O’Neill Close to a Record

A win by either Spirited or Long Gone Con today at Santa Anita will give trainer Doug O’Neill the record for most victories in a meet at Oak Tree.

Having tied the mark of 21 set by Bob Baffert in 1999 when Gentleman Player won Friday, O’Neill, who has won at a 33% clip, has a look with both horses.

A 2-year-old West by West filly owned by a partnership, Spirited will have five rivals in the second, a $25,000 starter allowance at 1 1/16 miles. In her first start in a claimer after failing to threaten in her first two races, Spirited won by a length as the 5-2 favorite Oct. 9. This will be Spirited’s first outing around two turns, and Julie Krone will stay aboard.

In the fifth, a $45,000 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles, Long Gone Con will return to his preferred surface, the dirt, against six opponents.

A 5-year-old Restless Con gelding, Long Gone Con has won three of 11 on the main track and will again be ridden by Victor Espinoza after finishing sixth of 10 in an optional claimer on the grass Oct. 9.

The other contenders in the fifth include Prized Gem, who showed big improvement in his first for trainer Mike Mitchell, and Ender’s Shadow.

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Race of the day: Heat of the Moment will try for her sixth consecutive win in the third on the opening-day card at Golden Gate Fields. After beginning her streak with three wins at Hollywood Park and Del Mar for the Bill Spawr barn, the 3-year-old Unusual Heat filly has won her last two at Bay Meadows since being claimed for $32,000 by trainer Art Sherman.

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One for the road: Holy Bubbette disappointed in a Grade III at Pimlico on Oct. 4 but can rebound with a return to Churchill Downs for trainer Tom Amoss. The 3-year-old Holy Bull filly picked up one of her four wins at the track. She will be ridden by John McKee in today’s ninth, a $65,800 allowance at six furlongs.

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Exotically speaking: A pick three using Sweet Rhapsody and Sunny Snowbound in the sixth, Guardian, Spicy Stuff and Infinite Faith in the seventh and Rocky Plains and R.J.’s Quest in the eighth.

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Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/72. Money: Previous day/meet total: $4.20/$386. Total money bet: $470.