The $200k San Felipe is the final major local prep for the Santa Anita Derby (April 4th), and the lone stakes winner (Pioneerof The Nile) looms a standout in the field of seven.

Pioneerof The Nile has won his last two graded synthetic routes at this distance (8.5f) since moving to the Bob Baffert barn, and today’s pilot Garrett Gomez is 2-2 with him. The son of Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker does not have to win this as he has more than enough graded earnings to make it into the Derby starting gate, but the class of the field …read more

Saturday’s $200k Sham Stakes is a key local nine furlong prep for the April 4th Santa Anita Derby, and many of these need graded earnings if they hope to make it to the starting gate in the Kentucky Derby.

The Pamplemousse, the 9-5 morning line favorite, has won two straight, including the Grade 3 San Rafael at a flat mile here. Alex Solis/Julio Canani are 4-7 together, and the early/pressing type might get brave if able to sneak away early. He gets a stamina test today and will not offer much wagering value.
Mr. Hot Stuff is on the upswing …read more

Wednesday (2-25-09) recap
Edge to early/pressing types (2 wire jobs) on Pro-Ride. Stalkers nabbed the two downhill sprints, and Sunny Peace (Solis-Gallagher) pulled off a wire job at the speed friendly flat mile (turf) distance.
Chantal Sutherland booted home a pair of filly maiden claiming sprinters, and Jeff Mullins saddled two maiden claiming winners on the card.

Thursday (2-26-09) preview
Today’s card features a Pick 6 carryover of $704,945.
Weather: Partly cloudy. High 70.
Race 3: Pick 6 starts here. Vague Notion (5-2) just missed the place in her productive race bow, then came back to rally for 2nd last time. …read more

Weekend recap (Feb 21-22), plus news and notes

Georgie Boy did not disappoint as the heavy fav in Saturday’s San Carlos (G2). Halo Najib ran well to garner the place, and I would not be surprised if the Mike Mitchell runner stretched out in the near future.
On Sunday, Spring House held off Church Service to repeat in San Luis Obispo Hcp (G2). Zambezi Sun finished a disappointing 6th in US bow…he still might be Big Cap bound.
Rail Trip ran his record to 4-4 on Friday, but the promising Ron Ellis runner is not expected for the Big Cap. His …read more

A field of nine will go to post in Saturday’s Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita, an early season prep for the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in April.

Bittel Road (Stormy Atlantic) was stuck out in post 10 in the CashCall Futurity, and he was hardly disgraced in 4th place finish. He owns valuable stakes experience and owns running style vesatility for Johnny V/Pletcher. He appears capable of reversing decisions on his CashCall rivals.

Pioneerof The Nile (Empire Maker) won the CashCall from off the pace, and he is reportedly working great for this. Baffert will have him fully …read more

A field of eight is set to contest the flat mile Grade 3 San Rafael (race 7) at Santa Anita on Saturday, and Square Eddie is the one to topple.

Square Eddie made an immediate impact when sent to the US in the fall of 2008, as he rolled to a sharp win over Keeneland’s Polytrack in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity.
The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile was next on his dance card, and he ran a big race to land the place behind likely 2yo champ Midshipman.
The son of Smart Strike ran six times last year, so he …read more

ARKANSAS:
The 2009 Oaklawn Park meet kicks off on Friday (1-16-09)
CALIFORNIA:
Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker) scorched five furlongs in :57-3/5 on Jan 11th. Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby hopeful is expected to contest the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) on Feb 7th.
Fleet filly Indyanne was unable to recover from a sesamoid injury which occurred in the La Brea on Dec 27th. It was hoped that she would be saved for broodmare duties, but she had to be put down on Jan 13th.
Carla Gaines trainee Point Encounter (Point Given), an impressive opening day debut winner at Santa Anita, suffered …read more

Proudinsky ($4.60) got the job done over my two value contenders (Ferneley & Medici Code) in the San Gabriel Handicap (G2) on Sunday, but four upsets earlier in the Pick 6 sequence set up a carryover of $156,069 for the 9-race Monday program.
The Pick 6 begins with the 4th race, which is my racingonthenet free selection of the day, and concludes with the 9th race, my MySpace pick of the day.
The 6th race has a few promising sorts with possible 2009 Kentucky Derby dreams. Mayor Marv is the 9-5 fav for Bob Baffert/Mike Pegram, and he exits a …read more

Santa Anita Park was plagued by poor weather and had to endure several cancellations in their now concluded winter meeting.
The Cushion Track was not draining properly this past winter, and after much deliberation, officials called in Australian Pro-Ride synthetic expert Ian Pearse. In February 2008, the synthetic guru added polymers and other materials to the main track in an effort to improve the ongoing drainage problems. Conditions were on the improve with the new Cushion Track/Pro-Ride surface, and better weather did not hurt either.
Fast forward to May 2008. Santa Anita officials had hoped to perform a water-resiliency test …read more