SANTA ANITA NOTEBOOK
APRIL 23, 2014
by John Mucciolo
No graded stakes took place this week at Santa Anita.
Track Stats
From a total of 18 races held at the Arcadia, California racetrack during the
past Holiday Weekend, favorites won at a 33 percent clip and the top two betting
choices combined for 50 percent of the wins. From 10 frays contested on the dirt
oval, two animals won in wire-to-wire fashion (20 percent), while three of the
eight grassy tilts were taken all the way on the front end (38 percent).
The turf course, as we stated last week, is carrying speed quite well. Three
of the four runs on the lawn on Saturday were taken all the way on the front
end, two of those fairly big-priced winners.
Both main track wire jobs came in sprint runs, and with just 10 races on the
dirt, we couldn’t make out any trends.
Meet Totals
| RACES: | 594 | |
| DIRT: | 392 | |
| TURF: | 204 | |
| FAVORITES: | 197 (33 percent) | |
| 2ND CHOICES: | 148 (25 percent) | |
| TURF WIRE: | 49 (24 percent) | |
| DIRT WIRE: | 104 (27 percent) |
HORSES TO WATCH
Saturday (4/19)
2ND — BACK TO BAKO (Aragorn) dueled early, went clear, got a stern test from
the odd-on favorite, and dispatched that one as well in earning a superb 1
1/2-length tally under Rafael Bejarano. The four-year-old gelding from the barn
of Blake Heap should be tough right back with runs like this one.
BOOZER (Unusual Heat) ran big in defeat and might have “bounced” a bit after
such a fine tally two big. The Mark Glatt trainee has surely found his niche on
this downhill course and is always a major factor in with this kind.
6TH — HEAT FLASH (Unusual Heat) returns to this list after another strong
late run to be second on a turf oval that is carrying speed over the past few
weeks. The four-year-old gelding is in a nice form cycle and he would be a major
contender if he drops back in with state-bred foes for conditioner Barry Abrams.
7TH — We loved the way DOCTOR DEMPSEY (Harlan’s Holiday) looked in a debut
win for conditioner Bob Baffert, and will tab this one as a potential future
stakes type. The four-year-old colt was always well placed, took command in the
lane and then fought off the hard-charging favorite where it looked like he had
a lot more in the tank.
CRUX (Congrats) was in with a big shot turning for home but finished mostly
evenly to finish fourth, while more than six lengths clear of his nearest foe.
The Ron Ellis trainee exits a live heat and might graduate in his subsequent
outing for a conditioner that rarely wins with first timers.
Sunday (4/20)
4TH — In a superb debut run, the Doug O’Neill-trained SUZY MALIBU (Malibu
Moon) showed little early foot in sitting last at the top of the lane, but the
filly let it out a notch and buried this field en route to a 5 1/4-length romp.
We have no idea what she beat, but the sophomore lass clearly has a fine turn of
foot and could be any kind going forward. Note that the Kentucky-bred is cut out
to excel at a longer trip and possibly on the lawn.
8TH — BEHOLDER (Henny Hughes) is pretty good.
A Look Ahead
Sunday will play host to the Grade 3, $100,000 Wilshire Handicap.