Big Bonus Race on Sunday Feb 7
Just noticed that on Sunday Feb 7 at Santa Anita is the San Vicente, and it is Loaded!!!
Here is the PPs, courtesy of Briswatch:
http://www.brisnet.com/php/bw_pdf_vi...param3=1173620
A brief look-see shows:
Storm The Court - Last year's BC Juvenile Winner, by forgotten sire Court Vision (by sprinter Gulch - I remember him). Decent workouts for Peter Eurton's surprise winner. Same jockey (Prat).
Nadal - Baffert's Eye popping $700k son of Blame who 'won for fun' in his only race. This is the Buzz horse. Note that this is a 7 Furlong race and Nadal won a 6 Furlong race, so not a stretch, and he picks up Rosario, so big jockey improvement.
Fast Enough is undefeated (2 races), and a California Cup winner. Very modest breeding and connections, but he doesn't know that. Good works.
Ra'ad has won one of two with the great Drayden Van Dyke and is also a Baffert horse. Was a $500k yearling.
Enjoy this one. Race of the weekend.
Larry
DevilHorse
Weekend of Feb 15-17: Risen Star, El Camino Real, Southwest Stakes
Folk (I only hear one of you breathing)...
The prep races must be heating up if not in quality, then at least in value with the Risen Star in two $400K Divisions at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, each with 50 Derby points to the winner (and lesser points to the 2, 3, and 4 place horses), the El Camino Real at Golden Gate Park south of San Francisco, and the Southwest Stakes on Monday at Oaklawn Park.
Risen Star (First Division - Race 12)
http://www.brisnet.com/php/bw_pdf_vi...param3=1696800
Risen Star (Second Division - Race 13)
http://www.brisnet.com/php/bw_pdf_vi...param3=1838200
El Camino Real
http://www.brisnet.com/php/bw_pdf_vi...param3=1003940
Each of the above races will be contested at 1 1/8 miles; a bit longer than we've seen in the prep races and just 1/8 shorter than the classic distance of the Derby.
Weather is forecast to be good for New Orleans on Saturday.
The first division of the Risen Star has a couple of interesting animals:
Enforceable won the Lecomte (the feeder race to the Risen Star) while racing wide the whole way. He maintains the superiour Julien Laeparoux as his pilot
Blackberry Wine has very good speed figures, but picks up weight and is keeping his local jockey. Mostly a turf horse, but given a shot.
Silver State was bumped and finished 2nd in the Lecomte. Asmussen trainee has the pedigree to go longer and checks all boxes.
In the second division:
Anneau d'Or is the logical horse. He finished 2nd in the BC Juvenile (has that ever worked out?) and finished 2nd by a neck to Thousand Words who was life and death in his debut 2 weeks ago. Training very well, but hasn't raced in 2 months. Expect 1st or 2nd.
Mailman Money is undefeated (2 starts) and if he improves off that race could be in the thick of it.
NY Traffic is interesting. He had a new trainer last race (5th start) and woke up. New trainer is Joseph Saffie. If you follow racing at all you would have heard about Saffie who took a claiming horse last year, for a bunch of guys owner group, and won the Pennsylvania Derby ($1Million Race) with Math Wizard over some top competition last year (i.e., including Spun To Run who later won the BC Mile). Here is the Penn Derby and interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgX4la6tPJQ
Some good works and some Saffie magic could make this horse interesting. Saffie usually only does claimers, so venturing into these KY Derby prep races is probably a residue of his enhanced reputation or using the money from that big PA Derby win. Interesting story.
And in a rare Oxymoron, this NY Traffic apparently can really move!!!
The El Camino Real.. I haven't looked at it yet, but the forecast is cold and white to wet.
The Southwest Stakes entries haven't come out yet since the race is monday.
Larry
DevilHorse
El Camino Real and a Hunch Bet
In the El Camino Real (PPs in previous post), there looks like only one entry.. Bob Baffert's Azul Coast.
Baffert, as he usually does, travels up the west coast highway (probably flies) and dominates the El Camino Real ... but I lie.
He has only won once with Cavonnier back in 1996.
Azul Coast finished 2nd, well behind DevilWin's favorite horse Authentic in the Sham by 7.5 lengths, but he has the best figures and looks to be able to handle this bunch.
The fillies also have racing this weekend.
The Dixie Belle is being run at Oaklawn Park:
http://www.brisnet.com/php/bw_pdf_vi...param3=1436220
All PPs are courtesy of Briswatch.
In this race, the favorite would appear to be Specially, who has won 2 of 3. Including a 12 length win on a sloppy track. Trained by Mark Casse and piloted by David Cohen. She got a 99 (SY) and 95 in her two wins, and a nasty 68 in her loss.
However, for a flyer, I might take a chance on the 5 horse, Sassy Seneca. This undefeated filly has figures of 85 and 76 (not as fast as Specially), but has a better jockey, bullet works, and her grandsire is Super Saver. Super Saver won the KY Derby in the mud and is an A+ mud sire. One work shows 1/12 in Heavy Mud and another 1/6 in Mud. This filly LOVES MUD. There is speed in the race, and in a 5 horse field, I could expect the 1 to get boxed and possibly be disadvantaged. Sassy Seneca might have a positive ROI here.
On Saturday, at the Fair Grounds, there is the Rachel Alexandra, for 3YO Fillies:
http://www.brisnet.com/php/bw_pdf_vi...param3=1555400
Talk about a filly who liked the MUD.
Larry
DevilHorse