Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Brad Free handicaps the Sunday, February 15 racing card at Santa Anita, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 7.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Take Another Card (Seventh race)
Seventh Race
1. Take Another Card
2. Eiffel
3. Rosa Parks
Runner-up last out in a Cal-bred sprint stakes on this downhill turf course, TAKE ANOTHER CARD figures to win this N1X allowance. There is plenty of speed to flatter her rally. Late-runners from the back half of the field won four of the seven hillside sprints this meet (through Sunday). EIFFEL, also a late-runner, returns from a four-month break with a history of firing fresh. She is lightly raced (four starts), and her sixth-by-two-lengths effort in an age-restricted G3 on this hillside course compares favorably to her rivals. She will be rolling from behind. ROSA PARKS, maiden and Cal-bred allowance winner her last two starts, has been off nine months. The layoff is not an issue; her most recent win was first start following a layoff of nearly six months. ‘PARKS has more speed than the top two choices who will rally from the back of the bus. DARE TO FLY finished in the money at this level her last four starts, while front-runner NO CAP is all speed and clearly the one they have to catch.
Here are Brad’s thoughts on the other eight races on Sunday’s Santa Anita card.
First Race
1. Diaghilev
2. Work
3. Flamboyant
DIAGHILEV can upset this maiden turf sprint if he runs as well as he drilled on the training track last week. He was in company with well-bred maiden winner Medici, also trained by Richard Mandella, and drew off. Based on that drill, first-time gelding DIAGHILEV has improved since the ultimate equipment change. A sibling to graded winner Goliad, DIAGHILEV adds Lasix and can them down going six and one-half furlongs on the main turf oval. WORK is speed, stretching out a half-furlong following the best race of his career. Racing for the first time with Lasix, he finished fifth after dueling through a hot pace. The improving front-runner found his niche running short on grass. Come catch him. First-time starter FLAMBOYANT appears to have trained well. His dam produced one debut winner from three runners; trainer John Sadler won with five of his last 13 firsters in turf sprints. LUCK LUCKY cuts back to a sprint and adds Lasix for his second U.S. start. He might be listed too low. Trainer Phil D’Amato won with five of his last 10 turf-sprint maidens.
Second Race
1. Silent Way
2. The Last Straw
3. One More Time
Older maidens sprint six furlongs. SILENT WAY gets the call off his promising fourth-place debut three months ago. He was not quick, raced evenly, finished well and galloped out with run. His lack of speed and inside post are challenges in this small field, but he showed plenty of promise first time out and John Shirreffs-trained maidens typically improve with racing. Shirreffs is 5-for-12 with second-start dirt-sprint maidens the past five years. ‘WAY can win from the pace. (Shirreffs passed away Thursday, after this analysis was written.) THE LAST STRAW also is likely to improve off his decent third-place comeback. Sired by Into Mischief, he was produced by three-time G1 winner Bast. The outside post is an advantage this winter at Santa Anita in six-furlong sprints, regardless of field size. ONE MORE TIME and CALL ME CORY are second-time starters returning from extended layoffs. ‘TIME worked almost heads-up with G1 winner Nevada Beach on Feb. 1.
Third Race
1. With Love
2. Darlin Tami
3. Fancy Facts
WITH LOVE benefits from a cutback to a turf sprint after losing her punch late in her recent route races. The fastest in this $25k claiming N2L race based on speed figures, ‘LOVE was claimed last out by George Papaprodromou, who is 7-for-11 first off the claim since last summer. Late-running ‘LOVE can rally for the win. DARLIN TAMI, in the money all three turf sprints at Santa Anita, finished second last month at this level. She has a little more speed than the top choice. ‘TAMI should get the jump on her main rival. Class dropper FANCY FACTS is the speed of the field, first time in for a claim tag and breaking from the rail. They’ll have to catch her to beat her. CLOUDY WOMEN, runner-up on this turf course last fall vs. tougher, drops to her lowest level off a fifth-place comeback that was actually okay.
Fourth Race
1. Dirty Words
2. Joint Venture
3. Four O Six Creed
A highly rated N3L claiming win by DIRTY WORDS stamps the gelding as the choice in this $16k claiming starter. ‘WORDS won by nine lengths, earned a sky-high figure, and was claimed. New trainer Isidro Tamayo won with seven of his last 10 dirt-sprint favorites (combined stats California, Washington). ‘WORDS is simply the fastest in the field. JOINT VENTURE is a six-time winner who fits perfect on class and speed. The challenge is distance. ‘VENTURE is a two-turn specialist who finished off the board all three sprints. But a series of sharp works for his first start in three months suggests it is a “go” first start back, even at six furlongs. FOUR O SIX CREED is an off-the-pace threat, facing easier than last month when fourth of five. His two wins over the SA track in autumn make him an off-the-pace threat. ATOMIC DROP is an 11-win pro with speed.
Embed from Getty ImagesFifth Race
1. Hardtobebetternow
2. Rich Reward
3. Shapoval
Runner-up three previous turf routes, Cal-bred maiden HARDTOBEBETTERNOW is the unimaginative choice to win this Cal-bred maiden turf mile. The pace-pressing 4yo should get a forwardly placed trip just off the speed in a modest field. RICH REWARD stretches out and tries grass for the first time off an okay sprint comeback. His speed figures are higher than the top choice; he ran well his only previous dirt route. First-time turf creates uncertainty, however. His dam was 0-for-13 on turf; progeny of his sire Richard’s Kid have a higher win rate on dirt. Second preference, nonetheless. SHAPOVAL had a rocky trip finishing fourth last out in the same race as the top choice. An eight-start maiden, SHAPOVAL will get there one of these days. ZAGREUS is speed. He is a front-end contender even though he faltered late all five previous turf routes.
Sixth Race
1. Stars Hollow
2. Julia Street
3. Go Prancealot
STARS HOLLOW adds blinkers and drops from Cal-bred MSW to Cal-bred maiden-20 for a trainer who does well with the MSW-to-MCL move. Dan Blacker won with 5 of his last 8 such droppers. Not much here to beat. Other than the obvious favorite, this race is soft. First-time starter JULIA STREET appears to have trained well enough at San Luis Rey Downs to suggest she can fire first out. GO PRANCEALOT was overmatched in a Cal-bred MSW; she split the field two previous starts at this low level. The truth is, if the favorite misses, anything goes.
Eighth Race
1. Pilot Commander
2. Man O Rose
3. Madaket Road
PILOT COMMANDER, graded stakes winner who finished second in a highly rated comeback, is the one to beat in this non-graded sprint stakes. He won the G3 San Carlos here last spring, then was off nine months. His runner-up comeback was terrific. He set the pace, battled back, and finished four clear of third. The challenge here is he is stuck between two others with speed. If he somehow avoids being sandwiched in a pace battle, he can win an up-front trip. He has never run a bad race, one-two in seven of eight starts, plus a fourth-place finish in the G1 Malibu in 2024. In terms of consistency, few match Cal-bred MAN O ROSE. An 11-time winner from 18 starts, including five Cal-bred stakes wins, this is his first start in a graded race and it comes on the heels of a runaway in a state-bred stakes. The rail post is a hurdle for a veteran who prefers running outside, and he faces a difficult pace scenario buried on the rail inside others with speed, but he will be rolling early while seeking his fifth straight win. Emisael Jaramillo takes over for jockey Edwin Maldonado, who rides Sunday at Sunland Park. MADAKET ROAD, multiple graded stakes placed, scratched from the G1 Pegasus with a reported foot abscess, and has only one recorded workout since last month. But this race could unfold perfectly for the pace-presser whose outside post gives him the option of dropping in right behind the abundant speed. MODUS BESTIA is speed, breaking from post 3. He will keep the pace honest.
Ninth Race
1. On the Whim
2. Captain Choochies
3. Zalamo
Comeback stakes winner ON THE WHIM and streaking CAPTAIN CHOOCHIES top this N1X turf mile. The call is ‘WHIM, who returns from an extended layoff with a solid workout pattern, an inside post, and an advantageous pace scenario. The front-runners in posts 8 and 10 figure to ensure honest fractions; ‘WHIM can tuck right behind and pounce late. CAPTAIN CHOOCHIES won his fourth straight last out, wiring a $50k claiming mile. He is drawn in post 8, and could get pressure from his pace rival in post 10. ZALAMO will rally late as one of three Leonard Powell trainees in the field, along with UNCLE HAPPY and BALDORO. KOKOSAN is the aforementioned front-runner in post 10.
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