January 2007 Archives

David Flores, perhaps one of the most underrated jockeys around, is the all-time leading rider in the Sunshine Millions, which will be run for the fifth time Saturday at Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla. Flores has won five times. Now remember, that win total is from a total of 16 races because the eight-race program, which matches Cal-breds against Florida-breds, is split up each year -- four at Santa Anita and four at Gulfstream. So he's winning at close to a 30-percent clip with his Millions mounts. Not too shabby. Check our newspapers for a feature on Flores and how he feels about his mounts this year in Thursday's editions.

With Wednesday's huge carryover of $723,774 at Santa Anita, I just have to take a stab at what figures to be close to a $2 million jackpot. It's a tough card. I liked the carryover card on Jan. 10 at Santa Anita better, but with a few breaks, I think I could be in the hunt. The fifth and eighth races are real crap shoots.

There is a pick-six carryover today at Santa Anita and there are a couple of horses in the fifth race I think you need to take a really hard look at -- Del Mar Ticket and In Reality. If you're playing a small ticket, the Ron Ellis-trained Del Mar Ticket might be a good single. He's 4-1 on the morning line and gets the services of Alex Solis.

You have to love the Lava Man connections -- i.e. the owners and trainer Doug O'Neill -- for deciding to campaign in California again this year and, even though there will be a priority put on grass races -- O'Neill said today that they would love to sweep the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic again.

We did our column on SoCal newcomer Richard Migliore last week, and the man was a joy to be around. You could not help but leave the jockeys' room rooting for the guy, hoping that it all works out and he can eventually have his family join him full time from New York.

One of the best, most versatile horses in training in 2006, Surf Cat, is back on the track and will begin training again in February. Surf Cat, who won three Grade II races last year before pulling up sore and taking the rest of the year off, was on the track both Friday and Monday mornings for trainer Bruce Headley along with stablemate Arson Squad.

I like a few hores Saturday at Santa Anita, including the Brian Koriner-trained Wild Nekia in the first race, Range Roover in the second and Racketeer in the fifth.
I'll bet Wild Nekia in the first at 3-1 or better and also play some doubles -- Opimian, Hemet and Wild Nekia in the first to Range Roover in the second.

You'd better take a good, long look at any horse trained by Brian Koriner rnier and ridden by Aaron Gryder. The former NoCal-based trainer and Gryder, a West Covina native, are combining their talents to win races this year at a very impressive rate.

If you're like me, you can't pass up a chance to take a crack at today's $623,111 pick-six carryover at Santa Anita. The seventh race to me is the toughest to figure out, with perhaps all seven of the runners having a shot to win the 6 1/2-furlong race down the hill. Here's one $72 ticket to consider:

Why is Bobby Frankel one of the top trainers around? Two words -- knowledge and patience. After Latent Heat won the opening-day Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita, Frankel said he'd probably skip the San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes because he doesn't think the colt is a two-turn horse. So guess what?

OK, with a huge pick six carryover today at Santa Anita, if you want to take a serious stab at it you need at least two singles. For one of them, I would recommend Larry's Girl in the ninth race. Victor Espinoza will ride the filly, who is dropping into a maiden claimer for the first time for capable trainer Clifford Sise. She's 9-2 on the morning line. Not bad odds for a horse I think is a serious pick six and/or pick four singleton.

Bill Spawr is upset that his top sprinter Bordonaro, fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint in November, is not among the three finalists for the Eclipse Award as top sprinter of 2006. The Eclipse finalists were announced Wednesday. Spawr lashed out at what he perceives as an East Coast bias.

Looks like Vladimir Cerin has a really good shot to sweep today's early double at Santa Anita. If his horse in the first, Antifreezette, is in one piece she should cruise to victory under Danny Sorenson. But I don't like the drop from $16,000 to $10,000, especially after she just won by 6 3/4 lengths at Hollywood Park. Still, she might be good enough to wire this field.

With the death Friday of colorful trainer Bud Delp, who conditioned the great Spectacular Bid, retired jockey Gary Stevens recalled this story:
"Bill Shoemaker, Eddie Delahoussaye and Laffit Pincay were sitting across the table from me one day, talking about the best horses we ever rode. To have Shoemaker say the best one he ever sat on was The Bid, with all the live stock he rode in his career, it doesn't get any better than that."

Wow, what a closing kick by Harvard Avenue in today's El Conejo Handicap at Santa Anita. Garrett Gomez had that horse flying in the last sixteenth of a mile and he got up to beat Areyoutalkiintome in the final jump by a nose. The only person at the track who didn't care how the photo turned out was trainer Doug O'Neill, who conditions both horses. Check out the seventh race on tonight's replays on KJLA-Channel 57 at 7:30 or go to calracing.com and view a replay of the race. It's pretty impressive.

John Sadler appears to have Moneyplaysjose very well spotted for a victory in today's nightcap at Santa Anita. There are seven first-time starters in the race and those seven trainers are a combined 0 for 51 with horses making their career debuts.

Trainer Doug O'Neill is pointing Lava Man toward the Sunshine Millions Turf on Jan. 27 for his return to the races, and then the 6-year-old gelding may be kept on the grass.
“The fact that he does have sensitive feet could be why he runs as well on turf as he does on dirt,� O’Neill said. “The give on the grass is probably very comforting to him. It’s amazing that he’s that versatile.�