Santa Anita: DRF Plus handicapping report for December 28, 2013
Race 1 |
Spot PlayA recent winner at this level, TIZ DYNAMIC (#3, 5-2) is 2-for-4 on this track and returning from a four-month layoff for productive trainer Richard Baltas. -Brad Free
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Race 2 |
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Race 3 |
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Race 4 |
Spot PlayA big maiden win by ENTERPRISING (#2, 3-1) stamps the colt as the “now” horse in this $75k turf-route stakes for 2-year-olds. He defeated two next-out winners. -Brad Free
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Race 5 |
Vulnerable FavoritePIMPERNEL (#8, 5-2) stopped abruptly at odds-on after dueling for lead in career debut at BHP. Maybe he’s meant to be a dirt horse –or maybe he’s just not all that good. Plenty of other options in this 2yo MSW sprint.- Marcus Hersh
Spot PlayDon’t think they’re ‘giving one’ to debuting CHELIOS (#6,4-1), who has worked steadily since mid-October & fast on several occasions. - Marcus Hersh
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Race 6 |
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Race 7 |
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Race 8 |
Daytona StakesCan’t see getting too creative in the Daytona: The favorites are UNBRIDLED’S NOTE and CHIPS ALL IN, and I like them in that order. What I don’t see is the betting forecast by the morning line, with Unbridled’s Note at 2-1, Chips All In at 5-2, and GALLANT SON at 7-2. I’d think there will be more of a spread between Chips All In and the third choice, and I’m not even sure Gallant Son, whose big last race going a standard three-quarters on synthetic, doesn’t have a great deal of correspondence with this six and one-half “down the hill.” As for Unbridled’s Note, he is a proven commodity over the unique Santa Anita turf-sprint course, and he remains relatively fresh just three races into a form cycle that commenced in late September and surely, when a plan was hatched, included this spot. There was little pace in the Hollywood Turf Express on Dec. 8, and Unbridled’s Note surprisingly got himself embroiled in it, fading a touch late to dead heat for second. He’ll be outrun for the early lead this time & has a good draw from which to track the pace-setters and run them down. Chips All In was part of the triple dead heat for second at BHP with Unbridled’s Note, but he has been racing fairly steadily for two months longer than Unbridled’s Note, is more susceptible to getting sucked into a fairly hot pace, and probably is a half-notch below the UN all things being equal. Consider trying to run him out of the exacta if you eschew the chalk. I’d be a little intrigued by EL COMMODORE turning back from pace-setting route efforts, but he drew the rail & is in line for a very tough trip. Gallant Son is about to turn 8 and is unlikely to improve upon his best turf-sprint form, which isn’t quite good enough to win. Slightly more interesting is AIN’T NO OTHER, who could sneak into a high placing with a perfect stalking trip from a good outside draw.- Marcus Hersh
Spot PlayGALLANT SON is preferred, but HANDSOME MIKE (#5, 12-1) is the stretch-running knockout. He is rounding into form (third G3 sprint last out) and will fly late in a race with speed to run at. -Brad Free
Vulnerable FavoriteUNBRIDLED’S NOTE (#4, 2-1) is always close, and always undervalued. The good turf sprinter wheels back in only 20 days, and may have lost a step from his spring form. -Brad Free
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Race 9 |
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