Brad Free's Santa Anita Horses to Watch for week of May 23, 2024

JANE AUSTEN
Trainer: Mark Glatt
Last race: May 17, 5th
Finish: 1st by 1/2
Beyer: 88
Tapit filly stretching out from debut sprint win scored fast victory in two-turn allowance. Pressed pace, bumped with rival, inched clear. Jane Austen might be for real, up the ladder.

PRECIPICE
Trainer: Rolando Quinonez
Last race: May 17, 8th
Finish: 3rd by 1 1/4
Beyer: 66
Trouble-prone older maiden-claiming filly had uneasy trip in turf sprint. Off slow from rail, midpack inside, waited behind runners, found a seam late, okay finish. She fits vs. similar.

BOLT D’VINE
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Last race: May 18, 6th
Finish: 1st by 7 1/2
Beyer: 85
Debut 3-year-old filly popped gate, set/pressed three-wide in the clear, confidently ridden, ran away in the stretch. This was a flashy debut by another runner sired by Bolt d’Oro.

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CHISMOSA
Trainer: Rafael DeLeon
Last race: May 18, 7th
Finish: 3rd by 2 1/4
Beyer: 83
Multiple dirt stakes winner ran well in turf sprint stakes. Pressed pace, outrun late, 0 for 6 turf, 4 for 10 dirt. Upset candidate Grade 3 Great Lady M. Stakes on July 6 at Los Alamitos.

MCVAY
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Last race: May 18, 8th
Finish: 1st by 7
Beyer: 95
Maiden dropped from Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby to maiden route, crushed. Lagged, wide, blew past field far turn, romped. Perhaps still sensitive to kickback, but super maiden win.

UNUSUAL WIN
Trainer: Hector Palma
Last race: May 18, 4th
Finish: 5th by 12 1/4
Beyer: 43
This maiden-claiming sprinter got bogged behind runners on turn, waited, no kick. Limited ability, perhaps too slow, but worth a longshot stab in similar $20,000 maiden-claiming race.

HAPPY SPRINTER
Trainer: Steve Knapp
Last race: May 19, 2nd
Finish: 2nd by nose (placed first via disqualification)
Beyer: 77
Despite a slow start from the rail, this first-time starter ran super. Off slow, green, rallied wide, drifted inward, missed, placed first. Modest field, but solid debut by Runhappy firster.

BERT’S PROSPECT
Trainer: Sean McCarthy
Last race: May 19, 3rd
Finish: 7th by 8 1/4
Beyer: 69
An improving turf miler, he did not get covered up, raced wide, lost interest, sputtered. Will be freshened for Del Mar, looms off-pace upset candidate in Cal-bred allowance turf mile.

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