Tag Archives: Craig Dollase

Del Mar, Horse racing

Del Mar selections for Sunday, July 17

Preview: Phil D’Amato led the training standings at Santa Anita on the turf, but last year at Del Mar he was no better than fourth on the grass. Doug O’Neill led all trainers with grass wins last summer followed by Peter Miller and Mike Puype. Keep it in mind. How some of you hit Saturday’s $20.40 winner She’s Not Here.

Race 1: 1. Pragmatical (SCRATCHED), 2. English Queen, 3. Brainspin. LONG SHOT: Vivacious Beauty.

Race 2: 1. #5 Carlsbad Mountain (8-1), 2. Thanksgiving Day, 3. Big Tire. LONG SHOT: Dive Down.
Just throw out that last race for this gelding. Trainer Robertino Diodoro drops this 7-year-old back to his claimed level and the gelding has a win over the track at the fall meet. Look for jockey Stewart Elliott to send his mount from the gate.

Race 3: 1. #8 Cammy’s Music (4-1), 2. Mr. Louis, 3. Crime Boss. LONG SHOT: Thirty Pepperonis.
Trainer Craig Dollase is good with first-timers, sporting a 24% win pct. with those types. He is 29% with debuting maiden claimers and the sire Maclean’s Music is 38% with first-time starters with limited starters.

Race 4: 1. Sausalito Sunset, 2. It’s Not So Easy, 3. Champagne Elegance. LONG SHOT: Highly Classified.

Race 5: 1. Entrechat, 2. Chati’s On Top, 3. Flamingo Lane. LONG SHOT: Bottle Blonde.

Race 6: 1. Success Rate, 2. Celebrity Status, 3. Swiss Cheese. LONG SHOT: Northern Iowa.

Race 7: 1. Riri, 2. Cheekaboo, 3. Well Caught. LONG SHOT: How Unusual.

Race 8: 1. Chasing Aces, 2. Law Abidin Citizen, 3. The All Button. LONG SHOT: Blame Joe.

Race 9: 1. Midnight Storm, 2. Finnegans Wake, 3. Ashleyluvssugar. LONG SHOT: Flamboyant.

Race 10: 1. Kristi’s Copilot, 2. Que Chistoso, 3. It’s Just Bob. LONG SHOT: Ebony Gold.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

Saturday’s top choice winners: 3 (Toowindytohaulrox $4.20, fifth race;  Rinse and Repeat $6.20, sixth; She’s Not Here $20.40, ninth)

Saturday’s second choice winners: 0

Saturday’s third choice winners: 4 (Overcomer $7, first; Passionate Emotion $5, second; Spanish Hombre $7.40, fourth; Morganite $19.40, eighth)

Saturday’s long shot winners: 1 (Cindys Secret $43.40, third)

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Easter Sunday, March 27

Preview: Just an OK card with large fields hard to find. Jockey Edwin Maldonado has been on fire lately and Kent Desormeaux is in the process of changing agents.

                                

Race 6 – SA

#8 Bandido Too (7-2): This gelding has been in the money 50% of the time on the dirt (8-of-16). He finished second at this level last time and cuts back a half-furlong. There’s a good work coming into the ce and Edwin Maldonado rides for Craig Dollase.

                   

Race 7 – SA

#6 Justonetimebaby (4-1): This is a first-timer from the Richard Baltas barn, who is 29% first time turf and 26% in MSW races. There are two big works coming into the race and the sire Latent Heat gets 9% first time turf.

 

Race 10 – SA

#1 Papa Joey (6-1): We think trainer Phil D’Amato got away with one first time when he ran this gelding in maiden claimer finishing second despite a slow start. He now moves it up in class and tries turf for the first time. The sire Papa Clem is 13% first time turf and D’Amato is 24% going dirt to turf.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Thursday, March 24

Preview: Look for hot jockeys this week as some jockeys are out of town riding in Dubai and Santiago Gonzalez is out six weeks with a broken jaw. Check for jockey changes but remember the trainer wanted the meet’s No. 2 jockey so keep that in mind and that the horse is probably live.

                                

Race 6 – SA

#3 Esmeralda Belle (6-1): This filly showed some talent last year before going to the sidelines. She drops into a maiden claimer for the first time and trainer Jorge Peridan is 33% with that move. He is also 3-for-4 with horses coming off a layoff of more than 180 days.

                   

Race 7 – SA

#9 Warden of the West (5-1): This colt broke his maiden in New York for Todd Pletcher and now ends up in the barn of trainer Eddie Truman, who is 46% with shippers. He gets leading rider Rafael Bejarano to ride and he will have to work out a trip from the outside with this closer.

 

Race 8 – SA

#2 Seattle Boom (8-1) (turf only): This gelding is dropping into into a maiden claimer for the first time and claimer Craig Dollase is 24% with that move. On top of that he is going two turns for the first time. The sire War Front is a monster is monster of the turf.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Saturday, March 12

 

Preview: Rainhit the Arcadia area on Friday so what will happen with the turf races is anyone’s guess. I would think the graded stakes will stay on the turf, but it depends on how much rain there is. As for the main track, here are some jockeys who are under 10% on the dirt: Fernando Perez (9-113), Brayan Pena (3-49), Abel Lezcano (3-35), Tiago Pereira (1-58) and Gonzalo Nicholas (1-39).

                                

Race 2: #2 Queenoftheplace (8-1) (turf only): There is a ton of speed in this race and speed has been good on the turf, but a closer like this mare might just get the trip. She has finished third own the hill.

                   

Race 4: #2 Street Surrender (5-1): This is strictly a trainer and pedigree play on this first-time starter. Craig Dollase is 28% with first-timers and the the sire Street Boss is 19%. Victor Espinoza rides.

 

Race 7 (SAN FELIPE):  #7 Exaggerator (5-2): In my mind, Nyquist is the top 3-year-old in America and this son of Curlin just can’t beat him, but guess what? Nyquist isn’t in this race so Exaggerator should be the favorite. Trainer Keith Desormeaux is 22% second off the layoff and his brother, Kent, will ride.

 

Race 9: #5 Cautious Giant (10-1): This is strictly a pace play in this 7-furlong stakes race. This gelding seems like the lone speed in this spot and he does well at this distance. Jockey Santiago Gonzalez is second in main track wins so he knows what to do.

 

Race 11: #2 Sutton’s Smile (6-1)  (turf only): This filly broke her maiden over a good turf course here so if there is any moisture in it I think she will be tough on the return from the layoff. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 25% with horses off a 90-plus day layoff and he gets Rafael Bejarano to ride.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Saturday, Feb. 20

Preview: Interesting card with the highly anticipated debut of Ziconic, a son of Zenayata, set to run in what looks like a tough maiden race in the third.

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Race 2: #4 Decisive Triumph (turf only) (8-1) 

Trainer Graham Motion doesn’t have a win at the meet yet, but he’s too good not to score eventually. This son of Kitten’s Joy should love this distance and surface. Motion adds Lasix and he’s 23% first time he does that plus he adds leading jockey Rafael Bejarano.

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Race 3: #2 Fast Munny (6-1)

This is the race with Zenyatta’s son, Ziconic, plus two horses trained by Bob Baffert and one trained by Jerry Hollendorfer so this could turn out to be a key race. We’re going with the son of Munnings and trained by Craig Dollase, who is 26% with first-time starters. I know the connections are high on this 3-year-old colt, but like I said it’s a tough heat. Flavien Prat rides and he’s 2-for-4 with Dollase.

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Race 7: #9 I’m Zonin (8-1) 

This gelding is in the money 60% (3 for 5) at this distance. Trainer Richard Baltas is 30% going sprint-route-sprint meaning that this 4-year-old should have plenty of stamina. Veteran jockey Stewart Elliott gets the mount.

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FAIRGROUNDS

Race 11 (Grade II Risen Star Stakes: 1.#4 Bistraya (15-1), 2. #10 Airoforce (5-2), 3. #13 Candy My Boy (15-1), 4. #6 Gun Runner (6-1). LONG SHOT: #7 Its All Relevent (15-1).

It’s time for the 50-point races on the Kentucky Derby trail so a win in any of these races pretty much gets you in the starting gate on the first Saturday of May. We’re going with an upset here as Bistraya ships in off a maiden victory in Southern California. Jockey Edwin Maldonado comes along for the ride. Candy My Boy is interesting but that post is a killer.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

 

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Horse racing, Los Alamitos

Los Alamitos opinions for Thursday, Dec. 3

 

Race 4: #7 Preacher Roe (7-2) 

This gelding has won 2 of the 3 times he has run on this track so not concerned with the rise in class. Jockey Martin Pedroza knows him well and is 30% at Los Al with trainer Adam Kitchingman.

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Race 6: #1 Dixie Caravan (3-1)

Fresno shippers did well at Del Mar and now this 2-year-old drops into a maiden claimer for the first time. Trainer Craig Dollase is 3-for-8 going from MWS to MC. –

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita early opinions for Sunday, Oct. 4

Race 2: #3 Brolazza (5-1)

Interesting jockey switch here as leading rider Rafael Bejarano jumps on this 2-year-old, which finished third in his debut at 29-1. The son of Decarchy showed something down the lane and now gets an extra furlong.

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Race 9: #7 Nine Point Nine (9-2)

Trainer Craig Dollase drops this 2-year-old filly into a maiden claimer for the first time and he is 33% with that move. She has some good works since her last race and jockey Martin Garcia keeps the mount.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

Saturday’s top choice winners: 1 (Alexis Tangier $11, ninth)

Saturday’s second choice winners: 1 (Wild Dude $6.20, eighth)

Saturday’s third choice winners: 2 (Hail Mary Play $13, first; Story to Tell $24.40, 10th)

Saturday’s long shot winners: 2 (Wild Street Party $5.20, second; No Silent $15.80, sixth)

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Belmont Park, Gulfstream Park, Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita (plus Belmont and Gulfstream) opinions for Thursday, June 25

Race 3: #6 Gomo (4-5)

This daughter of Uncle Mo showed speed in her debut and faded a little. Owner Paul Reddam has been on fire with his 2-year-olds and trainer Doug O’Neill is 19% with 2-year-olds. Being a first-year sire, Uncle Mo doesn’t have any grass winners yet, but he enjoyed two turns and so should his daughter. Yes, I know she is 4-5, but just single her in all horizontal wagers.

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Race 7: #10 Midnight Transfer (6-1)

Trainer Ron Ellis is 42% from a sample of 12 horses making their second start off the claim and the outside post is no bargain, but the price should be right. Joe Talamo rides.

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Race 8: #2 Yaffe (6-1)

Trainer Craig Dollase has stronger first-time starter stats (29%) than you may see in the DRF. This daughter of City Zip out of a Dixieland Band mare is bred to win early, sprint and run on the grass. She had a good last work as jockey Tyler Baze takes the mount.

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BELMONT PARK

Race 9: #8 Sweet Lew (turf only) (6-1)

Trainer George Weaver is 25% with horses going from a sprint to a route. This gelding takes a drop in class and has run some of his best races around two turns. On top of that, jockey Jose Ortiz takes over.

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GULFSTREAM PARK

Race 1: #5 Dads Little Girl (6-1)

Trainer Gustavo Delgado is 6-for-18 in horses make their first start off the claim. He claimed this filly with an idea to put her on the turf as she has never been tried on that surface in 16 starts. Apprentice Tyler Gaffalione, who is 22% with Delgado in their last 23 mounts, takes over.

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Race 3: #7 Grand Bargain (4-1)

Trainer Jason DaCosta takes over the training of this 3-year-old colt and pulls out all the stops as he adds Lasix and gets jockey Edgard Zayas to ride. DaCosta is 20% with horses in their second career start and 39% with horses off a 46-90-day layoff.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita selections for Sunday, March 15

FIRST RACE: 1. Rusty Road, 2. Unusual Lover, 3. Lolo El Canonero. LONG SHOT: Takeit Tothe Limit.

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SECOND RACE: 1. Two Six Wins, 2. Congrats Seattle, 3. Tiz Jolie. LONG SHOT: Hot Lightning.

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THIRD RACE: 1. Hearcomeskat, 2. Backstreet Lisa, 3. Chia Love. LONG SHOT: Won’t Be Shaken.

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FOURTH RACE: 1. Uptown Rythem, 2. Next Right, 3. Willy Be Wild. LONG SHOT: Market Order.

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FIFTH RACE: 1. Seattle Salt (best bet), 2. Theralena, 3. Scuti de Patuti. LONG SHOT: Chaulk O Lattey.

SEATTLE SALT (5-1), a daughter of Salt Lake, showed speed in her comeback race and now trainer Craig Dollase puts blinkers on for her first try down the hill. She is a 4-year-old facing a bunch of 3-year-olds so she might have an edge as jockey Victor Espinoza stays aboard.

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SIXTH RACE: 1. Clem Juice, 2. Seek Safe Harbor, 3. Ritzy Tags. LONG SHOT: Erte.

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SEVENTH RACE: 1. Testa Rossi, 2. Diversy Harbor, 3. Rosalind. LONG SHOT: Elektrum.

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EIGHTH RACE: 1. Interject, 2. Marycasey, 3. Sky Mega. LONG SHOT: Gracie Ragazza.

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NINTH RACE: 1. Avenge, 2. Redheads Rule, 3. This Is War. LONG SHOT: Oui Cat Oui.

We liked this filly AVENGE (7-2) last time but she was done in by a wide trip due to the No. 11 post. She draws inside here and Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith takes over. Look for improvement for trainer Richard Mandella.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Los Alamitos

Los Alamitos Race Course opinions for Friday, Dec. 5

Race 2: #2 Caliente Cat (6-1)

This gelding has been running with thoroughbreds at night and now tries the day time for bigger cash. Trainer Justin Clark is an amazing 42% (25-for-60). The 5-year-old likes to come from off the pace and the long stretch run should suit his style.

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Race 3: #1 Sweet Renata (5-2)

Trainer Craig Dollase has had a slow year, but he knows how to get a first-timer ready (33%) and jockey Gary Stevens rides. Stevens doesn’t need the exercise so this 2-year-old filly figures to be live. The only drawback in the No. 1 post.

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Race 6: #7 Zendai (5-2)

This 2-year-old by Zensational finished second to Ocho Ocho Ocho in his last race 55 days ago. All Ocho has done since is win two stakes, including the Delta Jackpot. This Eoin Harty trainee will be forwardly placed and should make short work of this field.

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Race 7: #4 Tacit Approval (7-2)

The 3-year-old filly has a win and a third over this track in two tries this year. Trainer Craig Dollase gets apprentice Drayten Van Dyke to ride instead of double apprentice Sullivan, which is a huge upgrade. She will likely try to go wire-to-wire.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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