Free: Santa Anita horses to watch for week of Dec. 27, 2021
NOTRE DAME
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Last race: Dec. 27, race 2
Finish: 1st by 2 3/4
Beyer: 103
Older gelding now four-for-four at Santa Anita after highly rated N1X/optional claiming sprint. Set pace, motored along, gone. Into Mischief gelding fits in N2X or minor stake.
SHAAZ
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last race: Dec. 26, race 4
Finish: 1st by 1/2
Beyer: 105
Three-year-old first-timer rallied wide, raced on wrong lead, wore down pacesetter in fast (1:16.11) special-weight sprint. Admirable career launch for $1.1 million Uncle Mo colt.
HOPKINS
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last race: Dec. 26, race 4
Finish: Second by 1/2
Beyer: 104
Rocketship firster sped to lead from inside, briefly kicked away, worn down by odds-on stablemate. Super debut at six and one-half furlongs, should be long gone in second start.
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BEYOND BRILLIANT
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Last race: Dec. 26, race 7
Finish: 2nd by 1/2
Beyer: 94
Surface switch (off turf) compromised this Grade 1 winner in G3 dirt mile. Set fast pace, fought back, finished more than eight lengths clear. Tough customer when returns to turf.
EXIT SOUL
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Last race: Dec. 27, race 1
Finish: 4th by 2 3/4
Beyer: 63
Promising debut by juvenile filly in maiden turf mile. Off slowly, rail midpack, steadied and shuffled far turn, finished willingly, ideal educational prep. Can improve with racing.
GREGORY’S PRIDE
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Last race: Dec. 27, race 5
Finish: 2nd by 3
Beyer: 79
Turf-sprint allowance favorite lagged off contested pace, rallied smack into traffic jam top of lane, lacked room, angled out, finished well, would have been closer sans trouble.
NEWPARK
Trainer: Jeff Mullins
Last race: Dec. 27, race 5
Finish: 5th by 3
Beyer: 74
Speedster dueled in multi-horse jam, hung tough to furlong pole, got swallowed in race dominated by closers. Solid effort against the grain, looms “pace play” next turf sprint.
MONGOLIAN LEGEND
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Last race: Dec. 27, race 6
Finish: 3rd by 3 3/4
Beyer: 68
Veteran gelding raced wide in $32k claiming route non-winners two, kept grinding, claimed by O’Neill from Enebish Ganbat, can improve notwithstanding 1-for-25 record.