Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Brad Free handicaps the Saturday, February 7 racing card at Santa Anita, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 6.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Splendora (Sixth race)
Sixth Race
1. Splendora
2. Formula Rossa
3. Simply Joking
SPLENDORA, runaway winner of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, should be tough in her comeback in this seven-furlong G2. She has trained super for her return; she is the class of the field, fastest on figures, and likely to be the fourth consecutive favorite to win this race, which was renamed the D. Wayne Lukas Stakes in honor of the late Hall of Fame trainer. FORMULA ROSSA is the main threat after a runner-up finish vs. 3yo fillies in a G1. ‘ROSSA was farther off the pace than usual, rallied wide, and got up for second. The lightly raced filly (four starts, two wins, two seconds) can be closer to the pace. SIMPLY JOKING ran well, finishing third in the La Brea. Forwardly placed chasing a fast pace, she had to wait for room on the turn, and ran well to finish only a neck behind FORMULA ROSSA. Last-out G3 runner-up NO BAD BEATS and comebacker ME AND MOLLY MCGEE are speed.
Here are Brad’s thoughts on the other eight races on Saturday’s Santa Anita card.
First Race
1. Suntory Time
2. Tis Sunrise
3. Jennys Wine Girl
A solid third-place comeback by SUNTORY TIME sets her up for a maiden win in this turf mile for Cal-bred fillies and mares. Off nine months, ‘TIME rallied from last to finish third in a rails-at-30 turf mile won by the pacesetter. Nice comeback for late-running ‘TIME, who now benefits from the rails-at-zero configuration. She can collar them late. TIS SUNRISE finished fourth in the same race while compromised by the slow pace and rail setting. That was the first start in five months for ‘SUNRISE, who also will roll late. Front-runner JENNYS WINE GIRL stretches out from a runner-up comeback in a maiden-50 sprint. Up in class, she will lead as far as she can. However, none of the eight rails-down turf miles this meet were won by the pacesetter. Program favorite FRENCH MOONLIGHT finished second in the same race as the top pair.
Second Race
1. Magic Connection
2. No More Ding Dongs
3. Make It a Large
Class dropper MAGIC CONNECTION and high-figure entrant NO MORE DING DONGS top this $10k claiming N2L sprint. The call is dropper MAGIC CONNECTION, who chased a hot pace and faded last month in $25k claiming N2L. But his runner-up finish two back at Los Alamitos would probably be fast enough. Program favorite NO MORE DING DONGS, in the money his last three and with the top figures, lost his punch in deep stretch every recent start at six furlongs. He benefits from the cutback to five and one-half. MAKE IT A LARGE dusted maiden-12.5 company in a 1,000-yard nighttime race at Los Alamitos. He and Los Al night specialist GOT YOUR SIX both are speed, and will keep the pace honest.
Third Race
1. Feisty Red Head
2. Brooklyn Blonde
3. She’s Limitless
Based on her runner-up debut at six furlongs, FEISTY RED HEAD can win this maiden sprint at six and one-half. ‘RED HEAD lacked speed in her debut, raced at the back, split rivals on the turn, and finished well. Now she gets another half-furlong, and can mow them down. Sired by Curlin, she eventually may want two turns. BROOKLYN BLONDE adds Lasix for her first start since a disappointing last-place finish in August at Del Mar. She pressed the pace and backed up as second betting choice. The one-two finishers were subsequent G1 winners Bottle of Rouge and Super Corredora. Well-regarded last year at 2, ‘BLONDE is certain to return as an improved filly at age 3. SHE’S LIMITLESS wheels back in one week and switches surfaces after tiring in a turf sprint. PINEY WOODS might be listed too low. Her debut was promising. She broke slowly from the rail, was uncomfortable taking dirt, and rallied to third. Now she moves to the outside post, with a race under belt. Comebacker JASMINE is another making her first start since last summer. She blew out in :34.80 on Monday and could produce speed.
Fourth Race
1. Shady Gem
2. Galloping Ghost
3. Tommy Norris
The first leg of the pick six is a scramble for Cal-bred maiden 2yos. The call is first-time starter SHADY GEM, who showed speed from the gate in his Jan. 24 work (viewed online). The fast-working son of Collected (10 percent debut wins, all ages) is live first out for trainer Jeff Bonde. Firster GALLOPING GHOST also has worked well according to Socalworkoutreport.com. Although maidens trained by Craig Lewis generally race into condition rather than fire first out, the works by ‘GHOST suggest he might be an exception. Grazen debut progeny (3yos and up) have won at an above-average rate of 13 percent. ‘GHOST is a full sibling to allowance winner Travelin Show and recent maiden runner-up All in the Game. TOMMY NORRIS is a seven-start maiden with speed. PARNELLI JONES is a first-time gelding, first-time Lasix, who finished an okay third in his debut in November.
Fifth Race
1. El Potente
2. Gas Me Up
3. Watsonville
EL POTENTE figures to be loose on the lead in this G3 turf mile that he won last year. Both comeback starts by EL POTENTE were creditable: third at a mile and a sixteenth, fourth in a fast-paced turf sprint. Now he stretches back to his preferred one-mile trip, and figures to lead gate to wire. However, he would be the first pacesetter this meet to win a turf mile with the rails down. GAS ME UP stretches out following a last-to-first upset victory in the same sprint stakes the top choice exits. That race was a hillside sprint, but GAS ME UP also can run long. He won a G2 turf mile last summer at Woodbine. The sharp veteran gelding has won five of 11. WATSONVILLE moves up in class after winning an N2X turf mile. He will rally late.
Seventh Race
1. Warm Sun and Brew
2. Strait Up Country
3. Freeport Joe
WARM SUN AND BREW is the one to beat in this Cal-bred allowance turf mile, as he stretches out from a runner-up sprint. The three-start gelding (one win, two seconds) scored a sharp maiden win two back racing a mile on turf at DMR. He figures for a front-running/pace-pressing trip with last-out maiden winner STRAIT UP COUNTRY. The latter wired maidens in his second start, and is expected to be on or near the lead. A pair of longshots worth consideration are FREEPORT JOE and CARDIFF CRACK. A return to the Cal-bred N1X/optional claiming level benefits FREEPORT JOE, a nine-time winner who will be running late. The knock on ‘JOE is he did not hit the board in seven previous starts on SA turf. CARDIFF CRACK is a late-running veteran with a history of outrunning his odds. He rarely wins, but the last time he ran long on turf at SA, he finished second at 33-1. SIR PERCIVAL finished a creditable second last out in his first route race and only the third start of his career. He defeated top choice WARM SUN AND BREW in October.
Eighth Race
1. Desert Gate
2. Intrepido
3. Secured Freedom
Three-year-olds race a mile in the G3 Robert B. Lewis, a race won by Bob Baffert-trained favorites the last seven years. DESERT GATE can follow suit if he runs as well as he worked last weekend. A top 2yo last season winning a G3 and placing in a pair of G1s, he missed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile due to a hock infection, but has trained exceptionally well for his return including a visually impressive team work one week ago. From the inside post, he must use to his speed. With a clean break, he can wire the field. INTREPIDO, G1 route winner last year before losing his chance with a bad start in the BC Juvenile (finished fifth), is making his first start in three months. He ranked among the top 2yos in California last year. SECURED FREEDOM stretches out following a highly rated (88 Beyer) maiden sprint win. He trains like a route horse; the mile distance should be fine. PLUTARCH will be rolling late; the maiden CHEROKEE NATION was a late supplement. His last-start runner-up finish was better than it looks on paper. He was off poorly, trailed the slow pace, rallied wide and finished well. The $1.15 million son of Not This Time is still immature, but he has potential.
Ninth Race
1. Himika
2. La Ville Lumiere
3. Light Won Up
HIMIKA is the class of the field in this $100k turf sprint for 3yo fillies. The two-time stakes winner is racing on turf for the first time; her pedigree is fine for the surface. She was compromised by a fast pace last out when last of four in a dirt sprint stakes won by heavily favored stablemate Explora. These are easier. HIMIKA is the likely winner with a forwardly placed trip. LA VILLE LUMIERE was supplemented to this hillside sprint; she won a turf mile stakes last out and will be rolling late while shortening up. LIGHT WON UP is speed, first start since June. She scored a sharp debut victory last spring, so she runs well fresh. Her dam was a three-time winner on turf, and her works suggest she is ready to fire. She might be the speed of the field. YOURS SINCERELY ran the best race of her career last out when she shortened up and won a N1X. These are tougher, but ‘SINCERELY is getting better.
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