Oak Tree @ Santa Anita - Wednesday
DiscreetCat
Moderator
Race 4
#9 Caspiano (4/1 ml)
Koriner trainee debuted vs. a very tough maiden field, and was only beaten about 2 lengths by the bulk of the field (winner Barbecue Eddie won by 4.5 lengths). Caspiano was then dropped into a maiden-claimer @ Fairplex where he showed good speed and was very game oin turning back a couple of challenges. The time wasn't too shabby either, as the Fairplex sprints are contested around two turns. Meets a field with plenty of speed, but not much stick. Talamo rides back here ( abandoning the 3/1 ml favorite Shootist in order to do so), and Caspiano has responded with an excellent workout since his win. Looks like an up-and-comer who should be able to handle a field of this type.
Race 5
#5 Mr. Zarrow (6/1 ml)
Hofmans trainne had been working very well into his debut, and broke well but was taken far back off the pace by Espinoza. Put in a good run but was forced to go very wide around the turn and then ran into a small amount of traffic in the stretch (not that he was going to win anyway). That race definitely has the look of a prep, seeing as how he turns up going long on grass less than three weeks later, and also happened to be a son of the excellent turf sire Dynaformer. Espinoza abandones this one to stick with the 9/5 ml favorite Left Unsaid, but that one is trained by Frankel, so that's to be expected. Hofmans is only 4% with second-time starters, but does hit @ 19% with first-time turfers, and 16% going sprint-to-route. I'm expecting this horse to run well.
Race 7
#6 Rapid Transaction (12/1 ml)
Gallagher trainee has been working very sharply into this hillside affair, and boasts two wins from three turf sprints, with his only loss coming on soft ground. Ran pretty well when coming off a similar layoff onto the Santa Anita turf course in February, and seems much better-suited to this turf-sprint event. Lots of speed to set up his late run, too.
HRT record:
37 for 127 (29%)
$324.70 mutuels ($8.78 avg)
#9 Caspiano (4/1 ml)
Koriner trainee debuted vs. a very tough maiden field, and was only beaten about 2 lengths by the bulk of the field (winner Barbecue Eddie won by 4.5 lengths). Caspiano was then dropped into a maiden-claimer @ Fairplex where he showed good speed and was very game oin turning back a couple of challenges. The time wasn't too shabby either, as the Fairplex sprints are contested around two turns. Meets a field with plenty of speed, but not much stick. Talamo rides back here ( abandoning the 3/1 ml favorite Shootist in order to do so), and Caspiano has responded with an excellent workout since his win. Looks like an up-and-comer who should be able to handle a field of this type.
Race 5
#5 Mr. Zarrow (6/1 ml)
Hofmans trainne had been working very well into his debut, and broke well but was taken far back off the pace by Espinoza. Put in a good run but was forced to go very wide around the turn and then ran into a small amount of traffic in the stretch (not that he was going to win anyway). That race definitely has the look of a prep, seeing as how he turns up going long on grass less than three weeks later, and also happened to be a son of the excellent turf sire Dynaformer. Espinoza abandones this one to stick with the 9/5 ml favorite Left Unsaid, but that one is trained by Frankel, so that's to be expected. Hofmans is only 4% with second-time starters, but does hit @ 19% with first-time turfers, and 16% going sprint-to-route. I'm expecting this horse to run well.
Race 7
#6 Rapid Transaction (12/1 ml)
Gallagher trainee has been working very sharply into this hillside affair, and boasts two wins from three turf sprints, with his only loss coming on soft ground. Ran pretty well when coming off a similar layoff onto the Santa Anita turf course in February, and seems much better-suited to this turf-sprint event. Lots of speed to set up his late run, too.
HRT record:
37 for 127 (29%)
$324.70 mutuels ($8.78 avg)
Comments
Caspiano has been scratched. Would have been single in my pick 6 ticket
Also, Rapid Transaction scratched as well.
Randy F.
I was just going to ask that very question.
Thanks in advance DC
https://www.viewfromvegas.com/uploads/Wynn_BC_and_Derby_Futures_10-15-07.pdf
Past day or so I've been looking over some picks on here from races leading up to breeder's cup and remember coming across a thread where you spoke about Tale of Ekati. DC, are you planning on having a run-down of all your BC plays next week?
I love Tale of Ekati and hope he should be just fine for 2-turn debut. I believe his last race was the most impressive race by any of the 2yr old contenders. Can't wait to see your picks to mesh up with mine and good luck with the new site. Thanks as always DC.