Tag Archives: War Front

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, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Friday, Jan. 22

Preview: Looks like a decent card for a week day. Trainer Shug McGaughey and jockey Jose Lezcano snuck in on Wednesday and won a couple of races. Always check out South Florida-based outfits come in looking to cash. Trainer Efren Loza Jr. and his 44% first-time starters number has one in the first with #1 Brilliantbydesign but at 5-2 won’t list it but I couldn’t talk anyone out of a horizontal single.

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Race 3: #7 Scottish Sweetie (turf only) (3-1) 

Trainer Joan Scott has won three races at the meet and they have all been with jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. They team up here with this 4-year-old filly which has a 4-1-2-1 record on this course and drops into a claimer for the first time a move Scott is 25% with.

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Race 7:   #8 Hymnotic (6-1) 

Trainer Christophe Clement is one of the South Florida guys we were talking about. He ships this first-timer starter by War Front here for he first start and gets jockey Daniel Centeno, who he teamed up with earlier in the meet for a winner. Clemente is 2-for-3 with firsters at Tampa the last few years.

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Race 8: #5 Ms. Short Fuze (8-1)

Jockey Fernando De La Cruz has been on a roll for a few weeks and he’s 30% over the last year with trainer Jason DaCosta. This filly is dropping into a maiden claimer for the first time and DaCosta is 23% with shippers.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Sunday, April 12

Race 8: #7 Om (9-5)

This 3-year-old comes out of one of the highest rated 2-year-old races last summer at Del Mar and he won by more than 7 lengths and beat American Pharoah (does that name ring a bell?). Trainer Dan Hendricks doesn’t have great numbers off the layoff but this son of Munnings might be so talented that he can overcome that.

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Race 9: #10 Pammy Whammy (6-1)

This 3-year-old filly didn’t get a lot out of her debut, but trainer Peter Miller is 22% second time out and 22% dropping into a maiden claimer for the first time. On top of that the sire, War Front, is 19% with his turf horses.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita opinions for Thursday, April 2

Editor’s note: Hope to get back to full handicapping by Saturday. Suffice to say, someone close to me has been sick and had surgery recently and I’ve been dealing this for a long time. Now it’s on the road to recovery.

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Race 4: #2 Badasmywifeletsmeb

The gelding is taking a drop in class after showing speed against better. The gelding has won over the course before for trainer Barry Abrams, who turns to jockey Elvis Trujillo to take over.

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Race 8: #3 War Destiny

Trainer John Sadler tried to get this gelding on the grass last time but it was taken off. The 5-year-old pressed the pace on the dirt and I love War Fronts on the grass. Jockey Tyler Baze, who is 23% with Sadler, takes the reins.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita selections for Saturday, March 7 (updated)

FIRST RACE: 1, Sheer Talent, 2. Mosso, 3. Tiz Futurity. LONG SHOT: Presiding Justice.

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SECOND RACE: 1. Alfiero, 2. Matty’s Tribal, 3. Tizapalooza. LONG SHOT: Cat From Iraq.

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THIRD RACE: 1. Mighty Souper, 2. Emyvale Court, 3. Whisk. LONG SHOT: Dad’s Princess.

Love the sire War Front, who wins with 16% of his first-time turfers. Trainer Mark Casse is 16% with first-time starters and he put the screws to this 3-year-old filly MIHTY SOUPER (8-1) with two big works two weeks ago. Barn jockey Corey Nakatani takes the mount and he is 20% with Casse at Santa Anita.

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FOURTH RACE: 1. Miss Centerfold, 2. Never Ends, 3. Black Betsy. LONG SHOT: Miss Bliss.

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FIFTH RACE: 1. Pulling G’s, 2. Cautious Giant, 3. Kill Shot. LONG SHOT: Chasintheaces.

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SIXTH RACE: 1. Arethusa, 2. Zanbo, 3. Dakota Kid. LONG SHOT: Jade With Envy.

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SEVENTH RACE: Grade II San Felipe, 1 1/16th mile: 1. Bolo, 2. Dortmund, 3. Ocho Ocho Ocho, 4. Prospect Park. LONG SHOT: The Gomper.

BOLO has been a monster on the grass and now is the time to find out if he is the same on the dirt. By the sire Temple City, offspring have had no problems going two turns and have excelled going two turns. Now is the time to see how they do on the dirt. Jockey Victor Espinoza takes over for mike Smith, who is on OCHO OCHO OCHO. DORTMUND is a perfect 4-for-4, but he wasn’t supposed to run here as trainer Bob Baffert called an audible. THE GOMPER was all the talk after his maiden win, but has falter since. It’s put up or shut up time for the son of Sky Mesa here.

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EIGHTH RACE: 1. Maybellene, 2. Curlin’s Fox, 3. Spirit of Xian, 4. She’s a Big Winner. LONG SHOT: Lookin for Money.

Trainer Bob Baffert scratched out of another spot to make this 3-year-old filly’s turf debut to go here. MAYBELLENE (6-1) was favored in the Grade I Las Virgines but finished eighth. He sire, Lookin At Lucky is 23% with first-time turfers. Leading jockey Rafael Bejarano keeps the mount.

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NINTH RACE: 1. Chitu (BEST BET) SCRATCHED, 2. Conquest Two Step, 3. Wild Dude, 4. Midnight Hawk SCRATCHED. LONG SHOT: Majestic City. New picks: 1. Conquest Two Step (best bet), 2. Wild Dude, 3. Majestic City, 4. El Nino Terrible. LONG SHOT: Outside Nashville.

This 4-year-old CHITU (2-1) comes out of the Grade I Malibu, which has produced four next out winners, including Conquest Two Step who is in this race, too. However, barn jockey Martin Garcia takes over for Bob Baffert and we think he will find the magic formula with this speedster to win at 7 furlongs.

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10TH RACE: 1. Silentio, 2. Summer Front, 3. Za Approval, 4. Winning Prize. LONG SHOT: Ring Weekend.

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11TH RACE: Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, 1¼ mile: 1. Shared Belief, 2. Hard Aces, 3. Bronzo, 4. Sr. Quisqueyano. LONG SHOT: Catch a Flight.

Sorry, I’m a big SHARED BELIEF fan. Just think he is the best horse in America and don’t see him losing. BRONZO finished fourth to him in the San Antonio and should show improvement. Like the two shippers HARD ACES and SR. QUISQUEYANO but only for the minor awards. Heck, second place pays $200,000.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Grade II Swale Stakes, 7 furlongs, Gulfstream Park: 1. Bluegrass Singer, 2. Ready for Rye, 3. Daredevil. LONG SHOT: X Y Jet. Comment: This race was postponed following last week’s monsoon in Florida. DAREDEVIL might be a slam dunk as he comes out of the Breeders/ Cup Juvenile, which has proven to be an ultra-key race with many winners returning. And the biggest stat I heard was that no horse has returned from that race to win a two-turn race so that fits right in with the Todd Pletcher-trainee. However, I’m going with BLUEGRASS SINGER, who is cutting back from two turns to 7 furlongs for trainer Marcus Vitali. READY FOR RYE is stretching out from 6 furlongs and figures to be tough. Just an added note: Super Colossal has scratched out of the Swale and the Tampa Bay Derby due to a spiked fever, according to trainer Edward Plesa Jr.

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Grade III Gotham Stakes, 1 1/16th mile, Aqueduct: 1. Lieutenant Colonel, 2. El Kabeir, 3. Classy Class. LONG SHOT: Tiz Shea. Comment: This race didn’t come up that tough, especially when Withers winner Far From Over decided to pass. LIEUTENANT COLONEL broke his maiden at first asking at Gulfstream Park for trainer Chad Brown. Personally, I love offspring of Colonel John that stretch out and that’s what we have here. TIZ SHEA is another horse in here off a maiden-breaking win at first asking and has been transferred to the barn of Bill Mott. Interesting.

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Grade II Tampa Bay Derby, 1 1/16th mile, Tampa Bay Downs: 1. Moonlight Bandit, 2. Ocean Knight, 3. Carpe Diem, 4. Divining Rod. LONG SHOT: Great Stuff. Comment: I’ll be honest I didn’t pick BC Juvenile runner-up CARPE DIEM due to that previous stat I mentioned and this is his first start of the year. Trainer Mark Casse has two horses in here, MOONLIGHT BANDIT and DANZIG MOON, and I’m probably picking the wrong won. MOONLIGHT BANDIT had a ton of trouble in his 2015 debut in a Gulfstream allowance and figures to improve off that effort. OCEAN KNIGHT is undefeated and tough to ignore for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

 

 

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita selections for Sunday, Jan. 25

FIRST RACE: 1. Sudden Rumor, 2. Papa’s Paisley, 3. Friendswith K Mill. LONG SHOT: Rocked Twice.

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SECOND RACE: 1. Alamo (best bet), 2. To the Bar, 3. Opsec. LONG SHOT: Derby Glass.

ALAMO, a 4-year-old colt trained by Richard Mandella, makes his turf debut and love horses sired by War Front, especially at a mile and on the grass. Jockey Gary Stevens keeps the mount. Stevens and Mandella are a 32% proposition at Santa Anita the last two years.

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THIRD RACE: 1. Deep Play, 2. Street Serenade, 3. Broadway Nika. LONG SHOT: Timeless Indy.

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FOURTH RACE: 1. Why Two, 2. The Man, 3. New Summit. LONG SHOT: Honor Society.

WHY TWO, a 3-year-old colt, got off to a slow start in his debut and still finished fourth. There have been two good works since and jockey Victor Espinoza stays aboard for trainer Mike Machowsky. There is no doubt that THE MAN is the horse to beat, but how many odds-on favorites has trainer Bob Baffert lost so far this meet? I’m just taking a shot, but The Man is the most likely winner.

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FIFTH RACE: 1. Sayes So, 2. Air of Royalty, 3. Hide My Heart. LONG SHOT: Mum’s Truckee.

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SIXTH RACE: 1. American Sun, 2. Rattataptap, 3. Jaded Glory. LONG SHOT: Prize Exhibit.

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SEVENTH RACE: 1. Ballard Ruler, 2. Znelle, 3. Kozani. LONG SHOT: Aperfectdaytofly.

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EIGHTH RACE: 1. Fly Lexis Fly, 2. Lil Bit O’Fun, 3. Sweet Swap. LONG SHOT: Hay Dude.

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NINTH RACE: 1. Zen Zai Sun 2. Slewpy Again, 3. Nevada Time. LONG SHOT: Surfer Moon.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Del Mar, Horse racing

Del Mar picks for Sunday, Nov. 30 (Bing Crosby Season)

FIRST RACE: 1. Craving Carats, 2. Deep Play, 3. Valentine Boy. LONG SHOT: Let’s Get Crackin.

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SECOND RACE: 1. Forest Chatter, 2. Act, 3. Letaba. LONG SHOT: Silver Spirit.

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THIRD RACE: 1. Prime Issue, 2. Foolhardy, 3. Perfect Set. LONG SHOT: Dreamy Kid.

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FOURTH RACE: 1. Lucky J Lane, 2. Press Baron, 3. Christopher Street, LONG SHOT: Smart Ellis.

LUCKY J LANE (6-1), a 3-year-old, has never been worse than second in three tries on the Del Mar grass. Jockey Corey Nakatani stays on this gelding which is moving from the Cal-bred ranks to open company.

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FIFTH RACE: 1. Relative Time, 2. He’s a Bling, 3. Yes Yes Yes. LONG SHOT: Prospector Alley.

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SIXTH RACE: 1. Soul Driver, 2. Diamond Majesty, 3. Daddy D T. LONG SHOT: Conquest Typhoon.

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SEVENTH RACE: 1. Heir of Storm, 2. Midnight Hawk, 3. Rolling Fog. LONG SHOT: Alberts Hope.

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EIGHTH RACE: 1. Strathnaver (best bet), 2. Discreet Marq, 3. La Tia. LONG SHOT: Kadaya.

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NINTH RACE: 1. Go Trumpy Go, 2. Big Hat Charlie, 3. Anytime Anyplace. LONG SHOT: Blue Harbor.

Trainer Peter Miller is trying to win the training title at the meet and sends out GO TRUMPY GO (8-1), a first-timer by War Front. He gets Rafael Bejarano to ride. Miller is 18% with first-time starters.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

Saturday’s top choice winners: 2 (Galehorn $5.40, second; Rattataptap $13.40, ninth)

Saturday’s second choice winners: 4 (Willing to Travel $8.20, first; Big Cazanova $6.20, third; Bolo $7.60, fourth; California Chrome $3.40, eighth)

Saturday’s third choice winners: 1 (Powerful $18.40, fifth)

Saturday’s long shot winners: 1 (Magic Lily $17.60, seventh)

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Horse racing, Santa Anita

Santa Anita picks for Saturday, Feb. 8

The main track certainly had a speed bias on Friday after being packed down on Thursday due to the rain. It will be interesting to see if there are any changes overnight

FIRST RACE: 1. Yankee Rebel, 2. Cinco de Mario, 3. Hello Frankie. LONG SHOT: Fighting On.

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SECOND RACE: 1. Little Curlin (best bet), 2. Act, 3. Party Time. LONG SHOT: Shackleford Banks.

This 3-year-old LITTLE CURLIN should have been unsaddled in the winner’s circle last time as he had nowhere to run in the stretch and had to come out, finishing third, losing by 1½ lengths. There are a lot of first-time starters in this race, but we’ll go with the proven commodity. ACT, PARTY TIME and SHACKLEFORD BANKS have all been training well for their debuts.

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THIRD RACE: 1. Big Wags, 2. Muchos Besos, 3. Magic Beam. LONG SHOT: She Digs Me.

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FOURTH RACE: 1. Nazareth, 2. Star Act, 3. Sweet as a Rose. LONG SHOT: Nashoba’s Gold.

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FIFTH RACE: 1. Blueskiesnrainbows, 2. Game on Dude, 3. American Blend. LONG SHOT: Blingo.

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SIXTH RACE: 1. Beautiful Spirit, 2. Sunland Vintage, 3. Secret Memo. LONG SHOT: Athina Lee.

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SEVENTH RACE: 1. Jeranimo, 2. Temeraine, 3. Lucayan. LONG SHOT: Vagabond Shoes.

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EIGHTH RACE: 1. Diamond Bachelor, 2. Candy Boy, 3. Midnight Hawk. LONG SHOT: Chitu.

DIAMOND BACHELOR was one of the top 2-year-olds on the West Coast last year —- on the turf. He ran in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on the dirt and finished ninth. Trainer Patrick Biancone decides to give it one more shot on the dirt and jockey Julien Leparoux flies in to ride from Gulfstream Park. It’s time to find out if this War Front colt has Derby potential or is it time to return to the grass.

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NINTH RACE: 1. Trelawny, 2. Swift Eagle, 3. Dreamcatcher. LONG SHOT: I Don’t Care Who.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

Friday’s top choice winners: 1 (Oneandonlyloveman $3.20, first race)

Friday’s second choice winners: 2 (Bob Consultation $7.80, second; Twin Six $7.80, fourth)

Friday’s third choice winners: 3 (Majestic Minister $10.40, third; Friendswin K Mill $6.80, fifth; Fury Kapcori $4, sixth)

Friday’s long shot winners: 1 (Dream Baby $16.20, eighth)

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