February 2009 Archives

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27
1st -- $20 to win on Sky ruler and Whizer
6th -- $20 to win on Scottish Diamond
7th -- $20 to win on Ata Benchmark; $5 exacta boxes coupling Ata Benchmark with Polish Quest and Ata Benchmark with Got Free
10th -- $20 to win on Shadow Queen

FRIDAY -- Minus $95
OVERALL -- Minus $1,542.50
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $457.50

Good luck today!!

Bob Baffert, who trains Kentucky Derby hopeful Pioneerof the Nile, is confident the Empire Maker colt will have no problem converting to the dirt at Churchill Downs after running his first six races over synthetic tracks, including victories in the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in December and the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 7 in his 3-year-old debut.

But Bill Mott, who trained Pioneerof the Nile during his 2-year-old season, is not so sure. According to Dan Silver of the New York Racing Association, this is what Mott had to say concerning the colt adapting to dirt:

"To me, he always looked a little bit smoother going over the turf than he did on the dirt. He worked well over the dirt as well, but the surface he looked exceptionally well going over was the synthetic, even better than he looked on the turf. Just from watching him work and gallop, I would have rated him synthetic number 1, turf number 2, and dirt number 3, with more to find out on the dirt."

Interesting stuff. Like Baffert says, there's only one way to find out and that's on Derby day May 2.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27
1st -- $20 to win on Lady in Love; $1 early pick four, including Shebang, Jen's New Chapter and Lady in Love in the first; Recess in the second; Figeac, Sognatore and Itsnotjustagame in the third; and Entabeni, Slammin Kat and Madeline Ruby in the fourth ($27)
4th -- $20 to win on Entabeni
5th -- $20 to win on Jack Flash; $1 late pick four, including Uncle Jeep and Jack Flash in the fifth; Spirit of Cochise in the sixth; Unusual Spirt in the seventh; and Well Monied, Always Auditioning, Panorama Ride and the entry of Unknown Heat and Spanish Bunny ($8)

THURSDAY -- Minus $60
OVERALL -- Minus $1,447.50
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $552.50

Good luck today!!

A nice $704,945.15 pick-six carryover at Santa Anita today. Tough not to take a small crack at that one. Here's a ticket I'm thinking of playing:

3rd -- Vague Notion and Defense King
4th -- Advice
5th -- Cold Ruler and Eddie the Hat
6th -- Spendamillionbux and Charlie and Chris
7th -- Midships
8th -- Villa Park and Minnie's Boy

That's a $32 ticket, and I think I'm live in all six races.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26
6th -- $20 to win on Spendamillionbux
8th -- $20 to win on Villa Park and Minnie's Boy

WEDNESDAY -- Plus $384
OVERALL -- Minus $1,387.50
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $612.50

Good luck today!!

Get out your racing forms ... there's a two-day pick six carryover of $704,945.15 Thursday at Santa Anita. A 22-1 long shot, Paddlin Mud, got up on the outside for jockey Kayla Stra in Wednesday's final race and beat 7-2 shot Miss Cherry by a nose in the last jump to ensure the big carryover.

One of the worst meets I've had in quite a while. If this keeps up, we're going to need an I.O.U. from the government, and we all know how that would go. I've said it before, though -- if you have a long-shot system in place that's worked for more than 20 years you don't dump it because of one bad meet. Who knows, maybe it's the synthetics. Or maybe it's just a poor meet. Whatever, we still have a long way to go and we press onward.

Nice pick-six carryover today at Santa Anita, and here are a few horses that I think could make a difference. Of course, the way I'm going, you might be bettter served to draw a line through them:

Taxi Fleet and Salty Humor in the third, Morton Owen in the fourth I think is a good single, If Not for You is the chalk play in the fifth, Sarah's Melody looks solid in the sixth, and Waddup G is a good price play in the seventh.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25
1st -- $20 to win on Courageous Captain
5th -- $20 to win on Dana Sisstar
8th -- $20 to win on Love Song Mellody and Paddlin Mud

SUNDAY -- Minus $80
OVERALL -- Minus $1,771.50
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $228.50

Good luck today!!

We're lucky here in Southern California to be witness to three of the top female performers in the sport -- jockey Chantal Sutherland and trainers Kathy Walsh and Carla Gaines.

Sutherland, whom Santa Anita marketing director Allen Gutterman claims could be the best female jockey since Julie Krone, is tied with Michael Baze for 10th in the Santa Anita jockey standings with 12 victories heading into Wednesday's card. She's winning at a solid 13 percent clip. Romantically linked to Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, she hopes to do well enough this meet so she can remain in Southern California and not have to return to ride at Woodbine Park in Toronto where she got her start.

Walsh doesn't have many starters, but her win percentage is easily one of the best on the circuit each year. So far this meet, she's saddled eight winners from 29 starters, a 28 percent success rate. She also trains Georgie Boy, one of the top sprinters in the nation who is my early pick to win the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 7 at Santa Anita. She takes her time with horses and they're well spotted when they run. She's one of the best in the business.

Gaines is off to her usual strong start at this Santa Anita meet, heading into today's action with six wins from 28 starters -- a 21 percent win clip. Known primarily for her strong work with Nashoba's Key, Gaines won with 22 percent of her 193 starters in 2008 despite undergoing surgery and suffering tragedy in her personal life. Two of her main clients are Warren Williamson, one of the true gentlemen in the sport, and John Harris, acting head of the California Horse Racing Board and owner of Harris Farms.

I've received some inquiries the past few weeks about jockeys Patrick Valenzuela, Martin Pedroza and Omar Berrio. Where did they go, and are they still riding? Well, here's an update on the trio:

PVal is riding fulltime in Louisiana at Louisiana Downs and the Fair Grounds after a number of suspensions stemming from substance abuse problems in California. A ruling was recently made by the CHRB that Valenzuela can't apply for a license any more in California. Would that ruling hold up in court? Hard to tell, but it seems he had more than enough chances here. He kept throwing each one away. Currently at the Fair Grounds, PVal is 11th in the jockey standings with 23 wins in 215 mounts -- a 9 percent winning clip. Those are not the type of numbers that PVal is accustomed to and I think he's most likely on the downside of his career.

Pedroza, one of the most hustling riders around, fractured his pelvis when thrown before the last race at Santa Anita on Jan. 11. Pedroza said he's never been in as much pain as in the days and weeks after the accident. He said things have gotten much better, but he's still quite a long way from returning. At the time, his agent Richie Silverstein thought the best-case scenario for a return was two months. Pedroza said he initially feared he might be sidelined a year. But Silverstein says doctors say Pedroza is ahead of schedule on his rehab. Silverstein and Pedroza now are shooting for the beginning of the Hollywood Park meet on April 22 for his return and I think that's a much more realistic target.

Berrio, mostly known as the regular rider for trainer A.C. Avila, was suspended last summer when he failed a drug test in New York. He's just now coming back and it will take a while before he's re-licensed. He must submit to regular drug testing and stay clean in order to stay in good standing. Berrio was always a very capable rider who could win with a live mount. I cashed on many Berrio long shots, and I hope he can get his life back in order and return to riding.

Have a question about anything regarding horse racing, whether it's a jockey, trainer, horse or whatever? Post it on the blog or e-mail me at art.wilson@sgvn.com and we'll find the answer for you.

There's a pick six carryover of more than $169,000 into Wednesday's eight-race Santa Anita program. That was pretty much assured when Moonlit Habit, a 57-1 long shot ridden by Alonzo Quinonez, won the fifth race Sunday and returned $117. Quinonez, whose book is being handled by veteran agent Richie Silverstein, also guided 10-1 outsider Spanish Ice ($23.60) to a victory in the seventh. Silverstein is also the agent for Martin Pedroza, who is sidelined with a fractured pelvis.

The pick-six pool Wednesday could approach or exceed $1 million.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22
3rd -- $20 to win on Overtime Victory
4th -- $20 to win on Wharf Cat
5th -- $40 to win on Rogue Scholar
6th -- $20 to win on Arashi Cat

SATURDAY -- Minus $107.50
OVERALL -- Minus $1,691.50
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $308.50

Good luck today!!

Lost two photo finishes Friday and finished second at 16-1. The racing gods are just not with us so far this meet. Today's a key day. We're slipping dangerously close to the end of our bankroll, but then Congress knows all about something like that.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21
1st -- $20 to win on Thisishoweroll
2nd -- $20 to win on Pat the Cool Cat; $5 exacta boxes, keying Pat the Cool Cat with Jen's New Chapter, Dana Sisstar and No Kai Oi ($30)
3rd -- $20 to win on C.T. Zee
5th -- $20 to win on Natural Touch and Intermission
7th -- $20 to win on Jan's Ruling Angel and Russian Liquor
10th -- $20 to win on Caribbean's Comic and Strength

FRIDAY -- Minus $110
OVERALL -- Minus $1,584
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $416

Good luck today!!

There will be a pick-six carryover of $102,703 for today's 10-race card at Santa Anita, with the pick six encompassing races five through 10.

A host of long shots on the Free Fridays program caused the carryover, including Remus ($27.40) in the third, My Friend Luis ($29.80) in the fourth, Motu Nui ($15.40) in the fifth, and Mi Forest Amor ($22) in the sixth. Also, 3-5 favorite Devoted Magic was upset by 7-2 second choice It's in God's Hands ($9.40) in the seventh.

Well, they just ran the second race today at Santa Anita and Rail Trip was the easiest of winners, galloping along through moderate splits to beat third-level allowance company. He ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.11 and jockey Jose Valdivia did not even show the 4-year-old gelding the stick through the stretch.

What does this all mean? Well, the Big 'Cap is in 15 days and considering today's race amounted to basically a glorified workout for the son of Jump Start, trainer Ron Ellis could bring him back and run in the $1 million signature race of the meet and still have a relatively fresh horse.

Rail Trip is now 4-0 and the more he runs, the more intriguing this guy becomes. There were even rumblings that the Dubai World Cup was perhaps on Rail Trip's radar, but I think I'd hesitate to send a horse who's raced only four times that far. If he was mine, I think I'd talk it over with Ellis and see if he thought the Big 'Cap was worth a shot. If so, why not keep him home and try to win one of the country's most prestigious handicap races in your own backyard? Why risk derailing this horse's progress by shipping him across the world when there are so many rich handicap races right here in SoCal -- i.e. the Big 'Cap, Hollywood Park Gold Cup and Pacific Classic at Del Mar -- and then the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita?

If Ellis thinks he's up to it, keep Rail Trip home. Just say no to Dubai.

If he was your horse, what would you do?

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20
3rd -- $20 to win on Questing
4th -- $20 to win on Idaho Joe
5th -- $5 exacta box coupling Boehle, Crazy Tricia and Melody Makin; $20 to win on Boehle
8th -- $20 to win on Stray Cat

THURSDAY -- Minus $94
OVERALL -- Minus $1,474
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $526

Good luck today!!

To quote Tommy Lasorda again, I couldn't hit water right now if I fell out of a boat. My long shots are not hitting and my chalk plays are running up the track. How bout it, folks .. how bout some tips on here. Do we have any red-hot handicappers who are having a good meeting?

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19
1st -- $20 to win on Tasty Temptation
2nd -- $20 to win on No Tip for You, Mascota Spa, Good Shot Mally and Kiamika at 20-1 or higher
3rd -- $20 to win on Mamoonya
5th -- $20 to win on Razor Cut
7th -- $20 to win on Nima's Pad
8th -- $20 to win on White Lace Jimmy

MONDAY -- Minus $80
OVERALL -- Minus $1,380
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $620

Veteran trainer Bruce Headley, who has one of the best eyes in the business when it comes to picking out young horses at sales, has a two-filly entry in today's sixth race at Santa Anita -- Stash and Supermodel.

Both 4-year-old fillies, owned by Jay Em Ess Stable, are making their racing debuts for a trainer who takes his time with horses and lets them fully develop before racing them. Stash, who will be ridden by Joe Talamo, was a $400,000 purchase at the 2006 Keeneland September Sale. She's by Maria's Mon out of River Cache. Supermodel was bought for $150,000 in July 2006 and is by Yankee Gentleman out of Glamour Bay. She'll be ridden by Alex Solis in a race scheduled for 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course. There's still a chance the race could be switched to the main track.

Both fillies have been working well for Headley, whose horses normally do work quickly in the mornings. Stash had a bullet six-furlong work of 1:12 breezing at Santa Anita on Jan. 18, and Supermodel drilled five furlongs handily in :58 1/5 on Feb. 8.

The entry is the fourth choice on Jeff Tufts' morning line at 4-1 in the 10-horse field. Headley is high on both horses, but he sounds like he's a bit higher on Supermodel, whom he says has been out-performing her stablemate in the mornings.

It's been a slow start to the meet for Headley, who has won with only one of his first 24 starters and recently lost the big three horses in his stable. Both Street Boss and Magnificience were sold, and Surf Cat had to be retired following an injury. He's hoping Stash and Supermodel are the real deal and get the barn moving in the right direction again.

Rail Trip, one of the most talked-about lightly raced horses in years at Santa Anita, will skip Saturday's $150,000 San Carlos Handicap and run next in a third-level allowance race on Friday. After that, trainer Ron Ellis is not quite sure.

Rail Trip, a 4-year-old gelding by Jump Start, is unbeaten in three starts, winning his races by a combined 12 1/2 lengths. He won his first two races at Hollywood Park by a combined seven lengths and then romped home by 5 1/2 lengths in a second-level allowance at Santa Anita on Jan. 30, after which Ellis hinted he might race in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap. Ellis then hinted at the San Carlos, a seven-furlong sprint, last weekend before opting for Friday's race against the likes of Dixie Meister, Rocket Legs, Racketeer and Booyah.

Ellis told the Daily Racing Form on Wednesday morning that he didn't want to throw Rail Trip to the wolves by having him make his stakes debut off only three races while going 1 1/4 miles against some of the top handicap horses in the country.

Friday's race, at 1 1/16 miles, will be run over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface, which was still drying out Wednesday after all the rain over the long weekend. Jose Valdivia retains the mount on the Jay Em Ess Stable-owned gelding.

Ellis still is not sure what will be next after Friday. If he goes in the Big 'Cap, he'll have had only 16 days between races, not a normal Ellis routine. But Ellis did not rule out the Big 'Cap, nor the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 28. The latter option would give him plenty of time between races.

Frank Stronach, founder and chairman of Santa Anita parent company Magna Entertainment Corp., was in town over the weekend and involved in high-level meetings that could mean that the track is close to being sold.

It's no secret that Magna is in debt up to its ear and that Stronach has been looking to sell off some of his tracks and/or gain partners to help shoulder some of the load. No luck yet, and Santa Anita is by far his most valuable track. Magna also owns other high-profile tracks such as Golden Gate Fields in Northern California, Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, and a pair of Maryland tracks -- Pimlico and Laurel.

No question that if Stronach were to sell Santa Anita now, he'd be selling low because of the depressed real estate market. He bought the track and 305 acres of surrounding land for $126 million in 1998, but it was reported last August that Magna was $229.8 million in debt due June 30, meaning something has to be done.

Stronach reportedly was in meetings with lawyers all weekend at Santa Anita's popular Front Runner Restaurant, and where there's smoke there is usually fire. Last year, Stronach admitted during an earnings conference call that Magna might have to sell 50 or 60 percent of Santa Anita to help alleviate its debt.

A couple of days ago we blogged about the number of talented fillies we have this year, including Zenyatta, Cocoa Belle, Life Is Sweet and Stardom Bound. Well, we can now add the name Evita Argentina to the list after the 3-year-old became the first filly in 62 years to beat the boys in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita on Monday with a powerful closing punch.

The last filly to win the San Vicente? Hubble Bubble via disqualification in 1947. Evita Argentina became only the third filly to win the race in its 68 runnings, rallying from last in the field of 10 to win by a length, running the seven furlongs on a snythetic Pro-Ride surface made somewhat soggy by the rain in 1:24.30.

Trainer John Sadler didn't even get to witness the historic event, remaining home because he was not feeling well. His assistant, Larry Benavidez, saddled Evita Argentina and credited jockey Garrett Gomez with a perfect ride. Gomez swept the final three races on the nine-race holiday card for a $23.60 late pick three.

Benavidez said the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks in New Orleans might be next for the daughter of Candy Ride, who came into the San Vicente off a runner-up effort behind stablemate Alpha Kitten in the Santa Ynez Stakes. Alpha Kitten, yet another of the talented fillies we have this season, was injured recently while galloping at Santa Anita and is sidelined for about six months.

Very tough meeting so far. But I'd be interested to know how some of you are doing? Has it been a successful meet for you so far, or is the synthetic track throwing you for a loss?

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16
1st -- $20 to win on Frank the Barber at 20-1 or higher
4th -- $40 to win on Flash Dance
5th -- $20 to win on Beresford
6th -- $40 to win on Dubai Rainbow at 2-1 or higher
9th -- $20 to win on Warren's Walk and Spokane Dancer

SUNDAY -- Minus $120
OVERALL -- Minus $1,300
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $700

The unbeaten 4-year-old gelding Rail Trip, mentioned by trainer Ron Ellis as a possibility for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, could race next Saturday in Santa Anita's $150,000 Grade II San Carlos Handicap at seven furlongs.

Ellis is not sure he wants to subject Rail Trip, who has won his three career starts by a combined 12 1/2 lengths, to tough, seasoned handicap horses in his stakes debut. He'd be going against some top-notch sprinters in the San Carlos, most notably the ultra-impressive Georgie Boy, but it doesn't figure to be nearly the daunting task as the Big 'Cap.

Ellis says Rail Trip's connections have the gelding nominated to just about every big stake he's eligible to race in, so they can pick and choose their spots. No word yet on whether they were serious about the Dubai World Cup or the Godolphin Mile on March 28. We'll probably know more about that after next weekend if he runs in the San Carlos.

Meanwhile, Georgie Boy appears to be hitting full stride after a third-place finish in the opening-day Malibu Stakes and a win in the Sunshine Millions Sprint on Jan. 24. If he stays healthy, he'll be a major player in the Breeders' Cup Sprint if trainer Kathy Walsh elects to keep him running one turn.

It's good to be John Shirreffs these days. Not only does the veteran trainer have the unbeaten Zenyatta in his barn, but he also has the ultra-talented Life Is Sweet, who unleashed a spectacular rally in the final eighth of a mile Sunday to win the La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita.

Last in the field of nine 4-year-old fillies early, Life Is Sweet had to contend with turtle-like fractions of :24.76, :50.03 and 1:14.29 and still got up to win the $200,000 race over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface. Life Is Sweet completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.70.

It was the type of victory that Zenyatta has made famous. No matter how quick or slow the pace, Zenyatta is a closing machine in the stretch, the same way Life Is Sweet ran Sunday under jockey Garrett Gomez.

Gomez told HRTV after the race that he was a bit concerned down the backside, but once he hit the stretch and got the daughter of Storm Cat to the outside, he was confident. Then, at the eighth pole, he said she seemed to level off before finding another gear and getting the job done.

With distaffers like Zenyatta, Cocoa Belle, Ventura and Life Is Sweet around this year, not to mention the brilliant 3-year-old filly Stardom Bound, we might be referring to 2009 as the Year of the Ladies by Breeders' Cup time in November. .

After trying to climb back to even, we've hit another bump in the road. No more exactas until our bankroll climbs upward, and we're going to include a few more low-odds horses but only if they are extra solid plays. My best bet today is Delahoosee in the second race. I like him a lot.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15
1st -- $20 to win on Continental Dancer at 20-1 or higher
2nd -- $60 to win on Delahoosee at 2-1 or higher
4th -- $20 to win on Falstaff Lane at 20-1 or higher
5th -- $20 to win on Jet Set Lass at 20-1 or higher
6th -- $20 to win on Lullabytime at 5-1 or higher

SATURDAY -- Minus $110
OVERALL -- Minus $1,180
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $820

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14
1st -- $10 partial daily double wheel -- Prince Novetti, Benezit and Only Be Cause to Delaware Doe ($30)
2nd -- $20 to win on Delaware Doe at 5-1 or higher
3rd -- $20 to win on Beckett at 5-1 or higher
4th -- $10 partial daily double wheel -- Medzendeekron to Wiggle and a Wink and Black Magic Mama ($20)
10th -- $20 to win on Whizer and Warren's Cat Time at 20-1 or higher

FRIDAY -- Minus $40
OVERALL -- Minus $1,070
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $930

Good luck today!!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13
4th -- $20 to win on Red Hot Flame and Brave Sun at 20-1 or higher
5th -- $20 to win on Sand Bridled at 20-1 or higher
6th -- $20 to win on Wild and Ready at 20-1 or higher
7th -- $20 to win on Welken at 20-1 or higher

THURSDAY -- Minus $90
OVERALL -- Minus $1,030
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $970

Good luck today!!

Here's the press release distributed by the track:

TWO-DAY PICK SIX CARRYOVER OF $353,752 INTO FRIDAY

SANTA ANITA POOL COULD EXCEED $2 MILLION

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 12, 2009)--For the second consecutive day, no one selected six winners in Santa Anita's Pick Six, resulting in a two-day carryover of $353,752 into Friday. This marks the 16th Pick Six carryover through 36 days of racing and it's expected the total Pick Six pool on Friday could exceed $2 million.

Thursday's Pick Six got off to a rocky start in race three as the 1-2 favorite, Solo Piano, finished second to 11-1 shot Unusual Strike, who was handled by Gerry Olguin. The 4-year-old California-bred daughter of Unusual Heat paid $25.40 to win. Owned by Johnson, Nakkashian, Roberts and partners, she's trained by Barry Abrams.

Saugatuck River prevailed in a stretch-long duel with runner-up Snooty Gal to take race four under Iggy Puglisi. Conditioned by David Hofmans, Saugatuck River survived a steward's inquiry into the stretch run and paid $19.80 to win. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Cat Thief is owned by Betz and Needham.

The parade of upsets continued in race five, as General Consensus, with Alex Solis up, paid $16.00 to win. Trained by Paddy Gallagher, the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Giant's Causeway is owned by Edmond A. and Sharon Hudon.

Race six went to Hammurabi with Joel Rosario aboard. Conditioned by Jack Carava and owned by La Canada Stables, the 3-year-old Florida-bred gelding by Horse Chestnut returned $9.40 to win.

Thursday's seventh event went to Maui Mark under Victor Espinoza. Trained by Howard Zucker, the 4-year-old California-bred gelding by Unusual Heat paid $12.40 to win. He is owned in-part by JoAnne Buss, wife of Lakers owner Jerry Buss, along with Cantor, Finn and partners.

The eighth and final went to No Cream or Sugar, providing trainer Jack Carava and the La Canada Stables with their second win of the day. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Exploit paid $8.60 to win.

Santa Anita will offer an eight-race program Friday, with first post time at 1 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12
2nd -- $20 to win on Bert's Law at 20-1 or higher; $5 exacta box coupling Bert's Law and Bad Big Al
4th -- $20 to win on Lola Rastaquaire at 20-1 or higher; $5 exacta box coupling Lola Rastaquaire and Stylin Deputy and Lola Rastaquaire and Silent Western
6th -- $40 to win on Swingin Jim at 7-2 or higher

WEDNESDAY -- Minus $90
OVERALL -- Minus $940
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $1,060

Good luck today!!

Bobby Frankel told the Daily Racing Form on Wednesday that the talented 3-year-old filly Stardom Bound, who won her fourth consecutive Grade I event last Saturday with a victory in the $300,000 Las Virgenes, will be pointed toward the Santa Anita Oaks on March 7 and not the Santa Anita Derby a month later against the boys if he has any say.

It appears calmer heads may have prevailed after Frankel told the Form that it makes more sense to run in the Oaks. Of course, if Stardom Bound blows away the opposition in the Oaks, she could always come back and run in the Santa Anita Derby on April 4.

"I'm leaning to the Santa Anita Oaks," Frankel said. "It's hard to give up a Grade 1 when you're going to be 3-to-5. Rick [Dutrow] and I talked about it, and he agrees."

Frankel is training Stardom Bound while the filly is stabled in California. Dutrow will take over the duties when she runs back east.

Immediately after the Las Virgenes, majority owner Michael Iavarone told reporters Stardom Bound would likely run in the Santa Anita Derby and then possibly the Kentucky Derby on May 3 if she ran well. He said he would leave the utimate decision to Frankel, and if that's true, it appears the Hall of Fame trainer has steered the talented filly in a different direction -- a direction better suited for Stardom Bound, who has shown nothing yet to warrant a step up in class against the boys. But Iavarone and his partners will make the final decision where the filly will run next.

If Stardom Bound turns it on in the next couple months, the Kentucky Derby can always be an option. I mean, Winning Colors was not considered a Kentucky Derby possibility at this time in 1988 after she'd lost to Goodbye Halo in the Las Virgenes. But a nice victory in the Santa Anita Oaks and a romp in the Santa Anita Derby convinced trainer D. Wayne Lukas to go for it. It turned out to be the right decision, much like the choice to race Stardom Bound in the Santa Anita Oaks.

There is one Frankel distaffer who is going to definitely challenge the males, however. Frankel also told the Form that Ventura, Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner last October at Santa Anita who won the Santa Monica Handicap in her 2009 debut on Jan. 31, will challenge the boys in the $300,000 Grade I Kilroe Mile on March 7 at Santa Anita -- one of three Grade I races that day, including the $1 million Big 'Cap.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11
1st -- $20 to win on Terina at 20-1 or higher; $5 exacta boxes coupling Terina with Snow On Christmas, Terina with Chicks Rule and Terina with Sam's Queen
3rd -- $20 to win on Polish Quest at 5-1 or higher
6th -- $20 to win on Village Lady at 5-1 or higher

SUNDAY -- Minus $100
OVERALL -- Minus $850
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $1,150

Good luck today!!

Not since the 1991-92 Santa Anita meet, when Alex Solis (100 wins), Eddie Delahoussaye (98) and Kent Desormeaux (97) finished 1-2-3 in the rider standings and were separated by only three wins, has there been a more intense three-way battle for the jockey title.

Heading into Wednesday's action, the 35th day of the 84-day meet, two-time Eclipse Award-winning Garrett Gomez was atop the standings with 39 victories, one win ahead of both defending champion Rafael Bejarano and Joel Rosario.

Heading into 2008, we all knew how good Gomez and Bejarano were, but Rosario was an unknown who has performed way ahead of expectations. The 21-year-old native of the Dominican Republic has made his mark on the Southland colony and now needs to only win some big stakes in other parts of the country to become known nationally. The kid can ride.

Who do you like? If you had a Grade I stakes winner and needed to win one big race, who would you put on the horse? One of the top three, or maybe someone else?

I was surprised Well Armed could not hold on to win Sunday's Santa Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita after setting turtle-like spits of :25.26, :49.54 and 1:13.92. He should have been gone, but Magnum caught him in the last sixteenth and posted a $35.80 surprise.

Not sure if that result will change the connection's mind about going to Dubai for the $6 million World Cup, but if Well Armed does bypass the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, that leaves Tiago, who needs a good pace to fire his best race; Champs Elysees (see Tiago); Magnum; Colonel John; and Rail Trip, who is truly the unknown commodity in all this.

San Pasqual and Strub Stakes winner Cowboy Cal deserves Big 'Cap favoritism off his recent form but Colonel John, who had to skip the Strub with a minor ailment, appears ready to go for the Big Cap and certainly figures to be a factor. We just don't know about Rail Trip, who is unbeaten in three races, winning by a combined 12 1/2 lengths, because he really hasn't been tested by stakes-caliber horses.

Let's put it this way -- if Rail Trip can beat the likes of Cowboy Cal, Colonel John, Tiago and others like them in his stakes debut, well, folks we'd have an up-and-coming handicap star on our hands. It would be a truly remarkable feat, as lightly raced as Rail Trip is.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8

1st -- $10 daily doubles, Deep Pockets and Leavin in a Limo in the first to Guts in the second ($20)
3rd -- $40 to win on Medzendeekron at 5-1 or higher
5th -- $20 to win on Nicole's Image at 4-1 or higher
6th -- $20 to win on Oh How Nice at 20-1 or higher
9th -- $20 to win on Lunch Money at 20-1 or higher; $5 exacta boxes keying Lunch Money with Shadow Queen and Lunch Money with Catifornya Dreamin

SATURDAY -- Minus $70
OVERALL -- Minus $750
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $1,250

Good luck today!!

Stardom Bound, impressive winner of today's $300,000 Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, appears to be Santa Anita Derby-bound against the colts.

Michael Iavarone, co-owner of Big Brown who owns about 75 percent of Stardom Bound following a $5.7 million purchase in November, thinks the filly is good enough to beat the boys in Arcadia, and if all goes well she'll likely head to the Kentucky Derby on May 2.

"That's always your long-range goal when you have a good 3-year-old," Iavarone said in the winner's circle. "We bought her with the intention of trying to get her to the Derby if she deserved to be there but always using the Kentucky Oaks as a backup. I think if she wins a race like the Santa Anita Derby, she has to go. I think she's earned her way into the race."

I don't know if Stardom Bound is good enough to beat the boys, but I like the fact that Iavarone is not afraid to roll the dice and give it a shot. It's good for the sport, and she might just develop into the type of filly who can win the Kentucky Derby. Remember, Winning Colors, the last filly to win the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby in 1988, didn't even win the Las Virgenes. She finished second to a very good filly, Goodbye Halo. It wasn't until Winning Colors' powerful victory in the Santa Anita Oaks that trainer D. Wayne Lukas ran her in the Santa Anita Derby and then at Churchill Downs.

What do you think? Is Stardom Bound good enough to pull another Winning Colors? They are two totally different types of fillies. Whereas Winning Colors could go to the front and blow her opponents away, Stardom Bound is a come-from-behind filly with a powerful closing kick. It's the type of style that can get derailed in a large Derby field.

If she was your filly, would you have Stardom Bound on the road to Kentucky?

Here's who I like in the four graded stakes races today at Santa Anita:

Las Virgenes -- Stardom Bound could be one of the best fillies we've ever seen.
Thunder Road -- Dilemma could fire here. I like that Garrett Gomez stays with him and he's been in the money on synthetics in six of eight starts.
Robert B. Lewis -- I didn't love Pioneerof the Nile's win in the CashCall Futurity as much as some, but Bob Baffert is high on him.
Strub -- Why is Nownownow 8-1 on the morning line after an impressive victory in the San Fernando? I'm sticking with him.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7
1st -- $20 to win on Joking Sam at 5-1 or higher
3rd -- $40 to win on Ukiah at 4-1 or higher
5th -- $20 to win on Isabella Monique at 20-1 or higher; $5 exacta box coupling Amybelle and Isabella Monique

FRIDAY -- Minus $60
OVERALL -- Minus $680
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $1,320

Good luck today!!

Unbeaten Rail Trip, the Ron Ellis-trained 4-year-old gelding who has won his three career starts by a combined 12 1/2 lengths, could make his stakes debut in the $1 million Grade I Santa Anita Handicap on March 7.

Ellis said he is training Rail Trip like he is a go in the Big 'Cap. No official word yet if a horse as lightly raced as Rail Trip has ever won one of the most prestigious handicap races in the country.

Rail Trip won his first try around two turns last Friday, going gate to wire to score by 5 1/2 lengths. Earlier, he'd won two sprints at Hollywood Park by a combined seven lengths. Jose Valdivia, who's never won a Big 'Cap, has ridden Rail Trip in his first three starts.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6
4th -- $20 to win on On the Virg and Radius at 20-1 or higher
5th -- $20 to win on Slammin Kat at 5-1 or higher
6th -- $20 to win on Quityerbellyaching at 20-1 or higher
7th -- $20 to win on Summertime at 5-1 or higher
8th -- $20 to win on Astoria Renter

THURSDAY -- Minus $60
OVERALL -- Minus $620
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $1,380

Good luck today!!

We hit a nice $298 exacta in Wednesday's fourth race at Santa Anita, coupling 16-1 shot Kneeling's Pride and 2-1 Shebang. It returned $59.60 and we had it five times. Too bad we didn't get the 20-1 or more we needed to bet Kneeling's Pride separate. I hope some of you went lower and took the 16-1.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5
2nd -- $20 to win on No Tip for You at 5-1 or higher
3rd -- $20 to win on Sanibel at 5-1 or higher
7th -- $20 to win on Isipingo at 5-1 or higher
8th -- $20 to win on Not So Plain Jane at 5-1 or higher

WEDNESDAY -- Plus $258
OVERALL -- Minus $560
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $1,440

Good luck today!!

There are few, if any, SoCal jockeys who are as good on frontrunners as Tyler Baze, who swept both halves of Wednesday's early daily double at Santa Anita aboard Hoist the Sail and Burg Berg.

In both instances, Baze nursed his mount along through slow early splits in the two-turn races and then had too much left for the closers in the stretch. If you see Baze in a race and he's riding the only speed, better take notice. He's one of the best at going gate-to-wire.

Oh, the $2 double returned $43.80 ... not a bad investment.

OK, the way the horse racing industry continues to bungle how it should treat its fan base never ceases to amaze me.

I have $500 in my XpressBet account. I am a picky bettor. I don't bet every race and I might go one or two days without even making a bet if a horse doesn't come along that fits my system.

I made a $10 bet in the last race Saturday and didn't make any wagers Super Bowl Sunday. So I sign on to my account today and try to streamline the first race and a message pops up that my video quota has maxed out and in order to watch the race I have to make a wager, even if I don't like a horse in that race.

Oh, but I'm lucky because it also says my account status will be reviewed on Feb. 9 -- five days from now.

Talk about an industry that just doesn't have a clue. I mean, these account wagering companies should be encouraging budding new fans to watch their product FOR FREE in hopes that they become interested in the game.

Just totally unblieveable, the closed-minded thinking that most of these so-called innovators possess.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4
3rd -- $20 to win on Xtraordinary at 5-1 or higher
4th -- $20 to win on Kneeling's Pride at 20-1 or higher; $5 exacta boxes keying Kneeling's Pride with Shebang and Kneeling's Pride with No Ka Oi
5th -- $20 to win on Monarcho Polo at 5-1 or higher

SUNDAY -- Minus $8
OVERALL -- Minus $818
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $1,182

Good luck today!!

Four graded stakes are on tap for Saturday at Santa Anita, including the Grade I Las Virgenes for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on Pro-Ride. The Las Virgenes is a $300,000 race that is expected to include the 2009 debut of the brilliant Stardom Bound, who has won three consecutive graded stakes, including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last October at Santa Anita.

Another top 3-year-old, CashCall Futurity winner Pioneerof the Nile, is scheduled to make his sophomore debut in the Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Pro-Ride. Pioneerof the Nile, if he stays healthy, is a good bet to help trainer Bob Baffert end his two-year absence at the Kentucky Derby. The man who has trained three Derby winners -- Silver Charm, Real Quiet and War Emblem -- is mighty high on his latest 3-year-old star.

There is even talk that Stardom Bound might take on the boys in the Santa Anita Derby and subsequently try the Kentucky Derby, but that's getting way ahead of the game. Trainer Bobby Frankel, who took over training duties from Christopher Paasch when IEAH Stables purchased Stadom Bound for $5.7 million in November, wants to see the filly run first before making any plans. Remember Sweet Catomine in 2005? She was supposed to beat the boys in the Santa Anita Derby and go on to great things in Louisville, but she got derailed along the way. The smart bet says Stardom Bound will be running against the fillies in the Kentucky Oaks if she can stay sound.

Yes, it's sad when we lose a friend like Eddie Logan. Yes, we're all going to miss seeing him at his familiar shoeshine stand at Santa Anita. But when we all move past the selfishness of not wanting to let go of Eddie, we should celebrate what a tremendous life he lived and what a remarkable, vibrant person he was. We all should be so lucky.

Eddie Logan, 98 years young when he died Saturday morning at his home in Monrovia, was definitely one of a kind. He was part of Santa Anita since its inception on Christmas Day in 1934, and knew and interracted with most of the legends who have graced the grounds at Santa Anita -- Eddie Arcaro, John Longden, Bill Shoemaker and Laffit Pincay Jr., as well as many of the trainers, including Hall of Famer Richard Mandella.

I had the great fortune of interviewing Eddie for a column in 2006, and what a delightful man. As I stood with him near his shoeshine stand by the executive offices at Santa Anita, I don't think more than 15 or 20 seconds ever passed before a fan or well-wisher would come by and speak with Eddie for a few moments. This was a gentleman, who also boxed and played baseball in the old Negro Leagues, who was not only liked but loved by so many and a man who had a work ethic the likes of which we don't see very often today.

I didn't know Eddie very well, but I've heard from some that he had the column I wrote about him posted right by his stand. I'm proud of that, and I'm also proud and grateful that I was blessed to say I once met and spoke with Eddie Logan.

I'm not sad today, just very, very happy that Eddie lived the great life that he did and with the knowledge that he's in a better place now. Eddie's was a life that should be celebrated, and I'm certain the amount of tears at his funeral will be matched or exceeded by the smiles because of the man he was and the remarkable life he lived.

Rest in peace, Eddie Logan.

Rail Trip, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Ron Ellis, is creating quite a buzz around Santa Anita, particularly after he scored his third victory without a loss last Friday -- a 5 1/2-length romp in his first try around two turns.

The $200,000 Fasig-Tipton purchase didn't make his first start until last Nov. 7 at Hollywood Park, rolling to a 3 1/2 length maiden special weight victory at six furlongs. He followed up that score with a victory by the same margin in a 6 1/2-furlong race on Dec. 20.

Ellis tried to get Rail Trip to the track when he was 2 but he was eventually found to have a chip in his ankle that sidelined him until his debut. Ellis decided to have him gelded during his layoff because, Ellis said, "the pedigree wasn't there to be a stallion."

Rail Trip is obviously a talented horse but Ellis doesn't want to rush him. Even though he's 4, he's raced only three times and doesn't want to throw him to the wolves, i.e. the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, before knowing just how good this guy is.

"I don't know (what's next)," Ellis told Santa Anita publicity official Ed Golden. "I've got to get together with the (owners) Siegels and see whether they want to be aggressive early or long term. Obviously, he could develop into a Breeders' Cup horse, but that's a long way off (Nov. 6 and 7 at Oak Tree). I'll see what their feelings are and what approach they want to take."

The son of Jump Start, who's won his three starts by a combined 12 1/2 lengths, went gate to wire in his recent victory, running the 1 1/6 miles on Santa Anita's synthetic Pro-Ride surface in 1:42.41 with splits of :23.80, :48.06 and 1:12.15 under Jose Valdivia Jr.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1
1st -- $1 pick four, including Dances With Tigers in the first, Dontmesroundwitjim and Korban in the second, Synnin and Grinnin and Wickednwackyingrid in the third and Lockford and Candy Pull in the fourth for a total of $8
4th -- $20 to win on Candy Pull at 20-1 or higher

SATURDAY -- Minus $40
OVERALL -- Minus $810
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $1,190

Good luck today!!