Saturday's $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap features no real standout. Loup Breton is the second morning line choice at 4-1, and is coming off a win in the G2 San Marcos Handicap in January. St Trinians, seeking to become the first female to win the race, is the mild 7/2 favorite, having won four straight against her own sex.
Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct features a field of ten who will try to distinguish themselves as possible Derby candidates. Awesome Act, a horse that has never run on dirt, is the 7-2 morning-line favorite. He most recently finished a closing 4th in the Breeders Cup Juvenile turf.
There are no real standouts among the ten starters for the $150,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Saturday. The Program did finish a close 4th in the G1 Cash Call Futurity last December, but has been barely getting by in Allowance company since then. Kettle River is coming off an almost 2 month layoff.
The Grade 2 Davona Dale for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park on Saturday serves as a prep for the richer Bonnie Miss later in the meet, and has rounded up a talented field including Amen Hallelujah, who won the G2 Santa Ynez over at Santa Anita.
Undefeated three-for-three Buddy's Saint runs in the Grade 2, $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
Carla Gaines sends out Breeders Cup Sprint champion Dancing in Silks in Saturday’s Grade II, $150,000 San Carlos Handicap at seven furlongs at Santa Anita Park. He will be favored along with Bob Black Jack who has not raced since late 2008, when he won the Grade I Malibu Stakes.
The $250,000 Grade 2 Santa Maria Handicap has been selected by Life is Sweet, coming off her $2-million Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic win in October, to make her 2010 debut. She is entered against eight rivals including Mushka who finished second to her in that race, and certainly has a chance to turn the tables.
The $200,000 Grade 2 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita has attracted the Bob Baffert-trained Misremembered, who comes into this race finishing as runner-up in his last two races, the Clark Handicap and the Malibu.
Baffert sends out the exciting Tiz Chrome as well as Macias in the Grade 2, $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes Saturday at Santa Anita. Tiz Chrome appears likely to be the favorite based on his local debut in the restricted Stuka Stakes, going six furlongs at Hollywood Park in December.
The Grade 1 $500,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park offers racing action for our VIPs this weekend. The favorite is Quality Road, who won the Hals Hope pretty convincingly.
LW