December 2006 Archives

With 2007 just around the corner and a huge pick-six carryover today at Santa Anita, why not take a stab at it and end the year with a jackpot. Here's a $144 ticket I think looks good:

I really like the Dan Hendricks-trained Forward Commitment in today's fifth race at Santa Anita. Alex Solis stays aboard and he looks to be sitting on a win. He went postward at 3-1 in his last, but he's 8-1 on the morning line. You have to love that price if you get it. Actually, anything over 5-1 on this horse is a steal.

This long-shot player likes two races today at Santa Anita -- the sixth and the eighth. I'm intrigued by two 6-1 shots in the sixth -- Royal Place, who is taking a nice drop and switching to Garrett Gomez; and Margaritalosflores, another who is dropping and gets regular rider Jon Court. The latter has won twice down the hill in eight starts.

Garrett Gomez, in search of his first Santa Anita riding title, has won four of the first six races on opening day today, including the $125,000 California Breeders' Champion Stakes aboard Pirates Deputy for trainer Bob Baffert. Gomez also won aboard Storm Mate in the second, Tenfold in the third and Coco Belle in the fifth.

Handicapping today's Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Good luck!!! The way I see it, seven of the 13 horses are capable of winning the opening-day stakes. Arson Squad, Brother Derek, Sailors Sunset, Midnight Lute, Northern Soldier, Latent Heat and Spring at Last are all threats.

Ed Golden of the Santa Anita publicity staff talked to Ivan Puhich, agent for jockey Tyler Baze, on his 81st birthday Friday and came away with a story about opening day at Santa Anita in 1969 or '70.

Veteran jockey Alex Solis had a tough decision to make when choosing between 2006 Santa Anita Derby winner Brother Derek and Swaps Stakes winner Arson Squad for the opening day Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Tuesday. Solis has ridden Brother Derek in each of the colt's 13 races and he's been aboard Arson Squad in seven of his eight career starts. Solis, with the help of veteran agent Scott McClellan, chose Arson Squad for the seven-furlong Malibu -- the first leg of the Strub Series, which is also comprised of the San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes on Jan. 13 and the Strub Stakes on Feb. 3.

To me, it has to be Barbaro's courageous battle for his life following his tragic breakdown in the Preakness Stakes.
The publicity and attention that the talented colt brought to the industry was invaluable and why, in my view, Barbaro should be named the 2006 Horse of the Year at next month's Eclipse Awards ceremony.

You can now vote for thoroughbred racing's "Moment of the Year" on the NTRA Web site -- www.ntra.com

Voters have the opportunity to choose from among 10 images, drawn from the year's racing. Those selecting the winning image will automatically be entered in a random drawing for a grand prize of $1,000. The winning moment will be announced at the Jan. 22 Eclipse Awards ceremony in Beverly Hills.

After winning the San Juan Capistrano Handicap for the second consecutive year with T.H. Approval in April, trainer Eduardo Inda talked about winning the race again in 2007 for an unprecedented third time. But that possibility came to an end this week with the retirement of the 5-year-old horse, who fractured his sesamoid while finishing a disappointing seventh in the Grade I Turf Cup at Hollywood Park last Saturday.

Doug O'Neill, John Sadler and Jeff Mullins are staging quite a war for the Hollywood Park autumn meet training title with only four days remaining. O'Neill was the only one of the three to win a race Thursday, giving him a 22-20 edge over Sadler. Mullins sits in third place with 18.

Here is a story released by the NTRA regarding the updated condition of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro:

KENNETT SQUARE, PA-- Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is continuing to
strengthen on his right hind leg since the cast was removed
on November 6, according to his medical team. "Barbaro will need a
special shoe on his right hind foot that will provide extra support
for at least the next several months," said Dr. Dean W. Richardson,
Chief of Surgery. Barbaro's medical team plans to change his right
hind shoe within the next day or two.
Barbaro's left hind foot, which had laminitis, continues to
improve. "The left hind foot is progressing slowly although his
comfort on that foot remains acceptable," said Dr. Richardson. "Most
importantly, Barbaro's overall condition is continuing to improve and
he weighs more now than at any time during his hospitalization."

I interviewed the Stutes on Friday for an upcoming feature article that will run in our newspapers on Tuesday, Dec. 26, and the youngest, Glen Stute, told me he believes the best horse he's ever trained -- Can This Be True -- will be making his first career start in today's fifth race at Hollywood Park.