The Las Virgenes Grade 2
- Go Big Blue Nation- Bejarano/McCarthy
- Go Big Blue Nation draws the inside post going 1 Mile in this small field for a Grade 2 which seems to be the normal field size for almost any dirt race these days at Santa Anita. His beyers aren’t all that special but the par for this field is actually very confusingly low for a Grade 2. She is coming into this race off of a Maiden victory going this distance but on Turf and that was for a 75K tag. She was claimed Jeff Bonde and now is coming into this race for the first time with McCarthy. Her dirt form is very lackluster and for a Grade 2 race she seems to just not fit. However if you look at her worktab since going to the new barn and also the first off the claim going from maiden 75K to a Grade 2 all seem to be in the positive for me, and if the barn switch works then maybe she can cause an upset but I still am doubtful.
- Gingham- Van Dyke/Baffert
- The first of 2 Baffert entries is the #2 Gingham. Van Dyke rode this horse in her debut in which she has a late bid for 2nd debuting at a mile. After multiple jockeys aboard, Van Dyke came back to ride her to the winners circle last time out in an OC 80K in which she was game down the stretch and held on to win as the favorite. Since that race she has worked lights out with back to back Bullets works going 5F with the most recent one being slightly faster. She seems to need to sit off the pace and with the horses outside of her most likely sending, she should be able to sit close enough and maybe work out a rail trip. I like her today.
- Cholula Lips- Cedillo/Harrington
- Cholula Lips should take some money as she is the Co- 2nd ML choice at 5/1. She is coming out of a ton restricted state bred filly stakes races at SA, LRC, and DMR. Her beyers are consistently in the low 60s and high 50s which is slightly below par for this field. Abel Cedillo picks up the mount for the first time as Baze is in Oaklawn and Bejarano took the #1. She seems to be the logical alternative for the 4 horse which is the 2-5 ML favorite. I think however she needs to be close to the lead and she might have to sit off slightly more than she wants.
- Venetian Harbor- Prat/Batlas
- The heavy ML favorite is Venetian Harbor for Prat and Batlas. She just broke her maiden in a MSW which was also her first dirt race but it was a sprint and this will be her first time stretching out. She earned a 94 beyer in that start which is like 20-25 more than the average of the other entrants. She could bounce stretching out and she also won in hand by 10 in that dirt debut. Prat gets the mount back which could help, and she should be sitting 2nd on the back stretch. I will not be playing her at the price but in horizontals I will obviously use her but will also try to beat her. Logical winner but at the end of the day after performances like her most recent, she is liable to bounce.
- Stellar Sound- Smith/Baffert
- The other remaining Baffert entrant is Stellar Sound. Stellar Sound gets Hall of Famer and Bob Baffert buddy Mike Smith. Mike smith gave this horse her worst trip and finish to date which is a concern of mine. She should be sent early however and should get the lead. I think she is more of a sprinter though and that worries me so I will be looking elsewhere.
#2 Gingham
#4 Venetian Harbor
#1 Go Big Blue Nation