SANTA ANITA NOTEBOOK
FEBRUARY 26, 2014
by John Mucciolo
There was no graded racing this week at Santa Anita.
Track Stats
From a total of 34 races held at the Arcadia, California racetrack during the
past week, favorites won at a 50 percent clip and the top two betting choices
combined for 74 percent of the wins. From 21 frays contested on the dirt oval,
eight animals won in wire-to-wire fashion (38 percent), while four of the 13
grassy tussles went all the way on the lead (31 percent).
Speed on the main oval was good again this week, making it two straight weeks
with this trend. We’re not ready to call the oval biased, especially when there
was such a large amount of favorites coming through. With that said, being in
the race early on was surely not a deterrent.
Horses that broke from the inner six slots accounted for 20 of the 21 winners
on the dirt last week — but some of that is certainly due to numerous smaller
field sizes.
Of the four horses to lead all the way on the turf, three of those occurred
in route races with just one going down the hill.
If you haven’t noticed by now, trainer John Sadler is firing on all cylinders
the past two weeks after a very slow start to this meeting. We suggest using
everything he sends out until his stable cools.
Meet Totals
| RACES: | 334 | |
| DIRT: | 219 | |
| TURF: | 115 | |
| FAVORITES: | 124 (37 percent) | |
| 2ND CHOICES: | 71 (21 percent) | |
| TURF WIRE: | 19 (17 percent) | |
| DIRT WIRE: | 46 (21 percent) |
HORSES TO WATCH
Thursday (2/20)
7TH — The Karen Headley-trained SAN ONOFRE (Surf Cat) rolled home to a third
straight win at this meeting and continues to impress here. Facing his best
field to date, the four-year-old gelding came home a measured winner in a swift
1:14 2/5 for 6 1/2 panels. We would imagine the Kentucky-bred has a stakes
engagement in the very near future.
8TH — We’re not sure how deep this field was, but first-time starter
DISREGARDED (Artie Schiller) put in a fine late run to be second at first asking
for Kristin Mulhall. The sophomore lass gave up ground throughout and still
finished more than three lengths of her nearest foe in a very positive start to
her career under Martin Garcia. Tab her for future success with expected
improvement.
Friday (2/21)
5TH — INCLINE VILLAGE (Unbridled’s Song) finally put it all together and in
a big way, as the Brian Koriner-trained five-year-old rolled past this group in
the lane to win by 5 1/2-widening lengths. The gelding has been live at the tote
on a few occasions, and this could surely be the start of a fine form cycle.
Saturday (2/22)
5TH — SIDEBAR (Closing Argument) tracked in third, began to gather momentum
approaching the turn for home, and left his rivals for dead in the stretch in
posting a powerful, 4 1/4-length score beneath Agapito Delgadillo. The Bill
Spawr pupil has been consistent to this point and looks ready to deal with open
foes in the near future after clocking her final quarter-mile in :24 2/5.
6TH — BARUTA (Crimson Tide) was alert early, moved into prime contention in
the stretch and fell just a bit short behind a solid winner for conditioner
Richard Mandella. The Group 1-placed import ran like a horse needing a race in
here and could be any kind going forward as he acclimated to his new
surroundings.
Sunday (2/23)
3RD — The Bob Baffert-trained KEY VISTA (Redattore) took the lead on the
backside and pulled away late in her 2014 debut under Martin Garcia. The
California-bred mare got away with racing for a tag for the first time, and she
will always be a prime player at similar levels going forward.
7TH — Conditioner John Sadler looks to have made a sharp claim of race
winner PRESIDING JUSTICE (Successful Appeal), who went last to first in a fine
debut tally in this spot. The gelded sophomore had little speed in the early
going but came home with a rush, getting his final five-sixteenths in a
sensational :29 1/5! We recommend watching the replay of the race to appreciate
this late explosion.
A Look Ahead
The lone graded race of the week is Saturday when sophomore fillies will
travel 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3, $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes.