HORSES TO WATCH

By: AMERICAN TURF CLUB

SANTA ANITA

 

CABALLO DEL CIELO: Battled for the lead in the San Vicente and held on well for a close second on a day the track favored rally wide moves. Worth another shot vs. similar.

DOUBLE ANTE: Broke slow and trailed early in an 11-horse field, then came rolling and caught everyone except the loose lone speed wire-to-wire winner. Double up next time.

INDYGO F M A: Pressed a :23 turf route pace and held on best of the many speed  horses in her race for third. Ready to graduate.

JUNE CLEAVER: Outran 17-1 odds for third despite needing a race in return from an eight-month layoff. Fits well vs. the local downhill sprinters.

MUM’S TRUCKEE: Chased a loose wire-to-wire winner behind slow fractions and had to settle for second. Knocking on the door now and worth another try.

ROSSI RESERVE: Got buried down in tight traffic and never recovered in recent 10^th-place finish. Can make amends vs. cheapies.

SMALL MOVES: Battled for the lead and got beat only by the perfect trip 8-5 late-closing winner. His turn next time.

SMIL’N FROM ABOVE: Never got a breather on the front end en route to a third-place finish, losing by just a half-length while 10 lengths clear of the rest of the field. Can win next off the claim.

STARSPANGLED HEAT: Closed well from too far back in a downhill turf sprint and just missed in a blanket finish. He’s the one to beat next time out.

SUPER ABILITY: Showed speed and ran well for second when needing a race off a year and a half layoff when beaten only by the wire-to-wire winning favorite. Try again.

VEGAS RULES: Got pressed along in an early three-length-gap speed duel and still held on well for second in a 13-horse field. Looms a speed threat vs. cheapies.

WINE LIST: Got caught in a 2 ½-length-gap duel for the lead in fast splits and settled for third on a day when the track favored rally wide trips. Front-end threat back vs. maidens.

 

BEST BET – MY SWEET ADDICTION: First starter ran well for second behind only the runaway winning 4-5 favorite, and was nearly six lengths clear of the third horse. Won’t be a maiden for long.

 

LONGSHOT – MAGICAL BAND: Broke slowly and then rushed into a 2 ½-length-gap speed duel before fading in the stretch due to those early efforts. Just needs a clean start.

 

 

HAWTHORNE

 

ALLABOUTIMAGE: Ran a good race despite an imperfect trip and was still coming on at the before settling for second. Dangerous in return from nearly a six-month layoff.

BELLS BIG BERNIE: Got shuffled back in tight traffic in the early stages and could not gain back the lost ground on an inside speed favoring track. Finished sixth, but was just two heads out of fourth and just needs a clean start to be a threat to graduate.

FRANK’S TIME: Got carried out and impeded through the stretch when closing from far back to be third on a speed-favoring track. Deserves another shot.

JIMMY GOT EVEN: Made a good closing against the bias to be second behind only the loose lone speed wire-to-wire winner. Can get even next time.

MCLARD: Battled for the lead and never got a breather up front, fell back, but was still coming back at the finish in a big effort for second. Can win next time off the claim.

PRINCE WHO: Broke poorly and then rushed up into a three-way speed duel in extremely fast fractions en route to a third-place finish. Just needs an alert break.

SHINE THE ROCKET: Got hooked and cooked in a six-length-gap speed duel upon arrival from Beulah Park. Can find a local field to speed-pop so it’s still too early to give up on him despite the seventh-place finish.

STEPHANIE’S CALLIN: Broke slowest in a 12-horse field from the rail post to be off at an immediate disadvantage, then rushed up to fight for the lead and ran her eyeballs out to prevail in a good effort. Likely to repeat in next.

TELLME ALL ABOUT IT: Was gaining ground again too late after getting mugged and interfered with when trying to rally against a speed bias. Can make amends with a clean trip.

 

BEST BET – C. C. BANJO: Started near the back after trouble at the start, but then made up ground throughout against a bias and nearly caught the winning 3-5 favorite before losing a tough nose photo.

 

LONGSHOT – TRUEBILL: Tried to rally from far back in last but had to avoid traffic in mid-stretch and couldn’t make enough progress to gain on a track that made it difficult to close from far behind. Worth another try.