Racing At Santa Anita With Marc Doche: The Kalookan Queen
A Friday afternoon of racing at Santa Anita brings us stakes action early in the card, with five older females sprinting six and a half furlongs on the main track in the $75,000 Kalookan Queen Handicap.
Trainer Patrick Gallagher runs the longest shot on the morning line with Distinctive at 8-to-1. She gets in as the light weight with 115 pounds, and ran well against straight three-year-olds in graded stakes competition in Europe last year.
In her last start, she closed nicely to finish third on the Cushion track at Hollywood Park in her first career start not on turf.
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“She’s trained well over this dirt surface, but we want to see how she runs on it. It’s a little different in the afternoons,” said Gallagher, who officially became her trainer after her first start in the U.S. in the Del Mar Oaks last summer.
“Her owners sent her over with the intentions of keeping her here. Whether it was synthetic or dirt, they just wanted to give her another option.”
The morning line favorite at 2-to-1 is Quisisana, looking for her fourth consecutive victory.
Bob Baffert sends a pair in the short field with Mother Ruth, listed at 5-to-2 and potentially the lone early speed, and 4-to-1 shot Gilded Gem, who beat Distinctive in her last start.
Today’s challenging late pick 4 sequence marks the end of the $1 minimum bet, as tomorrow sees the Fity Cent option back on the wagering menu.
We’re off to the races!
Best Bet of the Day
Race 2 - #6 Alpine Yodel (2/1 ML) - This six-year-old mare drops significantly and moves back to dirt, where she has five wins and a second in six starts. She can get a nice trip on the front end either stalking the pace or on her own.
Late Pick 4
Leg 1 - Race 5 (1, 5, 7, 8) - Older females go a mile on the lawn for a $50,000 tag and we’ll use four of them.
No. 1 Startjumpin Marnie beat lesser handily in her last start across town and keeps the services of high riding Joel Rosario off a string of four solid works. She’s won six of 14 lifetime starts.
No. 5 Van Brit ran nicely in her first start in five months last time, and now moves back to her preferred turf course where she’s won four of six. She’s won second time off a layoff twice, and has been facing better.
No. 7 Lady Alex is a perfect 2-for-2 over Santa Anita’s lawn, and on her day, is capable of firing a big shot.
No. 8 Rule the Storm has won four of five, going a mile on turf and 10-of-27 lifetime. She is a logical contender off a short break following a disappointing try over wet going on the main track at Hollywood.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (3,4,7,14) – Maiden California-bred allowance fillies sprint six furlongs on the main track in this wide-open betting affair. All four horses we use are lightly raced, but do have experience and have shown they can be forwardly placed early.
Leg 3 - Race 7 (2,5) – Another mile event on the turf, this time for older males in $100,000 optional claiming company.
No. 5 Blue Chagall has found success when not thrown to the wolves in graded stakes company, and looks better than ever in the a.m.
No. 2 Unbridle’s Dream is dangerous on the front end if he goes unchallenged for trainer Steve Asmussen, who won his only race of the meet in similar fashion with Silver Medallion.
Leg 4 - Race 8 (3,7) - A full field of twelve three-year-old California-bred maidens sprint six furlongs for a $40,000 tag to wrap things up.
No. 7 Merlin Z drops from allowance company, has early speed, and has trained nicely over this dirt in the a.m.
No. 3 Klassy Saint debuts with a spotty work tab, but looked good in his only work over this track.
Recap - (1,5,7,8) w (3,4,7,14) w (2,5) w (3,7)—Total cost of ticket = $64
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Good luck!
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