Race goers get a weekday treat with Eblouissante set to make her second start.
One month after being scratched at Hollywood Park after reportedly grazing a stable wall leaving the barn area, Eblouissante is again set to make her second career start and inject excitement into what would otherwise have been a mundane Thursday afternoon.
Listed at 3-to-5 on the morning line in the short field of five allowance optional claimers travelling 1 1/16-miles on the main track, she faces three other runners that have the same number of wins as she does, and a nine-time winner in Folk Dancer that was running at the bottom of the local claiming ranks as recently as last April.
By now, we all now Eblouissante is the little sister of beloved champion Zenyatta, and the way she performed when breaking her maiden by over four lengths at Hollywood Park in November allowed racing fans to begin fantasizing about what could be in store.
What captures the imagination is the striking similarities the sisters have in their mannerisms from ears to toes. To see Eblouissante add a rousing come from behind win in Zenyatta fashion to that gets us closer to the improbability of seeing greatness duplicated.
Not often do siblings match each other’s success, but with Grade 1 winner Balance the eldest of the prolific sisters, it goes to show how truly special their dam, Vertigineux, who won eight races and earned over $500,000 across the pond, is in the breeding shed.
If we’re privy to another spine tingler today, will trainer John Shirreffs methodically move her through the conditions, or jump into stakes action? Zenyatta landed in a Grade 2 event in her third start, which of course she won.
We’re off to the races!
Late Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (1,3,4,5,6) – No. 1 Trapper’s Bounty had a brutal trip when much the best two weeks ago when she could have produced a massive pay day. She won’t be anywhere near the 19-to-1 that day, but is a major player against slightly weaker competition if she can overcome the quick turn around.
Spread with No. 3 So Tempted, No. 4 There Is No Limit, No. 5 Catienus Gold and No. 6 Nice Meidel.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (ALL) – Down the hill in a wide-open maiden allowance heat where we need a price to make this ticket pay anything so we’ll punch the all button.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (5) – The fact that No. 5 Eblouissante is not an option for Showvivor today says it all. Single.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (ALL) – A similar story as two races prior in an even more wide-open affair where we need yet another price with the all button to generate any kind of return in this glorified Pick 3.
Recap – (1,3,4,5,6) w (ALL) w (5) w (ALL) – Total cost of ticket = $180
Sunday’s Result – (-$180)
Total for current Santa Anita meet – (+$99.60)
Total from 12/26/10 – 12/16/12 – (-$2,090.45)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (1,2,5) – No. 1 Graeme Crackerjack ran huge over this surface a year ago and could be in line for a bounce back off a solid work tab. Someone dropped $2,000 to win on him as of early this morning, which indicates some potentially in the know is expecting a big effort.
No. 2 Donato drops to an all-time low off the claim and likes to win races when in his comfort zone on the lead and No. 5 Anabaa Premium looks to bounce back after being well-beaten against tougher on New Year’s Day.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (3,4,5) – No. 5 Trice Up gets Gary Stevens for the first time after clearing to the front too early in his last when trying two turns for the first time.
No. 3 Cruel Spirits drops from a wicked allowance heat and No. 4 Tiz Futurity made up some decent ground late after a bad start when sprinting over this track in his last.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (1,2,3,8) – Perfect in three tries on dirt, two of those efforts coming over this main track, No. 2 Sweetrayofsunshine can sit the perfect stalking trip just behind what should be a contested pace and roll in similar fashion on the slight jump in class as she did 18 days ago.
Spread with No. 1SeaofDesire, No. 3 Rossi Reserve and No. 8 Katy’s Kitty.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (2,6,9) – No. 2 Ice Cream drop plummets to the bottom after facing some serious runners, No. 6 Bro Derek gets a major rider upgrade to Rafael Bejarano and No. 9 Harlington Night gets off the rail and another shot at a route.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (1,4,5,6) – Use four of the five from the late Pick 4 leaving off No. 3 So Tempted.
Recap – (1,2,5) w (3,4,5) w (1,2,3,8) w (2,6,9) w (1,4,5,6) – Total cost of ticket = $216
Sunday’s Result – (+$271.30)
Total for current Santa Anita meet – (+$4,634.45)
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!
