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NTRA Race Analysis of the Month |
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Santa Anita Park
$1,000,000 Purse
1-1/4 miles on the Main Track
Four-Year-Olds & Up
Saturday, Mar. 1, 2008
UNQUESTIONABLY INTRIGUING BIG 'CAP PROVIDES PLENTY OF QUESTIONS
By Donald Harris, private clocker for Morning Works and The Winner's Card, Santa Anita edition.
OVERVIEW
This year's Santa Anita Handicap is an early Christmas gift for the horseplayer. A monster field of 14 takes center stage in a race that has Breeders' Cup-quality components: Full field and Grade 1 winners. There is an array of handicapping angles that we must consider. None more important than the introduction of a brand-new racing surface to the entire field. Will this new surface act as kryptonite on the suddenly powerful two-turn speed demon Monterey Jazz? Will Big Booster, Awesome Gem and Student Council take the necessary progressive steps off of their respective comeback races? Will the impressive San Marcos winner Champs Elysees transfer his turf form to the quasi-Cushion? These questions along with many others weigh heavily on the mind of every player.
Check out Donald Harris and Toby Turrell's daily analysis exclusively in The Winner's Card, Santa Anita Edition -- offered only at Horseplayerdaily.com. Each day, just $5 gets you get race-by-race selections, a pick 4 strategy, key workout notes, and bonus selections for the entire northern California program as well!
THE CONTENDERS
#6 MONTERREY JAZZ
This guy has transformed himself into a two-turn beast in a very short time. His last win was devastating. There is not a horse in this field who can run, or would want to run, with this guy early. His morning activity can be most-aptly described as "powerful aggression." He thunders around in his morning gallops like a horse at the absolute peak of his game. He has two simple questions to answer: Can he handle the extra furlong? Will he handle the new racing surface? I say "yes" to both.
#11 STUDENT COUNCIL
Cerin runner burst onto the scene at Del Mar when winning the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 23-to-1. He showed everybody that the win was no fluke when he came right back and won the Hawthorne Gold Cup a month later. His trip to Japan did not go as planned, so Cerin went back to the drawing board and gave this guy a much-deserved rest. The San Antonio served as a perfect prep. He made a really nice move entering the turn before flattening out like a horse short on fitness. With that race under his belt and a couple more works in the holster, he should be set for his best.
#5 AWESOME GEM
This guy outran expectations (my own) in his San Antonio comeback race. There is no way he was 100% cranked for his best stuff off the layoff. He had trained like a horse that was going to need a race, which is why I was surprised he came so close to winning. Much like Student Council, I strongly believe this gelding was "given" a race. In his last drill, he was given a target to run after and he handled his task in a professional manner. He has already proven to be a consistent fit against top-quality competition. Deserving of the attention.
#1 CHAMPS ELYSEES
Super-talented Frankel trainee is working great. He could possibly go off at an inflated number because of questions about the surface change from turf-to-synthetic. All 13 of his starts have come on the green. The way he performs in the mornings over the Hollywood Cushion leads me to the conclusion he will have no problem with the change in racing surface. Elysees is a big, good-looking horse who has the ability to win this race.
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VALUE PLAYS
#3 BIG BOOSTER
Dead closer had no chance in the San Antonio. The track was not favoring horses with his style. Add to that the winner of the race enjoyed a comfortable trip on the front end all by his lonesome, and we have a race that did not unfold in an ideal manner for Booster. He could be the biggest beneficiary of this new racing surface, which is less speed-favoring. He is a must-use in all exotics.
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Mar/Apr 2008 features
PLAYING FROM HOME / VEGAS TOURNEY IN-DEPTH RECAPS
First Wager:
$20 exacta part-wheel #6 MONTERREY JAZZ over #11 STUDENT COUNCIL, #5 AWESOME GEM and #3 BIG BOOSTER ($60)
Second Wager:
$1 trifecta box #6 MONTERREY JAZZ, #11 STUDENT COUNCIL, #5 AWESOME GEM and #3 BIG BOOSTER ($24)
Third Wager:
$1 trifecta box #6 MONTERREY JAZZ, #1 CHAMPS ELYSEES, #5 AWESOME GEM and #3 BIG BOOSTER ($24)
Don't forget you can purchase great handicapping products every raceday for California, Louisiana and now Florida racing! The Winner's Card, an on-track staple in California for two decades has gone national and is available online only at HorsePlayerdaily.com. Purchase selections and analysis for Gulfstream Park, Fair Grounds, Oaklawn and Santa Anita/Golden Gate. Plus: The Morning Works, powered by Toby Turrell and The HorsePlayer Magazine gives you the a.m. low-down on nearly every horse observed on today's cards at Santa Anita and Fair Grounds!
Morning Works-Fair Grounds
Morning Works-Santa Anita
The Winner's Card-Santa Anita
The Winner's Card-Gulfstream
The Winner's Card-Fair Grounds
The Winner's Card-Oaklawn