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Morning work at Santa Anita (c) Stefano Grasso - www.stefanograsso.it
Welcome to Globeform's Santa Anita Section 2007, with coverage of the winter / spring meeting at the California venue. We also offer a Gulfstream Park Special.
Please note that all triple crown trail races will be posted in our seperate US Triple Crown section, also those staged at Gulfstream and Santa Anita.
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| Kilroe Mile: Parade stretching out |
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Santa Anita 3 Mar: Fast Parade was visually most impressive last time out, when taking the Impressive Luck over 6.5 furlongs. Winning hard held, he produced his lifetime best Globeform rating that day. We know he likes Santa Anita, and we know he is in top shape, but can this sprinter stretch out in distance, and prove equally effective in the Kilroe Mile (G1)?
This Grade One has drawn a competitive field, and Fast Parade is the only one not proven over the distance. He meets last year’s winner Milk It Mick, he meets last year’s Arcadia Handicap (G2) winner Silent Name, he meets the improving Sir Beaufort (G3) winner Kip Deville, he meets the ex-Europeans Charmo - who has won three times over this course - Three Valleys - a good third in the Citation (G1) – and Bayeux - an unlucky second in the Thunder Road last time out. Does Fast Parade have to stay the mile to have a chance?
Yes he does!
Read more...
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| The Big ’Cap: Lava Man set to win again? |
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Santa Anita 3 March: He will run. Last year’s winner, California’s undisputed king Lava Man goes for back-to-back wins in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). Trainer Doug O’Neill has been lobbying for a lenient weight this past week and, when he was assigned 124 pounds, O’Neill said ”it’s a fair weight”. Yes it is.
If there is an improver among his opponents, it is likely to be one of the 4-year-olds coming out of the Strub series. But they have not looked top class, and Lava Man will be a deserving favorite and hard to beat. Only two horses have won two Big ’Caps on the trot, the unforgettable John Henry in 1981-82 and the somewhat forgettable Milwaukee Brew in 2002-03.
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| The Strub: A wide open affair |
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Santa Anita 3 February: The Strub Stakes (G2) is a wide, wide open contest. The first four from the San Fernando Stakes (G2) meet again, as the distance is now 9 furlongs, half a furlong further than when Awesome Gem got up to deny Midnight Lute last month. Brother Derek was a good third that day, with Arson Squad back to form in fourth and Spring at Last well below his best in sixth.
This is a tricky race. The distance will probably be a crucial factor, but also the pace scenario. Will we get a strongly-run affair, to set it up for the closing Awesome Gem again? Or will this pan out just perfectly for the front running Brother Derek, who won the Santa Anita Derby (G1) over course and distance last year?
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