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Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: Sean S can triple for new connections

by Marc on February 10, 2012

Behind the starting gate at the top of the downhill turf course, where a pair of spins begin today including the featured allowance optional claimer for Cal-bred females.

Cal-breds are back in the spotlight on a Friday afternoon card thinned by scratches with older females rolling down the 6 1/2-furlongs over the hillside turf course chasing a $58,000 purse in a first-level $25,000 allowance optional claiming heat.

With a pair of wins and three runner-up efforts through five career starts, Miss Becca is the tepid 3-to-1 morning line favorite returning off a brief two-month layoff. However, the five-year-old daughter of Marino Marini takes a big step up in class after breaking her maiden against claimers and then facing starter allowance foes and is a play against for us.

Preference goes to the streaking 7-to-2 second choice Sean S, who looks for her third straight win since moving to the barn of Josh Litt via a private purchase and returns to state-bred company after defeating a tougher group of open $40,000 claimers over this layout in her last. The four-year-old daughter of Ministers Wild Cat has won her last two by a combined 5 ½ lengths and has been given a month off with three solid workouts since her last.

One of a few listed as the second longest shot at 8-to-1, Pleasing Sunrise deserves a look after chasing some nice fillies in her last three all at this level. The four-year-old daughter of Speighstown also makes her third start off the layoff and faced some classy runners during her two-year-old season in 2010.

We’re off to the races!

Pick 4 -

Leg 1 – Race 5 (4,5,7,8) – Older males in for a $40,000 tag warm the hill up for the feature and we use the four logical choices with No. 4 Warning Song, No. 5 Oak Kye Why, No. 7 Mr. Bossy Pants and No. 8 El Vino.

Leg 2 – Race 6 (1,2,3,4) – Another four-pack in an uninspiring $16,000 claimers with No. 1 Wegner, No. 2 Tiz Liberty, No. 3 Dress Code and No. 4 Miles Heir.

Leg 3 – Race 7 (5,10) – We’ll use the preferred pair from above, with Best Bet No. 5 Sean S and No. 10 Pleasing Sunrise.

Leg 4 – Race 8 (2,4,5,8,9) – Five maiden-claimers to close the day with No. 2 Mon Coeur, No. 4 Run Charlie Run, No. 5 Always the Same, No. 8 Symphonic Cat and No. 9 Bespoke Suit.

Recap – (4,5,7,8) w (1,2,3,4) w (5,10) w (2,4,5,8,9) – Total cost of ticket = $80

Yesterday’s Result – (-$144)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$401.55)

Total from 12/26/10-12/18/11 – (+$3,512.05)

Pick 5 –

Leg 1 – Race 1 (1,2,4,5,7) – The top pick is No. 2 Red Sharp Humor, but we’ll hope to ensure we get out of the first leg by also using No. 1 Moment of Weakness, No. 4 Wild Revenge, No. 5 Bronster and No. 7 The Flying Whizzer.

Leg 2 – Race 2 (3,5) – A pair of scratches leaves us with just a field of four and we’ll take experienced runners No. 3 Congrats Ski and No. 5 Midnight Con over the debuting pair for Mike Harrington.

Leg 3 – Race 3 (1,2,3) – Another pair of contenders scratch from this mile maiden affair for Cal-breds on turf and we’re left with the inside trio of No. 1 Teraad, No. 2 Dylan Donnelly and No. 3 King’s Red Jorney.

Leg 4 – Race 4 (1,4) – The top pick is No. 4 Jack O Lyn taking a big drop in class after a wide trip in his last, and we’ll also use No. 1 D’wildbunch, who broke through with a clear maiden win after having knocked on the door for a score in his previous four starts.

Leg 5 – Race 5 (4,5,7,8) – Same quartet as the late Pick-4.

Recap – (1,2,4,5,7) w (3,5) w (1,2,3) w (1,4) w (4,5,7,8) – Total cost of ticket = $120

Yesterday’s Result – (-$108)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$2,116.85)

Total from 7/20/10-12/18/11 (+$1,513.90)

Best Bet of the Day (ROI based off $2 WPS bet)

Race 7 – #5 Sean S (7/2 ML) – Hopefully, we’re not too late to the party and we can get all of or more than the morning line price on this filly that has perked up in a serious way since the barn change. Litt does a great job with limited starters and spots this filly perfectly after defeating a tougher group in her last.

Yesterday’s Result – Off the board with Brady Blue Eyes (-$6.00)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$49.50)

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mdoche for last minute changes caused by scratches and much more!

Listen to my weekly HD Los Angeles sports podcast!

To view my horse racing channel on YouTube click here!

Visit my page on Bleacher Report and my So Cal Scoop Blog!

For more Santa Anita action check out Jarrod Horak’s Pick 6 Blog.

Good luck!

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Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: Allowance can have Kentucky Derby implications

by Marc on February 9, 2012

Fed Biz is the odds-on favorite hoping to catapult from a win today into contention as a top three-year-old from California on the Kentucky Derby trail.

Thursday’s allowance optional claiming event for three-year-olds going a mile on the main track can serve as a spring board to the Kentucky Derby trail for a trio of Triple Crown nominees.

The top two prospects will be the pair that takes all the betting action, as 4-to-5 morning line favorite Fed Biz looks to live up to his lofty $950,000 price tag and 7-to-5 second choice Consulado stretches out in hopes of continuing to fulfill they hype he’s generated through two career starts.

Fed Biz rebounded from a disappointing debut to break his maiden going a mile over next out winner Zackn’mat on December 30. The son of Giant’s Causeway has worked like clock work over this track since for Bob Baffert and stakes action is on his horizon with another big effort today.

Sent off as the favorite in a pair of 11-horse fields to start his career, Consulado blazed to an over seven-length maiden score sprinting 6 ½ furlongs on January 7. The son of More Than Ready fetched a modest $40,000 at auction as a yearling and has also returned with a pair of sharp five-furlong spins across town at Hollywood Park.

The “other” Baffert would seem to be over-matched considering he broke his maiden for a $30,000 tag in December, but an over seven-length score of his own against weak starter allowance foes going a mile over this track three weeks ago indicates the son of English Channel may be worth a look at 6-to-1. His connections must have had some hopes for him since he too is Triple Crown nominated.

Making his U.S. debut and his first start on dirt, Euopean import Tones is the X-factor having finished in the money in all six starts during his two-year-old campaign. The Irish-bred son of Strategic Prince lures Joel Rosario despite just a trio of works on the tab for Doug O’Neill, but that tandem is connecting at nearly 30% at The Great Race Place.

The richest purse of the day is offered in the seventh, with $63,000 up for grabs as older males roll down the 6 ½ furlongs over the hillside turf course in a cash money allowance. Despite being well-beaten in his last five starts in Australia, Pressday is given the nod as the 3-to-1 morning line choice in his U.S. debut off what have reportedly been a series of strong works on the lawn in the a.m.

We’re off to the races!

Pick 4 -

Leg 1 – Race 5 (4,5,6) – No. 5 Missie Ky I You sees his claiming tag cut in half to $20,000 in hopes of breaking through after finishing in the money in all three tries over this main track.

Both No. 4 Game Charmer and No. 6 Hey I’m Sobaa will show early speed, with the latter likely to improve with the barn switch and getting the weight allowance with Eswan Flores aboard.

Leg 2 – Race 6 (2,3,5,10) – The top pick is No. 10 Brady Blue Eyes, who moves from inside to outside and can win right back on the slight class jump.

We’ll also use No. 2 High Success, No. 3 Bench the Judge, and No. 5 Clear toCanada.

Leg 3 – Race 7 (ALL) – Let’s shoot for a price in this competitive field where a case can be made for any of the runners and the favorite No. 9 Pressday is a big question mark despite his solid morning activity.

Leg 4 – Race 8 (3,4,6) – We’re treated to a full-field of maiden allowance runners to close the card and go three deep with No. 3 Southern Sunrise, who has many gaps in his works but has trained well and is by a 17% debut sire, No. 4 Randazo, who can move forward off a third-place effort on opening day, and No. 6 Cyclometer, who returns three months after just missing in his debut over this track.

Recap – (4,5,6) w (2,3,5,10) w (ALL) w (3,4,6) – Total cost of ticket = $144

Sunday’s Result – (-$62.70)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$257.55)

Total from 12/26/10-12/18/11 – (+$3,512.05)

Pick 5 –

Leg 1 – Race 1 (1,2,5) – Another European making hisU.S. and trying dirt, with No. 1 Singmeasong in for a $30,000. Adding to the strange circumstances, he may also be the early speed.

No. 2 Belle Gallantey is back on dirt and dropping back in for a tag and No. 5 Warren’s Assassin was the runner-up in a similar heat on January 15.

Leg 2 – Race 2 (1,5) – We’ll stick with the two logical contenders with No. 1 Consulado and No. 5 Fed Biz.

Leg 3 – Race 3 (1,3,6,7) – A quartet of Cal-bred maiden claimers with No. 1 Rude Bobby, No. 3 I Feel Free, No. 6 Showmethemoneyjim and NO. 7 Belle’s Big Boy.

Leg 4 – Race 4 (4,5,6) – The top pick is No. 4 Rosehill Dew moving to Rosario after a long string of coming up short under Brice Blanc.

Also use the pair that has a shot to control the pace with No. 5 Twilight Memory, No. 6 Bella Swan.

Leg 5 – Race 5 (4,5,6) – Same trio as the late Pick-4.

Recap – (1,2,5) w (1,5) w (1,3,6,7) w (4,5,6) w (4,5,6) – Total cost of ticket = $108

Sunday’s Result – (-$135)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$2,008.85)

Total from 7/20/10-12/18/11 (+$1,513.90)

Best Bet of the Day (ROI based off $2 WPS bet)

Race 6 – #10 Brady Blue Eyes (3/1 ML) – After knocking on the door against tougher for much of his career, he got a huge confidence boost in his last and did it in impressive fashion. Tab him for a win right back if his trainer can stay out of his way.

Sunday’s Result – Off the board with Ballistic Blonde (-$6.00)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$43.50)

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mdoche for last minute changes caused by scratches and much more!

Listen to my weekly HD Los Angeles sports podcast!

To view my horse racing channel on YouTube click here!

Visit my page on Bleacher Report and my So Cal Scoop Blog!

For more Santa Anita action check out Jarrod Horak’s Pick 6 Blog.

Good luck!

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Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: Super Bowl Game On Dude

by Marc on February 5, 2012

The long road to Game On Dude turning Chantal Sutherland's frown upside down in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic begins in today's $200,000 San Antonio Stakes (Grade II).

Before the Super Sunday action kicks off on the grid iron, an abbreviated eight-race card draws lots of attention with a massive Pick-6 pool likely to eclipse $1.5 million up for grabs.

Many will single Game On Dude, who returns three months after just missing in the Breeders’ Cup Classic as the 4-to-5 favorite in the $200,000 San Antonio Stakes (Grade II) run over 1 1/8-miles on the main track. The five-year-old son of Awesome Again has trained lights out for Bob Baffert leading up to his 2012 debut, but with the end goal being another shot at the Classic in November, he may not be fully cranked up for his first start off the layoff.

Fresh off the biggest win of his career in the San Pasqual (Grade II) a month ago, Uh Oh Bango is the 7-to-2 second choice. The five-year-old Arizona-bred son of Top Hit will get an honest pace to track and may just need to duplicate his last effort to get the money today.

Despite being winless in nearly three years and presumably better suited to running on turf, Victory Pete deserves a shot at 6-to-1 after returning from a long break with a solid runner-up effort to Caracortado down the hill in the Daytona (Grade III). The seven-year-old son of Five Star Day used a similar pattern off his previous layoff when he stretched out to just miss by a neck in a competitive allowance heat and he did run third in his only dirt try of 2011 in the Cornhusker (Grade III) at Prairie Meadows.

We’re off to the races!

Pick 4 -

Leg 1 – Race 5 (4,5,6,7,8) – Off a rough beat yesterday when the pea-hearted Setsuko minus his testicles made us eat crow, we look to get back on the winning track by spreading in the Super Bowl Starter with No. 4 Hiatus, No. 5 Gutshot Straight, No. 6 Adriatic Moon, No. 7 Gatheratthealter and No. 8 Close to the Edge.

Leg 2 – Race 6 (1,4,6,8) – No.1 A Jealous Woman is dangerous on the stretch out as potential lone speed. Despite his cold streak, Brice Blanc is bet on the turf with a speed horse.

No. 6 Celestial Kitten runs her third race in just over a month, but she can sit the perfect stalking trip at her preferred distance and Rafael Bejarano has the keys to her engine.

We’ll also use No. 4 Whisper Louise and No. 8 Anniversary Girl, who finished behind Celestial Kitten in the Spearfish and can rebound her after disappointing efforts since.

Leg 3 – Race 7 (2,3,6) – Use the three discussed above with No. 2 Uh Oh Bango, No. 3 Game On Dude and No. 6 Victory Pete.

Leg 4 – Race 8 (6,10,11,12) – On paper, No. 12 Meadow Road is an absolute stand-out, but the road to a nice payout leads to trying to beat him so we’ll use first-timers No. 10 Creative Writer and No. 11 Outta Splash along with No. 6 Del Mar Johnny.

Recap – (4,5,6,7,8) w (1,4,6,8) w (2,3,6) w (6,10,11,12) – Total cost of ticket = $120

Yesterday’s Result – (-$120)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$194.85)

Total from 12/26/10-12/18/11 – (+$3,512.05)

Pick 5 –

Leg 1 – Race 1 (1,4,8) – No. 1 Tiz a Trip andNo. 4 Fordham Road are logical after hitting the wire together just behind the winner a month ago.

However, it’s interesting to see Mike Smith land on the “other” Shirreffs’ runner No. 8 Death Star, who has been training great for his first try around two turns.

Leg 2 – Race 2 (7,8) – Robertino Diodoro runs a pair and No. 4 Lady Alex is sure to be sent to keep No. 5 Roman Chic company on the lead and set things up for No. 7 Pure Storm, who had ample opportunity to run by Roman Chic through the stretch last time but was unable to.

Despite finishing far behind Roman Chic and Pure Storm last time, we’ll expect significant improvement from Best Bet No. 8 Ballistic Blonde in her second start off a layoff chasing a faster pace today with the significant weight break.

Leg 3 – Race 3 (2,5,7) – It’s tough to get past the favorites in this down the hill starter allowance spin where No. 2 Mint Humor should be tough pressing the pace, but will have company, which could set things up for No. 5 Stone Hot.

No. 7 Bull Ring is also worth a look in his first try on turf off the claim.

Leg 4 – Race 4 (5,8,9) – No. 5 Briteness was beaten over eight lengths in her debut, but she earned a good number doing so and has returned to train well for Carla Gaines.

No. 9 Saturday Nite Wish was an additional 5 ½ lengths behind the top choice, but could bridge that gap with the move from the rail the outside.

No. 8 Fabulous Fashion debuts for Gaines after also training well and lures Bejarano.

Leg 5 – Race 5 (4,5,6,7,8) – Same five as the late Pick-4.

Recap – (1,4,8) w (7,8) w (2,5,7) w (5,8,9) w (4,5,6,7,8) – Total cost of ticket = $135

Yesterday’s Result – (-$90)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$1,873.85)

Total from 7/20/10-12/18/11 (+$1,513.90)

Best Bet of the Day (ROI based off $2 WPS bet)

Race 2 – #8 Ballistic Blonde (9/2 ML) – Her five wins on dirt are by far the most of any runner in the field, and although she hasn’t fared well in a pair of tries over this main track, we’ll expect a much improved effort for the reasons mentioned above today. Aside from the speed already discussed, No. 2 Memo to Kathy and No. 6 Mo Cheese are also likely to show early lick on the stretch out.

Yesterday’s Result – Off the board with Graeme Crackerjack (-$6.00)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$37.50)

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mdoche for last minute changes caused by scratches and much more!

Listen to my weekly HD Los Angeles sports podcast!

To view my horse racing channel on YouTube click here!

Visit my page on Bleacher Report and my So Cal Scoop Blog!

For more Santa Anita action check out Jarrod Horak’s Pick 6 Blog.

Good luck!

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Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: Grade II trio includes Kentucky Derby prep

by Marc on February 4, 2012

Liaison can solidify his spot as a top Kentucky Derby contender with a fourth straight win in today's $200,000 Robert B. Lewis (Grade II).

This is the way a day at the races should be … glorious weather, three Grade II events, seven other loaded races that don’t include any maiden claimers and a Pick-6 carryover that will lead to a pool in excess of $500,000.

The second step on the California trail to the Kentucky Derby sees eight three-year-olds run 1 1/16-miles on the main track in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (Grade II), where Liaison is the 9-to-5 favorite for Bob Baffert looking for his fourth straight win.

After runner-up efforts less than a length behind Liaison in both the Cash Call Futurity (Grade I) and Real Quiet Stakes, 5-to-2 second choice Rousing Sermon looks to turn the tables as the only California-bred taking on a field of Kentucky-breds.

The “other” Baffert is one of four horses listed at 6-to-1, with Sky Kingdom returning three weeks after a first-level allowance romp over this track on the heels of a fourth-place finish in the Cash Call.

The other Grade II events feature a pair of emerging super stars that will go off at short odds, with Mr. Commons spotting the field five pounds as the even-money favorite going a mile on turf in the $150,000 Arcadia Stakes and Tapizar looking to string two romps together as the 6-to-5 favorite in the $200,000 Strub Stakes for four-year-olds going 1 1/8-miles on the main track.

We’re off to the races!

Pick 4 -

Leg 1 – Race 7 (1,5,8,9,11,14) – One of the best sequences so far this meet kicks off with a first-level turf route and we go six deep with No. 1 Truism, No. 5 Tippety Tap Tap, No. 8 Smokin’ Cat, No. 9 Gab Power, No. 11 Twin Six and No. 14 Ten Devils.

Leg 2 – Race 8 (2,4,7,8) – No. 7 Tapizar is likely to go off at odds-on in a race where he should seemingly win wire-to-wire. However, even though he was impressive in winning the San Fernando (Grade II) three weeks ago, he still pulled on the lead, something that got him beat at odds-on in last year’s Bob Lewis.

No. 4 Ultimate Eagle could give him some pressure early, or stalk and get first run should Tapizar fold, while No. 2 Prayer for Relief should improve in his second off the layoff and No. 8 Balladry could mow them all down.

Leg 3 – Race 9 (2,3,6,7) – Down the hill with $25,000 claimers and we’ll use a couple of grizzled vets that have each won 8-of-18 career starts with No. 2 Crossing The Line and No. 7 Devoted Magic, along with No. 3 Mark the Bench and No. 6 Loro.

Leg 4 – Race 10 (4,8,10) – Along with Best Bet No. 4 Graeme Crackerjack, who looks to keep streaking like his barn mates Frumious and Izzy Rules, use No. 8 Fiddlers Afleet on the return to dirt with Rafael Bejarano taking the nod and No. 10 American Blend off an impressive maiden score.

It’s amazing that No. 1 Setsuko has nearly $500,000 in earnings off just one win, and while he has chased some nice runners in graded stakes he’s been beaten before at short odds when dropping in class. He does go as a first-time gelding today, but we’ll count on him coming up short again.

Recap – (1,5,8,9,11,14) w (2,4,7,8) w (2,3,6,7) w (4,8,10) – Total cost of ticket = $144

Yesterday’s Result – (-$64)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$74.85)

Total from 12/26/10-12/18/11 – (+$3,512.05)

Pick 5 –

Leg 1 – Race 1 (5) – It appears Mr. Baffert surprisingly has another runner with the debut of No. 5 Mile High Magic, so we’ll single him to get things started. The experienced runners in here haven’t shown much and the other first-timers don’t get the pulse racing.

Leg 2 – Race 2 (1,2,3,6,7,10) – The customary spread in a non-winners of two lifetime with No. 1 Breakmark, No. 2 His Boy Elroy, No. 3 Seek the Light, No. 6 Me Salty, No. 7 Indian Gaming and No. 10 Warren’s Patron.

Leg 3 – Race 3 (2,4,8) – No. 8 Mr. Commons sees a new face show up from Europe with Grade I-winner No. 2 Pathfork, who makes his U.S. debut for John Sadler with main man Joel Rosario taking the call.

The “other” Sadler is also interesting with No. 4 Calimonco looking to fire fresh after finishing just a half length behind Mr. Commons in the Del Mar Mile (Grade II) last summer.

Leg 4 – Race 4 (5,10) – No. 10 Jonny’s Choice is a complete stand out after breaking from the rail in his debut against open company and finishing in mid-pack. The only head scratcher is why the son of Unusual Heat isn’t running on the turf.

For that reason, we’ll double up with No. 5 Real Conundrum who draws better today after chasing a run away winner in his debut.

Leg 5 – Race 5 (2,4,7,10,13) – Another spread with maidens down the hill using Euro invaders No. 2 Belle Passe and No. 7 Mirror Ball, along with No. 4 Sydney’s Darling, No. 10 Miss Communication and No. 13 My Sweet Candy.

Recap – (5) w (1,2,3,6,7,10) w (2,4,8) w (5,10) w (2,4,7,10,13) – Total cost of ticket = $90

Yesterday’s Result – (-$128)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$1,783.85)

Total from 7/20/10-12/18/11 (+$1,513.90)

Best Bet of the Day (ROI based off $2 WPS bet)

Race 10 – #4 Graeme Crackerjack (9/2 ML) – From declining cheap claimer to rising star is the theme for the Jeff Bonde stable lately with the only difference for this guy being that he does his running from off the pace. Nevertheless, he’s won freakishly in his last two like Frumious and Izzy Rules and there’s no reason to believe he can’t keep it going like they have.

Yesterday’s Result – Off the board with Way too Much (-$6.00)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$31.50)

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mdoche for last minute changes caused by scratches and much more!

Listen to my weekly HD Los Angeles sports podcast!

To view my horse racing channel on YouTube click here!

Visit my page on Bleacher Report and my So Cal Scoop Blog!

For more Santa Anita action check out Jarrod Horak’s Pick 6 Blog.

Good luck!

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Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: Silks debut with Way too Much

by Marc on February 3, 2012

The only thing better than seeing my silks on the track for the first time will be seeing them in the winner's circle if we're lucky enough to get there.

INFO!

That’s all horse players want. Preferably, make it inside info. There’s even a show on HRTV called Inside Information. But, it’s really not. Not the kind that’s presumably going to help you cash.

Well, here you go …

As owner of Way too Much, who goes in today’s finale for $10,000 claimers going 1 1/8-miles on the main track, I am privy to the kind of information that is meaningful and that is usually not made public by connections of a horse … especially claimers.

While I’m confident in his chances as he debuts my silks inspired by a combination of the Los Angeles Dodgers and UCLA Bruins, it’s still a horse race and anything can happen. Let’s just hope the racing gods are on our side today.

We were initially pointing Way too Much for a $12,500 claiming race on January 13, however an elevated white blood count forced us to be patient and treat him with antibiotics.

Upon re-shoeing him, we found an abscess on his foot and drained a good amount of liquid from it. The color of the abscess gave us the impression that it had been there for 2-3 months, which means when he won for $8,000 last time it was in there. Now that it has been treated and is healed it should allow him to run better, as should the re-shoeing job that prevents him from hitting his feet together when running that resulted in a nick and a scab on his leg.

On paper, it’s obvious he loves the dirt, and his last four routes over dirt have resulted in three wins and a near-miss second with a troubled trip when trying to run down the same horse he’ll be chasing today in Capture the Call. The added distance should help as Way too Much wants to run all day, but has the tactical speed to track from the middle of the pack.

Many horses running at this level have a slew of issues and are not always the most sound. Way too Much is a grand looking animal that exudes health and is a pleasure to be around.

Daniel Vergara has been aboard for his last two works and on January 22 he zipped 59.3 with the reign being shook at him just once in the stretch. The following work six days later was slower by design, as Vergara had him under a hammer lock from start to finish.

All systems go! Time to get lucky.

We’re off to the races!

Pick 4 -

Leg 1 – Race 5 (3,4,7,8) – A mile on grass for non-winners of two lifetime running for a $25,000 tag and we go four deep with No. 3 Lodi Red, No. 4 Geniality, No. 7 Warrens Wild Thing and No. 8 Valuation.

Leg 2 – Race 6 (ALL) – Jeff Bonde’s female version of Frumious, No. 8 Izzy Rules, looks for her third straight freakish wire-to-wire victory after being dropped in for a tag off a string of disappointing efforts.

However, she faces some other nice fillies today so we’ll punch the ALL button and hope for an upset.

Leg 3 – Race 7 (1,2,7,10) – Another group of talented females and we use four of them with No. 1 La Sombre, No. 2 Sarasota Sunshine, No. 7 Transgression and No. 10 Lofty Ambition.

Leg 4 – Race 8 (4) – Single Best Bet No. 4 Way too Much.

Recap – (3,4,7,8) w (ALL) w (1,2,7,10) w (4) – Total cost of ticket = $64

Yesterday’s Result – (-$120)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$10.85)

Total from 12/26/10-12/18/11 – (+$3,512.05)

Pick 5 –

Leg 1 – Race 1 (4,6) – Both No. 4 Summer Movie and No. 6 El Martillo drop in class and return to their preferred dirt surface. A pair of speedsters should ensure an honest pace for these veterans to run at.

Leg 2 – Race 2 (2,3) – If El Martillo wins, Bob Baffert is double tough here looking to sweep the early double with No. 2 Indian Firewater or No. 3 Tweebster.

Indian Firewater should get to the early lead and will try to hold off his tracking stable mate, who drops out of a stake for the first time in seven races.

Leg 3 – Race 3 (ALL) – Three-year-old maiden claiming fillies where there are few positives for any of the eight runners so we’ll use them ALL.

Leg 4 – Race 4 (5,8) – Another sour group of maiden claimers, this time older females, and we use a pair with No. 5 Warren’s Jazz Walk and No. 8 Candys Girl.

Leg 5 – Race 5 (3,4,7,8) – Same four as the late Pick-4.

Recap – (4,6) w (2,3) w (ALL) w (5,8) w (3,4,7,8) – Total cost of ticket = $128

Yesterday’s Result – (-$162)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$1,655.85)

Total from 7/20/10-12/18/11 (+$1,513.90)

Best Bet of the Day (ROI based off $2 WPS bet)

Race 8 – #4 Way too Much (3/1 ML) – Enough said.

Yesterday’s Result – Off the board with Intuitive Nature (-$6.00)

Total for current Santa Anita winter/spring meet – (-$25.50)

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mdoche for last minute changes caused by scratches and much more!

Listen to my weekly HD Los Angeles sports podcast!

To view my horse racing channel on YouTube click here!

Visit my page on Bleacher Report and my So Cal Scoop Blog!

For more Santa Anita action check out Jarrod Horak’s Pick 6 Blog.

Good luck!

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Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: Turf allowances headline start of week

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Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: Luck Pick-6 on Sunshine Millions Day

Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: Carryover peanuts compared to NHC purse

Racing at Santa Anita with Marc Doche: Interview with Miss Radiance’s trainer Mike Puype