HORSE RACING
February 18, 2012 - 2:02 am
Today at Santa Anita Park
By Richard Eng
Post Time 12:30 p.m.
Race 1 - 1 mile, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
2 Golden Nip - Good effort when second last time at a mile; no world beaters in here, a grinding race can do it.
7 Plazarita - Was overmatched last time in a MSW turf route; these are her friends and she will move forward.
Long Shot - 1 Miss Bold Topper
Race 2 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $58,000, Allowance, 3-year-olds
5 Unusual Heatwave - A lot to like in his turf races, albeit sprints of late; Mike Smith had choices, opted for this one.
4 Cloud Hopper - Won his MSW in a turf mile, just like today; repeat race gives him a puncher's chance.
Long Shot - 6 Our Boy Benjamin
Race 3 - 5 furlongs, Purse $19,000, Maiden claiming 420,000, 4-year-olds and up
6 Bring It - Like that Jeff Mullins returns him off the layoff in a claim proof spot; chance to pop if fitness level is there.
9 Skully Gully - Good horses have good names, average horses have bad names; dropping from MSW to maiden claiming.
Long Shot - 4 Our Last Monte
Race 4 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $16,000, Claiming $12,500, 4-year-olds and up
3 Personalitary - Subtle class drop opens the race up for him; Joel Rosario remains loyal despite many losses.
2 The Hunt Is On - Flattered when All My Chips won next out; has run second 15 times so this placing suits him to a T.
Long Shot - 5 Megaride
Race 5 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds
7 Paynter - This MSW and race 6 have the look of a key race already; from the Bob Baffert barn, enough said.
8 Regulus - FTS from Eoin Harty with Rafael Bejarano up; your edge is seeing the tote board action before I do.
Long Shot - 1 Whinston
Race 6 - 6 furlongs, Purse $56,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies, 3-year-olds
8 Harbor Song - The horses in race 5 and 6 are too late for Churchill; suspect some will develop into major players later on.
2 Flashy Dame - Ran two good races already and appears to have a high ceiling; did everything but win last time out.
Long Shot - 4 Hidinginplainsight
Race 7 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $58,000, Optional claiming $25,000, Cal-breds, 4-year-olds and up
3 Starspangled Heat - I like the way Alonso Quinonez rides closers; he has ice water in him waiting for the last move.
7 Circle the Moon - Speedball should like the turf rail out 15 feet; has been nipped late in his last two races.
Long Shot - 6 Kingpin Ryno
Race 8 - 1 1/16th miles, $200,000 Santa Maria, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
2 Ellafitz - Hard to look past her after two sharp wins for Bob Baffert; the race has to go thru her in the late stages.
6 Great Hot - Interesting upsetter is a notch below grade 1 caliber; hard hitter in a division lacking a big bomb.
Long Shot - 7 Vision in Gold
Race 9 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $35,000, Claiming $32,000, 4-year-olds and up
9 Sky Cape - Speedy sort can take advantage of the turf rail out 15 feet; you might like a horse with less to do in the lane.
3 Stoneside - Small edge in a hard race in the pick 6; tactical speed to sit a trip and grind it out late.
Long Shot - 5 Global Stage
Race 10 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $26,000, Claiming $25,000, 4-year-olds and up
2 Delta Fix - Speedball figures to try and bottom out this field; simple tactics in a possible no passing zone race.
5 Short Memo - His lone dirt race two back is fast enough to upset these; should get price with low percentage connections.
Long Shot - 1 What a Rush
Best Bet - 6 Bring It (race 3)
Santa Anita Park Friday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/3/$13.60; Long Shots, 8/1/$18.80; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Santa Anita Park Totals - 540/136/$834.00; Long Shots, 273/41/$496.80; Best Bets, 31/16/$57.20
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #2 Capt. Candyman Can (3/1) in race 10 at Gulfstream Park. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Guam Typhoon won at Tampa Bay paying $3.40 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.10 to show. Stats - 29/21/$209.20; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick