Nine dirt sprints close out long meet
ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita’s marathon season ends Sunday with a sprint for home. Make that nine sprints.
The closing-day card is an all-sprint, all-dirt program that wraps up six months of racing at Santa Anita. The season began Dec. 26, interrupted only by a three-week spring break at Los Alamitos. Del Mar opens Friday.
Aside from one-turn repetition, the card carries significance as it includes the deepest maiden race for 2-year-olds of the season. Race 6 is led by debut runner-up Aqua Frio, an Uncle Mo colt trained by Blaine Wright. Aqua Frio is one of many contenders.
Ky. Colonel, a sibling to stallion Malibu Moon, could fire first out for Richard Mandella; Excavation debuts with sharp works for the meet’s leading trainer, Phil D’Amato; Tell Me a Story appears to have trained well at San Luis Rey Downs for Peter Miller.
Others include Klimt, who is likely to improve from his fourth-place debut. He is trained by Bob Baffert, whose ace on Sunday is in the meet finale, race 9. Lightly raced Power Jam is back from an eight-month layoff as the likely favorite in a first-level allowance.
Race 6
KEY CONTENDERS
Aqua Frio, by Uncle Mo
Last Beyer: 59
◗ His debut June 10 at Santa Anita was better than the figure. Aqua Frio raced greenly, lugged in, and narrowed the gap on winner Right Hand Man, a contender Saturday in the Santa Anita Juvenile.
◗ Aqua Frio returned to Wright’s stable at Golden Gate Fields afterward and worked twice, including a gate move one week ago. He is likely to improve under jockey Tyler Baze.
Ky. Colonel, by Into Mischief
◗ As a general rule, Mandella-trained maidens run better the second time out. However, this first-time starter has worked fast, worked from the gate, and is bred for speed. Flavien Prat rides.
Excavation, by Mineshaft
◗ D’Amato is on the cusp of his second Santa Anita training title, having led the winter meet. D’Amato entered Friday with a 23-16 lead over Doug O’Neill.
◗ Excavation’s workout pattern suggests he is ready to fire under Joe Talamo.
Race 9
KEY CONTENDERS
Power Jam, by Concord Point
Last 2 Beyers: 91-93
◗ He won his debut by more than four lengths in February 2015 and did not race again until a runner-up finish in November. His comeback works are standard for Baffert – fast, including a 58.40-second gate move one week ago.
◗ The challenge for Power Jam and jockey Stewart Elliot is pace. The sprint is loaded with speed; Power Jam breaks from post 3, inside at least three others with the same style. Baffert entered the weekend having won with nine of his last 20 starters.
One More Roll, by Awesome Gambler
Last 3 Beyers: 88-78-88
◗ A California-bred gelding, One More Roll could be the trip horse positioned just off the speed. He finished third last out behind next-out winner Drefong.