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

Robert Frankel’s Proudinsky, a loser of six straight, is the 5-2 choice to get back on the beam in the San Gabriel Handicap. The Grade 2 event is the eighth race of nine on Sunday at Santa Anita, and it will be run at nine furlongs on the turf.
The aforementioned morning line favorite finished 2nd in this event last year, and he began his campaign with a graded tally at Fair Grounds before his current string of bad luck. He does like the local green, but note that he seems to do his best work with some give in …read more

Indian Blessing will try to rediscover her winning ways in Saturday’s seven furlong Grade 1 La Brea at Santa Anita, but her task will not be easy. She was last seen finishing 2nd at this course/distance in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and her speed ratings are better on conventional dirt, so she may be worth trying to beat at underlaid odds.
2008 Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Sprint replay
Bob Baffert’s gem of consistency has been part of the exacta in all eleven lifetime starts, and she projects a decent tracking trip in this spot.
Bsharpsonata is the …read more

Travers (G1) hero Colonel John makes his final start as a three-year-old as Santa Anita kicks off their winter meet on December 26th. The Grade 1 Malibu has drawn a field of seven sophomores, led by the Colonel.
Eoin Harty’s charge was last seen finishing a solid 6th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic versus a salty group of older international company. Besides the Travers, Colonel John also won the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Sham (G3), both at Santa Anita Park.
2008 Breeders Cup Classic replay
He began his career with a place finish at Del Mar in 2007, and he …read more

Undefeated filly sensation Zenyatta made her case for Horse of the Year with a powerful performance in the Ladies’ Classic. She remains in light training until a decision is made regarding her future. I would like to see her race next year and possibly take on males at some point.
Ginger Punch finished 6th in her Ladies’ Classic title defense, and the Robert Frankel trainee has been retired. The five-year-old mare won six Grade 1 races and amassed over $3 million in career earnings.
Carriage Trail, 4th in the Ladies’ Classic, has been retired.
Curlin, 4th in the Breeders’ Cup …read more

Curlin, fresh off a sharp five furlong drill over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface in between races on October 13th, has been pre-entered for a Breeders’ Cup Classic title defense on Oct. 25th. His five furlong work on Monday (pictured above) was completed in :59.11 while in company with Hawaii Calls.
Steve Asmussen also sent out Classic contender Student Council on Monday, and he drilled six furlongs in 1:12.40 under Shaun Bridgmohan.
Kentucky Derby hero Big Brown’s Classic hopes were dashed with a career ending injury to his right front heel following a turf work at Aqueduct on Oct. 13th. The …read more

Albertus Maximus (shown above), 3rd in the Grade 1 Goodwood at nine furlongs in his last start, drilled a solid four furlongs in :48.80 as he prepares for a possible October date in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
The four-year-old son of Albert the Great moved to the Vladimir Cerin barn at Del Mar, and he promptly nabbed the flat mile Windy Sails Handicap in impressive fashion (1:35.37).
In other Dirt Mile news, Well Armed, the winner of the San Diego and Goodwood Handicaps, recently worked a sharp three furlongs in :35.20, and his connections (Eoin …read more

Big Brown and Curlin, the two likely favs in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic, both had morning activity.
Big Brown worked six furlongs over a good Aqueduct turf course in 1:14.64 on Oc. 7th. The move was in company with stablemate Salute the Count, a possible entrant in the newly formed Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
The dogs were up, about 12 feet out, and the Richard Dutrow runner completed his final two furlongs in :23.85 while galloping out seven panels in 1:29.26. The 2008 Kentucky Derby hero is expected to have two more works before heading to Santa Anita on Oct. …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