The 2009 Oak Tree @ Santa Anita meet kicks off on Sept 30th, and the highlight will be the 2-day Breeders’ Cup festivities on November 6th and 7th.
Fairplex Park wrapped up their meet on Monday, and my Pick 9 ticket ended up with four winners. Nobody correctly tabbed nine winners during the 15-day fair stand, and tickets with seven on the final day were rewarded with $51k.
Back to Oak Tree, and the opening day feature race is the Grade 3 Morvich Handicap, which is the local prep for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Desert Code finished 7th in this race last …read more

Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup preview at Santa Anita produced some electrifying performances, and with the 2008 Cup being held at the Arcadia, California oval, the six Grade 1 races run on Saturday deserve extra scrutiny.
Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship
You Got Me Rocking set a fast pace, but after a mile he was overtaken by Out of Control, then Red Giant entered the fray, and the latter two battled gamely to the wire. In the end, Red Giant headed Out of Control, and it was six lengths back to Transduction Gold in 3rd. Marathon specialist Spring House …read more

With the 2008 Breeders’ Cup being held at Santa Anita, the prep races on Saturday take on added importance.
Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch – Ten furlongs (Turf)
Spring House might find this distance too short as the marathon specialist preps for the twelve furlong BC Turf. I am sure Julio Canani would be happy with a strong finish underneath.
Grade 1 Lady’s Secret – Nine furlongs (Pro-Ride)
An interesting matchup between the versatile dirt specialist Hystericalady and the undefeated synthetic loving Zenyatta. The former has a pace advantage while the latter figures to relish the footing.
Grade 1 Ancient Title – Six …read more

The race to the 2008 Breeders Cup Championships kicks into high gear with the opening of the Oak Tree @ Santa Anita meet on Wednesday (Sept.24th).
The new Pro-Ride surface will get the acid test, and if early indications mean anything, it should pass with flying colors.
The Grade 3 Morvich Handicap, a downhill turf event for three-year-olds and up, is a Breeders Cup Win and You’re In event, with the winner earning a spot in the newly created BC Turf Sprint.
Get Funky is the one to beat in the Morvich. He has won 2 straight turf sprints, and he …read more