Golden Gate analysis for Tuesday, January 1, 2019

BEST BET: Outlaw (8th race)

First Race
1. Bellanza 2. Foxy Lover 3. Norwegian Spy
BELLANZA will use her speed and her rail draw to full advantage to start the new year. She won from the rail at Fresno, and you can toss out that effort last time when she was the beaten favorite because she broke slowly and rushed up to grab the lead. The emptied her tank pretty quickly as she stopped on a dime in the lane. FOXY LOVER is getting a big drop for her first start since last March. She likes this track and figures to get a clean trip from the outside. Those six-furlong works suggest she's set to run well in her comeback. NORWEGIAN SPY shows speed sometimes of late after preferring to sit back early in her career. Look for a stalking trip today sitting just off the top pick who is drawn immediately inside her.

Second Race
1. Omache Kid 2. Rush 3. Southeast Asia
OMACHE KID was the runner-up when favored at this level two back. He's been sprinting nicely, and he set decent fractions when stretch out last time. He'll appreciate the return to the sprint game. RUSH was given a big drop for his GGF main-track debut. He stalked nicely and pulled clear late after a three-month rest. He steps up a notch here, but his Nocal form makes him a legitimate contender here. SOUTHEAST ASIA will offer plenty of value here. He has won at this distance, although he's been routing of late. Can see him making a big move late to be a factor in the lane.

Third Race
1. It's Alexus 2. Tenthousandreasons 3. Please Do
IT'S ALEXUS makes her third start following a freshener. She's won three in a row, beating better on the turf here in her comeback and rallying nicely for an allowance win last time. Barn wisely puts her in a claim-proof spot that she's qualified for. TENTHOUSANDREASONS takes off blinkers and returns to the level where she scored her last win as she comes north to run on the turf here for the first time. She's shown some ability on the turf against better at Del Mar and will be a factor late. PLEASE DO met better in all 12 starts last year. This drop will prove as appealing to her as it does for the top pick. She likes the turf here and has a win and a second in her two starts at this distance.

Fourth Race
1. Cattering 2. Katya Antipova 3. Yalla
CATTERING stopped badly when stretched out last time. Let's hope that clouds her form enough to make a nice score with a value play. Her fractions were decent, and she'd been on an uptick of late. She's a good fit at the lower levels. KATYA ANTIPOVA steps up a notach after scoring a win at the bottom level in her second start following a layoff. She has an easy maintenance drill since that win and enough speed so that the rail draw won't bother her. YALLA is shedding blinkers today. She rallied to nip the top pick at Fresno where she was claimed. She's coming off a decent third here but must improve to the level of her Fresno race to be a factor today.

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Fifth Race
1. Synnin 2. Plate Side 3. Giopress
SYNNIN loves sprinting on the turf here. He's dominant against cheaper foes and picked up checks against allowance rivals in his past two turf starts. Blinkers go on to help him focus early from the rail. PLATE SIDE has a pair of wins at this distance here, including one at this level. He's willing to sit early and then makes a strong closing run after stalking his rivals early. Barn has him sharp right now. GIOPRESS flashed speed before fading late at this level on the main track last time. This is his third start after a freshener, and his first two starts have been solid. He's in tough but can't be overlooked.

Sixth Race
1. Just Kathy 2. True to the Truth 3. Springtime Dance
JUST KATHY ran second when sent north and dropped last time. She set the pace and held well for second after dueling through the opening half-mile. She's dropping to the bottom level here and has an easy maintenance drill since that solid effort. TRUE TO THE TRUTH broke slowly against straight maidens in her debut. She was dropped last time and turned in an even effort while chasing the top pick in an improved try. Expecting more improvement again today which could make her tough to beat. SPRINGTIME DANCE just missed at the bargain-basement level last time and will appreciate today's longer distance. She's hit the board in all three starts here and should be a factor again today.

Seventh Race
1. American Currency 2. Irish Sky 3. On Trust
AMERICAN CURRENCY doesn't have breeding that is drying out for the turf, but he has speed and should like this distance. He was favored at this level in his debut here in a race that had to be shifted to the main track. He ran evenly and finished nicely despite losing a photo. IRISH SKY has hit the board in both turf sprints here. He's making his third start off a layoff. He's going in good form despite fading in the lane last time. That will just add to his potential value. ON TRUST, like the top pick, makes his turf debut here. He lost a photo while closing nicely in his first start since breaking his maiden eight months earlier. Made up ground nicely against a hot pace and should be sitting closer here.

Eighth Race
1. Outlaw 2. True Regards 3. Sith Lord
OUTLAW was forced to rally wide in his debut here. He was favored and did finish well to be second as the favorite. He's been very consistent throughout his brief career and merits favoritism again today. TRUE REGARDS makes his third start following a layoff just as the top pick is down. He was not a factor against the top pick last time, tiring in the lane after running quite wide. A better trip puts him closer. SITH LORD comes out of the same race as the top pair, splitting them in his first start in over a year. He'd hit the board in his first four starts here and will be a contender again with that one under his belt.

Ninth Race
1. Alsatian 2. Tune to Win 3. Aigle
Turf specialist ALSATIAN came north for the first time but didn't get to run on the turf when the race was switched to the main track. That didn't matter as he rallied nicely for the win. Back on his favorite surface today, he looms even tougher. TUNE TO WIN couldn't hold off the top pick last time but did run third. He has enjoyed success over this turf course and certainly merits a look based on current form. Has a pair of decent maintenance drills since that start. AIGLE ran second to the second choice two back when returning from a six-month layoff. She trailed the top pair last time but will be a stronger factor as she makes her third start off that freshener.

Tenth Race
1. Heart's Passion 2. Who Nose It 3. International Diva
HEART'S PASSION turned in a decent effort, running second after a three-month layoff. She cuts her claiming price in half today. She's run second in two of four starts here and has picked up a check in every start, include sprints before finally stretching out. WHO NOSE IT drops and stretches out for the first time. She comes off a nice third as she finished steadily last time. Irish-bred INTERNATIONAL DIVA was dropped to this level and ran second as the favorite. She was odds-on last time, stalking nicely before falling apart late. She was claimed by sharp barn that wins at a high percentage off the claim.