After getting her nose down for the upset in the Santa Anita Oaks, does Willa B Awesome have anything left in the tank facing Cal-breds in today's $300,000 Melair Stakes?
The majority of California-breds competing on today’s Gold Rush card will be running for the biggest purse money of their careers, highlighted by a pair of $300,000 stakes for three-year-olds at 1 1/8-miles on the main track with females in the Melair and males in the Snow Chief.
Ladies first in the smallest field of the day with six runners in the Melair, where Willa B Awesome is the 7-to-5 favorite off her win against open company in the Santa Anita Oaks (Grade I). With three other stakes wins to her credit, the daughter of Awesome Gambler would appear to lay over this field, however a long campaign could be catching up with her.
That could open the door for a pair of talented runners stretching out with much less experience, as 5-to-2 second choice Starlight Magic makes her second start of 2012 after just missing in the Evening Jewel and 3-to-1 third choice Starry Skies moves to the main track after starting her career with a pair of wins down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course.
A full field of ten goes in the Snow Chief with 3-to-1 Stoney Fleece at a disadvantage drawn to the outside under Joel Rosario. The son of Decarchy leads the bunch with four wins, but hasn’t crossed the wire first in four starts since capturing the Generous (Grade III) over the turf in November.
The other multiple winners are 12-to-1 long shots Oh Righty, who stretches his speed over a route of ground for the first time out of a starter allowance victory, and Bench Light, whose three wins have come at Golden Gate.
Real Conundrum made his stakes debut breaking from the rail in the Echo Eddie a month ago and did well to finish third. At 6-to-1 today trying a route for the first time, the son of Tale of the Cat can break through with regular rider Martin Pedroza back from another injury.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 7 (1,2,3,6) – The inside posts are advantageous sprinting over this turf course so we’ll use No. 1 Bertran Hill, No. 2 My Summer Slew and No. 3 Streakin’ Mohican, along with No. 6 Blue Jay Attack rolling late with Rosario up for the first time.
Leg 2 – Race 8 (1,3,5,10) – Use a pair of the runners mentioned above with No. 5 Real Conundrum and No. 10 Stoney Feel, as well as No. 1 Corner Office and No. 3 Unusual Heatwave.
Leg 3 – Race 9 (1,4,5,6) – Four more in the Tiznow with No. 1 Mobilized, No. 4 Kingpin Ryno, No. 5 Italian Rules and No. 6 M One Rifle.
Leg 4 – Race 10 (2,3,6,8,14) – Save the wildest race for last with 14 maidens and we’ll use five of them with No. 2 Swift Eagle, No. 3 Valentine Boy, No. 6 Night Wind, No. 8 Full Dancer and No. 14 Enduring Promise.
Recap – (1,2,3,6) w (1,3,5,10) w (1,4,5,6) w (2,3,6,8,14) – Total cost of ticket = $160
Yesterday’s Result – (-$126)
Total for currentHollywoodParkspring/summer meet – (-$174)
Total from 12/26/10-4/22/12 – (+$588.70)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (4,5,6) – We begin with the other six-horse field on the card and we’ll use half the runners with the three favorites No. 4 Warren’s Mo Money, No. 5 Daze and No. 6 Natalie’s Academy.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (2,4,7,8) – Seven furlongs might prove too far for some of these speedy sprinters so we’ll use four that are more likely to prefer the added ground with No. 2 Carrie Rose, No. 4 River Kiss, No. 7 Sparkling Style and No. 8 Warren’s Goldie.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (6,7,8) – No. 8 A Jealous Woman has been holding her own against open stakes company and this distance could be perfect for her.
No. 6 Miss Becca steps up, but her consistency must be respected, and No. 7 Halo Dolly has won 9-of-16 career starts.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (1,8,9,10) – Four maiden fillies with No. 1 Sea John’s Spirit, No. 8 Sudden Sunday, No. 9 This Means War and No. 10 Warren’s Internet.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (3,9,13) – No. 3 Caffeine High looms large of a pair of runner-up finishes to against sharp winners, while No. 9 Relentless Heat has been a model of consistency over the past year for the red-hot Pete Eurton barn and No. 13 On My Honor has trained great since breaking from the rail in his first off the layoff.
Recap – (4,5,6) w (2,4,7,8) w (6,7,8) w (1,8,9,10) w (3,9,13) – Total cost of ticket = $216
Yesterday’s Result – (-$120)
Total for currentHollywoodParkspring/summer meet – (+$190.45)
Total from 7/20/10-4/22/12 (+$2,150.80)
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Good luck!
