Player Quick Pick: Santa Anita for 4/19/2014
by D. S. Williamson
The sun will be shining at the Great Race Place, Santa Anita Park, this afternoon!
Santa Anita Park 4 | 5:00 pm ET Hcp (16) for 4&up F&M going 1 mi.(T)
4 – Toppers Sunshine – This four-year-old filly sired by Old Topper has 4 wins out of 7 starts at the mile distance. All four wins have come over the turf. Granted, those victories occurred over the lawn at Turf Paradise, but trainer Robertino Diodoro has done well at Santa Anita and jockey Giovanni Franco is winning at 28% for the year. She could stalk Kerrilynn or take the lead from the outset. The 6/1 morning line odds make her a big overlay in this race.
7 – Kerrilynn –She stretches out from a sprint to this mile distance. That’s only a 7% winning move from trainer Vladimir Cerin, but her breading, sired by Tavasco, a Tabasco Cat stud, and out of the In Excess mare Erin, says she should be able to run all day. Jockey Corey Nakatani is as good over the turf as any jockey riding at Santa Anita. Nakatani will have to make a decision as to how hard he’ll want to press Toppers Sunshine as soon as they break the gate. That decision will be the key factor in determining who wins this race.
6 – Quinnette –Trainer Ron Ellis wins at 29%. His beaten favorites win 30% first race back and jockey Joe Talamo is a terrific turf rider. Quinnette should also be in the garden spot about 2 to 3 lengths off of Toppers Sunshine and Kerrilynn on the back stretch. If those two burn each other out, Quinnette will get first jump over the rest for first place honors.
Santa Anita Park 8 | 4:31 pm ET La Puente for 3yo going 1-1/16mi. (T)
4 – Excessive Kid – Trainer Carla Gaines is terrific at spotting her horses. She might get the perfect set up with this Lemon Drop Kid three-year-old that is running in only his third lifetime race. Jockey Rafael Bejarano on his back won’t be an issue, and Gaines usually gets them to improve race by race. Excessive Kid goes into this off of a maiden score, but the win was very professional and Gaines is at 27% with her next out maiden winners. Rafa, Gaines, terrific breeding, and fair odds…what’s not to like?
7 – Home Run Kitten –Jockey Joe Talamo rides this Kitten’s Joy, David Hoffmans trained three-year-old that lost by only half a length to Enterprising in the Pasadena in his last. Home Run Kitten has the ability to turn the tables on that rival in this race because as good as Enterprising is, Home Run Kitten got off slow in the Pasadena before rallying extremely well in the stretch. He closed from 4 lengths back to lose by only that half-length. A better break could be all that he needs to win this.
6 – Enterprising – He figures to be over bet because Gary Stevens is back aboard and trainer Thomas Proctor is having a great meet. But the victory in the Pasadena was by only a nose and Stevens can’t let either On Draft or Diamond Bachelor get too far ahead of him in the early stages of this. It’s impossible to leave Enterprising off of any tickets but as far as a win bet is concerned, there’s more to dislike, mainly the prospect of underlaid odds, then there is to like.
The sun will be shining at the Great Race Place, Santa Anita Park, this afternoon!
Santa Anita Park 4 | 5:00 pm ET Hcp (16) for 4&up F&M going 1 mi.(T)
4 – Toppers Sunshine – This four-year-old filly sired by Old Topper has 4 wins out of 7 starts at the mile distance. All four wins have come over the turf. Granted, those victories occurred over the lawn at Turf Paradise, but trainer Robertino Diodoro has done well at Santa Anita and jockey Giovanni Franco is winning at 28% for the year. She could stalk Kerrilynn or take the lead from the outset. The 6/1 morning line odds make her a big overlay in this race.
7 – Kerrilynn –She stretches out from a sprint to this mile distance. That’s only a 7% winning move from trainer Vladimir Cerin, but her breading, sired by Tavasco, a Tabasco Cat stud, and out of the In Excess mare Erin, says she should be able to run all day. Jockey Corey Nakatani is as good over the turf as any jockey riding at Santa Anita. Nakatani will have to make a decision as to how hard he’ll want to press Toppers Sunshine as soon as they break the gate. That decision will be the key factor in determining who wins this race.
6 – Quinnette –Trainer Ron Ellis wins at 29%. His beaten favorites win 30% first race back and jockey Joe Talamo is a terrific turf rider. Quinnette should also be in the garden spot about 2 to 3 lengths off of Toppers Sunshine and Kerrilynn on the back stretch. If those two burn each other out, Quinnette will get first jump over the rest for first place honors.
Santa Anita Park 8 | 4:31 pm ET La Puente for 3yo going 1-1/16mi. (T)
4 – Excessive Kid – Trainer Carla Gaines is terrific at spotting her horses. She might get the perfect set up with this Lemon Drop Kid three-year-old that is running in only his third lifetime race. Jockey Rafael Bejarano on his back won’t be an issue, and Gaines usually gets them to improve race by race. Excessive Kid goes into this off of a maiden score, but the win was very professional and Gaines is at 27% with her next out maiden winners. Rafa, Gaines, terrific breeding, and fair odds…what’s not to like?
7 – Home Run Kitten –Jockey Joe Talamo rides this Kitten’s Joy, David Hoffmans trained three-year-old that lost by only half a length to Enterprising in the Pasadena in his last. Home Run Kitten has the ability to turn the tables on that rival in this race because as good as Enterprising is, Home Run Kitten got off slow in the Pasadena before rallying extremely well in the stretch. He closed from 4 lengths back to lose by only that half-length. A better break could be all that he needs to win this.
6 – Enterprising – He figures to be over bet because Gary Stevens is back aboard and trainer Thomas Proctor is having a great meet. But the victory in the Pasadena was by only a nose and Stevens can’t let either On Draft or Diamond Bachelor get too far ahead of him in the early stages of this. It’s impossible to leave Enterprising off of any tickets but as far as a win bet is concerned, there’s more to dislike, mainly the prospect of underlaid odds, then there is to like.
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