Brad Free's Southern California Horses to Watch for Oct. 25-Nov. 3, 2024

Santa Anita
MILES FINCH
Trainer: John Sadler
Last race: Oct. 25, 3rd
Finish: 2nd by 1 1/4
Beyer: 57
Debut juvenile colt was best in Cal-bred maiden turf sprint. Fourth on rail, mistakenly guided to inside in lane, blocked through stretch, finished evenly. Bred to run long, wants two turns.

IT’S A CINCH
Trainer: Luis Mendez
Last race: Oct. 25, 5th
Finish: 1st by 8 1/2
Beyer: 80
Another turf sprint winner sired by two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint runner-up Om; this juvenile colt parked vs. Cal-bred maidens. Sharp win, Om’s top five earners won turf sprints.

BAZOOKA CHARLIE
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Last race: Oct. 25, 5th
Finish: 4th by 8 1/2
Beyer: 57
Debut juvenile pushed along midpack, green much of race, finished well, galloped out well. Cal-bred gray wants two turns, maidens from this stable typically improve with racing.

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OM N JOY
Trainer: Aggie Ordonez
Last race: Oct. 26, 3rd
Finish: 4th by 3 1/4
Beyer: 51
Maiden juvenile filly off slowly from rail in Cal-bred turf sprint, hard-held, split rivals on turn, finished evenly. Om filly may have found her niche on grass, runs as if two turns is okay.

BLACK BEARDS GHOST
Trainer: Steve Knapp
Last race: Oct. 26, 4th
Finish: 1st by 3 1/4
Beyer: 79
Debut 3-year-old broke slowly in dirt sprint, zoomed inside to duel, toyed with pace rival, ran away late while racing greenly. Promising debut by Cal-bred colt sired by Goldencents.

IT’S MY WORLD
Trainer: Leonard Powell
Last race: Oct. 27, 1st
Finish: 5th by 4 1/4
Beyer: 57
Repeat horses-to-watch lister, 3-year-old maiden does not like turf and sputtered. His two efforts on dirt were solid. Follow when he returns to main track, preferably vs. state-breds.

Del Mar
MUSCLED
Trainer: Paddy Gallagher
Last race: Oct. 31, 6th
Finish: 4th by 2
Beyer: 59
Maiden juvenile improved over last-place debut. Forwardly placed, three and four wide throughout turf mile, challenged into lane, made lead, tired. Super try, he lost a lot of ground.

SCIPIO
Trainer: Richard Baltas
Last race: Nov. 1, 4th
Finish: 4th by 2
Beyer: 73
Repeat horses-to-watch lister was best in turf-mile stakes for juveniles. Shuffled back at start, blocked far turn, steadied, blazed 22.80 final quarter. Stakes-placed maiden has promise.

HILL ROAD
Trainer: Adrian Murray
Last race: Nov. 1, 9th
Finish: 3rd by 4 3/4
Beyer: 89
European void of speed in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, trailed while leader set slow pace, finished willingly on wrong lead, 30.02 final five-sixteenths. Strong effort first-time dirt.

EAST AVENUE
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Last race: Nov. 1, 4th
Finish: 9th by 13 1/4
Beyer: 75
Front-running Grade 1 winner favored in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, but stumbled badly when gates opened and lost all chance. This race was a toss, Kentucky Derby prospect for 2025.

MOUFFY
Trainer: Jonathan Thomas
Last race: Nov. 2, 3rd
Finish: 4th by 2 3/4
Beyer: 90
Veteran turf mare checked on backstretch, difficult to handle, hard-held, rail; trip behind traffic, finished well. Grade 2 winner worth longshot look if she runs Dec. 1 in Grade 1 Matriach.

MUTH
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last race: Nov. 2, 12th
Finish: 7th by 6 1/4
Beyer: 94
Post 10 sealed fate in Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Pressed pace, four wide start to finish, still in hunt at eighth pole, tired. Seven-furlong, Grade 1 Malibu Dec. 26 at Santa Anita seems ideal.

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