Santa Anita Saturday | San Pasqual Day

You know weeks now take years. Just hobnobbing folks.

Weeks take years. I feel like I aged the whole

year in a week. Welcome back in.

Say hi to your mom. For us, it's the horse racing

happy hour. It's So Cal Saturdays.

Thanks for making this part of your weekend.

Once again, going early today because Barry Spears is a big

shot. He's going to be in Miami

tomorrow. So we got to tape when we can

get Barry. This is my life now, people.

Barry also has a new mic system. How about that?

Growing up in front of our eyes is Barry Spears plus the

Seahawks hat. How you doing you you would see?

Are you just kissing beams, butt, buttocks with that hat or

do you just like logo or like what's what's the bears reason?

All the logo, I think the logo is cool and I bought a bunch of

sharks and I got a nice hat with my name on it.

You see that? You see that?

Yeah, I've seen your Miami version of the sniper hat.

I I'm a sucker for animals as mascots.

I think they are the best mascots.

It's why we use a horse that smokes a cigar and talks into a

microphone on the horse racing happy hour, wears headphones

that are not on his ears, all of the good things.

And so yes, I'm very pro animal mascot.

You're very. Good.

You sound like you're describing me.

I don't. I don't.

Think. That's not cool.

You call me a horse. I thought we were better than

that. Hug Lika let's get into it.

We do this every Friday. It is the horse racing happy

hour, but it is our SoCal Saturdays represented by AM

wager am wager.com appreciate them hanging out with us every

single week on this a program. We go through the entire card

race by race out there in Southern California wherever

they are running. We talk about it and so as we

get into the weekend, the San Pasquale is this weekend.

It is a Grade 2. There's also a Grade 3 on the

card in the Megahertz, which is one of my favorite races every

year out at Santa Anita seems to be mega competitive and so we'll

go through the card one race at a time.

You'll get Barry's thoughts on the odd races First.

You'll get my thoughts on the even races first.

Barry, we'll start with you. Race 1 here.

Maiden special for Cal breds 6 furlongs on the turf here.

You got to be 4 or five years old for this one.

So there's these are light bloomers coming up here.

We've got a a first timer in here, which I always love to see

it in the four and five year old races, but a bunch of horses who

have tried a lot of different things that are trying to figure

it out here. Where'd you end up playing in in

Race 1? Yeah, usually in these kind of

races, I want to like horses that haven't run too much

because some of them have have shown themselves as not being

reliable. Like, for example, the one big

bill. I don't think that horse is very

good, but they're not bad either.

And and they're going to find a spot where they can win.

I just don't think it's today or Saturday.

I I went with #5 Omnificent. The Source ran pretty good last

time in a race that was scheduled for the turf that was

scratched off, and they showed some speed, which there doesn't

seem to be too much of in this race.

The 8th High King has some speed but likes to quit.

I think this horse can sit a really, really good trip despite

all the other things, and I like the fact that they're getting

Harmio again. Yeah, I, I like the Doug

O'Neill's trying the same surface again.

It's very clear that they were trying to, excuse me trying,

trying to get on the surface again is what I should say.

I tried to do it last time, as you pointed out, washed off last

time. Still ran a good race, right.

It's still a horse that has shown some ability.

But look, we're we're the Ohm babies do a little bit of

everything. It's very clear, though, that he

wants to move this one to turf in a good angle, Very good

angle, frankly, for Doug O'Neill, who's off to a blazing

hot start especially. I mean, not just by his

standards but in general out there at Santa Anita as well.

You went 5-7 and one. What do you like about the seven

horse in here? Maury Wills the more the most

likely favorite once we get to race time.

Might be the horse to beat. I, I know they haven't run on

the turf yet, just like some of these horses, just like the

horse that I picked, but I don't know.

I, I mean, I, I don't think there's much to grab into as far

as being out of audible and the dam and Nola Gray, who was very

good, she ran on turf and on dirt.

She ran well at the Sprint kind of distance.

But I don't know, it just seems too good to be true in a race

like this. I, I, I tend to gravitate away

from horses like this. They seem way too obvious. 5-7

and one for Barry. 576 for me. Largely agree with Barry's

points. I'll talk about Justin Gray's a

little bit. Tried her at 6 1/2 last time

under Kazushi Kamura. I like the move to Hector

Barrios, who almost won under this one at six furlongs at

Santa Anita back March of last year.

This one's been off since May of last year.

Just gotten this one back in working.

Definite third choice for me to hear Barry.

I think 5 and seven are the absolute ones to beat in this

spot, but I'll throw the six and 3rd to round out our

handicapping on race one Does kick off the early pick 5.

If you are so interested in that wager, certainly check out our

friends at amwagerandamwager.com.

Race 2 at Santa Anita on Saturday.

We move over to the dirt for this one.

It is a dime a claimer for non 3 lifers. 6 furlogs on the dirt in

here, Barry. Excuse me, even number race

means that I go first here. I landed on the three horse in

here in Horizon Wildcat. It isn't 2 to one favorite drops

out of considerably higher company in state bread company,

sure, but at the optional 20 kind of level.

This horse just ain't made for it. 3 back though at Del Mar

wins at this level before that even tried at the 25 level and

wasn't able to get there. Just think this is a dime

claimer. That's who this horse is and and

I think he gets it done at the end of the race on Saturday, I

went 3-5 and four. I think Captain Sparrow, the

other favorite here, is worthy of of a second look.

Did win at the 25 level of Del Mar back in July of last year.

A little bit of a layoff here for Mark Glatt, but he's good at

those 28% off of this kind of layoff in his last 65 plus

starters and so huge good angle for him.

So I think those top 2 on top for me here, 35 and 4, Barry and

I won't talk about the four because that's who you have on

top. Yeah, I went with #4 Broadway

unions. Consistency is the key here.

This horse has been consistently running faster races than

Captain Sparrow. I know with Captain Sparrow

you'll see that gaudy figure in July at Delmar in a non winters

of two just like this one, but at the 25,000 level.

I think that's going to attract a lot of attention betting wise.

But the body of work doesn't seem as fast as Broadway Unions

who probably will get a nice trip here.

So we're going to go with the probably what will be the second

choice in Broadway Unions and then we'll follow it up in the

second spot with the 6th Mischief's Causeway.

Again, another one that that seems to be consistent and

getting better. I know the last race they were

kind of out wide in that mile race and they're cutting back in

distance. Should get a nice trip stalking

from the outside and, and should be able to finish up.

I I think they might even be a little bit better than Captain

Sparrow so that we got Captain Sparrow there for 3rd.

I think Mischief's Causeway is really interesting in here,

frankly, because I like the move back to this kind of distance.

The most recent work was awesome.

And so I, I, I, I just wondered the move back to this kind of

distance. The other part for this horse,

the six horse we're talking about here is I think you're

going to get every bit of the morning line number because of

the connections. Correct, Not the cold body.

Knows, right? I mean, you're just, you're

dealing with that. I think you're going to get

every bit of it and it's a horse that's actually training well

and so they throw the blinkers on as well.

That worked last time for this, for this training group.

I look, the numbers are not great out of that barn, but that

horse does make sense on the outside. 46 and five for Barry.

I'll go 35 and four again in race 2 out at Santa Anita on

Saturday time claimer there starts that early.

Pick four, Race 3. We'll move on to that one now

here on Socal Saturdays presented by Amway.

Dr. Louie Rabo he is Barry Spears sounded even better even

though he's got no voice. What is it, the weather?

It's a weather message or did you yell it like were you?

This is what happened. This is wait, this is a good

story. So.

So when Destino de Oro won in the Pegasus Philly mayor turf, I

went absolutely bananas. Everybody who was in the

breezeway at Gulfstream Park knows this.

They know me, they saw it, they heard me.

I was the only person yelling. I was the only person yelling

and they. That's why you got the pair you

did, yeah. So I lost my voice that day.

Sunday I didn't have a voice. Monday I didn't have a voice.

Tuesday I get my voice back, then the cold hits and then I

get knocked out again. So we get the double whammy

that. Was your weekly trip inside the

mind of Spears? It is.

It should be said that the reaction moment of 2025 was

burying me in the blood horse press box area of the main press

box at Delmar at the Breeders cup.

He and I snuck up there. We did not have the proper

letter to be in the main. We could be in the in the the

non bougie press box hallway correct.

We could be out in the tent that was available for us.

Now I'm not complaining because Barry we had that set next to

the paddock and I'll never complain about that spot.

Oh my God. Well, it's the top.

It's the best and when they go back to Delmar I Jim, that's why

I want to be and. Who is that by the way you made

it into over the weekend? Yeah, shut up.

That's exactly right. Yeah, Mr. Gluckson.

That's right. And so I'm just kidding.

He's not Mr. Gluckson. He's Jim.

He's a great guy. Anyways, the But just up there,

an ethical diamond comes flying around the outside and Barry's

on my back. Literally.

Literally. Poor Frank Angst and Byron King

are over here like oh what do we?

How do we? Is there a high 5 situation?

But did your boy keep? Did I keep my composure until we

got way outside that press box or what?

Yeah, you did. I didn't.

I was like, that's the 14, That's the 14, That's the 14,

yes. That's good stuff for sure.

Oh man, so I'm imagining it was much like that situation.

The problem was I think the diamond was so early in the day.

We had like 6 races left. I had to look.

I had to pull it back to. Show everybody calmed down.

Oh man, whatever you have to buy dinner at the Breeders Cup.

It's been a good, it's been a good, good weekend for sure.

Race 3. We're rolling along SoCal

Saturdays hanging out with amwagerandamwager.com where they

have a 100% deposit match for new customers up to $150.00.

Bet all the racing in California with our friends at

amwagerandamwager.com. They are live in California as

well if you're watching out there. 25K claimer weights us in

Race 3, the race that Barry and I always think of when we think

of Southern California racing. One mile on the turf, fillies

and mares 4 and up essentially. Not 2 lifers here.

Barry, where'd you land Race 3? Yeah, I landed on #2 the Chalk

with Love. It's kind of an Omnifig horse.

And for those who don't know what the Omnifig is, it's

basically when a horse has two buyer speed figures that are

better than everybody else in the field.

I know that one of them was back January 1st, 2024 and then the

next one was October 25th, 2025, but it's still better than

everybody else. And usually those horses hit at

a ridiculous rate like 70%. I don't see any anything in here

that can beat this horse unless they just get a horrible trip

and a horse like the three could beat them.

But other than that I I don't really see much in here. 24 and

3 for Barry. Why don't you talk about Church

Lady who you have in the second spot Here comes in a 12:50 Fill

the motto Kazushi Camaro. I'd be surprised if we get 12:50

on those kind of connections. Yeah, they're dropping in here

from the $50,000 Start Allowance company and I think that is a

really good move because this horse seems to be fit in this

spot a lot better than they would there.

Maybe give the horse some confidence because it's been a

while, you know, took a little bit for this horse to break the

maiden then got 2 pretty bad trips, then they laid off.

Makes sense coming back in a spot like this and they might

be, you know, have a little bit of an edge.

They might be a little bit stronger than these and and

possibly a price. I actually completely think that

way. And so I've got the four on top

in this race, Barry, you and I landed on the same three horses

in some kind of order of 2-3 and four here.

I just this is when we watch these horses in Southern

California, Barry, So often we, we, I think we focus a little

too much on sprinters going a mile and not enough on those

milers who can Sprint right. And and this is one that stays

at the mile is 1 for seven at the distance.

But as you point out, is dropping significantly in class.

The win was at the 50 level in September.

I think dropping in here makes a lot of sense for this Philly.

And you know, Phil d'amato doing this kind of shift hits at 22%

in claimers this way. All the numbers seem to match

up. The only the only weird thing is

that he and Kazushi do not hit it together for some reason.

Whatever it is, it's just, it's just, but that number to me

means very little because trust both guys for very different

reasons. And so other 423 here, Barry

again was 2, four and three in the shorter field here in Race

3. Moving on to Race 4, it is the

first stakes race of the day. It is the San Pasquale, it is a

Grade 2. It is a mile and an eighth on

the dirt. So they will start up the

stretch a little bit there. We see the return of Ghazali and

I think Barry, when you talk about singles and how easy this

game can be, I think Ghazali is an obvious single.

Really. Let's be nice.

No, I have I have WTF next to this race, Barry, I have a very

difficult time sorting out these horses because I let's go

through it. You know, there's it's only a

six horse field. So let's just go through

midnight. Mammoth is in here and he showed

up like a bleeper in the Gold Cup last year, right.

And like one of those races that if he wins it, you know, at 12

to one or whatever it was, and he beat Skippy, who just won a

grade one. You're like, oh, oh, how about

that? He comes in here at 9:00 to

2:00. Gazzali's in here.

He's won three times in his life.

Most recent race was going a mile at Santa Anita.

Big, big speed figure, and he's had big ones in the past, but

those are in claimers. That was in a 25 claimer.

You get Getaway Car, who we last saw lose badly to another horse

in this field at Delmar and an optional claimer.

The last one was in the Sunland Derby over Caldera.

Let me tell you how long ago that was.

Do you know who trained Caldera? Wayne Lucas.

He's not even on the planet anymore.

Like this is how long ago that win was.

That was a down the stretch. And we're like, oh, how fun it

is that Batford and and Wayne are together.

OK Bartholdi beat beat the the favorite in here in getaway car

last out, but then tried the Laffy Paguaya I thought was

pretty good at a mile and a 16th.

But it has to step back into this kind of company.

Pony expresses in here and was second in the Tokyo the Tokyo

city to a whatever privman. And then I get Westwood on the

outside, who I think might be the best horse in here but

doesn't win anything. Barry Wigiland and Wigiland in

the same as Wow. I'm going to say I reluctantly,

very reluctantly landed on getaway car just because of the

class, the source, You know, you see Citizen Bull in there a

couple times. Journalism American promise at

the time was pretty sharp and you know that I I really don't

think this is a a true kind of sprinter sort of horse.

I I would say this horse is more of a Miller and stretching out

is probably not the best thing for this source.

I don't think anybody in this race really wants to go a mile

and an eighth. So it seems like this is going

to be a real stagger fest coming down the stretch.

But Getaway Card does have some class, and that's really the The

Separator. You do have the six on the

outside. Westwood in the second spot,

taking the blinkers off here. Kazushi rides for John.

Sheriff's I thought showed something in the native diver

last time. Nevada Beach obviously gets the

win there. Is that a a performance that the

horse can build off? I think so, Barry.

I should be able to. I mean, as as consistent as he

is, he runs kind of the same race every time and doesn't win

very often, hooks a field here that he's probably mostly better

than and he definitely has a shot to win.

I, I would definitely take a real close look at him, you

know, and the odds and how that shakes out when the betting

starts. I, I mean, he, he definitely has

a shot here. It's just a matter of of the

price honestly. You and I have the same 2 on top

here. I'll go six and three though,

for for my picks here. I I just the 2:00 to 1:00 on

that horse despite the class just doesn't do enough for me to

move away from an April horse. And so yeah, so I'll go 63 here.

I'll have the four horse in the third spot in Bartholdi just

from that left fame pic Kai, I think this is a horse that can

step forward in these kinds of races.

Has 290 speed figures going two turns in recent recent days and

in recent races. Excuse me, you have midnight

mammoth on the inside, though. It's a horse that I mentioned

earlier. Frankly, if that horse wins the

Gold Cup, we're talking about this race very, very

differently. You give this one a a a not just

a shot to hit the board, but to win the race.

No, I, I, I think this isn't his best distance.

I think he's a miler for sure, But again, he's got some back

class that might be able to to push him by horses like Ghazali

and and but oldie. But you know, this is, this is

actually kind of a tough race to be honest with you, despite what

you know, what it lines up, they're not very consistent and

any one of these horses can really step up and win.

It's a tough one for sure. I I am I'm not jealous of of

trying to make a wager at the window or something like that on

Saturday, but that might be the kind of race Barry that I would

want to be there and do a paddock pick for that kind of

thing right. If someone looks really good is

like really into a sort of dancing around ready to hit that

gate like maybe that would be the play on Saturday.

But boy, just a tough, tough race to figure out even with

only six entrance in there. This is so Cal Saturdays on the

horse racing happy hour. I'm Louie Raboki is Barry Spears

appreciate you hanging out with us a day earlier than we usually

go on this program. But you usually find us at 2:00

Eastern Time, 11:00 Pacific on Fridays.

We're always presented by Amwager and amwager.com.

Appreciate them hanging out with the program.

Moving on to race 5 starts, the late pick five and the all turf

pick three right here. A state bred optional claimer.

70 grand on the line, 20 grand if you're in for the tag.

We're going a mile on the turf and this are for California

sired Phillies and mares essentially non 2 lifers at a

higher level. Barry, where'd you land in Race

5? Yeah, this is a race that I'm,

I'm excited to bet. Honestly, I I think this is a

real good race to especially when it where it is because it

starts the old turf pick three starts to pick five and and I

like a horse in here that's probably going to be a price in

apple pie. That race on January 11th was

really, really good. This horse was you know, the the

the comments in the form don't really do it.

This horse was three wide the whole way the whole way and and

finished up very, very strong. I I think that's very good angle

to to build upon and should get some pace up front in this race

to run into. I think this horse stands a

really good chance if we get anywhere. 12:50 This horse will

be my single and everything. We're putting a lot of bets

through apple pie. All right, 75 and 6 for Barry.

I do have that horse third of my handicapping you and I also

agree that the five is one of the three best in here.

That's my Akama 5 to 2 for Jeff Mullins.

Juan Hernandez keeps them out for the 7th consecutive race.

This one has won three of her last 6.

I, I just, I'll take the winner here.

She's been winning at the 50 allowance level.

She's been winning at I mean, frankly, she ran down the hill

almost one. She tried dirt last time and won

at Los Al. We watched that translate back

to turf really, really often and really well.

And so frankly, for Jeff Mullins, a guy that does a lot

of dirt to turf, just put a horse in wherever you can feel a

condition, this is absolutely one of them.

I love seeing Juan back aboard the two of them now hitting at

42%, which is online with how he rides with Baffert trained

horses. Jeff Mullins makes a ton of

sense in here. So I'll lay it on the 5597.

Agree with Barry about the seven.

I think apple pie is very live. I think Green Zone, for many of

the reasons you just laid out is also very live.

But this is one that got the lead last time under Aguilar,

picks up Kazushi here for Dean Peterson.

And I love that we might have a horse on, you know, if you have

to break from the 9 in America, you know, on the outside in a

mile race, Barry, at least have it be the horse that wants to

get the lead anyway, right? If you're just going to do that

work up front anyway, who cares? Go break from the outside, go

get the lead and go do it. I think she's got a very

excellent chance to do exactly that.

I just think Kazushi getting back aboard here makes a lot of

sense to move to 12th last time and stretching out to a mile

made a lot of sense, obviously, and so should be able to run it

back. 59 and seven for me here, Barry.

I'll let you talk about the six horse in here as well.

Nancy Griffith. It's a good day, Bob.

What you got here? Yeah, I mean, I mean this, this

horse hasn't run poorly, especially when going longer

those races going a mile other than that one on August 23rd of

2025, the rest of them been pretty good and came off the

bench last time and ran an equally as good a race.

I don't know how much more of an improvement that Nancy Griffith

can get here, but I think she stands to get A a good trip and

B she's just as competitive as anybody in this race and should

be a decent price. Closes out the late pick or the

early pick 5 starts the late pick 5, does a race 5 that that

one is amongst the man I. I just did a Maryland show with

Mackenzie Pfeiffer and their their opener for the late pick 5

feels a lot like this race where it's like if you like a 12:50,

go for it. If you like A5 to 2GO for it.

It just it is a boy. What a great, great race to kick

off the late pick five. I was telling Mackenzie too,

Barry, and I'm sure as you were handicapping this, this late

sequence is as good as I can remember at Santa Anita in a

while. I mean this is a the late pick 5

here is is great. It's fun.

I would, I would say it kind of goes back to big cap day.

It's that good. I think it's that good.

I. It's very tough.

We've been doing this show for a year.

It's as good as I could remember.

As far as the late pick five, I mean, it really is so fun.

Fun stuff. Plus we get the same basketball

kind of earlier. I know it's a smaller field, but

whatever. Like good luck with that 1.

So no, I think it's a lot, a lot of fun.

Late pick four starts in race 6. We're moving on to that one, if

my computer. Hey.

All right. Hey.

Hi. Hi.

I'm Louis Robot. He's Barry Spears.

This is the horse racing happy hour.

We're hanging out with Amwager and with you.

We appreciate everybody hanging out with us on Socal Saturdays.

We do this every week. Preview the card in Southern

California. We're at Santa Anita for the

next couple of months there. Move on to race 6.

The late pick four starts here. Maiden special weight.

I thought one of the other races that really spiced up this late

part of the sequence. Eight horses in here running for

$70,000, six furlongs on the dirt.

And this is for three-year old maidens.

Barry, do you know who won this race in 2018?

California Chrome. Justify.

All right, so this is when he was a maid breaker before, of

course, flying into those stakes.

In February, 3 years late. Four years, so the 6 Murlocs on

the dirt, even double race means I go first here and I have four

horses that I'm going to be using in here.

So I wrote all of them down 317 and six.

You can call this my Baffert play of the day if you want to,

but I think Ruler of Law is also interesting.

I'll get to him in a moment. Barry, I don't know how you look

at these races altogether necessarily, because I I

actually on paper like a a different Baffert better than

the 1 he has Juan Hernandez riding.

Yeah, but who am I to question Bob Baffert and who he has?

Riding his horses is essentially how I landed on the three.

So I went 3-1, even though I think Dunthoff is a much more

interesting prospect in here. Son of Maxfield, I, I think

eventually they'll figure it out.

I there's been a couple things going on here.

Pratt's not in town for the winter, and with Umberto

breaking his ankle, he's not available to ride either.

It opens it up for a lot of different kinds of jocks and a

lot of different kinds of things.

And so if someone's going to emerge, Barry, as the next rider

for Bob Baffert, that isn't Juan Hernandez.

This is the time You got two months.

Figure it out how, How to figure it out, Kazushi, figure it out.

Edwin Maldonado, whoever gets those mounts, figure it out now

how to be the second rider behind Juan Hernandez, because

this is your opportunity. 317 and six.

I'll go with the Bafferts on top.

I do think Ruler of Law is really interesting in here for

Luis Mendez. Switching over to dirt I think

makes a lot of sense. To be fair, though, we have seen

those Tis and laws do really well on turf as well.

So 317 and six in here, Barry, for me, largely A Baffert play.

Where'd you land? Well, I, I can say a lot of the

times with Baffert, he tips his hand a little bit.

Like you said, you don't want to be like, well, this horse is

better than this one because usually all the horses are a

quick fast and, and they stay. So he kind of tips his hand by

which rider he puts on which horse.

And The thing is, is I like the one gunned off here quite a bit.

The dam has three debut winners and gets our meal from the rail.

To me that says go. I mean Juan Hernandez does like

to go, but he goes and sits almost like a stalker, almost

like Luis Saez. He he kind of rides in a similar

fashion to that. Harmio is a little bit

different. He likes to be on the engine and

I think that's the plan with this horse being out of

Maxfield. There's a nice gate work on

January 16th and it looks like he he had with I think it was

one of his other horses, the three crude velocity.

But I just think this pedigree makes a lot of sense.

Getting the speed rider probably would be slightly under the

radar and you might get a little elevated of a price.

And I I think Duntov here might be the goods.

And if we can connect apple pie to Duntov, yeah, it's it's

Sizzler time, baby. Well, here's the other part is

frankly to, to follow up on your point, Crude velocity and Duttov

worked in tandem, right? Yeah.

And they worked exactly according to the clockers,

exactly the same, right. And So what you're pointing out

is, is, is very straightforward. If you're on the rail, you got

to go. And Haramiyo is a kind of rider

that's just going to go anyway. And the interesting thing though

for me with crude Velocity is I, I just think at some point you I

don't. Even know if I can.

I'm just I'm I'm reading the clues here.

I'm reading the clues here and I'm going with Juan.

That's all I'm doing. 1-6 and eight for you.

I talked a little bit about ruler of law.

Do you largely agree? Yeah, rule of law, the Luis

Mendez trainee largely agree with my my take on that.

Yeah, yeah, I think the source is going to improve switching to

the dirt and and I think this horse will sit a nice trip.

That last workout is a is a real good tip off.

I I think this was going to be much better than they were the

first time. Well, I do have Captain Shreve

in the third spot on the outside.

I I think that's speaks to how deep this part of the sequence

is because I would not be stunned at that hole in the

race. Right.

I mean, he has speed, he can run them off their feet.

The there's not much experience amongst the group.

He he's only one of two that have run before.

So it's not impossible he could be just a little more mature

than the rest in in wire. Yeah, it should be a really,

really fun one. I'm of all of the races this

weekend, I'm actually really looking forward to that one

because I, I think 2 San Anita Derby starters are in that

field. Possibly.

Yeah. I mean, I, I think that's at

least a possibility. And so I think there's a chance

that if you were telling me pick a race this weekend that has a

Derby starter in it, I might go to that race.

And I'm not kidding. I might go to that.

No, I. Think it's that kind of race?

Yeah, for sure. So fascinating stuff for sure.

That was Race 6. Moving on to Race 7.

Late pick three starts here at Santa Anita on Saturdays,

hanging out with Barry Spears. I'm Louis Ribose.

The horse Racing Happy Hour presented by Amwager and

amwager.com. 100% deposit match up to $150.00.

For new customers, go check themoutourfriends@amwagerandamwager.com.

Late pick 3 means $3 minimum and 15% take out out there at Santa

Anita. The Grade 3 megahertz awaits us

there. A mile on the turf here,

Phillies and Mares 4 and up, and boy, did we get a fun field of

nine in here. I think outside of Baltic Fire,

I feel like if you picked a horse in here, maybe Violetta,

maybe, maybe. I think you could pick six

though here and and I wouldn't fight you too hard.

Barry, where'd you land in Race 7?

Yeah, I landed on the three Princess of Moshe.

I'd like that race off the bench in the La Cienegas against Queen

Maxima. Who is an awfully tough horse.

I mean, she she's a really good. She's great.

Really, really great horse. I I love seeing her run, but

she's very tough and this horse hung with her for for pretty

much the whole race there. And I like the stretch out from

previously November 8th. This horse stretched out, ran a

pretty good race. I I I think they were clamoring

to get back to this mile distance.

I think it fits her perfectly with the others in here.

You know this this race doesn't seem to be like over heavy on

favoritism. Public assembly is probably

going to be favored, but seems like they'll be lukewarm.

It's dead closer in a race that doesn't seem to have too too

much speed and I I think Princess of most can sit close

and and get a good run. The.

Peruvian bread, Shout out to Adas Los Asares, the the breeder

there in Peru. Look at your boy using a little

bit of Spanish there. There you go.

Does ride though. And look, be really clear.

I was really critical of that guy when he first got to

Southern California. His numbers were terrible and I

did not think many of his rides were very good.

They've got a lot better. He waited for you to go out

there. He waited for you to go out

there because he won five the first day we were there.

Bro it's like he knew I was there.

I agree he did. He was like.

Tangered me on the Internet. I got to show them something.

God, I wrote, I wrote some miserable failure.

What was? Oh my God, oh man.

I'll have to go back and find it.

It's the good stuff for sure. You and I landed on very

different horses. I went 4-7 and two.

We both have the seven vibes with AZ.

Who did you think of when you saw vibes with AZ?

By the way, who did you think of?

I only thought of one person, mutual friend of ours, A.

Mutual friend I I was OK. A reggae artist.

Right, OK, something like that, right.

You would go to or like vibes with AZ is also the name of a

bad nightclub in the 90s, is it not?

Like that's really what it looks like, is it not?

Right. Everything was like plural with

AZ, right? You know, like I thought of our

guy Danny Brewer, Sports Brew with AZ.

Yeah, that's how you do that. And you're muted now.

No one can hear what you're saying and your mouth is moving.

How about that? You can now, but.

The Smyrna stud, I would 4-7 and two here landed on the four in

Will. Then this is one that was very,

very competitive in the American Oaks.

Just kind of didn't get there, but gets back to the mile

distance where she is 3 for five.

Lifetime was a third place finish as well.

Last time we saw her at this distance was in the grade 2 San

Clemente at Del Mar over the mile distance there.

She's more of a stalker that way in that at that race, they tried

her on the front under Hector Burios and the Red Carpet Berry.

I think they're going to try that again.

I think they're going to try to get her near the front and who

better in Southern California to to hook up with to to ride on

the front than Mike Smith? I think that's why this horse is

being asked one for two lifetime at Santa Anita has never been

outside the trifecta. I think getting back to Santa

Anita, getting to do this here makes a lot of sense for her.

So I land on the 447 and two for me.

We both have vibes in ours as well.

She was in the matriarch last out there at Del Mar in the

Grade 1. Before that, though, did win the

Swing Time, which is 1 mile restricted stakes, win a race

for horses that had not won a stakes yet in the year to that

point. It was a restricted race.

Then Juan Hernandez had the mount.

Then guess who gets the mile back here?

Juan Hernandez. She's won for six lifetime at

Santa Anita, but I think she fits in here very, very well.

Went to the two public assembly after that.

This one that was really good in the Frankel but is going to need

to be closer to the pace. I think Barry, like she was say

in the yellow ribbon at Delmar de Maio on the 16th, but she

fell way too far back in the Goldacova under Antonio Frazu.

This is largely me liking the move to Hector Barrios because I

think he's going to keep her nearer to the front. 4-7 and two

for me in the Megahertz. You at 3-5 and seven.

What do you like about going? I'm lucky here.

Ricardo Gonzalez, for a guy that I wanted to throw in here too,

Jonathan Thomas, yes. I, I like when horses change

barns, do something different and improve and, and that's

exactly what going Lucky did last time, plus the, the fact

that they shipped out West. I, I think this horse is, is

definitely on the improve as far as you know, upside in a race

like this where you know, these horses have been knocked around

a little bit. Going Lucky's a newly turned 4

year old should get a nice trip in here and you know, everything

kind of lines up for this horse to improve.

Whether they win or not is another story, but I think

they're going to show up in the picture.

Move on to Race 8. Start the late double here on

Socal. Saturday's Luger Bow and Barry

Spears hanging out with you on the horse racing cap are

presented by AM Wager Optional claimer $50,000 claiming price A

$70,000 purse awaits us. The start of the late AA $5

minimum on the late double with a 15% take out Barry even number

race means Louis goes 1st and so in this one, I I win 5 seven to

three. I agree with you.

By the way, here's here's the other part of this sequence,

Barry, and why I like it so much and why I think that it can

become an incredible betting pick 5 is because how easy is

the case against Cornucopia? Very easy.

Straightforward, right? Super simple.

OK, How easy is the case against the other Baffert trainee in

here in March of time? It's very easy, frankly, right?

It would be very easy to argue against those horses.

I think a horse like simple song, the seven horse in here

has a legitimate shot under Kazushi Camaro 4 Mark Glad.

Mark glad is on fire right now. Horses are all over the place.

Great. And this is one that's been

winning, you know, wins at the at the maiden level, tries

winners last time, doesn't quite get there, gets to run again

against two horses that were in that race last time in red flag

and see through it. I think I think value wise makes

a lot of sense here. I also just think in general,

the last word coming into this one makes a ton of sense as

well. I I can't get past cornucopia

and you talked about class in the Megahertz.

I'm talking about class here. I think this is one that makes a

lot of sense. But I also have a lot of

questions. I mean, just a ton of questions

that we're we're going to a Sprint.

Are we just trying to get our legs underneath us here?

Are we hoping that the, the lack of blinkers will do something as

because when I think spreading, I don't think taking the

blinkers off, I throw all the blinkers on and making the horse

concentrate and those kinds of things.

And so I'm not sure which part a, which part of this to go

with, but I, I just, I went class.

I went 5-7 and three here. That's why I'm sticking on race

A. Where'd you go with Race a

buddy? Well, you know, I, I kind of had

the notion that cornucopian might be a runoff.

Even with the blinkers off, that horse is super fast and didn't

seem like anybody was able to control him.

If he comes out and settles, he might be really, really tough in

this spot. But I don't know that that's a

really big question mark for me. And same thing with March of

Time. Hasn't been out in a long time.

It might be a little bit. Fresh and and could be really

keyed up. I I think this pace might get

hot up front. That's why I went with the 9 see

through it. I I think this horse might sit a

good trip. Has a couple of races back there

at the 80,000 optional clamor. That would certainly be really

tough in this race. Gets a nice set up.

The outside post really doesn't bother me at all.

I I think being able to see the speed up front it is is good.

I agree. I totally agree.

I. I'm.

Definitely trying to take a shot against the favorites here.

And look, I mean, that one was in a race ran third behind

Bartholdi. It's gonna be 1 of the favorites

in the San Pasqual, right? I mean, so it's, it's not as

though he hasn't been running against class.

It's also a nine year old horse who's making his 49th start.

He's going for his 15th win. This is a horse that wins,

right? And there's a horse that runs

well, is winning like 30% of his races, that for a horse that's

run almost 50 times in his life at this kind of level.

Old guy Renaissance. No, it's good stuff, dude.

It really is. That's just the good stuff.

Peter Miller trains in that case.

Of course. Yeah, whiskey, gin and Brandy's

in here after a very good win in the Cal Cup Derby, obviously

winning through disqualification, 30 to 1 here

in this field. What do you make of that, Barry?

I make of it that this horse has, I think I could run faster

than this horse. That's saying something.

Not loving the Cal Cub Derby this year is what I'm hearing.

No, no not. Not for this spot, anyway.

Makes sense? Just too slow.

I mean, in comparison, the horses that are in this race,

this source is way slow. But any other race without the

Bafferts and without the Sadler, the source should probably be,

you know, favored or close to it.

But this, this is a pretty good, almost a stakes field, honestly.

Yeah, it felt really good there for sure.

Closer is race 9. This is the the horse racing

happy hour Socal Saturdays hanging out with our friends at

Amwager. He's Barry Spears.

I am Louis Rabo made the special way to waits betters to close

the card. Phillies and mares.

It's actually just Phillies that are three years old in this one

on the turf course, 6 1/2 flat Barry.

So a little bit of interaction with the dirt course there, but

what do you, what do you make of this one to close the card?

Yeah, I planted on the two Novita Dominga.

The damn Dominga won it first asking their first foal.

But I like the workouts. I like the steady diet of 5

furlong works. I think that gets a lot of

fitness into the horse. Sadler does good first time out

and first time turf. I think this horse is live.

So, Barry again, Novita Dominga, do you know what that name

means? Girlfriend from the Dominican

Republic. It's a good guess Domingo does

mean Sunday does. Sunday, Sunday, girlfriend.

So there you go, Sunday girlfriend.

There it is, little Sunday girlfriend, right?

Novita sounds like like a like a soul food restaurant in a town

that I would want to visit, doesn't it?

Where, where you get your where'd you guys get your

chicken from? Oh, from Novitas.

I'm telling you, it just does just.

Tell the rules, that's what. It's it really does.

Yeah, yeah. So 211 and 10 from Barry and

this one. I also have the two and. 11 in

my hand. I tell you what, if that horse

wins, we're definitely eating chicken BBQ.

Oh man, we were debating. We were doing this thing.

I sent you a video earlier today and it's it's it's a guy who

takes his friend to spots and he doesn't belong in right.

Just essentially is what it is. I love those.

Guys, I see those videos, Barry, and then I realize I'm just I

just do that stuff like I'm just I'm I look like this and I'm

just going to the chicken place. Like I don't, you know, I don't,

I don't need somebody. Here in my neighborhood, it'd be

like, there's this guy always here and then you'd you'd

automatically be adopted. Boom, that's.

It, that's the part of it. Hey, you're going twice, you're

done. That's exactly right.

We got we got a great, great couple spots not terribly far

from the studio here and Moby Dick.

So we next one of them. But if you just you show your

face a couple times, you're good.

You know, it's a really true yeah, hold on.

It's a reputation business. That's exactly right.

Barry is 211 and 10 in the closer.

I'll go 111 and two in the closer.

I'll try silky survey on the inside.

Phil d'amato very good with first time horses in North

America. This one's been running

left-handed and frankly doing it very well.

And so should be able to step into this kind of company coming

out of the auction series there at Navin in Ireland, I think

makes a lot of sense in this spot.

I went to the 11. Barry and I both have

counterbalance in hours as well. After a day of not being chalky,

I got very chalky in the last race, went 4 to 1, then 7:00 to

2:00 here. Mike McCarthy trains, Yeah,

right. Kazushi rides first time Lasik's

here I really like. And so this horse should should

improve from the last go. And then I have Novita Dominga,

third of my handicapping here, 111 and 2 for me.

Barry, go ahead and talk about the 10 horse here to close the

card. I in getting closer.

Amanda, are you so who I have not mentioned a lot today and

means he's going to win like 4 races on Saturday first time in

Callahan. Yeah, I I like that race they

ran December 12th at LaSalle. I think that fits well here.

I think they went and tried going a mile last time.

Didn't get a great trip, was kind of wide even though they

broke from the 1 hole. I think this is a much better

spot. They they definitely are

eligible to improve second time Lasix some good workouts in tow

the the nice little slow 5 furlong breezes.

I I like those coming into a race like this, especially on

the grass and I I think the source can show up.

So getting closer. We got that one in there for

sure. 8 to 1 on the 10 horse there my my top pick here.

Barry, is it post position that you don't like or is is there

something else? The 11 counterbalance and.

Yeah, no, no silky Seve, sorry on the inside.

Oh, yeah, no thank you. No thank you.

Inside, outside. And races like this, I, I try to

stay away unless they're just overwhelming.

I mean, Silky Savage could be the goods, but I just don't want

to try that at at a short price. And I think they might be.

That was our third trip inside the mind of Spears today.

I apologize to the viewing audience, the listening

audience. That is way too much.

We'll try to cut back on that next week.

His name is Barry Spears. I believe your beau.

You are headed, my friend to Gulfstream Park, which you can

bet on the AM Wager and AM wager.com.

Of course, get their 100% deposit match up to 150 bucks

right now at amwager.com. AM wager.com who you got in the

Holy Bowl? I I want to get away from

incredible. OK?

I really like that horse. Good luck, man.

I'm going to tell you who I picked.

It is the 8 Bravaro. Let's go Safi 8 to 1 to the

hoop. Why would anyone bet against him

right now in in route races at San or as at a Gulfstream?

Why? Why would anyone do that right

now? I'm being serious.

It's tough. I mean, he, he's, he's been like

this for years, especially during the winter, so.

Yeah, no, no doubt about it. Incredible. 9:00 to 2:00 on the

morning line will break from the inside.

The favorite very likely to be the maiden breaker last out in

Cannoneer. Ira Ortiz picks up the mount

again for Brad Cox. I talked to Dale, Roman, Toby on

the show tomorrow night on the Kentucky.

I did too. He has got Project Ace in this

race. I want to be very clear about

something. I don't think Project Ace wins

the race, but if you are filling out a try and don't include that

horse, you're out of your mind. I'm Lou Ramo, he's Barry Spears.

This has been Socal Saturdays. Thanks so much for hanging out

with us and thanks to all the great folks over at

amwagerandamwager.com. Good luck with those wagers this

weekend. We will see you next Friday for

Socal Saturdays.