Jeff Siegel's Santa Anita Analysis (Fri., Jan. 20, 2012)

The Friday opener appears to be an ideal spot for #3 Blueskiesnrainbows to make it two straight following his clever high priced maiden claiming win last month at Hollywood Park. The Baffert-trained son of English Channel should continue to improve with experience and added distance, and with a sharp five furlong workout across town last week as another positive factor he appears headed in the right direction. We’ll take him at his morning line odds of 5/2 if we can get it.

Bottom rung maiden claimers meet at a mile in the second race and although he’s had eight chances and may be a tad tough to trust, #3 Sidepocket Kid gets perhaps his best chance to graduate. In the money in his last three and most recently a distant second to Ultimate Decision – who ran away and hid from starter’s allowance company yesterday – the Warren-trained gelding looks capable of producing the last run. You may also want to include #5 Spicy Beau, a steadily improving Sherman-trained gelding who wasn’t that far behind Sidepocket Sue in a common race last month at Hollywood Park.

The third race is a downhill turf scramble for mid-grade claiming fillies and mares and like most of these slalom events probably requires a spread. #5 Five Silver Stars may deserve top billing as she’s run well over the course in the past and is a second-off-a-layoff play for Hollendorfer (powerful 32% with this angle). First or second in half of her 10 career starts, the daughter of Five Star Day retains Bejarano and should be doing her best work in the final furlong. #9 All the Love puts on blinkers for the first time while being raised in class following a Kitchingman claim; her one prior attempt down the hill during the autumn season while quite good and she should fold into a nice pace prompting position. #10 Sleep Tight is another adding the hood while taking a one level class drop and could be dangerous on the front end with Pedroza staying aboard for Pender.

Straight maiden California-bred 3-year-olds contest the fourth race over a mile on the main track and #4 Corner Office seems ideally spotted to earn his diploma. He has the classic two-sprints-and-a-stretch out pattern for Sadler and the son of Bertrando looks very capable of inheriting the role as the controlling speed. He has improving numbers, the pedigree to handle the extra ground, and has looked good in the morning of late. He’s a rolling exotic single in our book and a straight play at anything close to his morning line odds of 5/2.

The fifth race is a bottom rung claiming sprint and if #5 Clear to Canada can turn in two alike he may score again after a nice tally in a similar spot two weeks ago. It was a fairly taxing effort, though, so he could bounce; on the positive side is his record over this conventional dirt surface (three starts, two wins, one third). Garcia rides him back for Miller. #7 Thrice the Vice finished a half length behind Clear to Canada when third in that common race Jan. 6 and drops seven pounds while gaining bug boy Flores. Factor in the two pounds that Clear to Canada picks up and, well, you can do the math. We’ve never been too concerned about weight shifts one way or the other but at this level when the switch is nine pounds you have to believe it’s going to make a considerable difference.

#5 Skinny Genes looks well spotted in the sixth race, a $12,500 starter’s allowance event for fillies and mares. She’s been chasing much tougher entry-level allowance company lately and shortens up to a flat mile today, probably a much better trip than the 10 furlong affair she exits. She needs to get cover early and allowed to produce the last run. Others to consider include #6 Lisa Lulu (just 3-for-49 lifetime but with 14 third place finishes) and #7 We Are One, a genuine and consistent Phoenix shipper with good tactical speed and numbers that make her a solid fit under these conditions.

#4 Rockinarz Recruit was one of the most visually impressive maiden winners we’ve seen at Golden Gate Fields in a long time and today he takes his act to the conventional dirt track at Santa Anita where he tackles a very good field of first level allowance sprinting 3-year-olds in today’s feature race. The powerful 87 Beyer figure he earned up north is legit and we’re anticipating another strong forward move, as many of those Tapeta-to-dirt runners will display. The Mason-trained gelding is a rolling exotic single for us and we’re hoping – but not really expecting – to get close to his 7/2 morning line odds in the straight pool as well.

The finale is a maiden claiming miler for 3-year-olds and we’ll go three deep in our rolling exotics, using #3 Take No Prisoners, #6 Midnight Con, and #8 War Politics, all of whom have credentials to win a race like this. Take No Prisoners was well-backed when fourth in straight maiden company in his debut at Hollywood Park in November and the son of Giant’s Causeway is being thrown away rather quickly by Baffert in just his second outing. He’s clearly not very well regarded by the barn but the recent works are pretty good and there really isn’t a whole lot to beat here. Midnight Con is dropping from maiden $50,000 to maiden $30,000 despite finishing a solid second last time out for Mullins; he’s another being dangled to the claiming guys and quite frankly looks to be for sale following a sharp recent five furlong drill. He certainly can win, though. War Politics, second off the claim for O’Neill and being re-equipped with blinkers, was overmatched in straight maiden company in his last start but shouldn’t be today. The major switch to Bejarano makes him a “must use.”