AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS
| POTRERO GRANDE BREEDERS’ CUP H.
(G2), 4TH-SA, $200,000, 4YO/UP, 6.5F, 2:00 P.M. PST, 4-2 |
|
| 1 |
AREYOUTALKINTOME, 5, G, by SmokesterAndrea Gail, by Storm Bird O-Manzani or Sarno; B-John Toffan & Trudy McCaffery (Ca) |
| 2 |
KEEP ON PUNCHING, 5, h, by Silver DeputyAmber Ryder, by Red Ryder O-W D or Ella Sivage; B-James M. Herbener Jr. & Paul V. Paternostro (Ky) |
| 3 |
GRINDING IT OUT, 6, h, by GrindstoneCrystal Goddess, by Dr. Fager O-Monty Ormsby; B-Winsome Farm, Inc. (Ky) |
| 4 |
OCEANUS (BRZ), 7, h, by Rainbow Corner (GB)By Flower, by Blew By Em O-L-Bo Racing or Paseta or Pyle; B-Haras Campestre (Brz) |
| 5 |
SURF CAT, 4, c, by Sir CatTrust Greta, by Centrust O-A Headley & Naify; B-William Taylor Nicholls & Gainsway Farm (Ky) |
A compact field of five will head postward to contest the $200,000 Potrero
Grande Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) at Santa Anita on Sunday. Likely favorite SURF CAT
(Sir Cat) is coming off a stellar performance in winning the San Carlos H. (G2),
and anything resembling that effort will likely find the four-year-old in the
winner’s circle here. Trained by Bruce Headley, the dark bay towers over this
field in class and should find no problems in cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs.
Alex Solis will pilot the certain favorite.
AREYOUTALKINTOME (Smokester) loves the Santa Anita oval, evidenced by his
10-6-3-1 lifetime mark locally. The five-year-old gelding was unplaced in a
recent turf fray but returns to the surface he loves. The rail draw could be
quite advantageous to the dark bay, as he could attempt to take the field
gate-to-wire. A logical pace scenario is all this hard-trying gelding needs to
challenge for the win.
OCEANUS (Brz) (Rainbow Corner [GB]) doesn’t find the winner’s circle very
often, but is the type you would be wise to use to complete the exotics.
Conditioned by A.C. Avila, the seven-year-old was third in the San Carlos two
prior and would benefit the most from a rapid early pace. We’ll not sure he’ll
get the necessary tempo up front to help set up his late kick, but we still
think he’ll be good enough to complete the trifecta.
GRINDING IT OUT (Grindstone) is improving at the right time and should
challenge for a placing here. The six-year-old bay has reeled off two
straight wins since adding front wraps (something you won’t encounter very
often), and showed strong determination in winning an allowance tilt on Big ‘Cap
Day. Jose Valdivia Jr. will have the riding assignment.
KEEP ON PUNCHING (Silver Deputy) hasn’t been seen since December when
unplaced in the Native Diver H. (G3) for trainer Anthony Saavedra. The bay has
excelled at distances longer than this, and although he didn’t pick the most
difficult assignment for his 2006 bow, we’d still prefer to watch one.