Sunday, Santa Anita Race 2 — 1 pm post time

February 21, 2009 — maidenking
Maiden King conquers So. Cal. maiden races

Maiden King conquers So. Cal. maiden races

Maiden Special Weight, 6-1/2 furlongs, 3 yo fillies

Possible overlays                         Morning line

#1 Godfrey Queen                              15/1
#4 White Lamb                                   5/2
#7 Shiksa                                         10/1
#9 Hard Kisses                                    5/1

Julio Canani trains #5 Lady Lumberjack and she has the kind of standout Beyer Speed Figures that ensure she’ll be overbet. I just hope she doesn’t scratch, because I see several potential money horses in here.

On Jan. 11, #4 White Lamb with Garrett Gomez aboard was stalking the pace on the rail down the backstretch. As the field swung into the turn, Gomez was boxed in behind a three-horse wall with another runner right outside of him. Gomez did his best to run toward a seam, but it closed quickly and he had to steady then was bumped. Gomez, who usually rides his mounts maniacally in the stretch, could find no room for White Lamb and the jockey could never get into this one.

One huge drawback is that this trouble is very obvious on the replay and in the past I’ve seen horses who had huge problems in the stretch get bet too low the next time out. Also, Garrett Gomez will not help the price, so I’ll  likely be looking elsewhere.

Bob Baffert trains #9 Hard Kisses, who has been really rolling during morning workouts and looks live. Other first timers that look like good possibilities include #1 Godfrey Queen and #7 Shiksa.

I will bet $350 to win on #9 Hard Kisses at 7/2 to 9/1 but just $100 at 10/1 to 19/1. Also, I want $100 on #1 Godfrey Queen at 7/2 to 9/1, but $150 at 10/1 to 19/1. My bet on #7 Shiksa, will be $150 from 7/2 to 19/1.

If Hard Kisses is bet below 7/2, or higher than 9/1, then I’ll take $200 to win on #4 White Lamb at 5/2 or higher, with all other potential betting scenarios still in play.

Posted in msw, 2s & 3s. Tags: , , , , . 1 Comment »

Results, Santa Anita Saturday Race 8 — lost $600

February 21, 2009 — maidenking
Trainer Bob Baffert and Garrett Gomez combined on #4 Zensational, who paid $3.20.

Trainer Bob Baffert and Garrett Gomez combined on #4 Zensational, who paid $3.20.

No matter what bettors gave the most priority to when handicapping this race, they all landed on #4 Zensational.

For those who play trainers, Zensational had Bob Baffert. For people who follow jockeys, the rider was Garrett Gomez. Workouts? Six quick ones including three bullets. Breeding and confirmation? The owner bought Zensational for $700,000, so the genes are top notch. Speed? Had the lead in his debut.

Even  people who bet nothing but gray horses liked him, as he’s a roan.

Much like Big Brown in last year’s Belmont, this horse looked so good that he couldn’t be bet. Everyone at the track had him, everyone at the Indian casinos loved Zensational and I’m sure the money was pouring through the windows on him in Vegas.

He went off at 60 cents on the dollar, and at that rate Zensational — and horses like him — need to win seven of 10 races to make any money for their backers. If they win six — you lose. And in horse racing, too many things can go wrong to take that price.

Yes, Zensational couldn’t lose and he didn’t. His backers will tell you that they made a quick 60 percent profit in just over a minute, and not even Bernard Madoff promised anything close to that.

But just enjoy the feeling while it lasts folks, and please do me a favor and keep pounding those 3-to-5 shots. Next time, however, just remember that  funny things have been known to happen at the racetrack.

My plays in this race were $200 to win on these three horses: #1 Gold Schleiger at 5/1, #7 Off the Wall at 11/1 and #8 Party Hard at 8/1.

To watch a replay of this race, go to www.calracing.com.

PGM PP# NAME JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS FN
1 1 Gold Schleiger (FL) Baze M Mullins J 5.30 7
2 2 Ginello (KY) Rosario J Dollase C 16.70 9
3 3 Steel Blue (KY) Rios J Frankel R 31.20 8
4 4 Zensational (KY) Gomez G Baffert B 0.60 1
5 5 Mr. Bossy Pants (KY) Husbands P Barba A 41.30 5
6 6 Arcodoro (KY) Arambula P Guillot E 29.90 6
7 7 Off the Wall (KY) Smith M Headley B 11.00 2
8 8 Party Hard (KY) Talamo J Greely C 8.00 4
9 9 Iron Fortitude (KY) Bejarano R Pletcher T 9.40 3
SCR – Brian the Brave (KY) Sutherland C O’Callaghan C – –
 
Pgm Win Place Show
4 $3.20 $2.80 $2.40
7 – $7.40 $5.00
9 – – $4.20
 
Exotic Payoffs
$1.00 Exacta paid $13.30 (4-7)
$1.00 Pick 3 paid $140.40 (2-11-4)
$1.00 Superfecta paid
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Saturday, Santa Anita Race 8 — 4:07 pm post time

February 21, 2009 — maidenking
Maiden King conquers So. Cal. maiden races

Maiden King conquers So. Cal. maiden races

Maiden Special Weight, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds

Possible overlays                         Morning line

#1 Gold Schleiger                           9/2
#4 Zensational                              5/2
#6 Arcodoro                                  12/1
#7 Off the Wall                               8/1
#8 Party Hard                                 5/1
#10 Brian the Brave                       20/1

All 10 horses in this race are running for either the first or second time. 

I am going to guess that Garrett Gomez will be over bet on #4 Zensational. Why? Because it seems that Garrett Gomez is always over bet no matter who he rides.

Also, Zensational has a marquee name trainer, Bob Baffert, the horse has nothing but great workouts showing, it was bought for $700,000, and it was pounded to 2-to-1 the first time it ran.

Therefore, it will probably be 9-to-5 or less, and if so, then I can’t use it.

However, second timers #1 Gold Schleiger and #8 Party Hard look like they can get the job done, as they ran well in their debuts and have good workouts. First timers #6 Arcodoro, #7 Off the Wall and #10 Brian the Brave could also light up the tote board.

I will bet $200 on #1 Gold Schleiger and #8 Party Hard at 5/2 to 9/1. Additionally, I’ll put $200 on these three horses at 10/1 to 19/1 only: #6 Arcodoro, #7 Off the Wall, and #10 Brian the Brave.

If the public crushes the Todd Pletcher-trained #9 Iron Fortitude which allows #4 Zensational to be 5/2 or better, then I will play $200 on Zensational with the longer odds of #1 Gold Schleiger and #8 Party Hard that are still less than 10/1. However, the potential bets on the first timers will remain intact.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , . 1 Comment »

Results, Santa Anita Friday Race 8 — won $100

February 21, 2009 — maidenking

spare_changeThe good news is my horse won and paid $7.

The bad news is that I played so many horses that I only won $100.

I bet $300 to win on #4 Elusive Chief and got back $1,050 when he rallied better than #5 Stray Cat, as they both ran in lockstep to catch #3 I Am Madison’s near the finish. But I also put $200 on #12 The Emerald King at 7-to-1, $250 on #11 High and Mighty at 9-to-1 and $200 on 8-to-1 shot I Am Madison’s.

If only I left two of those losing horses out on the principle that you can’t bet more than two runners if one of them is less than 4-to-1. Then I would have at least won $500 and I could have put a decent photo with this story. Maybe a round roll of hundreds, or maybe 10 hundred dollar bills folded once and fastened with a shiny, gold money clip.

Instead, the only accurate illustration of the results of this race is a handful of spare change.

To watch a replay of this race, go to www.calracing.com.

PGM PP# NAME JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS FN
1 1 Big Water (CA) Scott J Pilmer T 101.20 9
2 2 Lago de Oro (FL) Baze T Scolamieri S 18.50 7
3 3 I Am Madison’s (CA) Garcia M Carava J 8.40 3
4 4 Elusive Chief (VA) Bejarano R Hess, Jr. R 2.50 1
5 5 Stray Cat (KY) Rosario J Headley B 2.80 2
6 6 Cut (KY) Linares M Stutts C 64.10 10
7 7 Sur Brio (CA) Delgadillo A Garcia V 39.00 5
8 8 Sky Ruler (CA) Sutherland C Knapp S 15.80 11
9 9 Golden Delight (CA) Talamo J Spawr W 22.40 12
10 10 Degreko (CA) Rios J Pender M 7.60 8
11 11 High and Mighty (KY) Stra K Cassidy J 9.10 6
12 12 The Emerald King (CA) Sorenson D Monteleone F 7.10 4
 
Pgm Win Place Show
4 $7.00 $3.40 $2.40
5 – $3.60 $3.00
3 – – $5.40
 
Exotic Payoffs
$1.00 Exacta paid $11.50 (4-5)
$1.00 Pick 3 paid $
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Results, Santa Anita Friday Race 1 — lost $150

February 21, 2009 — maidenking
Jockey Garrett Gomez went wire-to-wire on #9 Belongs to Gotham

Jockey Garrett Gomez wins again, but pays just $4.40

The betting public seemed to be only interested in two horses. They made both #6 One Vote and #9 Belongs to Gotham 6-to-5, while the only other horse less than 10-to-1 was #4 De Brief Me.

Belongs to Gotham sped to a quick lead and dueled with 96-to-1 shot #7 Rockin the City on the backstretch. The difference was that jockey Joy Scott was hustling Rockin the City, but Belongs to Gotham was running  without being asked. By the time they hit the top of the stretch, Rockin the City had enough, but One Vote was making a move on the leader.

It looked like a dramatic two-horse duel was materializing, but Gomez can really shake a horse up in the stretch and he was all over this one. Belongs to Gotham pulled away to win, minus any drama.

I planned to wager on One Vote, but not at less than 2/1 and another one I liked — #8 Jimmy Two Times — was scratched was scratched. Two others were out of my odds zone, so the only bet I made was $150 to win on #3 Panda at 15/1.

To watch a replay of this race, go to www.calracing.com.

PGM PP# NAME JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS FN
1 1 Today’s Gold (CA) Espinoza V Hess, Jr. R 12.20 6
3 2 Panda (CA) Blanc B Van Berg J 15.90 4
4 3 De Brief Me (CA) Talamo J O’Neill D 5.10 3
5 4 You’re No Good (CA) Russell C Shidaker D 90.30 7
6 5 One Vote (CA) Bejarano R Bell, II T 1.30 2
7 6 Rockin the City (CA) Scott J Byrd A 96.30 5
9 7 Belongs to Gotham (CA) Gomez G Kitchingman A 1.20 1
SCR – Wickdanwakyshapiro (CA) Williams D Davis, III J – –
SCR – Jimmy Two Times (CA) Smith M Spawr W – –
 
Pgm Win Place Show
9 $4.40 $2.60 $2.10
6 – $2.20 $2.10
4 – – $2.40
 
Exotic Payoffs
$1.00 Exacta paid $3.70 (9-6)
$1.00 Superfecta paid $29.60 (9-6-4-3)
$1.00 Trifecta paid $10.90 (9-6-4)
Posted in maiden claiming 2s & 3s. Tags: , , , , . Leave a Comment »
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