OPENING DAY SANTA ANITA – EARLY PICK 5 – $12,996
Chris Cupples
What a great Opening day at The Great Race Place, with the exception of a couple races I thought was one of the better cards at Santa Anita this year excluding Breeders Cup. I myself had a big day starting off with the Early Pick 5 which I will cover here and then capped it off with a 9th place finish in the opening day contest and locking in my first trip to the NHC. This article is also another first for me as I have never written any sort of handicapping article of any type, so when The Daily Gallop reached out to me, I was a little hesitant but will give it a shot.
I thought the first part of the card had some opportunity for chaos so I actually had 2 early P5 tickets and was open to expanding the budget a bit
Race 1 – $5 Winner – With the presence of Garth/Baffert would take money juicing up the P5 a bit. Originally I wanted to Single the eventual Winner #5 Devil Made Me Doit – Fastest at the Entire OBS June Sale, debut worked 36.1, solid works since, and O’Neil last 5 years First Time Starters MSW Dirt Sprints 16%. I also Included #4, Sadler 26% Winner at Cond solid Works and working at Los Al could not get a visual or much information on him.
Race 2 – $9 Winner – Another race where I originally wanted to Single #1 Keeper Of the Stars who I thought was clear cut Favorite. Her 1M turf Races by far the fastest and classiest of the Group. But I had to include the eventual winner #2 Brill she was making her Turf Debut w/ the Pedigree to like the grass. After experimenting with Blinkers in her last they were removed for this race and her last work, she worked in hand with Instagrand holding her her own.
Race 3 – $110.80 – Of course this was the money leg that made it pay. My ticket included #5 Rickie Nine Toes who I thought would be a lean for several in the Multi’s and it was everything he had to get 5 ½ in his debut and his works were not much to look at it. I did single him on my other ticket just get coverage in race #4 on my other ticket in case my opinions where wrong. #6 Golden Melodie a Recent Class Dropper who has showed speed in prior races and took blinkers off for this one, maybe would wake up. #8 WINNER Cowboys Daughter, So why did I include 20-1 ML – 1st Time Starter, I had real doubts about ability of this group to get 6F and these were MD CLAIMERS, Trainer in the last 5 years has had 2 starters Dirt Sprinting Debuting for a tag = 1 for 2 winner came less than a month ago at Los Al. Decent works in comparison to this group. Also Included #9 It’s a Riddle who I thought could be loose on the lead from outside post or at least get first run on a struggling group trying to get to the wire.
Race 4 – $19.40 – I used 3 Horses here that i felt all would be double Digits and the winner was almost double Digits – #3 Winner – Turn The Switch – 2nd St as Gelding, He came out the same Nov 23rd Race as several in here. The Nov 23rd race , The Fav #1 had a Good stalking trip then tipped out off the turn and lost by a nose w/No Excuse that day, Camps Bay who took money had a perf trip saving a ground to finish 3rd. While Turn The Switch who making his 2nd Start that day made a midturn move ran up to traffic had to sit and wait lost his momentum – Then off turn split horses and was slwly gaining down stretch, then went by everyone in the Gallop out – I also used the #6 Who I completely wrong about Blinkers were took off 3B and he had produced his best 3 races since and his last was basically a workout where the entire stretch he had no room and just galloped down the stretch. And lastly included #11 who all his Turf Route races fit with these and his last he made up ground while extremely wide while getting a very weak effort from his pilot down lane who gave up on him.
Race 5 – $4.40 Unfortunately for me Gift Box wins here but King Abner made it exciting for me pressing Gift Box around with a will pay of 6 figures!! I know #2 Gift Box obvious Fav but a horse that has made an average of 4 starts a year the past 3 years is very rarely going to be a single for me. My top pick was #3 King Abner who I thought could get the lead and I would have loved to see what would have happened if he would had headed Gift Box midturn but he did not lol. I also included Gray Magician who has ran very well since the first Sat in May but was facing older here for the first time. Draft Pick who has talent just never been able to put it together and for obvious reasons Midcourt was on my ticket.