Santa Anita Notebook

SANTA ANITA NOTEBOOK

OCTOBER 4, 2006

by John Mucciolo

This past Wednesday, the Oak Tree Racing Association ushered in the opening

of the premiere meet of the Southern California racing season when Santa Anita

opened its doors for live racing. The classy venue will host races for

approximately five weeks, with 26 racing days headlined by 28 stakes races, 13

of which are graded. The "Great Race Place" certainly kicked off the opening

weekend with a bang, carding a handful of graded stakes including a trio of

Grade 1 events which we'll shed some light upon.

Yellow Ribbon H. (G1): Arindel Farm's WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon)

confirmed her superstar status with a convincing win in the prestigious 1 1/4-mile

turf event for trainer Todd Pletcher. A field of eight lined up, but it was

apparent turning for home that it was a one horse affair as the supreme

three-year-old cruised under Garrett Gomez. Wait A While stopped the timer in

1:59 2/5, good enough to earn a 103 BRIS Speed figure, and the Yellow Ribbon should set her up

nicely for a try in the always competitive Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf

(G1) on November 4.

Clement L. Hirsch H. (G1): Ralph and Aury Todd's THE TIN MAN

(Affirmed) continues to ignore father time and maintain his peak form,

evidenced by a fairly easy tally in the 10-furlong turf fray for Richard Mandella. Gaining his customary lead position soon after the start, the

eight-year-old wonder held off a pair of stern challenges with relative ease

under Victor Espinoza. It would be easy to argue the case that he is the top turf stayer in the United States, and

The Tin Man should be a big factor at

Churchill for the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). Isn't it easy to root for underdogs

like this?

Oak Leaf S. (G1): Point Ashley (Point Given) came in with the hype,

but CASH INCLUDED (Include) left with the cash as she made easy work of an

11-horse contingent in this major West Coast prep for the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Privately purchased by J. P. Reddam following

her maiden tally, the bay raced close early and had plenty left for the drive,

as Corey Nakatani mildly urged the Craig Dollase trainee clear by 4 3/4 lengths at

the wire. In my estimation, this lightly raced lass has a very bright future,

and that future may come in the Breeders' Cup in her second try around two

turns. The miss ran her last three-sixteenths of a mile in a swift :31 4/5, a

strong time for her division, and didn't appear to be tiring.

Fully expect all three of these outstanding individuals to make some noise

beneath the famed Twin Spires on Breeders' Cup Day.

TRACK STATS

From a total of 44 races held over the Santa Anita racetrack, favorites won

at a 40 percent clip, and the top two betting choices combined for 66 percent of the wins in

Week 1. From 29 frays contested on the main oval, 41 percent of all winners won in

wire-to-wire fashion, while 20 percent of all 15 grass tussles were taken all the way

on the lead. Horses on or near the lead won the majority of races on the dirt,

but it wasn't totally unfair as good animals were able to make up ground if

given the chance. The turf course looks to be in immaculate shape and played as

fair as I could tell from such small sample of races.

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (9/27)

2ND -- LIQUIDITY (Tiznow) dueled on the front, was headed on the turn and

fought back gamely to break his maiden by 1 1/4 lengths in his debut. The freshman

colt, who was a $240,000 Barretts March Two-Year-Old in Training purchase,

finished six furlongs in 1:09 1/5 and earned a solid 93 BRIS Speed figure.

Trainer Doug O'Neill knows what to do with talent.

8TH -- The amazing CAMBIOCORSA (Avenue of flags) moved her mark to an

incredible eight-for-eight when traveling about 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf

course at Santa Anita. Also conditioned by O'Neill, the four-year-old filly

always looked like the winner throughout the race and didn't disappoint,

cruising home in the Senator Ken Maddy H. (G3) in a wicked 1:12!

Thursday (9/28)

2ND -- Quick two-year-old PRIME RULER (Orientate) made quick work of this

bunch at short odds for Chris Paasch, and the colt is likely to return to stakes

company in his next outing. The final time for six furlongs was an average 1:10 1/5,

but it was the facile manner in which the bay did it in that impressed. A

moderate 87 BRIS Speed figure was garnered by the $200,000 two-year-old

purchase, which should yield a good price on this one next out.

Friday (9/29)

3RD -- AWESOME GEM (Awesome Again) appears to be reaching his peak form after

this excellent maiden tally for Craig Dollase. The gelded sophomore endured the

perfect trip right behind the top dueling pair, and closed strongly to earn a

final time of 1:42 2/5 for the 1 1/16 miles event, good for a career best 99 BRIS Speed number. The Kentucky bred should appreciate the stretch out in

distance and could be one to watch as a four-year-old.

7TH -- Running second off the claim for expert conditioner Art Sherman, RUN

FOR DESSERT (Belong to Me) flew past her competition late to take this allowance

tilt going away. Although the mare defeated younger rivals who set a nice pace

for her to run at, I fully believe that this one has enough back class and

current form to be stepping up to black-type racing before long. The

final time of 1:09 1/5 got the miss a 97 BRIS Speed rating.

Saturday (9/30)

4TH -- Wait a While has shipped to the West Coast twice in the matter of

months, and has made short work of Grade 1 fields in the Golden State. The Pletcher charge is simply too good, and she could easily win the Filly

and Mare Turf with any sort of sensible trip. Credit her trainer for telling the

media prior to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Ashland S. (G1) that he still thought

she was better on turf.

9TH -- Cash Included really impressed us with her win in which she

earned a career best 100 BRIS Speed figure and 97 Late Pace number. I personally

feel that this division has been weak on the East Coast this year, and that Cash

Included must be the current favorite for the Juvenile Fillies, until someone

steps up to argue that point. With a pedigree that doesn't shout "two-year-old,"

it's quite likely we haven't seen the best of her yet, either.

Sunday (10/1)

7TH -- The final time wasn't much, but the way the Bruce Headley-trained

BENEATH THE RADAR (Untuttable) inhaled the field going last-to-first in the

stretch here was very visually impressive. The gelding has been somewhat

inconsistent thus far, but may be putting all the pieces together for the Headley

camp. For the final five-sixteenths of a mile, the four-year-old ran in the

ballpark of :31, that's fast!

A LOOK AHEAD

Another great weekend is planned by the Oak Tree Racing Association, as a

trio of graded stakes races will take place. Led by the remarkable ARAGORN

(Ire) (Giant's Causeway), Saturday's $250,00 Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile S. (G2)

should shed some distinct light on Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill on November 4. A win here by the surging colt, which is fully expected, would

surely mean that he'll be made the favorite in the following one for Neil Drysdale.

Also on Saturday, the exciting an virtually unbeatable West Coast star LAVA

MAN (Slew City Slew) is likely for the $500,000 Goodwood Breeders' Cup H. (G2) on the main

surface. Kentucky Derby winner GIACOMO (Holy Bull) is expected to be one of the

challengers for the lucrative race. The $250,000 Ancient Title Breeders' Cup S.

(G1) over six furlongs has been a key Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) prep in the

past, and this year should be no different.