12/26: AQU (Stake; P4); CRC (Stakes); SA (6th-10th)
 

Winter racing moves to a new level on Boxing Day with Santa Anita commencing their big meet and Gulfstream now on the horizon as well. Fabulous editions of the G1 Malibu and La Brea highlight the Arcadia action, while a trio of nicely drawn stakes help Calder wind down their interminable season. Aqueduct is back on docket today after the holiday hiatus, where Scott Lake will try for a third Gravesend victory with the increasingly impressive Pashito the Che. Tampa has an excellent 2 year old card with the $75k Sandpiper and Inaugural stakes for both sexes.

A great way to kick off the final week of what has been a remarkably eventful 2009. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are ready to dive into the Holiday Week of racing!


AQUEDUCT


POST-SCRATCHES


3rd: Gravesend H., 3+, 6f (P3, DD)

Most Likely: #6 Pashito the Che 1-1 2nd
Best Value: #4 Joey P. 12-1 7th
Next Best: #1a (POE) Digger 3-1 WON


6th: NYB-MSW, 2yo, 6f (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #13 Save Time for Me 5-2 2nd
Nest Best: #12 Justtakemypicture 3-1 5th
Best Value: #10 Cayo Hueso 8-1 3rd
Super Add: #1 Yawanna Twist 5-1 WON


7th: CLM/N2L, 3+, 6f (P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #1a The Mayor 2-1 5th
Best Value: #8 Triple Glory 6-1 4th
Next Best: #7 Great Debater 7-2 11th
Super Add: #9 Khan of Khans 10-1 7th


8th: ALW/N1X, 3+, 1m-70y (DD, Super)

Most Likely: #7 Came East 7-2 9th
Best Value: #8 El Real Madrid 5-1 5th
Next Best: #2 Billy Bear 3-1 6th
Super Add: #10 Almighty Silver 10-1 WON


9th: NYB-MSW, 2yo-F, 1m-70y (Super)

Most Likely: #5 Oatkadestinyschild 7-2 9th
Best Value: #4 Nina's Spirit 15-1 4th
Next Best: #7 Glory in Motion 4-1 6th
Super Add: #9 Fiddlers Wildheart 12-1 5th


<$75 P4 Play:

Note SCR's would impact play..

6: 12-13
7: 1-8
8: 1-2-7-8-10
9: 4-5-7

2x2x5x3 = $60



CALDER RACE COURSE


POST-SCRATCHES:


9th: Kenny Noe Jr. H. (G3), 3+, 7f (P3, Super)

This Ones for Phil a SCR..

Most Likely: #7 Biker Boy 3-1 5th
Best Value: #4 Dream Maestro 20-1 2nd
Next Best: #6 Motovato 5-1 WON
Super Add: #3 Pechito 12-1 6th


10th: W. L. McKnight (G2), 3+, 12f-T (P3, Super)

Note that Precious Passion would SCR should the turf be yielding or worse..

Most Likely: #10 Precious Passion 5-2 5th
Best Value: #9 Cloudy's Knight 5-1 WON
Next Best: #1 Winchester 4-1 3rd
Super Add: #3 Warning Zone 6-1 10th


11th: Stage Door Betty (G3), F&M-3+, 8.5f-T (DD, Super)

Huge SCR of Jessica is Back..

Most Likely: #3 Morena 6-1 4th
Best Value: #9 Even Road 12-1 8th
Next Best: #10 Miss Singhsix 6-1 5th
Super Add: #6 Lomaki 15-1 6th


<$25 P3 Play:

9: 4-7
10: 9-10
11: 1-2-3-5-9-10

2x2x6 = $24



SANTA ANITA


PRE-SCRATCHES


6th: 70th Cal Breeders' Champion, Cal-bred 2yo, 8.5f (P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #4 Caracortado 9-5 WON
Nest Best: #8 La Nez 3-1 3rd
Best Value: #9 Bud I Crushed It 15-1
Super Add: #10 Tribal Face 12-1


7th: 10th Sir Beaufort (G3), 3yo, 1m-T (P4, P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #6 The Usual Q. T. 4-5 WON
Next Best: #5 Massone 9-2 3rd
Best Value: #8 Pleasure to Ride 8-1 9th
Super Add: #2 Tamborim 8-1 5th


8th: 37th La Brea (G1), 3yo-F, 7f (P3, DD, Super)

Most Likely: #4 Amazed by Grace 6-1 3rd
Best Value: #8 SCR
Next Best: #10 Gabby's Golden Gal 4-1 7th
Super Add: #12 Pinkarella 6-1 8th


9th: 58th Malibu (G1), 3yo, 7f (DD, Super)

Fascinating edition of this sire-building year-ender.. Willing to go against 4-1 ML fave Misremembered who sure looks better on dirt, drew the tough #1, and may simply need two turns..

Most Likely: #5 Mythical Power 8-1 10th
Next Best: #2 Kinsella 12-1 12th
Best Value: #10 New Bay 12-1 13th
Super Add: #8 Join in the Dance 20-1 11th


10th: MSW, 2yo, 6.5f (Super, Super High 5)

Most Likely: #2 Nextdoorneighbor 5-2 4th
Best Value: #6 Leothelion 8-1 2nd
Next Best: #1 Ziggy's Stardust 7-2 3rd
Exotics Use: #3 Concord Point 4-1 WON
High 5 Play: #11 Imperial Pride 10-1


<$75 P4 Play:

7: 5-6
8: 4-8-10
9: 2-5-8-10
10: 1-2-6

2x3x4x3 = $72


Good luck!
Steve

Steve-

Don't let AC Avila's Straightomidnight beat you in the 6th at SA.

In the Stage Door Betty at CrC I like #1 AURORA LIGHTS. She's making her first start on dirt and her dam was a winner on dirt and so were four of her siblings including millionaire Master Command. She's going to go off much more than her morning line of 8-1.

NT

AQU SCR'S

6th: 7, 14, 15, 16 (13 Save Time for Me WILL RUN)

7th: 1 (POE), 6, 13, 14, 15 (1a The Mayor WILL RUN)

8th: 1 (POE), 3, 11 (1a Web Gem WILL RUN)

9th: 1a (POE), 2

CRC SCR'S

Race 9 #2 War Fighter, #5 You and I Forever, #9 This Ones for Phil

Race 11 #11 Jessica Is Back, #14 Hopeful Image

Sounds good Nick.. Threw Aurora in with significant SCR of Jessica is Back out of the Betty, which really opens that up...

At SA, let's see what La Nez does... I'm going to play around with the Craig Dollase-Paul Reddam price.

G/L!

They appeared to be wading through quick sand in the first at the big "A".

If they went any slower you'd need a sundial to time'em 114 2/5s for 6F's is tardy even for 10K claimers. Is there a hurricane blowing cross track today out there?

Serling is handing out cash at The Big A today:tro:

He sure is, and I landed on the 12 in the 7th hoping for the pace meltdown, live in pk3 to the 1,4, I am praying to take this home!!!!

good luck point!!

Wow, good luck.......hope it's the 4.

Thanks guys, wow, what a day!!!! Thank you Andy, combined with his great capping and taking a shot on Smarty Karakorum hoping he wold run to the race the last time he was on an off-track, things really worked out on a day I was chomping at the bit to play. The big beneficiary is the fiance who is out of town with her family for X-mas and is about to get the Mac she really wanted! :D

congrats point..

any love for the 3 alphies bet..made a ton of ground up..mike smith off
and blowing bullits..2 yr olds can jump up..at least in the money

2nd paid 12.00:tro: :tro:

Thanks, and Nice job there Hooves! Looking forward to Aqueduct again tomorrow, nice field sizes, should be another fun card to play! Keep it rolling!

looking at 7 willow way to get back on track ..7f again and no stardom bound in here..place n show

Evita:{>: :{>:

wow... did Hall of Famer Mike Smith steal the Mailbu or what?

Nick,

Congratulations on the superb day!! Great work and start to the winter...

Here's something I dare anyone to do... Pick the LAST four finishers in a 13 horse field!

I believe that's called the stupidfecta. :D

much harder than you would think.