Thanks to Samantha Siegel for posting this great picture on Twitter of Eblouissante schooling at Hollywood Park yesterday.
After 45 published morning workouts, the long awaited debut of Zenyatta’s little sister, Eblouissante, has the eyes of the racing world focused on a cool, wet weekday in Inglewood. Hype often surrounds well-bred, high-priced or fast-working debut runners, but this machine is cranked to the max for the anticipation of what could be.
By no means can this daughter of Bernardini, Zenyatta’s pops is Street Cry, be expected to come anywhere close to matching the race record of her royal sister, but she does have the license to be a runner.
Remember that not only is she kin to the Queen, but one of her other sisters out of the dam Vertigineux is Grade 1 winner and millionairess Balance, who rallied from off the pace to win a sprint in her debut at Santa Anita in 2005 in similar fashion as Zenyatta did over Cushion Track two years later.
It’s usually a daunting task for a first-timer to run over a route of ground, but Eblouissante does catch a rather modest field of maiden allowance runners that travel 1 1/16-miles on the main track for her unveiling.
The 4-to-1 on the morning line is likely to turn into even-money on a filly that has acted like one over her final couple of works and the lone first-time starter in the field faces seven other 3-year-old fillies that have combined to go 0-for-21.
Predicting success is difficult enough, trying to determine the style that success will be achieved is almost always impossible. However, the last to first signature that Zenyatta is famous for might also be how Eblouissante runs if her apparent desire to run all day in the mornings translates to the afternoon.
There should be an honest pace to chase if that’s the case, with 7-to-2 second choice Saturday Nite Ride stretching out for Bob Baffert after pressing the pace sprinting in her debut and 4-to-1 co-third choice Chestnut Moon exiting a route try over Santa Anita’s dirt that saw her lead throughout only to get nipped by a nose at the wire.
Owned by breeder E N Kronfeld, Eblouissante is trained by the man who conditioned Zenyatta to greatness, John Shirreffs. He’ll give a leg up to Corey Nakatani for the debut instead of Mike Smith, who replaced David Flores on Zenyatta in her fourth career start and was in the irons for her final 17 races.
Smith takes the day off, despite Zenyatta’s owners, Mr. and Mrs. J S Moss, entering their home-bred Belonging. Trained by John Sadler, the daughter of Include lands Rafael Bejarano and is the 3-to-1 morning line favorite after a sixth-place debut sprinting this summer at Del Mar when she made up nearly 13 lengths after being dead last early.
We’re off to the races!
Late Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (2,7,9,10) – One of a few wide-open main track sprints and we try to connect both wagers using No. 2 Bling Cha Bling, No. 7 Frenzo, No. 9 Hidden Quest and No. 10 Awkward Mondays.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (3,6,12) – Use a trio dropping from the maiden allowance ranks with No. 3 Kenichi, No. 6 Whipstock and No. 12 Exultant.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (1,2,5,6) – No. 2 Alley Hondro has had a rough 2012 after a productive campaign a year ago, but we’ll give him one more try after he’s had excuses in his last few.
No. 1 Unusual Jazz has also tailed off a bit, but produced a solid effort in his last, No. 5 Mr. Ornery tries two turns for the second time after dueling on the lead and No. 6 Cat Meeting has missed by just a head in his last two.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (6,8,9,10,12) – None of the also-eligibles draw in making it easier to narrow down to five using No. 6 Swiss in Paris, No. 8 Strange Luck, No. 9 Sassy Brunette, No. 10 Deft Touch and No. 12 Katy’s Star.
Recap – (2,7,9,10) w (3,6,12) w (1,2,5,6) w (6,8,9,10,12) – Total cost of ticket = $120
Yesterday’s Result – (-$140)
Total for current Hollywood Park meet – (-$908)
Total from 12/26/10 – 11/4/12 – (-$1,006.45)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (ALL) – The turf course withstood nicely the overnight rains meaning this solid third-level allowance should stay in tact. With Grade 1 winner Willyconker the longest price on the morning line at 5-to-1 returning from a long layoff, it’s a race that any of the five runners can win.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (1,3,4,5) – No. 5 Privilaged exits a productive heat and benefits from the scratch of other early zip to his outside, but he moves away from Sadler’s barn so we’ll spread with No. 1 Mark of a Warrior, No. 3 National and No. 4 Arresting Officer.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (1,5,9,13) – A definite land mine of a race with an over flow field of bottom-level female claimers where we narrow down the contenders to No. 1 Princess Suances, No. 5 Unusual Jewel, No. 9 Democratic Sweep and No. 13 I Cee’s a Tiger.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (3) – Single No. 3 Eblouissante and hope this is the beginning of another fun ride.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (2,7,9,10) – Same four as late Pick-4.
Recap – (ALL) w (1,3,4,5) w (1,5,9,13) w (3) w (2,7,9,10) – Total cost of ticket = $160
Yesterday’s Result – (-$120)
Total for current Hollywood Park meet – (-$715)
Total from 7/20/11 – 11/4/12 – (+$16,685.25)
Best Bet of the Day – Can now be found in the Pros Picks section at www.santaanita.com.
Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mdoche for last minute changes caused by scratches and much more!
Check out my blogs for America’s Best Racing on www.followhorseracing.com!
Listen to my weekly HD Los Angeles sports podcast!
To view my horse racing channel on YouTube click here!
For more Hollywood Park action check out Jarrod Horak’s Pick 6 Blog.
Good luck!
