her maiden win last summer as a 2yo. She gets Lasix for her 3yo debut, trainer Peter Miller can fire with layoffs. She also gets regular rider Flavien Prat, who relinquishes the mount on backto-back runner-up AGREETODISAGREE. The latter finished a clear second two recent starts vs. similar, turf and dirt. The in-form filly loses the leading rider, but gets a five-pound weight break under the meet’s top apprentice. LIVINGMYBESTLIFE defeated maiden special-weights at OP, she is eligible to this starter allowance because she ran for a claim tag in her debut. FLAT OUT JOY enters with the highest last-out speed figure.

NINTH RACE

Allowance winner FLASHIEST or stakes winner HUDSON RIDGE? The call to upset is lightly raced FLASHIEST, who followed his betterthan-looked debut victory at Turf Paradise with a sharp N1X/optional $100k claiming win in his local debut. He remains eligible because he ran for the claim tag last out. He also ran faster each successive quarter-mile (:24.54, :23.94, :23.93 and :23.34). Another furlong should not be an issue for the two-for-two gelding. HUDSON RIDGE won a stakes race last out at this mile and one-eighth distance, and is likely to start favored based on that nd win. He remains eligible due to the “non-winners two races lifetime” clause. He was a maiden when he won the stake. LAW PROFESSOR has been gelded since raced, removes blinkers, and switches to turf. His maiden win three starts back on dirt would give him a big look.

TENTH RACE

Front-runner AX MAN should be tough to catch in his mile allowance, his first start since being sacrificed as a rabbit for late-running stablemate Cezanne in the G3 Kona Gold two months ago. AX MAN was hustled to press the blazing sprint pace, cracked and finished last. But he worked well since, stretches to a route and should make the lead with no pressure. If he runs to his Santana Mile win two back, this race is history. That is, unless stablemate MASTERING runs him down. The latter won three straight (maiden, N1X, N2X) prior finishing fourth in the Santana Mile. MASTERING, listed on the overnight as a first-time gelding, has been off since that March 28 race; his six-furlong bullet work last weekend suggests he will fire first start back. Bob Baffert trains the top pair, a front-runner and a late-runner. MIDCOURT is the field’s most accomplished entrant, a multiple graded winner and G1-placed comebacker making his first start since Dec. 26 opening day. The class of the field, he has run well fresh, but indications are this allowance is primarily a prep race for a summer campaign.

ELEVENTH RACE

If she improves off her creditable U.S. debut, LA GIOIOSA can win this maiden turf route while stretching from a mile to a mile and one-eighth. The Group 3-placed European actually ran okay in her comeback. She broke slowly, trailed, and went evenly late. With a race under her belt, she should move up a ton. LOOKINTOGETEVEN has improved since moving to the D’Amato stable, but she lost twice as the favorite including a no-excuse runnerup finish last out. Runner-up both recent starts, she will get there someday. BROOKLYNS BEST showed promise in her third-place debut. She was sandwiched between rivals, wrangled back, angled out, raced greenly, went evenly late. The second-time starter is likely to improve. His rider is Joe Bravo, previously based on the East Coast and now based in California.