Weekend Winners Club

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June 6, 2020.  Santa Anita is finally holding their Derby and Oaks two months late this year, as well as the Hollywood Gold Cup and a few other stakes races included turf runs for 3yo’s.  Yes, the short fields are back in business at SA, with the average stakes field size 6 and the smallest field: 4 fillies in the Oaks. Jackpot Pick 6 carryover is $613k.

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So why are we getting so excited? Because it’s the SA Derby for crying out loud.  It may be only a field of 7, but they’re 7 of the best 3yo steeds you can find, including the maiden and the other 2 who haven’t run in a stakes race yet.  Get the Grid on the free link here to follow along. Scratches done.

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Who’s supposed to win? That’s a silly question.  It’s Santa Anita so Baffert is supposed to win.  Authentic is the favorite and Bob will try to prove he’s the real deal by going gate to wire in a 3^rd straight graded stakes race.  He’ll probably add a little juice to ensure a comfortable ride, you know, people.

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The next most likely contender is the 2^nd favorite Honor AP with top LP, who last out ran around the track trying to catch Authentic and got 2^nd in the San Felipe.  But they will both have to contend with a new sheriff in town, or at least one who’s gunning for the job, Shooters Shoot trained by Eurton.

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Shooters Shoot took 5 times to break his maiden but kept improving, and the 4^th try out lost only to Charlatan.  Since then he’s won both, including setting some serious fractions at Oaklawn to hold off the talented Blackberry Wine.  This E8 who has top EP is especially troublesome for Authentic, who has had it easily his own way up front in all 3 career races.

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Mostly all the others will hope for this scenario so they can hang behind the pace and wait for it to collapse.  Anneau D’or will again try to regain last year’s form, when he finished 2^nd in the BC Juvenile G1 here at Santa Anita, and again narrowly missed in the Los Al Futurity G2.  It appears California might be the best spot for him.

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Rushie is a early pace presser who is usually in good striking position, but the newcomer I like the best is Friar’s Road, the maiden who finished 2^nd to Shooters Shoot when he broke thru.  Friar’s Road continued to rapidly improve last out, losing by 1 while delivering a great late run at 9f for Mike McCarthy.

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Santa Anita Predicted order of finish with morning lines:

Authentic 4-5

Honor AP 9-5

Friar’s Road 20-1               *LSS alert.

Shooters Shoot 8-1

Anneau D’or 15-1

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In the SA Oaks, the short field will also have to contend with Baffert, who in this one has the longest priced filly and looks like doesn’t have a good chance to win.  The top filly is Swiss Skydiver at 6-5 who has rattled off 2 straight graded wins. Speech has also put up some good numbers including a 2^nd G3 finish. 

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In the Hollywood Gold Cup G1, the field of 6 there are 3 virtual co favorites, including yes Baffert’s Improbable, 5^th in last year’s Kentucky Derby and 5^th in the BC Dirt Mile.  Last out he was a strong 2^nd in the ungraded Oaklawn Mile.

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Sadler’s Higher Power was 5^th in this one last year before putting it all together for a win in the Pacific Classic G1 and then 3^rd in the BC Classic.  This year he opened with a dismal outing in the Pegasus World Cup G1 finishing last in January. 

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The third co favorite is speedster Midcourt, who is running a strong campaign this year, winning the San Pasqual G2 and 3^rd in the Big Cap G1 in March.  He will have company on the front end by Brown Storm, but passed him last out. He has been training in Socal since then for John Shirreffs. . 

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Tenfold has some class and finished 6^th in the Pegasus this year, following that up with 4^th in the New Orleans G2.  Steve Asmussen is again hoping for heated pace to run for this late runner, but looks like once again he won’t get it.

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The wild card in this contest is Parsimony, who trained well here last year breaking maiden at 6f before shipping to Meydan where he finished 4^th and 1^st in two 10f stakes races.  Doug O’neill will see how he stacks up against Grade 1 company in the US. 

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Predicted finish: 

Midcourt 2-1

Higher Power 9-5

Improbable 2-1

Tenfold 6-1.

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R1 3:30ET 8f T FrnsValtnB100k 3 UP FM :  6 5 1 3 2           LSS 3

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R2 4:01ET 5f D MSW 2 YO  50000:  4 6 2 3

R3 4:31ET 6.5f D OClm 40000n1x 3 UP:  4 1 5 2

R4 5:01ET 5.5f T DesertCdeB75k 3 YO:  6 2 3 4

R5 5:32ET 8.5f D SAOaks-G2 3 YO F: 1 3 2

R6 6:03ET 6.5f D MSW 3 UP  5000:  1 2 4 5           LSS 3

R7 6:34ET 8f T CrystlWtrB100k 3 UP:  6 7 5 3 8     LSS 8

R8 7:09ET 9f D SADerby-G1 3 YO:   7 6 1 4 3        LSS 1 4 3

R9 7:42ET 9f T CinemaB150k 3 YO:  7 1 3 6 lss 4

R10 8:12ET 10f D GoldCup-G1 3 UP :  2 3 5 6

R11 8:42ET 6.5f D OClm 20000n1x 3 UP FM:  6 3 7 4 9      LSS 2

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As usual, to get the Grid for all the major tracks and races including Belmont, Churchill, Gulfstream, Golden Gate, Tampa, etc, click here.

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