Hoorayforhollywood missed by just a neck in the Delta Mile at Delta Downs in November of 2011.
We brush off a potential massive Pick-5 score that wasn’t meant to be yesterday and see another feature that lands early in the card, as five older males travel a mile on the main track in a $65,000 money allowance that goes as race two.
With his previous trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. now serving a 10-year ban, Gallant Fields ships west from New York to make his debut in the John Sadler barn as the 2-to-1 morning line favorite. The hard-knocking six-year-old Smarty Jones gelding has finished in the money in 15-of-19 on dirt and Sadler is hitting at nearly 30% with horses starting for his operation for the first time.
Of the trio listed at 5-to-2, two of those belong to Bob Baffert.
Making his first start as a four-year-old off an 11-month layoff, Sky Kingdom rallied from last and overcame a five-wide trip to get his neck in front at the wire against second-level allowance optional claimers on January 24. The Empire Maker colt only earned an 84 Beyer in that victory, but he looked more impressive than that and could be set for a continued step forward to live up to the expectations he had last year before getting injured.
Hoorayforhollywood adds blinkers for the first time after a failed debut on turf to begin his 2013 campaign when he finished last in a field of eight allowance optional claimers on January 10. The five-year-old son of Storm Cat out of the prolific race mare Hollywood Story moves back to both Rafael Bejarano and dirt in search of his third win in six tries over Santa Anita’s main track.
The final co-second choice is Tres Borrachos looking to snap a 13-race losing streak and get his first win in his 13th try over a dirt surface. Despite his struggles to get to the wire first, the eight-year-old son of Ecton Park can eclipse $1 million in earnings with a win today thanks in part to a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs in 2011 and a runner-up effort in the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) over this main track last year.
Rounding out the field is 6-to-1 long shot Key Decision, who returns to the dirt for the first time since breaking his maiden over it in his native Argentina in 2011. Since then, a long string of tries on turf has resulted in a pair of wins for the need the lead type son of Not For Sale, who likely won’t get things his way on the front end with Hoorayforhollywood pressing his flank.
We’re off to the races!
Late Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (1,2,4,5,6,8,9) – Lots of positive angles for these six $32,000 claiming fillies where many have had success rolling down the hill with No. 1 Promiscuoussuances, No. 2 Miss Becca, No. 4 Distant Image, No. 5 Cayanna, No. 6 Blushing Martha, No. 8 Cosset and No. 9 Ms. G.I. Jane.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (2,3,6) – In a race loaded with early speed, No. 3 Majestic Moment can begin to live up to his lofty price $470,000 price tag from off the pace in his first start on a dirt surface that he’s trained well over for quite some time. Since rallying to break his maiden atHollywoodPark last July, the Malibu Moon colt has been compromised with a pair of poor starts, but if he can break clean and not lose touch with the field early can fire a solid shot in the second off a layoff.
No. 2 Mr T Bird should sit right behind the threesome on the lead and get first run on the closers exiting a win against maiden claimers and No. 6 Fit to Rule adds blinkers and is best served sitting off the pace as well.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (3,5,6,8) – It’s been a long drink between wins for each of these turf milers and we spread with No. 3 Atticus Jack, No. 5 Twin Six, No. 6 Tiz Argent and No. 8 Slammer Time.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (1,2,3,4) – No. 4 Hidethegoodstuff will go off as a short-priced favorite again and looks tough off a pair of runner-up finishes to begin her career, but we’ll add the trio breaking to her inside looking for the upset with No. 1 Discreet Dee, No. 2 Girl On the Lam and No. 3 Classic Candy.
Recap – (1,2,4,5,6,8,9) w (2,3,6) w (3,5,6,8) w (1,2,3,4) – Total cost of ticket = $168
Yesterday’s Result – (-$112.50)
Total for current Santa Anita meet – (+$727.10)
Total from 12/26/10 – 12/16/12 – (-$2,090.45)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (2,3) – No. 2 Et Tu Walker and No. 3 Willie Brown have found their niche over this main track at the lower level claiming game after being high-priced auction sale busts.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (3,4,5) – Narrow it down to the trio of No. 3 Sky Kingdom, No. 4 Gallant Fields and No. 5 Hoorayforhollywood.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (3,4,7) – Only a field of seven that have failed to win twice in their careers and have combined for 80 defeats and No. 3 Hidden Passion is the top pick making her second start after an astute claim saw her miss by just a nose in her last.
Add a pair of class droppers with No. 4 Prettypriceygirl and No. 7 Splendiferous Moon.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (ALL) – A rather modest group of three-year-old fillies in for a $40,000 tag and we’ll use all six since there aren’t many positives for any of them.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (1,2,4,5,6) – Trim down to No. 1 Promiscuoussuances, No. 2 Miss Becca, No. 4 Distant Image, No. 5 Cayanna and No. 6 Blushing Martha.
Recap – (2,3) w (3,4,5) w (3,4,7) w (ALL) w (1,2,4,5,6) – Total cost of ticket = $270
Yesterday’s Result – (-$150)
Total for current Santa Anita meet – (+$2,464.40)
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!
