Alpha figures to be the strong favorite in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Withers Stakes for three year olds. He has a surface advantage, having taken the $150,000 Count Fleet over the Aqueduct track last month.
The $200,000 Strub Stakes over 1 1/8 miles for 4-year-olds at Santa Anita on Saturday features Grade 2 San Fernando winner Tapizar, who will go favored. He easily won the San Fernando on the front end last time, beating Balladry and Prayer for Relief by about 3 1/2 lengths, who will take him on one more time.
Teddy's Promise likely will go to post favored in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade I Santa Monica Handicap at seven furlongs on dirt. She has won three straight including the Grade 1 La Brea last out which she won convincingly by 2 ¼ lengths.
Undefeated Hansen will face just five horses Sunday at Gulfstream Park in the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes, including top contenders Algorithms and Consortium who both exit the same allowance race in which they finished first and second, respectively.
Tiz Flirtatious gets tested for both distance and class among eight four-year-old fillies entered in the Grade 2, $150,000 La Canada Stakes at 1-1/16 miles on Sunday at Santa Anita Park.
On Saturday, a talented field contest the $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park, including Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Amazombie who will surely go favored. The field includes M One Rifle who won the Grade 1 Malibu back in late 2009 – he most recently finished a respectable third in the Grade 3 Vernon O.
Saturday's $100,000 Hal's Hope at Gulfstream Park is headed by Jackson Bend who closed out last year with a solid third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
Tapizar and Prayer for Relief face off at Santa Anita Saturday in the Grade 2, $150,000 San Fernando Stakes for four-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. Prayer for Relief draws the rail and won the Grade 2 Super Derby and West Virginia Derby last year.
Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes over one mile features a small field of six headed by Secret Circle who won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Sprint and is bred to go longer. Longview Drive was a multiple stakes winner on the Northern California fair circuit at two.
Saturday’s $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita features Tres Borrachos closed from last in a field of nine to finish third in the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile. Thirtyfirststreet is the winner of the Lone Star Derby on turf last year and looks to be forwardly placed. Massone and Uh Oh Bango will benefit from a quick pace.
LW