Santa Anita workouts tell a story especially right now when connections try to get their horses primed for the opening of the meeting. The winner stand starts the day after Christmas. Some of the main players in Southern California skipped the action at Los Alamitos to re-energize and get focused.
Traditionally, early in the Santa Anita meet, often on opening day, a fully-subscribed talent-laden juvenile race is carded and fans had better pay attention to runner named Eleutheros.
Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer, this racer was over 6 lengths clear in his debut at Santa Anita in October. He was fried in a duel in his next race he was compromised by a ton of speed in the event. On December 11, he led most of the Santa Anita workouts with a sizzling 1:12.80 gate move for six furlongs. It was a full six ticks faster than the next fastest of the morning and one of those workers was Coils Gold, who won his racing debut last month by over five lengths.
Another Hollendorfer student was put through her motions on December 11 and Unique Bella posted one of the most impressive Santa Anita workouts. Cut out to run as a $400,000 yearling purchase, Unique Bella was troubled in her debut when off slowly but she made up for it with an over 10-length maiden breaker last month at Del Mar. She earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure that day and she has drilled sensationally since. She was on the track early in the morning on December 4 and posted a best of the morning 4-furlong work. In the December 11 drill, the juvenile was again the best at her distance going 5 furlongs in :58.60, four ticks faster than the next fastest time on the work tab. The average time for a 5-furlong work on December 11 was 1:01.51.
The future is extremely bright for Unique Bella. Her sire Tapit is one of the most potent stallions working right now and her dam Unrivaled Belle was an absolute monster. Unrivaled Belle was a Grade 1 winner that took the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic and earned over $1.8 million.
Those fans that like first-time starters can glean some talent from youngster Selcourt, who impressed those watching the Santa Anita workouts on December 12.
Trained by John Sadler, this filly worked 6 furlongs at Santa Anita in his first drill in December and then returned six days later to get used to breaking from the gate. She went :59 flat out of the gate on December 12 and the spin was over two full seconds faster than the other 5-furlong gate drills on the tab. Selcourt’s dam did not win but her sibling Open Concert earned over $650,000. Her dam also dropped over $200,000 earner Chapman’s Peak. Look for this miss to start her career in a MSW fray at six furlongs.
Sometimes, Santa Anita workouts are all about the company one keeps. If that is any indication Aquamarine must be given a long look when the $240,000 purchase makes his debut. On December 13, he drilled in :59 1/5 out of the gate, tied for the second best drill of that morning. The top drill that day was posted by Arrogate, who beat California Chrome in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Once again, those plugged into the Santa Anita workouts will find the activity by Electro electrifying. Trained by Bob Baffert, who else, this colt by monster sire Ghostzapper also cost $400,000. He has been stabled at Santa Anita for over two months and on December 13, the youngster gave an inkling to his talent. He was sent five furlongs from the gate and was also clocked in :59 1/5. Sure, this is Baffert’s style to work his horses fast, but this runner has a right to have a stellar career. His winning dam is a sibling to multiple Graded winners and the dam also has done her part in the breeding shed. She foaled Lady Eli, who has won 7 of her 9 races, ran second twice and has earned over $2.1 million. Lady Eli also stepped up in the Breeders’ Cup when she won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Electro’s future is so bright he has to wear shades.
This is just a small sampling of what can be learned from digging into Santa Anita workouts and it’s worth the time.
