Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Brad Free handicaps the Sunday, February 22 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: Tiger of the Sea (Sixth race)
Sixth Race
1. Tiger of the Sea
2. All in the Game
3. Dad’s Bad Bunny
The speed of the field, TIGER OF THE SEA can wire this Cal-bred maiden dirt sprint. She missed by a neck last out on turf; no reason the Smiling Tiger filly will not handle dirt. She had an excuse for finishing off the board her only previous dirt start (stumbled, wide). She also benefits shortening from six furlongs to five and a half, ‘SEA is trained by Brian Koriner. The past two and one-half years, Koriner is 14-for-26 (54 percent) with maiden favorites (all maiden levels). ALL IN THE GAME was probably best last out in a similar spot. She broke a half-step slow, recovered to chase inside, rallied wide, appeared to have all the momentum, then missed by a nose. With a clean start and more economical trip, she probably would have won. The knock on ‘GAME is she repeatedly finds trouble (off slow, jump at dirt crossing in turf sprint). Second preference, nonetheless, and likely winner if the top choice does not handle dirt. DAD’S BAD BUNNY finished a promising third in her comeback; it was her first start in nearly a year. JOYFUL MISCHIEF is a 14-start maiden with seven in-the-money finishes. She will pass horses late.
Here are Brad’s thoughts on the other nine races on Sunday’s Santa Anita card.
First Race
1. Ghostwritten
2. Koekkoek
3. Postmodern
GHOSTWRITTEN stretches out and switches to turf after a promising third-place debut in a highly rated dirt sprint. The winner Liam Smith crushed a starter allowance next out; runner-up Sharons Beach was favored Friday vs. maidens (race 7). As for GHOSTWRITTEN, he reportedly trained like a distance horse before his debut; his dam was a four-time route stakes winner on turf and synthetic. With speed to set or press the pace in this turf mile, the Ghostzapper gelding is the one to beat. KOEKKOEK makes his U.S. debut and first start since a fourth-place debut last fall in Ireland. New trainer Phil D’Amato is 2-for-3 this meet with Euro-shippers in maiden races; KOEKKOEK has worked well for his local debut. POSTMODERN stretches out from an improved second start when he switched to a turf sprint. He rallied to third, running like a colt that wants farther. He gets it in this mile race. Second-time starter DINKUM might be listed too low. He finished second by only three-quarters of a length in his career debut at a mile and one-eighth.
Second Race
1. Exington
2. Infinity Dream
3. A Fleet Ride
A switch to dirt is beneficial for EXINGTON in this $16k claiming N2L mile. She sped to the lead and tired the final furlong both recent starts on turf; speed generally carries farther on dirt. Furthermore, the last time EXINGTON ran on dirt, she finished a better-than-looked fourth with a wide trip. She faces easier than either recent turf start, and can win with a forwardly placed trip. INFINITY DREAM is first-time dirt, dropping from starter allowance races with a pressing style. She also might benefit from the surface switch. Progeny of stallion Global Campaign generally prefer dirt over turf. A FLEET RIDE stretches back to a route and drops dramatically in class for his second start back from a layoff. SEI BELLA is a stretch-out sprinter likely to influence the pace.
Third Race
1. Miyako
2. Miss Meagher
3. Princess Midnight
MIYAKO shortens to a sprint after she went too fast, setting the pace, and tired to fourth last out at one mile. Although she won a route race two back, she was primarily a sprinter before relocating from the Midwest to California. This one-turn trip helps MIYAKO, who has speed to be forwardly placed and is in top form. MISS MEAGHER also shortens to a sprint after finishing in the money three of her last four starts at this N3L starter level racing a mile on turf. She might like this six-furlong distance. PRINCESS MIDNIGHT missed by only a neck last out in her return from a three-month layoff. She has lost eight times at this level, but her most recent start ranks among the best last-start efforts in the field. She will be rolling late. HOW LOVELY is speed on the rail, shortening to six furlongs after setting the pace and tiring at six and a half. FWIW, only one of 13 turf sprints this meet (six furlongs) with the rails at this 20-foot configuration was won by the pacesetter; 11 were won from the back half of the field. The closers-friendly profile benefits late-running longshot MIZ CLUBALI. The truth is, this race is wide open.
Fourth Race
1. Lady Detective
2. Tulavia’s World
3. Definitely Prbable
LADY DETECTIVE drops from MSW to maiden-32 and switches to dirt after an improved second start in a turf sprint. She sped to the lead, led to inside the eighth pole, and tired. Now she meets easier and shortens from six and one-half furlongs to six. ‘DETECTIVE is the one to catch, although second-time starter TULAVIA’S WORLD is likely to be nipping at her heels. The debut by TULAVIA’S WORLD was better than her fourth-place finish position. She did not break cleanly after being bumped at the start, zoomed forward to press from second, and then retreated in the stretch. Not bad, actually. With a race under her belt and a clean takeoff, she figures as a contender with a front-running/pressing trip. DEFINITELY PRBABLE drops from maiden-50 and shortens to a sprint after losing her punch both recent starts around two turns.
Fifth Race
1. Loch n’ Pharoah
2. Woodson
3. Sand Bagger
A decent fourth-place comeback by LOCH N’ PHAROAH gives him the right to improve second start back while stretching from six furlongs to six and a half at the same maiden-50 level. ‘PHAROAH was completely void of speed in his return. He trailed the field and finished willingly to miss by a length and one-half. It was his first start in more than a year. With a prep under his belt, the sibling to stakes winners Mei Ling and Medaglia Gold can improve enough to handle this modest maiden-claiming lineup. WOODSON ships in from Kentucky and drops from better races. This is his first start on turf, but his pedigree is fine for the switch, and he is facing easier than last year in the Midwest. SAND BAGGER is a seven-start maiden making his first start since last winter/spring when he reeled off three straight third-place finishes at this class level over this turf course. SOI NGERN is speed, racing into condition and making his third start back from an extended layoff.
Seventh Race
1. Greenwich Village
2. Unrivaled Time
3. Sammy Davis
Last-out turf sprint stakes winner GREENWICH VILLAGE stretches to a mile in this turf stakes for 3yos. The improving Quality Road colt showed a new dimension last out when he took back to last, and produced an impressive kick to get up late. Sharp win by an improving colt who has learned to ration his speed. The last three winners of this stakes exited the same sprint (Baffle Stakes) that was won by GREENWICH VILLAGE. Tab on the stretch-out. UNRIVALED TIME was compromised by circumstances last out, finishing third in a similar turf mile stakes. He was caught wide in the five-horse field, trailed while the leaders set slow fractions, and finished evenly. He did not have a fair shot. But this bigger field includes more speed, so the pace should be legitimate. UNRIVALED TIME will have his chance rallying from behind, just like his autumn maiden win at SA subsequent G3 win at Del Mar. Cal-bred stakes winner/Cal-bred stakes-placed SAMMY DAVIS is speed, first-time turf. Sired by Sir Prancealot and produced by a turf-route stakes winner, the surface switch should be to his liking. ‘DAVIS, sibling to turf stakes-placed Cali Cat, finished second last out in the Cal Cup Derby on dirt.
Eighth Race
1. Refocus
2. Stolen Treasure
3. Oubabe
This Cal-bred allowance dirt mile is deep; the call is REFOCUS in his third start back from a layoff. He spent much of his career on turf, but perhaps prefers dirt. He won two of his first four starts on dirt, then moved to turf and was frequently foiled. He perked up last out when he returned to dirt and finished second in a fast sprint. Now he stretches back to a mile; he is likely to set or press the pace, and if his sprint race is taken at face value, he can win this route. STOLEN TREASURE was compromised by a wide trip last out; he finished fourth after losing considerable ground. It was a possibly better-than-looked effort by the Cal-bred stakes-placed veteran, who can be positioned closer to the front than last out. OUBABE also had a wide trip last out, finishing far back. He has run races on turf and dirt that are fast enough for this. MAJESTIC PALISADES finished second at this level last out and is therefore a contender.
Ninth Race
1. Garden Party
2. Christel Clean
3. Lamporghini
Last-out starter allowance winner GARDEN PARTY is sharp enough to handle these Cal-bred allowance fillies and mares even shortening from a mile to six furlongs. She looked good winning last out, and does not meet any world-beaters in this state-bred allowance. Her third-place finish three back in a turf sprint would be fast enough to win this from off the pace. CHRISTEL CLEAN figures among the favorites off a respectable runner-up finish in a similar race at six furlongs. She actually had a perfect trip pressing the pace, and figures for a similar trip here. The challenge is distance. Six and one-half furlongs might be a reach. LAMPORGHINI ran like a mare that needed a comeback last out. Off eight months, she set/pressed to deep stretch before she faltered. Second start back, she is likely to improve. Her turf sprints here last winter put her in the hunt.
Tenth Race
1. Risky Pleasure
2. Cash in Toknight
3. Vicky Lyn
A Cal-bred maiden turf scramble ends the racing week. RISKY PLEASURE is the tepid choice, stretching to a mile after a closing fifth in her sprint comeback. She is a full sister to Cal-bred turf-route stakes winner Moments Pleasure; this route is the first time RISKY PLEASURE has put together successive starts without a layoff. Improvement likely second start back, first-time long. CASH IN TOKNIGHT is speed, also stretching out for the first time. Not sure how far she wants to run, but she is quick enough to set the pace if she chooses. Wire to wire? VICKY LYN goes long off a decent fourth-place comeback sprint; GOJE also stretches out and figures to be forwardly placed in her first route/first turf. This race is tough to decipher.
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