Santa Anita upsets must be scrutinized by racing fans for future reference. It is always a good rule of thumb to go over what has transpired on any particular day at the track. It leads to a good work ethic for the handicapper and it will uncover numerous future plays.
Those that like to bet chalk had a rough few hours when Santa Anita opened the day after Christmas. Santa Anita upsets were the order of the day and the only favorite to win was the 8-5 runner in the last race on the card.
A pair of Los Alamitos invaders ran one/two in the first race on December 26 but don’t bet that trend if you want to maintain a bankroll. Those runners caught a very weak group and they just had a bit of a condition edge on the other $40,000 claimers.
The third choice in the second race succeeded in a $50,000 maiden claimer to complete the early daily double. Classic Ruler was coming off a second at Del Mar but she was over three lengths clear of her nearest rival that day. Expect this miss to improve moving forward as she was claimed by Jerry Hollendorfer.
Unfortunately for me, I was personally involved in the third race at Santa Anita and my selection, Eleutheros, set the pace and faded to fifth with no apparent excuse. The horse that finished first, Dabster, cost $1 million and is trained by Bob Baffert. The runner felt the wrath of the stewards when he was taken down and placed fourth.
The way things were going it, was only a matter of time before Santa Anita upsets were prominent and Professor Berns schooled his rivals at a price in the fourth. He was expertly ridden by Brice Blanc, came from far back and got up by a nose. He paid $33.80.
Experienced fillies took care of business in the next race. Santa Anita upsets continued as the 6-1 shot Ruby Trust won the first race of her career. All of the first-time starters in the race ran between fourth and tenth.
Babe Ruth fans got paid in the sixth race on opening day in the San Simeon stakes on the hillside turf course. Betty’s Bambino was expertly trained by Pete Eurton and had not raced since February of 2015. The gelding proved how important previous experience on this course can be as he had won five of his prior six starts at this about six and a half-furlong distance. He paid a juicy 6-1 and keyed an over $8,000 superfecta.
Constellation was my selection in the preview of the La Brea but I didn’t follow my own advice and let another one of the Santa Anita upsets pass me by. It was a big mistake as the filly sat right off the lead early and rolled home to pay $27. Constellation cost $800,000 so her future is very bright. The filly will be in nearly every race because she has positional speed. She has never been more than a length and a half off the pace in her career and she showed her true class last year. In only her third career start, Constellation was only beaten a length in the Grade 2 Matron.
The premier race of the day, the Malibu Stakes, was next and although the favorite ran well, he had to settle for third. Mind Your Biscuits got an ideal three-hole trip and got up to win by a half-length. He paid $9.40 and this runner is just going great guns. He showed he belongs with the best sprinters around when he was third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and the New York-bred figures to have a stellar meeting.
Last season leading trainer at this meeting, Phil D’Amato, would not be denied on opening day as he saddled the winner of the final race. The Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile lured a quality group but D’Amato’s trainee Conquest Enforcer took the bull by the horns. The colt had not raced since being beaten by a neck at Woodbine in Canada in October. He had trained superbly at Santa Anita, went right to the front, and cashed as the favorite.
Conquest Enforcer is a horse that could have a huge winter. He can win sprinting, he has only run one poor race in his career and he can be placed anywhere and perform.
