ARCADIA, Calif. -- Turf racing is an important part of Southern California racing. Given the weather year-round on the circuit, SoCal is able to offer much more turf racing than other parts of the country, especially those that deal with freezing temperatures. Enter dirt-only racing at Aqueduct on Long Island, synthetic racing in Kentucky at Turfway Park, and dirt-only at Oaklawn.
California is a nice break from the single surface tracks.
Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Ana is a turf race over a mile-and-a-quarter for older female horses. It features several stakes winners in the starting gate, and at least a few spoilers looking to score a graded stakes win.
Let’s meet the field, and put together a wager. When you wager in California, we encourage you to check out our friends at AmWager! They feature all SoCal tracks, and have a 100% deposit match for new customers - up to $150. Get in with them today!
Santa Anita Park. Race 8. Grade 3 Santa Ana. 1 ¼ miles, turf. F&M 4+up. $100,000.
1. Lady Claypoole. 20/1. Jockey: Tiago Pereira. Trainer: Richard Baltas.
Lady Claypoole is trying stakes company for the first time, and there’s no question trainer Richard Baltas has her ready. There may be more talented runners in the field, but none are in the quality of form she is. Lady Claypoole has won her last two races, and finished within a length of the winner in her two previous runs, as well. Her last three runs - two wins and a second by a nose - have all come over the Santa Anita turf course. The 20/1 number on the morning line reflects the company she’s been running against more than anything. While I don’t have her winning, I think she’s a major threat to hit the board.
Comment: include in exactas and trifectas.
2. Mahina. 8/1. Jockey: Hector Berrios. Trainer: Patrick Gallagher.
Mahina has tried stakes company in three consecutive races, never finishing worse than 4th, and running a good 2nd behind Mrs. Astor in the most recent pair. She’s never tried this distance, but her breeding (Bolt D’Oro, out of a Malibu Moon mare) suggests she’s more than capable. Mahina loves Santa Anita, finishing in the top three in 9 races from 10 starts. If you want a longshot play, she’s almost certainly it.
Comment: top longshot contender.
3. Mrs. Astor. 5/2. Jockey: Umberto Rispoli. Trainer: Jonathan Thomas.
Mrs. Astor won the Grade 3 Frankel after winning the Grade 3 Red Carpet, at Santa Anita and Del Mar, respectively. The connections gave her the winter off, and she’s back for this one. Trainer Jonathan Thomas wins at 15% off these kinds of layoffs, and has a sparkling 22% win rate in graded stakes. The distance shouldn’t be an issue, and I expect her to be pushing the pace. She’s a must-include with the addition of jockey Umberto Rispoli.
Comment: likely winner.
4. Omaha Girl. 30/1. Jockey: Geovanni Franco. Trainer: George Papaprodroumou.
Omaha Girl comes in at tough 30/1 odds, almost certainly based on her overall win percentage and showing last out. She’s a well-bred daughter of Omaha Beach, and has shown flashes, including being part of a blanket finish in the aforementioned Frankel Stakes. She’s 0-for-4 at Santa Anita, with no finishes in the top three in any of those efforts. It appears trainer George Papaprodroumou thinks the more distance the better, and while he may be correct, we’ll let her beat us here.
Comment: toss.
5. Starry Heavens. 5/1. Jockey: Antonio Fresu. Trainer: Phil D’Amato.
Starry Heavens will be making her first start stateside, with her last win in August of 2023 in France. Trainer Phil D’Amato is very good with horses starting for the first time in North America, having won a solid 8 of his last 33 such starts. He and jockey Antonio Fresu are hitting at 19% together at Santa Anita, and D’Amato wins a respectable 14% of his graded stakes starts. Read: bet on this filly because connections, not because of her record..
Comment: toss.
6. Sakura Blossom. 10/1. Jockey: Juan Hernandez. Trainer: Leonard Powell.
Trainer Leonard Powell is very, very convinced Sakura Blossom is a turf horse: she is 3-for-5 lifetime on dirt, and 0-for-8 on turf. She was good last out, a second-place finish to Lady Claypoole. She’s tried stakes company one other time, a forgettable effort at Keeneland in October. There’s a reason I’m sitting at a laptop and not training, but her breeding and record seems to indicate a preference for dirt. Toss.
Comment: toss.
7. Big Hug. 30/1. Jockey: Armando Ayuso. Trainer: Val Brinkerhoff.
Big Hug is an Alberta-bred, having done much of her career work on dirt. She has an impressive lifetime record - 13 wins in 25 races - with every single one of those wins coming on dirt. This is only her third race over turf, but she did run in - and win - several stakes on dirt. Those were all considerably lower level than this race, and didn’t require the overall class and speed this field will. Toss.
Comment: toss.
8. Kathrynmarissa. 1/1. Jockey: Frankie Dettori. Trainer: Richard Dutrow.
Kathrynmarissa comes in as the favorite, a 4-year-old daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. She broke her maiden last year at Santa Anita in her fourth attempt before shipping east and beating winners on first asking at Churchill Downs. She’s since run exclusively in stakes company, with her one win coming at the unconventional Kentucky Downs. If you wanted to try to play against, the case is pretty straightforward: trainer Richard Dutrow’s numbers off the layoff are lacking, and he’s 0-for-9 this meet at Santa Anita. She finished ahead of the talented Medoro last out, and that’s good enough to include her in tickets here.
Comment: likely winner.
The Sporting Tribune Wager:
Late Pick 3, starts race 8: 3,8 / 1,2,3,10 / 6. $3 base wager = $24. Good luck!