It was another great week of horse racing from Santa Anita. Those that joined me here on Sunday saw the IC system select the winning combination in the late Pick 4. If you notice under the posts, there is a comments link that enables one to follow along as each race unfolds. I've decided that I will use that comments section to recap the activity, and use these posts to lay out the strategy, and to give insight prior to the races beginning. I think that format will work quite well, as it gives you a chance to see the selections, then look back and see the results. I will then post a weekly recap with highlights from all the great stakes action, as well as the IC highlights.
Day 7 of the current meet was on Thursday of last week. In the first race there was a unique opportunity as my favorite trainer, Bob Baffert, had a runner in the first named Sir Allison. He was IC1 at odds of 1-1. We love it when Mr. Baffert has a runner who is IC1, as they win quite often. The second race was a bit more wide open, and any one of our 4 top IC selections had a chance. Well, IC2 won the race at juicy odds of 9-1, and a modest $8 investment returned $45.80, or 5-1 on the investment. It was a great way to start the week.
On Friday there were 2 IC1 winners at odds over 5-1. In the fourth race, Coparcenary, won at odds of 8-1 and paid $19.80 to win. Then in race 6, Linda Lou, trained by hall of famer Richard Mandella and ridden by one of our favorite jockeys, Joel Rosario, won at odds of 5-1 and paid $12.20 to win.
Saturday had 2 graded stakes highlighting the action. The third race was the grade 3 Sham Stakes, which was won by an unproven long shot, a strapping, 3 year old colt named Out of Bounds. He is trained by Eoin Harty and was ridden by Garrett Gomez, who continued his hot hand in the big money races. I posted on January 2nd, 2012 that Mr. Gomez seems poised for a great meet. Now it seems he may have the ride on the early favorite in the grade 1 Santa Anita Derby later this year. Previously undefeated, Secret Circle, trained by Mr. Baffert ran a very game 2nd and only lost in the last few strides over the mile distance. The time was a blistering 1:34.2 over the Santa Anita Dirt.
The second graded stakes on Saturday was the grade 2 San Pasqual. The race was won by IC3, Uh Oh Bango at 7-1, which was key as the IC's swept the late pick 4 on Saturday and returned $198.65. The sequence was as follows: IC1, IC3, IC3, IC1. This was then repeated on Sunday as the late Pick 4 sequence, as previously posted on Sunday, was as follows: IC2, IC2, IC1, IC1. This one returned $144.80, capping a great week for the IC selections.
The feature race on Sunday was the grade 3 Daytona stakes, which saw an unbelievable performance by DailyDub's favorite horse in training, Caracortado. Under the steady ride of Rafael Bejarano, IC1 Caracortado which in spanish is translated to Scarface, (you gotta love that name) stormed down the stretch to win going away in a lightning fast 1:11.2 over the downhill Santa Anita Turf course. Even though a couple of late scratches softened the field, it was a visually impressive race for the Michael Machowsky trained runner, as he beat the speedy Mr. Gruff and the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint champion from last year, Regally Ready. We may have seen a preview for this years Breeders Cup Turf Sprint race, and if it was any indication of things to come, you may want to: Say hello to my little friend, Scarface~!
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