Tag Archives: Agapito Delgadillo

Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Friday, Feb. 10

Preview: There is an 80 to 100% per chance of rain in Arcadia today so I don’t see a reason to look at the two turf races.

Race 6 – SA
#7 Moments Notiz (6-1) ****
Our Eyes: Trainer Bill Spawr is 7-for-16 at the meet. This takes a class drop and should love a wet track with a 9-3-2-2 record. Jockey Agapito Delgadillo keeps the mount and is 17% with Spawr at Santa Anita.
Jeff’s Playbook: 4 units to win, 5 units to place and 6 units to show.

Race 8 – SA
#6 Hard Arch (4-1) ****
Our Eyes: Finished third over a wet/fast track last time, but the key here today is the stretch out. Trainer Vladimir Cerin is 22% with horses going sprint-sprint-route and he gets Kent Desormeaux to ride this son of Archarcharch.
Jeff’s Playbook: 4 units to win, 5 units to place and 6 units to show.

Good luck.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Friday, July 1

Preview: One can only hope the cards get better this holiday weekend, but I doubt it. With the remainder of the meet on the main track, here are some jockeys to think twice about: Agapito Delgadillo is 2-for-38 on the dirt, Abel Lezcano is 0-for-28 and Kerwin John is 0-for-20. We gave out another double-digit winner on Thursday which is no mean feat with the field sizes so small.

Race 2 – SA
#5 Tangled Up in Ju (3-1): This filly is dropping to her lowest level yet and she is making her third start off the layoff and with improving speed figures she might fire her best shot today. Key jock change from apprentice Barnes to journeyman Edwin Maldonado, who is 25% with trainer Mike Machowsky at Santa Anita.

Race 7 – SA
#3 Filly On Fire (6-1): Trainer Victor Garcia experimented on the turf last time with this filly and now she returns to her favorite surface. All three career wins are on dirt and she is 6-2-1-0 on the Santa Anita oval. She has been training lights out so could be coming up to a good one.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Monday,May 30

Preview: Not the greatest card, but it’s a holiday so let’s have a good time. A few numbers to ponder: the leading rider of the main track is Edwin Maldonado with 15 wins from 51 mounts followed by Tyler Baze (10-47) and Rafael Bejarano (9-43). On the other end, Stewart Elliott 1-for-29, Agapito Delgadillo (0-21) and Abel Lezcano (0-18).

Race 1 – SA
#7 Mai Tai (5-2) LIKELY TO SCRATCH
This filly ran into a buzzsaw named Enola Gray first time out and lost by more than 16 lengths, despite finishing second. Enola came back to win a Cal-bred stakes Saturday so that’s good for this 3-year-old.

Race 5 – SA
#3 Little Bit Lovely (6-1): This 4-year-old could prove to be a great claim by trainer Jack Carava. She won her only race down the hill and comes back on the same layout with the same jockey, Flavien Prat, who is leading the meet in winners on the grass. The fill also has the top Brisnet Prime and Class Ratings.

Race 8 – SA
#8 Illuminant (5-1): This filly finished third to the monster female Tepin in the Grade I Jenny Wiley. She is the only speed I see in this race and think Falvien Prat will go to the front with her again. She must make up a length on Wekeela, who is shipping in for trainer Chad Brown but I think she can do with a patient ride.

Race 10 – SA
#9 El Super (6-1): The Richard Mandella-trainee gave just an even effort in his first race in more than a year last time. Good turf jockey Flavien Prat takes over and he is 17% with Mandella.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Saturday, May 21

Good card on Preakness Saturday. Sounds like it will be a lot drier in SoCal than Baltimore for the Preakness.

Race 2 – SA
#4 Vartan: About time for trainer Bill Spawr to get hot. This gelding making a jump in class but it shouldn’t matter. Barn rider Agapito Delgadillo is staying aboard and he’s 28% with Spawr. This 4-year-old has the best Brisnet Late Pace Rating.

Race 3 – SA
#5 Navy Hymn: Trainer Robertino Diodoro runs this 3-year-old up in class but with good reason as this speedster is a perfect 3-for-3 over the track. Diodoro also brings in jockey R.A. Vazquez in from Prairie Meadows to ride in a stakes and give him this mount, too. They are 44% together.

Race 8 – SA
#4 Coppa: This 3-year-old won at first asking at Del Mar so there is no reason to think trainer Phil D’Amato can’t do the same thing in her second race. D’Amato is 26% with horses off a 90-plus-day layoff.

Race 10 – SA
#9 Avenge: This filly has a 3-for-4 record over the downhill course and trainer Richard Mandella should have her ready to run her best off the layoff.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Friday, May 20

Preview: More horses in the late Pick Four than early. The turf rails at 30 feet, which might favor speed. A few jockeys have gotten off to a slow start at the meet: Agapito Delgadillo is 0-for-15 followed by Stewart Elliott is 1-for-24 and Drayden Van Dyke is 1-for-16.

Race 1 – SA
#7 Western Warrior (4-1): The first year sire Iqbaal is 1-for-4 with debuting maidens and looking to make a name for himself. Trainer Blade Heap is 15% first-timers and 3 for his last 10 in the MSW ranks. He is the co-breeders on this colt and gets good gate jockey Martin Pedroza.

Race 3 – SA
#2 Trifecta (9-2) (turf only): This gelding has been running in longer races and cuts back to a mile so he should be plenty fit and maybe that’s why trainer Ron Ellis claimed him. The 4-year-old is 7-2-2-0 at this distance and Ellis is 23% first off the claim.

Race 5 – SA
#2 Yes Yes Yes (5-1)(turf only): Trainer Peter Eurton gets the gelding back down the hill where he is 3-1-0-2 and the 5-year-old has had a couple of good works coming into this race. Eurton is 26% with horses off a 61-180-day layoff and jockey Rafael Bejarano jumps on (28% with Eurton.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Friday, May 6

Preview: Not sure how weather will affect this card so check changes. A lot of bit-time jockeys out of town but there is a solid group left.

Race 4 – SA
#2 Sassy Ashley (8-1) (turf only): This filly hasn’t been seen since last fall at Del Mar and could be a grow up play here. She has decent works and trainer Richard Baltas has good numbers in all categories.

Race 5 – SA
#1 Got Even (7-2): Has been away since January but trainer Bill Spawr is 39% off the claim and 24% off layoffs of 61-180 days. Spawr is also 32% with jockey Agapito Delgadillo.

Race 6 – SA
#6 Cape Wolfe (3-1) (turf only): This gelding could be coming into his own in his fourth start in North America. He finished second going down the hill and now stretches out for trainer Phil D’Amato, who is 23% going from sprint to route. D’Amato is 41% with jockey Edwin Maldonado at Santa Anita.

Race 8 – SA
#9 Justonetimebaby (2-1): This gelding showed speed down the hill and now runs on the dirt dropping into a maiden claimer for the first time. Trainer Richard Baltas is 62% going from MSW to MC and he gets leading jockey Rafael Bejarano (35%) to ride.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Los Alamitos

Los Alamitos RC opinions for Thursday, April 21

Preview: Another small card as far as entries as Los Al has no turf course, but prices have been surprisingly good. On the jockey front, Mario Gutierrez (6-11) and Kent Desormeaux (5-11) have come out swinging plus Agapito Delagadillo, Tiago Pereira and Tyler Baze all have three wins.

 

Race 4 – LRC

#3 Jena Baby (3-1): Trainer Peter Miller drops this filly to her lowest level ever. Miller is 23% taking a horse sprint-route-sprint and 23% with maiden claimers. Apprentice Bryan Pena is 21% with Miller.

 

Race 6 – LRC

#2 Crayon (6-1): Trainer John Shirreffs doesn’t start many at this track so this filly must be doing well. She broke slow in her debut but showed late interest on the grass. With the long stretch here it might suit her well. Shirreffs is 31% with horses making their second career start.

 

Race 7 – LRC

#5 One More Roll (15-1): This gelding is 4-1-1-0 on this track and has plenty of early speed. Trainer Bill Spawr is 22% with horses off a 46 to 90-day layoff and the 4-year-old comes out of a key race that has produced two winners so far.

 

Race 8 – LRC

#4 Johny’s Choice (5-2): The 7-year-old is 5-2-1-0 over the track. Trainer Mark Glatt has a pair of wins at the meet the first week of the meet and this gelding comes out of a race that has produced three next out winners.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Fair Grounds, Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Saturday, March 26 (Plus Fair Grounds)

Preview: Sort of a tough card with maiden races and the like and fields aren’t all that full. Just have to make the best of it. Plus I added the two big races from the Fair Grounds.

                                

Race 3 – SA

#2 Yana (6-1): The turf stretchout didn’t work for this mare last time so trainer Bill Spawr cuts her back on the dirt and he is 38% going from route to sprint plus he has his main man, Agapito Delagadillo aboard and they are 27%.

                   

Race 9 – SA

#5 Red Buttton (12-1): It could be a big day for the Bill Spawr barn as he brings this gelding back off a poor turf effort. Jockey Joe Talamo jumps on and he’s 24% with Spawr over the last year.

 

THE FAIR GROUNDS

 

Race 9 – FG

#8 Land Over Sea (3-1): After five straight losses to superstar Songbird, trainer Doug O’Neil has seen enough and decides to flee Southern California. This daughter of Bellamy Road has finished second to Songbird twice this year. O’Neill gets John Velazquez to ride. We’ll never get this morning-line.

                              

Race 10 – FG

#9 Dazzling Gem (12-1): Trainer Brad Cox has said he isn’t running in the Louisiana Derby for the heck of it and we believe him. This 3-year-old is a perfect 2-for-2 and while jockey Shaun Bridgmohan must work out a trip from this bad post, we think he can and the price is right.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

 

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Saturday, March 5

Preview: Good card and turf racing today because it’s supposed to rain on Sunday. Look for turf trainers to fill races as Santa Anita announced it will renovate the grass course beginning in late June so there will be no turf racing the final 3 weeks of the spring meet in addition to a 3-week break in April when Los Alamitos will run.

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Race 4 – SA        

#6 Albeit (12-1) (turf only) 

Arguably this filly’s best race came around two turns on the Santa Anita turf and returns to that set-up here. Trainer Doug O’Neill is 19% going sprint-sprint-route. Jockey Mario Gutierrez jumps back on and is 23% with O’Neill.

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Race 8 — SA

#10 Texas Two Step (15-1)

This gelding has a ton of speed for trainer Peter Miller and has been training well at San Luis Rey Downs with a pair of bullet works. Jockey Victor Espinoza takes over and he is 21% with Miller. I look for Espinoza to go straight to the front and try to steal it.

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Race 9 – SA

#2 Vartan (4-1) 

Trainer Bill Spawr is 38% first off the claim like this gelding. Jockey Agapito Delgadillo is 26% with Spawr and will likely put this 4-year-old on the front end.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Saturday, Jan. 30

Preview: It’s Cal Cup Day so there are plenty of tough races. There are also some races with prohibitive favorites so you have to make the decision whether to go with an odds-on horse or go against the grain.

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Race 3: #7 Riddle Me (8-1) 

The powerful due to jockey Kent Desormeaux and trainer Bob Hess Jr. team up here. Hess is 26% the first time he puts a horse in a maiden claimer. This filly showed some speed in her debut and if she does that again she should do well here.

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Race 7: #11 Qiaona (8-1)

This mare has won down the hill before and done well in a Cal-bred stakes, too. She has the best late pace rating and jockey Victor Espinoza takes over.

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Race 9: #4 Image of Joplin (15-1)

This gelding is 2-for-2 over this turf course, albeit against lesser competition. He is coming off a front-running win and jockey Agapito Delgadillo takes over. Trainer Matthew Chew is 38% in on-graded stakes.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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