Free's review: Baze pulls hat trick

Favorites won three of eight races Thursday at Santa Anita, and jockey Tyler Baze won three times, but predictable results were interspersed with enough chaos to produce a $61,937 pick six carryover into Friday.

Second-start upset

Race 1 for California-bred maidens looked like a fast race – a mile in 1:37.16 and an upset winner in Short Heat Wave ($73.20). Sure enough, the second-start gelding earned a 91 Beyer, winning by 2 1/4 lengths, good enough to make him a contender next out in an allowance for statebreds.

Joe Herrick bred, owns, and trains Short Heat Wave, a 4-year-old sired by Unusual Heat and produced by Short Call. The dam was due for another winner. It has been almost 10 years since Short Call’s first winner – Short Route won first out in 2004 and the next year captured the Grade 3 Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park. Until Thursday, Short Route was the only winner produced by Short Call. She has had nine named foals.

Odds-on runner-up

Mensa Heat was supposed to win race 2, right? The 8-year-old gelding was 1-2 in a 1 1/16-mile route, $8,000 claiming. But after he loomed a threat three wide into the lane and poked his head in front, pacesetter Dekko ($10) kept running and won by more than three lengths.

It was a disappointing finish by Mensa Heat, whose Beyer Figure dropped 10 points from his previous start (72 from 82). So what does a handicapper do next time with Mensa Heat? You have to respect the 8-year-old. He finished more than eight lengths clear of third and was claimed by Jeff Mullins in a five-way shake.

New sire

Brave Cat is off to a good start as a stallion. An unraced son of Lion Heart who stands in California for a $1,000 stud fee, his first foals are 2-year-olds. He has had three starters and already two winners, including race 2 winner Line Leader.

A second-time starter trained by Jeff Bonde, Line Leader raced gate to wire in 59.47 seconds and earned a 50 Beyer Speed Figure. Runner-up Slew’s Charm figured to improve from her debut, but she did not. She earned a 51 Beyer first out and a 48 second out.

Baze hat trick

Tyler Baze won three races Thursday, including upset winner Boyett ($13.80) in the race 4 feature, a second-level allowance at a mile on turf. The winner was a surprise based on conventional handicapping. It had taken him five tries to win a first-level allowance in Southern California last out. His speed figures suggested he was in tough.

Boyett was forwardly placed by Baze behind a slow pace. When the running started, he scooted to the lead and won by three-quarters of a length with a 90 Beyer. The favorite and second favorite, Jules Journey and Oliver’s Tale, were compromised by pace. They were positioned second to last and last, respectively, and unable to make up necessary ground.

Baze also won race 6 with Le Pequena Gigi ($5.20) and race 7 with My Slew ($25.20). The three-bagger lifted Baze into a tie for second in the standings. He and Drayden Van Dyke each have 22 wins. Joe Talamo leads with 29.

Horses to Watch

OLIVER’S TALE
Trainer: Mark Tsagalakis
Last race: June 12, 4th
Finish: 5th by 8
Beyer: 72

This was an impossible trip for a good gelding. Stretching to a route, he pulled early, lost position, raced wide, and flattened out. It was a throw-out race. Next time, if he runs long again, it might be a good idea to utilize his speed.