Comma to the Top notched the latest of his nine career wins in last month's Pirate's Bounty at Del Mar.
The five runners that line up for the $65,000 Big Bear Handicap over a mile on the main track have 18 wins between them, however they’re a combined 0-for-22 on the dirt.
Shaun Washington is the 5-to-2 second choice making his dirt debut with Rafael Bejarano aboard for the first time. The son of Elusive Quality carries just 114-lbs. as the only 3-year-old entered and should get an honest pace on the front end to close into.
That’s because 7-to-5 favorite and 122-lb. high weight Comma to the Top has some serious gas that he stretches out to two turns for the first time in 2012. When last seen going a route of ground over this main track, the 4-year-old gelded son of Bwana Charlie was impressive while missing by a head in last year’s Santa Anita Derby (Grade I) and has posted a trio of clear wins sprinting from nine starts since.
In a pair of tries over Santa Anita’s main track, Jaycito finished as the runner-up beaten by over seven lengths in Grade II events. The 4-year-old Victory Gallop colt is also listed at 5-to-2 despite his only win in the last two years coming against first-level allowance optional claiming competition in a worse-than-looked effort at Del Mar this summer.
The grizzled vet of the bunch is the 7-year-old Tres Borrachos, who has had a disappointing 2012 campaign after finishing third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (Grade I) at Churchill Downs. A return to the big dance in two weeks is doubtful for the son of Ecton Park, who gets the services of Garrett Gomez for the first time looking to snap a ten-race losing streak.
Riveting Reason sports a 1-for-17 record and is rightfully the longest shot in the field at 10-to-1, however his impact on the race is the ability to push Comma to the Top early. After winging early in two tries at Del Mar this summer, they 4-year-old Fusaichi Pegasus colt wasn’t able to get involved early here on September 28, but the move to Edwin Maldanado should ensure he’s back to being forwardly placed.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 6 (1,6,7,11) – Mike Mitchell hits with 35% of his second-time starters so we’ll use both No. 6 Point Cadet and No. 11 Bwanadada, as well as No. 1 Urania and No. 7 Eula B, who both have turf sprint experience.
Leg 2 – Race 7 (4,6,8,10,11) – Top conditioners Bob Baffert and John Sadler each send a pair of maiden juvenile fillies so we’ll No. 4 Lady Rosamond, No. 6 Perfectamente, No. 10 Imwiththeblonde and No. 11 Heartless.
Also add No. 8 Truly Beautiful, who gets Joe Talamo for her debut.
Leg 3 – Race 8 (1,4,6) – Use the three runners that have run the best races coming down the hill with No. 1 Starspangled Heat, No. 4 Robie the Cat and No. 6 No Silent.
Leg 4 – Race 9 (4,6,8,9,10,14) – After breaking from the parking lot last time, No. 6 Star of America is drawn much better today and can use his sharp speed to get to the front and save ground turning for home after being the quickest early. Meanwhile, his main threat is hung out in the far outside post today, but we’ll still use No. 14 Awkward Mondays.
Spread with No. 4 Moonlit Meteor, No. 8 Coranto, No. 9 Valen and No. 10 Goodbye Charlie.
Recap – (1,6,7,11) w (4,6,8,10,11) w (1,4,6) w (4,6,8,9,10,14) – Total cost of ticket = $180
Yesterday’s Result – (-$162)
Total for current Santa Anita meet – (+$1,391.45)
Total from 12/26/10 – 9/5/12 – (-$2,966.60)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (2,3,4) – We’ll use the trio with the recency edge in this claiming sprint with No. 2 Deadly Catch, No. 3 Max Cooper and No. 4 Coutside.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (2,3,4,5,6) – With the scratch of No. 7 A Little Luckier, this Cal-bred maiden juvenile heat is wide open so we’ll spread with No. 2 Cleverly Beverly, No. 3 Lady Delaney, No. 4 Resisting Arrest, No. 5 Boller Bomb and No. 6 Unusual Selection.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (1,3,4) – Not a big fan of No. 2 Jaycito and No. 5 Riveting Reason is over matched, so we’re left with No. 1 Tres Borrachos, No. 3 Comma to the Top and No. 4 Shaun Washington.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (1,7) – No. 1 Megastar and No. 7 Green Secret were solid while finishing as the top two at a level above two weeks ago and seem likely to produce a similar result.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (4,5,6,7,8) – The slowest winners on the grounds and we’ll spread with No. 4 Somenchantd Evenin, No. 5 Sweetrayofsunshine, No. 6 Dynavixen, No. 7 Comical Kitty and No. 8 Burton’s Angel.
Recap – (2,3,4) w (2,3,4,5,6) w (1,3,4) w (1,7) w (4,5,6,7,8) – Total cost of ticket = $225
Yesterday’s Result – (+$1,182.30)
Total for current Santa Anita meet – (+$986.05)
Total from 7/20/11 – 9/5/12 – (+$17,380.65)
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Good luck!
