Racing! Santa Anita cancels Thursday card

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we try and lighten up the newsletter a little bit.

We’ll start with the news of the day. Santa Anita has decided to cancel its Thursday card based on the threat of impending bad weather. The track has set up for a mega-card on Friday (11 races starting at noon) when the weather improves. That is, if the weather pattern stays as it is.

As for the elephant in the room, Sunday’s training and racing went off without incident.

OK, folks, we need to lighten the mood of this newsletter of late, so I thought I’d look at some of the most sought after claimers from the last Del Mar meeting and the current Santa Anita meet. By sought after, I looked to see which claimers had the most number of people putting in a bid for them. It’s better known as “shakes.”

Now, don’t expect the kind of success Jerry Hollendorfer had with Vasilika, but let’s take a look.

--Powder (26). This now 5-year-old had 26 people wanting her when she ran on Dec. 2 at Del Mar. Her tag was $20,000 and trainer Genaro Vallejo won the shake. (Yes, I know the horse is actually bought by an owner not a trainer.) She came back and finished second in a $32,000 claimer and won $7,000 in her only subsequent race. That’s 35% of investment.

--Operandi (24). Steve Knapp was the winner of this 24-person shake on Nov. 11. This now 4-year-old filly has finished fourth in a $40,000 claimer and sixth in a starter allowance. She has won $2,631 since being claimed for $20,000. That’s 13% of investment.

--Rinse and Repeat (18). Knapp won an 18-person shake on Feb. 17 at Santa Anita for the $25,000 claimer. (Ever think of taking Steve to Las Vegas? Just sayin’.) This 5-year-old horse finished fourth in an allowance and won $3,420. That’s 13.7% of investment.

--Don’t Stalk Me (15). Robert Hess, Jr. was the winner of this 15-person shake on Nov. 16 at Del Mar for $16,000. The then 3-year-old gelding won his first race back, a $12,500 claimer at Santa Anita and was claimed again. Add the purse ($12,100) and the claim price and you have 153.8% of investment.

--Baby Ice (12). Vann Belvoir picked up this this 5-year-old mare for $16,000 on Nov. 23 at Del Mar. He ran her back on Dec. 14 on Los Alamitos, where she finished third and was claimed by Knapp. She won $2,040 and if you add in the $16,000 claim, you have 112.8% of investment. (Note: Knapp has won $22,300 with this mare since he acquired her. See Vegas comment above.)

--Speakers (11). The then 4-year-old filly (now mare) was claimed for $20,000 by Mike Puype on Nov. 9 at Del Mar. She ran back on Dec. 1 and finished ninth, winning $345 and was claimed by Andrew Lerner for $20,000. The previous owners won 101.8% of investment. Lerner has made $4,971 in three races since the claim.

--Don’t Stalk Me (9): Remember him? Doug O’Neill won a nine-person shake to win the then 3-year-old gelding for $12,500 on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita. Since then he won and finished fourth in a couple of claimers winning $22,080, which is 176.7% of investment.

--Tammy’s Window (9). This 5-year-old mare was claimed by Jack Carava for $32,000 on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita. She has run once since then finishing fourth in an allowance. She won $3,420, or 10.7% of investment.

--R Cha Cha (9). This 5-year-old gelding was claimed by Jorge Periban for $25,000 on Feb. 15 and hasn’t run back yet.

--Kazan (9). This 4-year-old gelding was claimed by William Morey for $40,000 on Feb. 24 and hasn’t run back yet.

So, there you have it, showing some people turned a quick profit and other are doing a long play.

Santa Anita review

It was a pretty good stretch duel on Sunday during the $100,000 Tiznow Stakes for older Cal-breds going a mile on the dirt. King Abner broke on top and looked as if he was going to wire the field but Edwards Going Left put forth a very gutty performance in a close stretch run to win by half-a-length. The track was listed as good.

Edwards Going Left paid $4.40, $2.20 and $2.10 for trainer John Sadler and jockey Joel Rosario. Surfing Star was third followed by Unusually Green and Shades of Victory.

“The track seemed like the horses in front were running really well, so I told Joel to ride him out of the gate, get him a good position, then figure out what you want to do,” Sadler said. “He’s such a nice horse, if you look at his form he doesn’t have a bad race on there, and his form serves him well.”

Here’s how Rosario recounted the race.

“He broke a little slow so I was having to use him a little right away,” he said. “It looked like a nice spot was there on the rail and he was wanting to go towards it. There was room so I dipped him in and he did the rest. I wanted to have him wherever he wanted to be and he was happy and traveling well once there. He tried really hard today and fought back. Last time I rode him he was trying to go by the other horses and didn’t quit, so when we were in it [Sunday], in the stretch I saw the same thing from him.”

Big races review

A look at graded stakes or races worth more $100,000 or more on Sunday.

Santa Anita (5): $100,000 Tiznow Stakes, Cal-breds 4 and up, 1 mile. Winner: Edwards Going Left ($4.40)

Final thought

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Any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

Now, here’s the star of the show, Sunday’s results. See you on Friday.

OH MAN had speed outside then alongside a rival on the first turn, inched away and set the pace a bit off the rail, drew off under urging in the stretch then was under a long hold while being eased up late. KAWARA (BRZ) stalked inside then a bit off the rail, went outside a rival into and on the second turn and just off the fence into the stretch and held third. HARD ARCH chased outside a rival then just off the rail, continued outside a foe in midstretch and edged a rival for the show. ODYSSEY EXPLORER saved ground off the pace, split horses past midstretch and was edged for third. UPPER ROOM three wide into the first turn, chased off the rail then outside a rival on the second turn, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. ELWOOD J angled in and pressed the pace inside then stalked along the rail to the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. TANIKO four wide into the first turn, chased off the inside then alongside a rival on the second turn and three wide into the stretch and also weakened. UPPER ROOM wore calks.

MISS LADY ANN hopped in a bit of a slow start, stalked four wide, bid outside the runner-up on the turn, took a short lead a quarter mile out, inched away into the stretch and kicked clear under left handed urging while drifting in then was under steady handling late. APPOLINA broke in a bit, was sent inside to gain the lead, set the pace along the rail, dueled inside on the turn and bested the others. GEMAGINE between foes early, stalked off the rail then a bit off the fence on the turn and into the stretch and picked up the show. LA PURISSIMA hopped some at the start, chased off the rail then outside a rival into the turn, continued outside on the bend and three wide into the stretch and weakened, then was unsaddled on the clubhouse turn and vanned off. DERBY LUCK stalked between horses then outside a rival or off the rail on the turn and also weakened. LUNAGONNAMOONYA pulled her way along a bit off the rail then inside, was in a bit tight into the turn, continued along the rail, had the rider lose the whip nearing the quarter pole, dropped back inside and had little left for the drive. LA PURISSIMA wore calks.

RICKEY B had good early speed and angled in, dueled inside, inched away nearing midstretch and held gamely under a crack of the whip inside the sixteenth pole and an energetic hand ride. LIEUTENANT DAN chased off the rail, came three wide into the stretch and continued willingly but could not catch the winner. DADDY JONES settled inside then off the rail on the backstretch and turn, came a bit wide into the stretch and edged a rival for the show. I BELONG TO BECKY angled in and dueled outside the winner, continued off the rail in midstretch, drifted in late and was edged for third.

TWENTYTWENTYVISION stalked a bit off the rail, bid outside the pacesetter on the second turn to gain the lead, inched away a bit off the fence into the stretch and proved best under some urging. CROWN THE KITTEN three deep early, chased outside a rival, went up three wide into the second turn then outside a foe into the stretch, angled in some in midstretch and edged a rival for the place. PLAY HARD TO GET stalked outside a rival or a bit off the rail, bid three wide leaving the second turn and into the stretch and was edged for second. COMES THE DREAM hopped some at the start, was between horses early, chased just off the rail or outside a rival, continued alongside a foe on the second turn and into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. ORIGINAL INTENT broke out a bit, saved ground off the pace, came out some in the stretch, went around the pacesetter in deep stretch and did not rally. ORCHESTRAL took the early lead and angled in, set the pace inside, dueled briefly along the rail on the second turn, cut the corner into the stretch and weakened.

EDWARDS GOING LEFT a half step slow to begin, pulled between horses then bid inside on the first turn, inched away leaving the turn, battled along the rail on the backstretch and second turn, responded when headed in the drive, regained the advantage under urging a sixteenth out and gamely prevailed. KING ABNER bobbled some at the start, was sent along just off the rail to the early lead, dueled outside the winner then stalked just off the inside leaving the first turn, bid again outside that one on the backstretch and second turn, gained a slim advantage into the stretch, fought back alongside the winner the rest of the way and was outgamed. SURFING STAR three deep into the first turn, chased just off the rail to the stretch and bested the others. UNUSUALLY GREEN saved ground off the pace, came out in upper stretch and lacked a rally. SHADES OF VICTORY four wide into the first turn, chased outside, dropped back and angled in outside a rival leaving the second turn, gave way and was eased in the final furlong. EDWARDS GOING LEFT wore calks.

SCATHING chased off the rail, came three wide into the stretch, rallied under left handed urging to the front in deep stretch and won clear. CINNAMON TWIST stalked three deep then outside a rival on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and finished well to edge a foe for the place late. STURDY ONE close up stalking the early pace between horses, bid three deep into and on the turn to gain the advantage, inched away in midstretch, fought back between rivals in deep stretch and was edged for second between foes late. CHRISTY JACKSON saved ground stalking the pace, bid inside into and on the turn, fell back some leaving the turn, bid again along the rail in deep stretch and was edged for third. BRAGGING RIGHTS a bit slow to begin, dropped back inside, saved ground on the turn, came out in upper stretch and was outfinished. NAUGHTY SOPHIE bobbled some at the break, had speed outside a rival then set the pace a bit off the rail, dueled between foes on the turn, continued just off the inside leaving the turn and into the stretch, was between foes again in midstretch and weakened in the final furlong.

ZATTER stalked a bit off the rail then inside on the turn, came out in upper stretch and rallied under left handed urging to surge past the winner late. DISTINCTIVE B had speed between horses then inched away, set the pace a bit off the rail, drifted inward in the final furlong and was caught nearing the wire. COIL ME HOME stalked between horses on the backstretch and turn, continued between foes in the drive and edged rivals for the show. MAKE IT A TRIPLE stalked inside then a bit off the rail into and on the turn, came out some in the stretch and was edged for third. HECK YEAH had speed between rivals then stalked a bit off the rail, angled in on the turn, continued inside in the stretch and was outfinished for a minor share. LEROY dropped back inside, saved ground off the pace, came out leaving the turn and three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. PADDOCK PICK stalked the pace four wide then three deep on the turn and into the stretch and weakened in the drive.

SOLOMINI stalked a bit off the rail then inside, came out three deep leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch, took the lead under left handed urging three wide a furlong out and pulled clear. COOL BOBBY three deep into the first turn, bid four wide on the backstretch and into the second turn then outside a rival into the stretch, drifted between foes and fought back in midstretch could not match the winner late but held second. BEAUMARCHAIS sent along inside early, set the pace along the rail then dueled inside, fought back on the second turn and to midstretch and bested the others. KYLEMORE had speed outside then stalked off the rail, bid between horses to duel for command on the backstretch, stalked again leaving the second turn and weakened. CALIFORNIA JOURNEY stalked inside, bid between horses on the backstretch and into the second turn, tracked a bit off the rail leaving that turn and also weakened.

TRUE VALIDITY stalked a bit off the rail then bid between horses to duel for the lead, took a short advantage into the stretch and drew clear under a vigorous hand ride, a late crack of the whip and a hold in the final strides. NEW YEAR NEW ME was in a good position stalking the pace between horses then a bit off the rail on the turn, swung four wide into the stretch and gained the place. TIP TOP GAL saved ground chasing the pace throughout and held third. SEASIDE DANCER stalked off the rail early, bid three deep leaving the backstretch and on the turn and into the stretch and was edged for the show. OUT OF CONTROL bobbled slightly at the start, sped to the early lead off the rail, angled in and dueled inside, came a bit off the fence in the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. BELLTOWN BELLE a bit slow to begin, settled outside a rival then just off the rail, was in a bit tight past the quarter pole, angled in and lacked a rally. STELLAR WAY stalked four wide then three deep, dropped back and angled in leaving the turn and weakened. DAIRY KID bobbled in a slow start, saved ground chasing the pace, continued inside on the turn and gave way. ACADIA FLEET between horses early, stalked three deep, dropped back and angled in on the turn and had nothing left for the stretch.