Derby Gold crushed in his second career start when winning the Echo Eddie by three lengths over this track.
The holidays are over, but the solid racing action continues from top to bottom of a loaded eight-race Friday card where six-furlong main track sprints with $58,000 purses for Cal-bred allowance optional claimers are the co-features.
Ladies’ first in the sixth where Church Avenue is the tepid 7-to-2 morning line favorite despite finishing off the board in all four tries over a fast dirt track. The now seven-year-old daughter of Vicar has early speed to spare, but should have company early on the front end and is obviously much more comfortable over a synthetic surface.
We’ll lean to a trio of runners that have done well over this main track and can rally from off the pace with 8-to-1 shots Miss Reditore and My Brite Caroline and 12-to-1 long shot Shezabigbroad, who is perfect in a pair of starts over Santa Anita’s main track.
Instead of inferior competition in the finale of a day, 12 Cal-bred allowance males close the show with Derby Gold the 5-to-2 choice for Bob Baffert. Since winning the Echo Eddie over this surface by three lengths in March, the Bertrando colt disappointed in a pair of other Cal-bred stakes finishing off the board.
He faces a slew of challengers headed by 7-to-2 second choice and eight-time winner Master Chef. Since reportedly having trouble with his feet when claimed by Dan Blacker this summer, the six-year-old son of Vronksy has blossomed again with a win and a runner-up effort at this level after Jerry Hollendorfer claimed him back on the cheap.
We’re off to the races!
Late Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (2,3,11,13) – Bottom-level maiden claimers in the all-important connector leg and we settle on the quartet of No. 2 Career Student, No. 3 Ruled by Kisses, No. 11 Spit Ball and No. 13 Deception Free.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (3,4,5,8,9,10,12) – Along with the trio preferred above of No. 8 Miss Reditore, No. 10 My Brite Caroline and No. 12 Shezabigbroad, add No. 3 Sudden Sunday, No. 4 Twelve Folds, No. 5 Trapper’s Bounty and No. 9 Luxuriance.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (7) – No. 7 Time Lord is lone speed again and will have a much better chance at wiring the field by going slower early than he did last time. Rafael Bejarano is riding high again and back aboard having been in the irons for the maiden breaker this summer at Del Mar.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (2,4,5,7,10) – Along with the favorites No. 2 Master Chef and No. 4 Derby Gold, use No. 5 My Slew, No. 7 Sun’s Out and No. 10 Tribe.
Recap – (2,3,11,3) w (3,4,5,8,9,10,12) w (7) w (2,4,5,7,10) – Total cost of ticket = $70
Tuesday’s Result – (-$225)
Total for current Santa Anita meet – (+$371.05)
Total from 12/26/10 – 12/16/12 – (-$2,090.45)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (1,3,7) – Both Baffert runners obviously have big shots with No. 1 Miner’s Daughter and No. 7 Elusive Jackpot and we’ll add the debut runner from Carla Gaines No. 3 Regime, who lures Bejarano away from Miner’s Daughter.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (6,8) – No. 8 Classic Crusader lands in a good spot on the ship south and is a three-time winner that can be tough from off the pace with Joe Talamo.
Double up with the only other three-time winner in the field, No. 6 Beau Royale, who ran a winning race in his last only to run into a well-meant class-dropper.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (2,3,4,6,7,9,12) – Wide spread in this contentious maiden allowance coming down the hill with No. 2 Cervaro, No. 3 Grand Giant, No. 4 Unbridled Giant, No. 6 Miseed, No. 7 Kochees, No. 9 Cosmic Heat and No. 12 Lemon Drop Dream.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (1,2,6) – Baffert looks tough again here with favored No. 6 Black Witch stretching out off a solid debut, but we’ll hope to beat her with a pair of others that have been training well in No. 1 Humming Beethoven and No. 2 Penrose.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (2,3,11,13) – Same four as the late Pick-4.
Recap – (1,3,7) w (6,8) w (2,3,4,6,7,9,12) w (1,2,6) w (2,3,11,13) – Total cost of ticket = $252
Tuesday’s Result – (+$366)
Total for current Santa Anita meet – (+$4,879.35)
Total from 7/20/11 – 12/16/12 – (+$13,891.70)
Best Bet of the Day – Can now be found in the Pros Picks section at www.santaanita.com.
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Good luck!
