Reality Hits Fairplex Winners

Fans of Larron are in luck today at Santa Anita.

A 4-year-old gelding bred in Washington, he is entered in the first race, a $12,500 claimer at one mile.

If he does start, it will come three days after he ran in Sunday’s second race. After being part of the pace early, Larron faded to eighth in the field of 10. It was his second loss of the meet after he had won two in a row at Fairplex Park.

Horses who fare well at the county fair often fail when they get back on a big league track.

Another good example Sunday was Green Eyed Lady. The 7-5 favorite in the Anoakia Stakes on the strength of her crushing win in the Bustles and Bows Stakes in Pomona, she ran last in the field of five in what was a very weak Anoakia.

The beginning of Oak Tree’s fifth week is a festival of short fields. Only the sixth race drew more than eight entrants; 10 will start in the $32,000 claimer for 2-year-old maidens.

Things are better at the out-of-town tracks. Belmont Park has full fields today, and players can also get involved with Keeneland’s innovative Pick Five.

Race of the day: There aren’t any particularly good betting races at Santa Anita, but the highest quality race is the seventh, a one-mile turf allowance. Decarchy, another runner for Juddmonte Farms and trainer Bobby Frankel, will seek his third win in as many American starts against overmatched longshot Winning Fever, Zentsov Street, Wallace, who hasn’t run since Dec. 12, 1999, Doble Aguila and Night Life.

Who’s hot: Dave Hofmans. The trainer, who has a solid Breeders’ Cup contender in 2-year-old Siphonic, has won with five of 14 Oak Tree starters.

Who’s not: Chief Counselor. Unable to get close in two starts at Fairplex Park, the gelding figures to get drilled again in the eighth race. Of course, after losing in two $20,000 claimers, ‘Counselor is stepped up to the $32,000 level today.

Exotically speaking: A Pick Four singling Disturbingthepeace in the fifth, using Rockin Robannier, Express Caper, Odd Testamony and Nick N Court in the sixth, singling Decarchy in the seventh and using Bringdownthehouse and Mockaskin in the eighth.