Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
ANALYSIS
FIRST RACE
ULTIMATE BANGO, third in a promising debut, stretches to a mile on turf. He can upset established two-turn maidens MINISTER’S GLORY and TATAR. The debut by ULTIMATE BANGO was solid. Racing six furlongs on dirt, he pressed the pace, and finished fairly well for third. A sibling to four multiple winners including stakes winner Tribalist, ULTIMATE BANGO worked well before and after his debut, and could be the one to catch. MINISTER’S GLORY will vie for favoritism following three runner-up finishes in routes. He ran the race of his career last out, his first with jockey Flavien Prat. The six-start maiden will break through eventually. TATAR is an eight-start maiden whose runner-up finish last out in an off-turf maiden route was solid. He set/pressed a fast pace and only got collared late. Blinkers are off, he ran well in turf routes last year. JERSEY’S HEAT will pick them up late. FAVERSHAM switches to turf. He is a full brother to California Chrome, whose only turf start was a victory in the 2014 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar.
SECOND RACE
Eight-start maiden WILLISTON DUDE ran better than the line looks last out. Racing one mile, he dueled three-wide throughout, kept fighting to deep stretch and faltered. Not bad under the circumstances. Though his two-turn ability is uncertain (lost ground late all three times), this maiden-20 came up soft. Perhaps it is tough to trust a 5yo maiden that might have distance limitations, but he does look best of a weak lot. DEFENSE MINISTER finished far behind the top choice last out after being caught five-wide early and four-wide the rest of the way. Not a good effort, even with the ground-loss alibi. However, his third-place finish two starts back puts him in the picture. Better post this time. MAJESTIC JOURNEY prepped in a sprint, closing from last to finish sixth. Improvement likely second start back. SPEND IT dueled and tired in the same race the top choice exits. SPEND IT won a similar maidenclaiming race in December but was disqualified for interference.
THIRD RACE
If he picks up where he left off, comebacker TOUCHING RAINBOWS can win this N2X sprint. Racing at Del Mar last summer, the gelding dusted a Cal-bred N1X sprint, followed by an open N1X, both in fast time. Sharp works suggest he will fire first start back. RED LIGHTNING wanted no part of a “wet fast” track last out; he was virtually eased. But his “fast” form is solid and includes a third in a G3 and a five-length romp in a N1X. The inside post is a challenge for ‘LIGHTNING, but he does have enough speed to establish position. LAW ABIDIN CITIZEN scratched from a N2X mile on Sunday to run instead in this sprint. It seems one turn is his preferred distance; he should get a good trip pressing/stalking the pace in the clear. EXCITATIONS will add blinkers. He ran races last year that are fast enough. DESERT LAW will pick them up late.
FOURTH RACE
Claimed by John Sadler from a 10-length romp in a maiden-20; JEWELED is the logical choice in this starter allowance. The filly is the fastest in the field on figures; she has speed but is sufficiently versatile to rally from behind. Drawn perfectly in the outside post, she can fire right back as a deserving favorite. LUCKY VAL is a legitimate late threat based on an impressive debut. She was completely void of speed, launched an extended move saving ground through the turn, rallied wide into the lane, then ran past the leaders to win going away. Very sharp. Looks like enough pace to flatter her closing rally. PALACE PAYNTER is probably the best of the speed. She scored a daylight win last out in a maiden-30; the fourth- and seventh-place finishers returned to win. Come and catch her. She is trained by Peter Miller, who also entered first-offthe-claim route-to-sprint MISCHIEVOUS SONG. Miller has been tough to beat recently when he has two starters in one race: 5-for-6 (12 starters) in April.
FIFTH RACE
Group 3-placed European import SPECIAL PURPOSE makes her U.S. debut as arguably the “best horse” in this N1X turf sprint for 3yo fillies. Her form last year in England was strong. She won
her first two starts, split the field in a G3, then missed by a neck in a G3. SPECIAL PURPOSE returns for new trainer Simon Callaghan, who is 5-for-9 the past two weeks and 4-for-13 with Euro imports the past two years. LEXINGTON GRACE drops from stakes to N1X and goes route to sprint as the top local filly. She won five sprints in Europe; her three U.S. starts in routes were creditable. Fourth in a G3, third in a listed stakes race and fifth in a G3, she takes off blinkers, cuts back to a sprint and will roll late. Lightly raced
AHIMSA merits consideration based on her highly rated debut victory two starts back. However, it is uncertain if that race was as good as the number. That race was more than four months ago, yet all seven rivals she defeated are still maidens. Still, AHIMSA is lightly raced, should handle grass, and is quick enough to get the jump on the top pair.
SIXTH RACE
In a competitive $20k claiming sprint, dropper EIGHTY THREE is the one to beat first start in California. He ran well against much better company on the East Coast last year, he fires fresh and his stalking style suits the likely quick pace. He is a 7yo, it makes sense for him to drop into a claiming race. He earned more than a quarter-million since he was claimed for $40k by his current connections two and a half years ago. KETOS rates an upset chance, notwithstanding two recent subpar efforts. He is good enough based on his maiden and starter allowance wins two and three starts back. His recent works were at Los Alamitos, perhaps the change in morning scenery will lead to an improved effort in the afternoon. He drops just one level after a pair of double-digit losses. Consider that a subtle vote of confidence. JAY MAKES US LAUGH is fast; his N3L win two back puts him in the hunt. Trouble is, he drew the inside post with a ton of speed to his outside. He will be under pressure throughout. GONNA FLY NOW will rally late in a race that could unfold in favor of his closing style.
SEVENTH RACE
ALLABOUTACTION seeks his third straight victory as the speed of the field in this $40k claiming sprint. Both recent wins were fast-pace wire jobs at six furlongs; he stretches to six and a half first start off the claim by Richard Baltas and looms the one to catch. HOLLYWOOD ANGEL has not started since November 2016, but his recent workouts for new trainer Bill Spawr suggest he is ready to fire first off the bench. Spawr does not typically work horses fast, which makes back-to-back bullet drills on the training track all the more impressive. ‘ANGEL was legitimate N2X-caliber/stakes-placed prior to his layoff. STREET VISION raced wide and went flat in his most recent start for $25k, but two previous main-track sprints at Santa Anita were sharp wins from off the pace. Up two levels off the claim, he will roll late. PAPA TURF is quick enough to pester the top choice, unless his new connections adopt an off-the-pace strategy.
EIGHTH RACE
HUDDLE is rounding into form, and with two races under his belt is ready to win this Cal-bred maiden turf sprint. He ran okay in his third-place debut on this course, and improved second out when he set the pace to deep stretch in a mile turf race before tiring and finishing fourth. Blinkers on, back to a sprint, obvious choice. CELTURIAN broke slowly and finished a respectable fifth in his debut in an off-turf sprint. He will give turf a try second time out. As a son of Unusual Heat, the surface switch should be fine. FAMOUS ROCK STAR pressed and tired in his debut. With a race under his belt, improvement likely.