Malibu Day at Santa Anita | Barry Spears

B Roll. It'll come here from the.

Music, you understand me, Berry Spears.

I live in B roll. My whole life is B roll, you

understand me? Suburban house, wife, kids, all

the stuff. It's just suburbia all over the

place, these Berry Spears. I'm Lou Rebeau.

This is a special edition of Socal Saturdays and that it is a

Socal Sunday. Merry Christmas to all of you.

Happy Kwanzaa if you've started that.

Of course, a happy Hanukkah if you are doing any of those

things and if you're doing none of them, I hope you just got

some time off Day after Christmas edition.

And of course, a Malibu Day preview edition as well.

We've been doing this show now for 10 months.

We embark on month 11 of the show.

Really excited to keep it going into 2026 as well.

Barry, did you get the PS-5 for Christmas like my 13 year old

did? Absolutely, Absolutely.

Why you lied to all the people here?

What are we doing right? No, I, I in fact when I was

handicapping this card and I know you saw because of the show

sheet, I had to stop. Half and half will happen.

Yeah, yeah. I had to stop in order to get

the games onto the system so my daughter could play because I'm

the adult account and the child account.

And yeah, man, a lot of work I didn't need.

I did not need that. I apologize.

We start the show by going inside mind of Spears.

That's. Not you don't want that.

Wants to do ever. It's just a terrible idea.

We will now leave the mind of Spears, including about

Christmas, for the remainder of the program. 11 race card.

A ton of graded stakes here. Barry, is there one in

particular that you happen to be looking forward to?

I gotta tell you, there are a couple of turf races in here.

The American Oaks, Shrug. And the La Brea, if someone's

like. Yeah, I've got a really strong

opinion in the La Brea. God bless them because I don't

don't a couple of really, really good ones in that case.

I mean, and frankly, this is as salty and Malibu as I can

remember. I know it's Baffert heavy but

man a lot of good 3 year olds. Yeah, I mean, all the all the

stakes races are really, really interesting.

The the pink eye, even though it is a little lopsided.

I I. Easily could win.

Yes, I still want to see Niceo. So I I like to see that horse

run. He's super fast and and very

impressive And then I thought the La Brea was really tough and

and should be a really good race as well.

Yeah, it should be a lot of fun. He's Barry Spears.

I'm Lira Bow. We're presented by Amwager.

And boy, if you haven't checked out that platform and you're

going to be betting on Malibu day, boy do I have good news for

you. 100% deposit match up to $150.00.

Just go ahead and double your bankroll for Sunday.

If you haven't checked them out before.

Amwager is an online betting platform designed by horse

players. 4 horse players deliver speed, power, all the top tier

features like predictive, excuse me, predictive, true odds and

conditional wagering as well. So if you are placing a simple

win bet or anything up to a pick 6, go check them out at Amwager.

They give you the tools to bet smarter again, 100% deposit

match up to $150. You need an edge.

Go check out our friends at Amwager AM wager.com for all the

good stuff going on with them. And of course, you can find my

column tomorrow. It probably will go out Sunday

actually ahead of the Malibu at the Sporting Tribune as well.

It's also presented by our friends at Amwager.

Bear you ready to go? Absolutely always excited to go

on. On this one, we start, of

course, with race. What if you're due to Socal

Saturdays, maybe checking us out for the first time because it is

Malibu Day. We go through the entire card

wherever they're running on Saturday mornings in Southern

California. Of course, no Saturday racing

this week with all the rain out there.

Hope everybody's safe, by the way, but certainly excited to

get back at it tomorrow at the great Race Place.

Race 1 is a maiden special weight for Phillies.

They have to be 2 year olds in this one and it is a mile on the

turf. Barry When I think racing in

California, I think mile on the turf.

Who you got race on? Yeah, interesting race, you

know, some first timers, some lightly raced horses.

I I found that there wasn't a whole ton of speed in there and

I ended up landing on #4 Island home for that reason.

Looks to be the speed of the speed should control this pace

up front. You know, it it's, it's real

kind of a crapshoot what you get behind that horse.

So it it could be anything because this race is really wide

open and I, I just think the four has a slight pace

advantage. So we'll go there.

Goes to the four Kazushi Kimura rides.

I think this one's obviously live.

This is a Michael McCarthy kind of special about, you know, two

months off into that sort of race in this spot.

You went to the 8 after that in chairs coin Jose Ortiz in to

ride for the day. Yeah, I kind of figured the 12

who is probably the quote UN quote horse to beat Ramayana

just drew terribly in this race and and might have a tough time

with that post position. I thought the eight ran a pretty

decent race behind that one last time.

Gets a favorite post position. Reverse the order of them.

Yeah, four and eight for Barry on top.

You then went to Ramayana in the 12 spot here.

Any concern about an outside post here, Barry?

Yeah, always, always that that's a that's a really tough post

young horse, the whole 9. You, you know, they they really

have to make a. Competitive though, yeah.

Very, very, you know, and I, I don't think that that's going to

get lost here. I think the horse is going to

show up in the picture. It's just a matter of where.

But, you know, they'll have to make a decision on whether to to

try to force the pace or drop back.

And that's never a good thing where you have to kind of do

that sort of thing early. Could get caught out wide.

I thought that kind of diminishes their chances just

slightly. Yeah, it's an interesting set up

for this race here, Barry. You know, you mentioned that the

12 on the outside. I think if the 14 draws in,

that's one you've got to watch a fair amount of buzz for a first

timer for Michael McCarthy. When you and I started doing

this show, Barry, he was winning at 4% with first timers.

That's up to 7 in just a short amount of time.

And this is a guy who starts a lot of horses for the first

time. And so the sample size is

really, really large to watch him creep up that much.

It's not that he's 3% better, frankly, he's about 45% better

than he was at the beginning of the year from point to point in

this one. I, I landed on the 8 here, you

and I same top two. I went 8-4 instead of a four

eight in this one. But the two horse stood out to

me as 1/3 option here. I read in to ride for the day

Jonathan Thomas here. I think there's a chance

Jonathan Thomas has a really big Sunday.

I really do. I think he's got several

mistakes that are really interesting and improbable.

You could be part of that day at Keeneland.

Last out on a mile and an eighth, frankly just too far

before that a colonial at a mile and a 16th.

Tough company was charging at the end.

But we get back to Southern California with this one has

been working at Santa Anita most recently, much more of a home

GameStop, all the travel late October until now layoff a

couple of months there. He hits at 18% over those kinds

of layoffs in the 60 to 65 kind of day ish range we're right in

the middle of. So I think he's going to be a

really, really good spot with this 2 year old daughter of

Improbable. How about that?

Hit the turf for this one, but she'll be out there.

So I went just so we are on record here as I am a little

rusty on this show. I went 8-4 and two in race one

just so I can put that on the screen.

We had a very nice man come to our Breeders' Cup seminar and

asked me to put these on the screen.

So I'm going to keep it up and if you are watching right now,

thanks for coming to the webinar.

Thanks for hanging out with us today.

Odd SoCal Saturdays again we are presented by Amwager and

amwager.com. Even races mean that I go 1st

and in this case another maiden special when we moved to the

dirt for this 1-2 year olds again, but open company here.

Boys and Girls Aloud in this one up to $70,000 for made in

special weight races this meet at Santa Anita.

Hopeful that that number will take up even further.

And we get a pair of interesting bafferts in here Berry that I

like a lot that I know you're going to try to beat in the

second leg of the early pick 5 here.

But this quality Rd. colt here out of Spendthrift Winston Ave.

an interesting one to me. The thing I'm fascinated by

here, Berry is Flavian gets the mount, and if you look at the

running style, went back and actually watched the the first

effort for this one just a couple of weeks ago with Del

Mar. You and I this year have have

talked a lot about Umberto Rispoli on dirt horses, and this

was a horse that he let get into 7th place.

Even though this one has really good gate speed, if you look at

the works for this horse, this is one that can get out of the

gate be really, really fast and he just isn't so fast out of the

gate. Dirt races isn't weird or

wristly it seems at least. And so I love the change to

Flavi and Pratt here. I know it's chalky.

I know it's Bafford in the main race and it's a second timer,

not a first timer, but I think that lack of someone like Pratt

Hernandez aboard did make a difference.

And then the first timer in here, the four horse Newton for

Bob Baffert and Barry Longest best gate work is by Newton out

of this field last out second out of 61 working at Santa

Anita. This horse has essentially only

known Los Allen Santa Anita throughout it's like a 2 year

old son of money's here at $975,000 purchase at Fasic

Tipton in August. The SF racing folks here Barry

didn't want to debut him at locile.

They chose to debut him at Santa Anita here.

Might be 1 to watch frankly on the Derby trail if they're

putting them up like this and plagiarist is in here, not

plagiarist, but plagiarist is in here.

The six horse Habilis got a rides from Mark Glatt and this

is more just what Mark Glatt does really well.

We get so many of his best runners certainly in lower level

claiming races, but in this spot here at maiden special weights

up to 15%. Huge sample size doing that and

this is one that's going to get a little bit of time off.

They've kept at Santa Anita, frankly, two runs in the summer

gets back to it here. He hits 23% off of this kind of

layoff. I love the 12:50 number.

Frankly, Barry, I think we'll get better than that.

I think we'll get 12 or 15 to one on the six horse plagiarist

here. So if you wanted to play a

longer shot in here, that's where I would go.

So I landed 1/4 and six you numerically here much more less

interesting to me. Oh yeah, definitely the old one

2-3 but. The old 123.

By the way, I want to give a shout out to somebody real

quick, OK? My first editor ever in horse

racing was a man named John Sherva.

He works for the LA Times. And John told me that he would

cover races in Southern California when he lived there

in LA and by the time he would get home from Santa Anita,

LaSalle, whatever, he would sit down and they'd be running Cal

Expo and he would just box up A123 trifecta for 3 bucks until

he fell asleep. That was like his his gambling

for the day. And that's all he would do.

He would just box up a 123 try. And he said he hit it like a

couple times, you know, that sort of thing.

But he would just bet the Cal Expo.

So shout out. So Cal Saturday should John

sure, early time. So there you go.

You went 1-2. Two yeah, I I thought Winston

Ave. in the Baffert barn just didn't get a good run of it.

Like you explained, not sure what the the idea was for this

horse to kind of drop back, but they they could have got better

position and they they finished up really, really well.

So I think that that kind of helps this horse in this race

quite a bit. As you said, Newton is really,

really fast and I think Captain Shrev on the way outside is also

just this fast. And I think the pace might heat

up upfront. Winston Ave.

If that is the case, we'll just fall into a dream trip here.

And I I think that is very, very likely to happen. 9 to 5 seems

about appropriate. I I think they're, yeah, I

agree. I want to bet this horse down,

but not too, too much. Newton does have some flashy

works to to contend with and I'm sure a lot of buzz with that

975K price tag will catch a lot of attention if Winston F goes

off. Second favorite.

That's really exciting, actually.

I'm with you, especially if you like that horse.

Yeah. What do you make?

You know you've got two and three in here.

The Two's the 1st timer. Let's go to another multiple

time starting here. The three and secured freedom.

Kazushi Kumar keeps them out here for Tim Yaktin, who is

great on debut and then some reason not great at second

starts. What do you like here though?

I thought the horse looked OK on debut, kind of flattened out at

the end. I don't think Kazushi was going

to push this one further than it wanted to go that day.

But you know, I thought ran a competitive race early in the

race, was part of a big pack of horses, frankly, in that field

of 10 that day. Do you like this horse coming

off the second time here? Yeah, I do a little bit anyway,

kind of had a similar trip to what Winston had had and dropped

back and and sort of made a run 3 deep and it wasn't that

effective. I think the the post relief

might make a little bit of a difference to get this horse

into the the race a little bit earlier and probably have a

little bit more finish than some of these first time starters and

and possibly kind of finish ahead or around where plagiarist

would be as far as running style.

You know, beyond that, you know it, it's really a toss up as to

who's going to run up behind the winner here. 123 is that your

way of saying that in this race you're leaning on the 1 and

essentially the one only? Yeah, pretty much.

OK, so early. Part of the two, I mean the

Two's another horse that I do like has good work.

So I like those steady stream of the last three 5 furlong works

that not as fast as Newton's, which actually might help this

horse because if they're positionally better than what

Newton can get, you know, if they end up getting into a speed

duel, Liam Smith might end up falling into a nice trip as well

as Winston Ave. So I wouldn't discount that one.

Doug O'Neill does pretty good with first time starters.

This horse seems to be working well.

So I, you know, for a horse that that was bred and owned by

Donald Disney might be live, might be a little bit live.

You know Disney with AZ? That's exactly right.

We'll move on to Race 3, the end of the early pick 3 here at

Santa Anita Park. This is Socal Saturdays on the

horse racing happy hour. My name's Louie Rubow.

I'm hanging out with Barry Spears.

We're presented by Amwager and amwager.com.

Go check them out right now. We 100% deposit match up to

$150.00 for new customers. Live in California and you can

certainly bet all of those California tracks as well.

So get in at AM wager.com and go see our friends over there.

Race 3 is back on the turf at a mile for Phillies, in this case,

Phillies and Mares 3 and up, which have never won, blah blah

blah, essentially non to at this kind of level.

They're running for $70,000 and the claim price would be $50,000

in this case. And Barry gets to go first here

in Race 3. Barry, where's land?

I ended up on #9 Miss Artois I I thought that race that they ran

last time, November 24th at Delmar was a really good race.

The source kind of got a little unlucky in that race.

Lost by a head to Candy Bar who should have a lot of horses to

contend with up front and I think this race really sets up

well for Miss Artois. 12:50 on the morning line is a really

good price for a horse that seems to be getting better.

Just needs a little bit of a break and A and a better trip,

which I think they might be able to get this time.

So we're going to land there on #9. #9 of course, Miss Arto

Tiago Pereira gets them out here for Richard Baltus. 2 of them, a

solid 17% recently at Santa Anita.

Not a small sample size either. You and I, it's interesting.

We have the same second and third horses, but very different

on top in race 3. So I'll go ahead and and talk

about #5 here. My top play here in toes.

This is one that's been running out east for Neil Drysdale at

Aqueduct, but before that was running at Del Mar.

So Brakes is maiden, her maiden, excuse me, two back at Aqueduct

going a mile and a 16th on the turf course there they try a

mile against winners for the first time and a very, very good

second behind growth trajectory. There gets to keep Lasix here,

all the things. And I'll be honest, this is

largely A Flavian Pratt play. So I watched this horse out east

and I think it's a good one. I think Flavian Pratt elevates

this horse within this field and should be able to get a good run

out of hair that way. But in race 3 here, Barry, you

and I have the 10 and the one you went 110 here in the spot.

So why don't you talk about the one horse up top here in

Corporal Violet. 12 to one here. You and I like some prices in

here. Yeah, Corporal Violet was one of

the horses I, I did manage to connect with at the Breeders

Cup. That's right on the 30th on that

weekend and this horse kind of impressed me and I think they

can continue this sort of run that they're on.

I I think they've been placing this horse in the right spots.

They claim the horse put him in this kind of race twice, ran

really well, got a got a great trip the last time, and I think

they should be able to do that again.

They're again, not a whole ton of speed, but enough to where

they can get good positioning and make a run at it.

I think the rail draw actually helps this horse a little bit.

I think 12 to one's a bit of a stretch.

I think they're going to get bit down a lot more than that.

Their their recent form is very, very good.

I agree. So I I think they can pick up

some pieces and and get in the picture.

Yeah, I mean this horse just in the last five races, first third

by 3/4 of a length, first 3 by half, third by half a length and

second by a head. I mean this horse is incredibly,

incredibly competitive. And yes, is it different kinds

of lower level optional claimers, claimers, etcetera?

Yes, this horse is in for the tag, right, Because she doesn't

qualify anymore just to be in the optional group anymore.

And so this is one that is dropping back in for the tag

here, Barry. And I was I saw the note that

Johannes was going to stud for 10,000 bucks.

Someone should buy Corporal Violet for 50 grand and and have

a baby. That's that's my thing.

Yeah, do that. Starter star spangled banner

she's been in the she's been in the money over half of her runs

on turf 29 career starts 15 times in the trifecta.

I don't know I think she's a cool horse man.

That's that's one I would be looking at for sure if I were

breeding out West. I went to the 10 horse second.

Barry went to the 10 horse third here in this spot just to the

outside of miss Artois will break my perfect wave Antonio

Fraser who gets him out here. He wanted this riding title last

year and so hoping to see him back in that kind of form.

The source was Otto and Verispoli last out, breaking its

maiden going a mile at Del Mar. So one for one at the distance.

Never missed the board in three lifetime runs.

Two of those were sprints. We spread, we stretch out last

time. It works just fine.

Timmyak team back-to-back with winners is 21% as well.

So I'm interested to see this one.

I think my perfect wave, a daughter of American Pharaoh,

fits into this one really well, Barry.

Yeah, I I thought the idea that phrase who kind of rode a few

horses in here, including the one.

Good point. Ends up on this horse.

Of all the horses in the race. I thought that was very

interesting. Considering how this race shapes

up. I I think this horse may have

some upside. Might not win on Sunday, but

might catch this one down the line.

One to watch and hear for me as the 11 starts now.

Irad picks up the mount. This one almost hit it a mile

and a 16th 2 back at Del Mar in more of a stalking forwardly

placed trip. Unfortunately, two of the four

year runs in recent time since September have been off the pace

for this one. I think I think Richard Balls is

just going to go to Iran and say get to the front the be near the

front. Just do that and try to rate it

out because I think at a mile this horse makes a ton of sense

if you are willing to be way, way up front.

With that one. We move on to race days 4 this

is Socal Saturdays on the horse racing happy hour.

He's Barry I'm Louis thanks for hanging out with us.

We're previewing Sunday at at Santa Anita Park.

Of course with the weather moved Malibu day back to Sunday you

and I would have done this show What Wednesday Barry is that

sound right back on a normal schedule here on a Friday at

2:00 Eastern 11 AM Pacific. You're welcome to join us next

week as we keep these going and optional claimer here. 6 1/2

furlongs on the dirt on the Philly and mare side of things,

3 and up for non twos in higher level company for $70,000 again

in this one. And Barry another really

competitive field in this spot for race 4 And I go first in the

in the the even number of races I go to the outside or near the

outside, at least for diva cat Irad Ortiz picks up them out

from Mark Glatt, whose horse won on debut at Del Mar came back at

Santa Anita in October in an optional claimer at this kind of

level and was really, really good under Juan Hernandez.

To me, the the 12 doesn't doesn't deter me at all.

This is one that gets out of the gate.

Pretty OK, not great but can duck behind if it needs to and

then irad just going to have to do the work from there.

I love the six to one price. This amount of time off is what

Mark Blatt does the best. 23% off of a 2 month layoff like

this. I think this is a great spot for

Diva Cat, so I'll go 12/6 and eight in here.

The six is time keepers charm. Other longer odds horse here. 6

to one for Steve Knapp, who was last seen in a fourth place

finish by 2 1/2 at Delmar, but before that did her best running

ever at Santa Anita, animating special weight 1 by 5 1/2

lengths. Picks up Joel Rosario from the

mount here. Barry, I really like this one in

this spot as well. So again, 12/6 and eight for me

in this spot. I know in Race 4 you landed even

further to the outside in the 13 so obviously outside post

position not bothering you. No, not at all.

Wish they all could be. Is in my estimation, a really

good drop down in class. Here you can see this horse ran

at this Level 3 times in 2024 and won twice and finished

second by a length and a half. The third time or actually 4th

time, there was four times on the page and they finished

second twice and 1 twice. So that tells me that this horse

really fits at this level. If you go through everybody's

past performances, there's nobody that really stands out.

I think this slight drop in class makes this horse have a

little bit of an edge over a horse like Diva Cat, who I think

is going to get bet here quite a bit.

They may end up being favored in this race over, let's say,

Rizzleberry Rose. They might be close.

And that leaves the 13 as the kind of third horse who will get

the third, you know, the third choice money and be a better

price. You can see they ran behind

Formula Rossi back in August at Del Mar.

I don't think anybody can mess with that race in here.

Yeah, no, I think that's probably right.

So 13, two and 12 for Berry in here.

The two horse is an interesting one here.

Berry in a Rizzle. Berry Rose.

You like that name at least? Yeah.

Absolutely. I picked that horse the last

time and and fell short. You know this.

Yeah, I, I mean, they, they really had their chance and

that's why I'm going away from him this time.

I think that was the time to have that horse and they didn't

win. So this time we're going to go

to the outside. Stays in the 20 level 13, two

and 12 for Berry in a race for 12/6 and eight for me in a race

for as well. We'll move on to race 5 end of

the late, excuse me, the early pick five.

It does start another $1.00 pick three, $1.00 pick 3 minimums at

Santa Anita this meet and of course, $3 pick 3 minimum for

the final three races on the card.

The first of the graded stakes is the Mathis Mile.

It's Grade 2, it's on the turf, it is $200,000 and it is for

three-year olds. Lots of three-year olds.

Stakes on the card. Of course, Malibu Day, one of

the great traditions in Southern California, and we got a lot in

here, Barry, that could absolutely upset the apple cart.

I listed four horses here for my handicapping.

There are only 7 in this field. Barry, where'd you end up?

Planting, yeah. I honestly think any one of

these horses can win. It's funny because these horses

are really kind of coming into their own and I think we're

going to see a lot of these horses kind of step up and and

be a force in this division next year in the Miller on the Turf,

especially out West. You know, it's not the most

competitive of divisions, but there's some good horses out

there and this race proves it. I ended up on the five horse

friendly confines only for the reason I think this horse is

going to control the pace. I, I think they're a little bit

faster than Lyle the crocodile, who really doesn't want the

lead. I think they they sent the last

time to see what they can get out of it and it it didn't work

out well. So I think they're going to go

back to their normal tactics. If that does happen.

Friendly confines might be the the controlling pace here.

I'm not really sure if they're better than Tempest Vola as a

whole, because if Tempest Vola kind of sticks to this horse, I

can see that horse winning just just being a little bit better.

But if the the pace kind of develops the way that friendly

confines likes, I think they're going to be tough.

So it it it's really a toss up between those two Nameron who I

have there as well. Three to two on a on a horse in

this race doesn't seem very favorable in any means because

it's just these horses are too closely matched.

Any one of them can win. You you make me feel bad about

my pick here, Barry, But I did go with a three on top here, 372

and five for me. I'll talk about Namron a little

bit. This was one in the Twilight

Derby that I if this if that race was at a mile, it wins

right? And he just does.

And that was Hector Barrios and I really like Hector Barrios,

but we get floppy and brat back here.

This is one that going left-handed in a grade 3 in

Germany before coming over. They they went to this horse,

Adrian Beaumont, who, who schedules the the international

runners at Kentucky Downs, went out of his way to getting Ameron

to come over to North America. Thinks a lot of him going

left-handed. I thought showed himself very

well in the Twilight Derby last time.

Just didn't like the mile and an eighth.

I think the mile's much, much more up his alley.

I think the Flavian Pratt's going to give him the best

possible ride here. And so while I absolutely agree

with you that 3 to 2 isn't the best, you know, isn't a price

worth playing in this version of this seven horse field in the

Mathis mile. He's still the best horse for me

here. And so I'll land on him that

way. But 372 and five, I'll go to the

outside for Maz, who ran second in the for mentioned Twilight

Derby. Tried the Hollywood Derby last

time in a mile and an eighth and it's just too much distance.

You go back to an optional claimer at Santa Anita at a

mile, the horse hits. I just think that this is much,

much more of what this horse wants to do.

I get Jose Ortiz to try to because this is one that's going

to need to work out a trip, Barry, this isn't one that's

going to be able to stay up front.

It's not one that starts well. It's one that's going to need to

work out a trip. So I don't mind the seven post

here, frankly. So I think Jose can tuck in

behind and then do the best running later.

And so this is 1 training at San Luis.

Race seems to be in good shape. Michael McCarthy always seems to

pick off this kind of race on this kind of day.

It's a don't call or be surprised if we get the seven in

the second spot there. But I went 372 and five.

You heard about the other runners from Barry on my list as

well, but I'm with you very largely.

This is a field where any of the seven win.

I'm not stunned. Yeah, I, I mean, it's a, it's a

real competitive event. You know, to your credit, your

pick is probably not going to be 3 to 2.

So I agree you're going to get a higher price than that, which

you know should help you out there.

That was a positive trip inside the mind of Spears.

He copied on my pick. There, there you are.

He didn't call me a chalk eater. How about that?

Race 6 is up. Next, Yeah.

Flappy Pic Guy Junior is the Grade 2IN Race 6.

We're back to the Dirt Mile on the 16th for this one, and this

is for three and up. This is kind of the year end.

This is their Clark out West, if you will, that kind of thing.

Grade 2 here, $200,000 on the line, the return of Nisos and

here, Barry, I know you're excited to see him.

Was that finish in the Dirt Mile one of the best finishes you've

seen in person in your life? Yeah, it's got to be up there.

It's. Way up there, yeah.

Because they were going really fast.

You know, you see races like that where the horses aren't

going so fast, but they were really.

Quote. UN quote throwing it down.

Great point and. They were finishing.

Oh, that was a tight finish. Yeah, they were going 3 miles an

hour. Yes, right now you're right

about that. Yeah.

But yeah, it was one of the more impressive kind of Grade one

races I've seen. I am unbelievably boring here.

I'm not even listing a third horse.

This is 1/3 for me and I'm going to walk away Barry.

My only question is, do I also play Nevada Beach?

And here's I'm going to instead of making the case for an ISOS

Barry, I'm going to make the case for Nevada Beach.

And the case is very simple when he's up against this kind of

company, he wins at Santa Anita. OK, so he won the Goodwood

against a full Serrano in a Privman.

Last time I checked, full Serrano was a Breeders' Cup

winner. OK, he goes the mile in an

eighth in that race, no problem. The mile in a 16th shouldn't be

an issue here. I think it's telling that

they've gone to Juan Hernandez with this horse because under

Mike Smith the horse ran exactly the same, right?

This, the running style was the same, all the things.

But I think they have ideas about this horse as a four year

old and they're using this race as a test because I think they

think he's a an Aleshiba type horse, probably not a Met mile

horse. I think they'll they'll reserve

that from Nisos at this point, right, with journalism, that

kind of group. But I think Nevada Beach for

them is the Aleshiba, the the Whitney, those kinds of races.

And I think Baffert's trying to figure out who that horse is

going to be next year. We've seen others that fit the

bill there. But this is 1 ran in the

Goodwood, ran in the Breeders Cup Classic, ran in the native

Diver just to get a race in. I think it was for this one.

I think that was a warm up for this one.

I don't think he was all out at all in the native diver and so

look for him to be a lot better than this one in my opinion.

I'll go 1/3 here, Barry. I'll make make case for Nevada

Beach. Are you buying my case for

Nevada Beach? Definitely not for it, not his

stable mate. He probably would win this race,

but Nisos is just super fast and super sharp and always has been

and probably always will be. You know, kind of one of those

things where you know what you're going to get when Nisos

gets on the track. I think he's just one of those

kind of animals. Nevada beach is just a cut

below. Probably needs a race like this

is more of a confidence builder. And like you said, I I think

they're they're setting that horse to run some better.

And you know what? I classic, you know.

Yeah, skipped over it. He's sort of yeah, this is

Baffert's. I mean, Nevada Beach is his big

cap horse, right? I mean, he's going to run in

March in the big cap, right? I mean, I left that out.

That's stupid. Obviously he's the big cap horse

for them. And so no, I think I I think

you're right. I think they're setting him up

to be that that kind of horse in the in the spring and they know

that Nisos does a different thing either at a mile or

shorter and they're going to set him up that way.

We'll see Nisos again into Churchill's Downs, odd Derby

day, that kind of thing. But yeah, it's I got to say this

though, Barry, for all of the hand wringing, consternation,

etcetera that all of us had, and rightly by the way about older

horses not running, it is so cool that Isos is back already.

Yeah. Absolutely.

As cool as bleep I, I don't care that it's killing.

I do care. I care that it's killing the

odds, but I I would rather he run than not than not kill the

odds essentially. I mean, look at his resume.

I mean, his only this is Glemish is a sloppy, messy track at

Churchill where he just missed in a three-way sort of dead

heat, almost. With with two of the best horses

of the year. Absolutely.

I mean, just two of the very best horses of the year that

will get votes for older dirt mail, all the things, yes,

correct. I mean, so no, it's no shame in

no shame in the game, as we used to say in 1993.

How about that? No shame in the game you know

about. No shame in the game, Nothing.

Barry all. Right.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

You. Know what we're doing Barry?

We're going down the hill because God is good.

We're going down the hill. Race 7 optional Flamer non twos.

We're going down the hill, people.

This is for three and up. They've never won 21 GS or

whatever those things are. We're running for $70,000 like

every other race on this card that isn't a stakes race and

Berry Buddy if you want to blow up the late sequence here or the

all turf pick three which is part of this race, $3.

Minimum race is 79 and 11 if you want to play the pick 5 here for

$0.50. This might be the race where you

got to spread. Absolutely not going to lie,

this this race gave me fits. I it could go so many different

directions. Let's go even a horse like the

two sneaking candy could get a good trip and win this race,

even though they're they just broke their maiden.

I mean you can't say that that horse has no shot here.

So I opted to to kind of throw one down field.

I went with the four proofy rides.

I thought this horse ran pretty good on the flat 6 1/2, but I

also think that going down the hill might help this horse,

especially with a slight kind of drop down.

I know they would. This is more of a condition

claimer than it is an open. And this horse came from that

40,000 at Santa Anita back in October, ran a really good race

there. And if you put that line through

the five and five furlong race at Delmar, which I really don't

think they want, I, I mean, I know they won at that distance

at that track before, but I don't think that's their best

distance. I, I think this would probably

be their best trip. 6 1/2, whether it be on the flat or

down the hill. I'm going to give that one a

shot at 12:50. Mullins claimed this one.

He does a really good job off the claim.

This horse has a couple of bullets going into this race.

Since then I think all systems are go.

If that horse breaks out of 45 and 3 Barry, it's over.

Let's do it. Come on, Jeff Ball, let's get it

done. Let's go a little.

Kyle Frey. Kyle Frey has been aboard this

horse many times, including a second first, second, second,

first finish with this one at different distances.

But I'm with you. I think this horse wants more

than 5 furlongs. I'm I'm totally with you on

that. A horse never been worse than

second in Santa Anita, by the way, in proof he rides.

So it's not as though Barry is picking one that is completely

out of left field. One that we both like is the one

will break from the rail and the rail down the hill means a lot

less Barry in this case. But Amber Hall for Peter Urton

won his last two and and look just a six year old that they're

they figured out what this horse wants to do and this is the

distance. They're happy going down the

hill. He's 4 for six doing it.

Antonio Fraser keeps them out little bit of time off.

They keep this one essentially running in these kinds of races

in Santa Anita. They're going to pick off a ton

of checks this spring and so look for this gelded 6 year old,

almost 7 year old son of Palace Malice.

I've been saying that name Palace Malice a lot this week.

Pinks, what am I doing here? Minx Palace, Excuse me, one up a

turfway over the weekend. It's just a little Palace Malice

talk around here. I'll tell you what, but I went

to Ander Hall on the inside with the one horse that I went to the

three and winning Patriot. Ricardo Gonzalez gets them out

here. And Barry, I'm using an angle

that you like, which is if we're going down the hill, go ahead

and take a Miller rather than a sprinter, right?

In this case, this is one that's one at a mile twice and has only

ever tried the mile on the turf began.

It's Kitty rear at Santa Anita where the horse has one and has

a second in three lifetime attempts is 2 and two wins and

seconds over six times on the turf in his career.

I just like a man. I look a cheap Cal breeding job

here out of the OM Barlow $5000 breeding job here, but man, I I

think this horse fits really, really well in here even though

it hasn't been down the hill yet.

So I landed one and three on top of the eight in the third spot.

I know you went 4-1 and six here.

What do you say about the six horse here in Mescalero?

Yeah, rank good first time out back in September 6 furlongs 1

going away then and ended up in the let it ride, which I think.

Man, I looked at this horse for like 2 minutes.

Barry, I go ahead. I'm so sorry.

I man, I couldn't. This was one I wanted to throw

in but couldn't go ahead. I'm.

Totally, Yeah. I mean, you know.

I'm with you. That's why I have this horse in

third spot because, you know, it could go one of two ways here.

Either this horse does not show up at all and kind of did what

they did in in the last two races on October 3rd is November

29th, or you're going to get a horse that makes a a nice move,

a middle move and get in the picture.

And I think that's totally possible in this race because

it's hard, you know, beyond Anmer Hall, it's really hard to

predict what these other horses are going to do.

Amber Hall you kind of have to have on your ticket because of

the fact that this horse has a good record going down the hill

and runs well at Santa Anita in general.

Beyond that, it's, it's really a crapshoot And, and why not a

horse like Mescalero with a trainer that that does these

kind of things, you know, with the muddied up form.

I think this horse was, was always meant to be a turf

sprinter of some sort, maybe down the hills.

They're, you know, kind of to their liking.

Why not at at 15 to 1 might get a little less than that, but

still should be there. I, I, I think if this horse runs

and takes to the downhill turf, they'll be fine and and and get

in the picture at a nice number. The fact that Mirko Demero's

number is up to 16% for the year in North America speaks to how

much better he's been riding. Frankly, no.

Once he got to Del Mar I think. He had some bad luck, honestly.

I think that's certainly part of it.

There were a lot of 2nd and thirds in his numbers for sure,

but the the win percentage has really kicked up.

I'm telling you, Barry, I stared at that horse for a couple of

minutes. I just, I got to say, it's not

Mirko that did it for me. It's Richard Mandela.

And that guy has a great sense of what his horses will figure

out. Route to Sprint, going turf to

turf, all of those things, all those numbers for him are good,

right? When he moves surfaces, when he

moves distances, he does a really, really good job.

And I, I kept staring. You said something that I

disagree with, so I want to get into that real quick.

You said past the one horse here in Enmer Hall, there isn't

really a lot of form going down the hill.

There's one other horse that has it and it's Mucho Del Oro in the

8 Edward Maldonado lines for George Papa Pedromo, but this is

1. If you wanted to make the case

Berry that isn't the same as it used to be, that would be the

case. It's not that the horse can't go

down the hill, it's that it isn't the same horse now.

I thought of the NDD ran just fine, just wasn't as fast as a

reef runner or a yellow car and a Serrano Sky, those kinds of

horses, you know, running 4th in that group.

To me, not a major negative, especially getting into this

kind of company, but that 5 furlongs at at at Delmar last

time to me feels like a setup for this one.

So I'll use the eight of my sequence as well.

Yeah. Oh, for seven speed horse that

that's setting the pace. I I really couldn't back that

one, especially with other horses that are cutting back in

distance that might have some kick to to kind of bury that one

in submission. Plus winning Patriot will

probably have to get involved in sneaky candy.

One of those two might have to get involved early.

I don't know if that's the best thing for Mucho Del Oro,

especially on a horse that's kind of backing into this race.

You know, last year I this horse would probably be favored, but

this year is a whole nother story.

But you never know they they could reverse form.

All right, let's start getting into races that Barry and I

really don't agree on and that starts with race 8 here.

We move into the late part of the card here with the Grade 1

La Brea. And frankly, it's not just that

Barry and I disagree on this race.

I think the betters are all going to disagree on this race,

which is very good news for all of us.

Frankly, a lot of alums of races like the Kentucky Oaks and and

the Kentucky Oaks trail, etcetera in this field.

So you'll probably recognize a lot of the names, but the Grade

1 La Brea is run at 7 furlongs there at Santa Anita Park on the

dirt is for three-year old Phillies and it is a $300,000

race. We see Simply Joking who did run

earlier this year in both the Fantasy and in the Kentucky

Oaks. We get 5G in here.

Of course we saw in the Honey bee in the Gulfstream Park

winning the Gulfstream Park Oaks.

Frankly, Usha is in here as well.

We just saw her in the Raven Run and then us some others that are

trying to step integrated company for the first time as

well. Very odd numbered race.

Just kidding, it's even. It means I get to go 1st and so

in race 8I landed on the 11th. Silent Law.

Look at me throwing 1A downfield.

Joel Rosario picks up the mount for the horse that will break

from the outside. I just saw this one in the

Chilling Worth in Santa Anita in October and I was impressed with

the break. It it got to be a little bit too

much by the end, but I think that this one is set up to do

what it wants to do in this spot.

You get Bob training this one in that pattern that we see with

his very best 55 and then six. And what was the six?

It was breaking from the gate in a break at 1:11 and 3:00.

If the horse does that in this race, it's got a serious shot.

I like the break from the outside the TIS.

The laws have been interesting, Barry, the kids and a lot of

them have moved to the turf, for example.

I am interested to see what Bob ends up doing with this one

because I think this one, you know, was in the Santa Anita

Oaks was was competitive in the Santa Anas before that.

But I don't know that they know what they quite want to do with

this one who was much better, frankly, as a 2 year old than

she's been as a three-year old. I think this gives her a chance

to kind of save her 2025. So I'll go to the 11 on the

outside in a silent law. Should probably put my picks up

for this one 11/2 and 10 for me. Then I'll go to the 2.

So there she was at 15 to 1, because that's what I think of

the La Brea this year. This one was in the Mother Goose

last outgoing a mile and an eighth.

But before that one in a mile and a 16th, it was second in the

Torrey Pines at a mile under Antonio Frazier.

Who gets them out here? This horse was last seen at

Santa Anita as a 2 year old in May of 2024.

First time ever. Immediately Doug O'Neill moves

this one to the debutante. But Barry, look at these works,

look at these works. This is a horse that is ready to

go. I thought she was competitive,

but not great in the Mother Goose.

A mile and an eighth at Aqueduct compared to 7 furloughs at Santa

Anita is 10 times the work. But he thought enough of her to

ship her all the way to Remington Park.

Had Ramon Vasquez aboard all the things right there in the Torrey

Pines behind Amanjoy, who I know you think a lot of as well.

I get 15 to 1 here and all the horse has to do is run well

once. Give me that.

Give me that combination, man. So I'll go outside.

I'll go inside. 11/2 and 10 here.

Barry, you landed 8-9 and one. We couldn't be more different.

What do you like about the 8 horse here?

Another one. How about this Riley Mott

shipping one out West? Jose Ortiz rides her laugh.

Another one that we saw on the Oak trailer this year.

Yeah, well if you look at the horses that this horse has lost

to La Cara at Tampa Bay Downs, who who completely ran away with

that race and good cheer in the Fairgrounds Oaks, who came back

even the even the second and third place finishers out of

that race have been very good since comes back off those two

losses to run against Moda at Churchill and finished a good

second. I think that sets this up horse

very, very well for this race. And I want to speak on the

Bafferts really quickly. If sure, you know, I, I think at

this stage of the year, obviously the end of it, you

have these horses in his barn, these three-year olds that have

more than six races total. I think what has happened is

those horses aren't very good even even the the ones that are

running in the other grade ones and longer distances.

I think right now is when you see those other Baffert horses

that are lightly erased who may have had issues earlier in the

year are probably better. Got it.

So I'm going to fade him in this race completely.

I don't like the five, I don't like the 11 the 8 stands to to

get a good trip. Formula Rosa seems to be the

best horse. I think that's but has to prove

it. Yeah.

You know, this is this is a grade one company.

They're going to have to prove it especially against a horse

like 5G is very very fast as well.

Should be heads up. But the one horse simply joking

really kind of keeps my attention.

She's talking because of the fact.

Yeah, she's very talented gets into the Michael McCarthy barn

and I think he figured out that this horse is a sprinter and I

and I enjoy the cutback. I know they, they ran pretty

well to a really fast Hope road last time, but this cutback

makes a lot of sense and they should get a really, really good

trip. I don't know about 20 to one,

but right, this horse should be higher in odds than a lot of

these horses. Not 20 to 1:00-ish.

I would say more like 12:10-ish. And that's OK in this race.

And I, I think that might be the thing, you know, there's

situations where I would put this horse on top at 12:50, but

I think the eight stands a better chance all the way around

because that's the horse on the rise.

By the way, simply joking. Never been in a race that isn't

a stakes race. Broke her maiden in a stake

going 6 furlongs at Fairgrounds. They bring her back of the

silver bowl a day over two turns.

She wins that for fun. OK, then they run her in the

fantasy. Who does she lose to?

Quiet side like you mentioned, runs in the Kentucky Oaks.

Yeah, barely is a good point by the way, by you barely loses

that race. And then she comes back in the

Biocoa. She gets out West.

She goes to the two turns at Del Mar.

Frankly, if that's not a two turn race, Barry, she probably

is right there. Right.

And so I I'm with you. She's obviously talented and

frankly, when she was in the Beckman barn here in Louisville,

he just, he just started her, her first race ever straight up

in the stakes. I mean, she she just straight

into it and he was, he was super high on her to begin with.

And, and so obviously a lot of talent there.

So I'm, I'm really fascinated by her.

I gave her out as kind of a wise guy in the Oaks this year.

That part did not work out, but I do, I do think a lot of her

talent. I also went to the 10 here.

I just wanted to mention a Magnificat because it is a 20 to

1 horse as well. Barry, are you proud of me?

I went 10 to 1:15 to 1:00 to 20 to one in little Brand.

Proud of me or what? What's going?

Proud, I see. Yeah.

That's your New Year's resolution.

No chalk. You're going to drop the chalk.

No, I'm going to go back to the chalk as soon as I did 2026.

But anyways, the I'm kidding Magnificats in here, daughter of

Omaha Beach. We're seeing those start to pop

up all over the place. This horse has never been

outside of of a photo finish essentially in three races and

1/2 of them. And you talk about late

developing horses, Barry, right. What if she's it didn't start

until August right end of August 29th of August at Del Mar gets

the one run in at Santa Anita over six furlongs goes ahead and

wins that one from just behind the leaders right comes back is

neck and neck with Artisma, who's in this field and

brilliantly who's in this field goes ahead and actually wins

that one young Phillies Barry give me the ones who win.

Just give me the ones who win. I'll take it I'll I'll this is

Spencer in Philly 20 to one. I'm not this I love this race.

So I really hope I'm right 11. What was my numbers 11/2 and Ted

let's go wrap it up. That'd be the trifecta of the

century if I hit that thing. But no, it's I, I think Demiro's

tomorrow's writing better and I and I just the works on this one

makes sense. I get Mandela, who really knows

his bleep. He wins great at stakes all the

time. I, I don't know, man, I think

the longer shots in here are worth taking a serious, serious

look at. Let's move on to race 9.

This is the late pick three. If you have not played the pick

three in Southern California of late outside of LaSalle, it is a

$3 late pick three with a 15% take out.

Certainly one of the better values in horse racing right now

and you're betting and certainly it's also the leg two of the all

turf pick 3. Barry, I think that all Turf

pick 3 might be, I might be slapping that one on Saturday,

on Sunday. Got it.

I like these races, I really do. This is another one that I am

very, very excited by as we move on to race nine.

Another stakes race here. It is the Grade 3 San Gabriel.

This is for three and up going a mile and an eighth on the turf

course there at Santa Anita Park.

They essentially start in the dirt and get onto the turf right

away. Barry, where did you land in

this one? I thought another just fantastic

race. And when I talked about Jonathan

Thomas earlier, this might be where we see his name again.

I actually went and landed on #7 Suchet I I like that race last

time at Del Mar in that optional clamor. 50,000 sets this horse

up well for this one. I think they might get the same

kind of trip they got the last time.

They're really like if you kind of sift through a lot of the

horses that are in the inside, like Twirling Point to me

doesn't really have a shot. Mondego is interesting, but

still doesn't really have a running style.

I would say they would need a target endlessly hasn't really

shown up since the this Jeff Ruby steak steaks.

You know, I I kind of eliminated those horses and have and and

had at it with the others. Cabo spirit.

I like that horse. I want to like that horse, but I

don't think they can wire this field.

So that kind of left me with Suchet and Stay Hot and I think

I've seen enough of Stay Hot not winning, yeah, to put me on

Suchet and that's really how I ended up on Suchet.

I like that last race. Rosario stays aboard, obviously

for Sadler, which isn't like the the greatest combination in the

world or somebody that you would think of, but he wins quite a

bit for him. Oh, they're really good either.

Yeah. So, you know, it's just awkward

because Joel's on the East Coast and he's out West.

But when he's out there, I mean, when he was out there before,

when when Joel Rosario was based out there, he was won a lot for

Sadler. So I know the confidence is

there. And I think this race, at least

the pay scenario, everything kind of checks out for Suchet to

run really well. The other thing about Suchet

that stands out, Berry and I, I, you know, we, we made a lot of,

we had fun with it when I, you know, I had Ethical Diamond in

the turf over the Breeders Cup. And one of the things I looked

at as far as the form from overseas for Ethical Diamond was

his last two races were in Group ones and they were both races

where they booked Bill Buick. And if you look at Suchet, this

was a horse that they booked Christoph Sumiolo on.

Two times. Yeah, just a couple, eh?

And so that's why that we saw Kristoff come over and be really

great in the Breeders Cup as well.

I, I tend to, you know, use that as at least a data point when

horses are coming over from Europe.

Who did you who did you bother to hire to ride this horse when

you were overseas? What did you think you were

going to be able to do? And this is one that ran a lot

going right-handed, but does have a really good show going

left-handed in the pre taunt EM. And then, of course, as you

mentioned, since being in North America has been running really

well. And if you look at the the

works, Barry, I think this horse works like an American horse

now. It's fascinating kind of works

on the Tepita there at Santa Anita.

And so this one seems to have adjusted.

I wonder if there wasn't just a bit of an adjustment period.

This is now race 5 in the barn since mid-july or late July.

Excuse me. And so I I do wonder if there

isn't a a bit of that. I have this horse second to my

handicapping. So I just don't, you know, I'm

just worried about this horse being too far back.

That's that's really my problem. I I mean, you can see, well,

Joel LED it to you. I mean, that's been his MO, just

not an option recently. But I hope he gets the kind of

ride he got in the last two. If they get that kind of trip,

they'll be fine. If they get the one they got in

July, not going to get it done here.

Barry 74, I'm 47. Barry went 748, I went 473 and

Barry, this is a he's going to do it at some point, right?

Pick with this endlessly. I want to like him.

I I, I think he's very talented, but somehow he lost his way.

He did lose his way on the Derby trail last year.

This horse was a monster, an absolute monster.

Goes up to Golden Gate, wins the Camino Rail, comes to, comes to

Kentucky, wins the aforementioned Jeff Ruby Stakes

stakes and is just rolling ownership.

The Ambermans want to have them in the Derby, so they do it.

I don't blame them for that. But since then, Barry, you're

right, He just hasn't been the same guy at all.

And I am doing two things here. I am trusting the connections

and McCarthy and, and riskily. And I've also just, I just know

this is a good horse. He just isn't getting it done

right now. They're taking the blinkers off.

They're at least trying things with him.

Maybe he doesn't need to look around a little bit while he's

there. And I do think the mile and an

eighth is a little bit better for him than say a mile and

three. It's etcetera.

I think the Manhattan was his best run this year and that was

at a mile and an eighth that was at Saratoga.

And so I I'm hoping he'll get back to some of that form.

I think if he runs like he did in the Manhattan, but a little

bit better, like he's got a serious shot here.

Barry, the 8 horse though, on your handicapping is astronomer.

And I'm just going to guess you're not picking this one to

win, but boy, this guy likes to hit the board.

Doesn't. He Yep, that's that's shows up

in a race like this and he shows up in 3rd or 4th at a decent

price. Makes everybody happy with the

the trifectas and I think that's going to happen again.

There you go. So 7, four and eight for Barry.

I went 4-7 and three in race 9, second leg of the all turf pick

three and certainly the first leg of the late pick three, $3

minimum on both of those wagers. Cannot suggest them enough out

West. Only a 15% take out.

Always watch your take out and always use our friends at

amwagerandamwager.com. Go check them out right now for

a 100% deposit match up to $150.00.

Hanging out with them all year. Really appreciate the folks at

Amwager. I think we're on year ending our

third year of hanging out with Amwager on the program.

Really appreciate them being part of the happy hour.

Even number race is race 10. It is the Malibu we call the

day, Malibu Day. And here we are.

The grade one will be race 10/7 furlongs on the dirt. 3 year old

Colts in this one and $300,000 on the line.

Barry, let's do something very awkward. 3 year old grade ones.

Where does the Malibu rank for you?

It's. Pretty high.

It's got a lot of great winners over the years, yes, OK.

It's just gotten watered down because of the Breeders Cup

because usually everybody tries to fire for that race and this

one sort of gets forgotten sometimes.

Sometimes because sometimes the horses actually do well out of

the Breeders Cup and they'll end up in the Malibu.

But this year we don't have too many Breeders' Cup participants.

But this is a really stacked up race and bodes well for what's

going to happen in the new year in this division.

The fun part too, Barry is it's a mix of horses that have

accomplished something this year and and those that you mentioned

earlier that are on the rise, right, that are figuring it out

a little bit later in their three-year old seasons.

That's something that we we anticipate this time of year,

but this is Louise Baffert Play of the Day.

We have had to include this as part of the program 'cause I

started. To do this.

Unfortunately, but I went 9-8 and five in here.

I went Baffert, Baffert and Baffert.

I landed on Barnes on top here. We just saw him win the

Perryville by 734 combined lengths under Jose Ortiz, who is

making the trip for this one, the son of Into Mischief.

This is one that I think they wanted to be the San Felipe

horse. They wanted to come out of that

San Vicente in January and maybe even be their Kentucky Derby

horse. And they discovered that that's

not what he does, Barry, and that seven furlongs is probably

going to be his life. I think Barnes ends up in this

race and then I think we will see him in races like the

Churchill Downs. I think we'll probably see him

in a race like the Met Mile and so give me him on top.

I'll go with Gold Laureate or excuse me, with Barnes on top.

We'll save Gold oriented for later.

Cordy Copian breaks next to him from the 8.

Flavian Pratt is a board. This is one that we saw at

Aqueduct. Last out ran before in the

Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn. But I'm largely going on the

works and the connections here, taking the blinkers off, trying

a little bit of an equipment change.

That is a hugely positive in return for Bob Baffert taking

the blinkers off, making that kind of equipment change.

Plus I get Flavia and Pratt, so give me those two.

I'll go 98 and 5 and here the five horse is another Baffert

that is Midland money. Juan Hernandez up means that I

pay attention. They're throwing the blinkers on

for this one. Clearly want to be closer to the

start of the pace. This is one that had the lead in

the jerkins for a while under Joel Rosario, so obviously has

enough class to be there at least in the early stages of the

race. So give me the Baffert triple of

98 and 5 here, Barry. Go ahead and tell me why I'm

wrong. Who's the 10 horse?

Just you know yeah I I went the same way I I picked 3 bafferts

as well, but I went to the outside with goal oriented.

I wish they would have went to this move earlier and cut this

horse back in distance. I I think this horse is super

fast and they just need to let this horse roll.

The outside post is actually pretty good too in this race.

I agree. And honestly, again, this is

This is why I'm fading the other two Bafferts, Medicate Road and

his other horse, Cornucopian. I just don't think they're that

good. OK.

I just don't think they're that good.

I I, you know, especially Medicate Rd.

I think that horse is just plainly overrated.

Really hasn't done much in his career and probably won't be

around in this. 1/5 to 1 is awfully generous on the morning

line. I mean they they may get bet

like that, but I certainly doubt it.

And Barnes? Just the true reason this year

is what you're saying. Yeah, it just just hasn't gotten

it done. And and Barnes in that last race

in the Perryville, I thought Captain Cook was just not very

good on Almighty probably wants to go a little longer than than

7 furlongs, but I I just think that race wasn't all that

strong. OK.

So that kind of ended me on goal oriented and or Midland money.

Both of these are horses that weren't around until late in the

year anyway, and. What do you think of the

Bafferts as the longest odds by the time we get to the gate?

It's got to be Madiket Rd. I mean that that horse buyers I

rather. Yeah, that doesn't matter, of

course. Really isn't that fast.

And I think they know that. You know, you can see when they

lost the Citizen Bowl after winning in the maiden special,

he just couldn't compete. And you see how those two never

ran together. I mean, not not for nothing, the

Citizen Bowl have been out for a lot of that period.

But just, I don't really know think they know what Maticot Rd.

strength is as far as distance. Is he 7 furlongs?

Is he 6? Is he a Miller?

Is he longer than that? I mean, I'm sure he can do all

of those things, but it's just a matter of against whom.

And I think he's over his head in this.

I think his stablemates are better, personally.

There you go. But I, I think Barnes is, is

definitely formidable in a spot like this.

They may have topped out the last time.

I I think they may have run too good.

That's why we've got a little bit of a layoff into this race.

Could win but I I would want higher than three to one

honestly. Let's go through the field

because this is the last dirt grade grade one for for

three-year olds this year. Son of Maclean's music Modus

Bestia is going to break from the 1 Edmund Maldonado for

Richard Baltus. This is a fast horse here.

Very frankly, I you know what I love that Baltus did last time?

Took the horse off Lasix for the last race to prep for this one.

What did the horse do? It won, right?

I like the look forward here from Richard Baltus.

If Flavio were still aboard, what would the morning line be?

And it's not 15 to 1. No, he's probably half that.

Probably less than half that. I'd say four or five depending.

OK, Is Maldonado half the rider of Pratt?

Because I don't think he is. I think he's way better than

that. Is Modus Besty an interesting

one here to hit the board at least?

No, I mean he's got to get in front of horses like Madiket Rd.

Cornucopian. I don't.

Think. He can do that, yeah.

Yeah, I think much of his best running, too, is at Del Mar,

right? And I think sometimes that

matters. Well, we'll see if he bounces

back at Santa Anita where he has been working, so hopefully he's

good there. Spinard will break from the 2.

Tyler Bayes for Dan McFarlane, who is, oh, is 1 for one, excuse

me, in his graded stakes career about that.

You know what's, you know what's better than 100% Barry Bleeping?

Nothing. Nothing, man.

Dan McFarlane out here spanking people.

That's right. Got $30 on your bet there, too.

By the way, what do you make of Spinard?

Do we give him much of a shot? Coming out of that is Zia Park.

No, thank you. OK, Madiket Rd.

We already talked about Speedy Wilson will break from the four

here, Phil d'amato and Armando IU.

So this is one that just wanted Del Mar going to 7 furlongs, 3

for three at the distance. Chance to hit the board here.

If you call finishing fourth hitting the board, then yes.

The six horses Steve Map trades here.

Tiago Pereira. Last time we saw this horse was

that 6 1/2 furlongs won by a billion lengths.

Running without Lasix for the first time.

What say you about Berlin Wall? No thank you.

And I don't know how that horse is less than smooth cruising,

but. I agree, Smooth cruising up next

who I thought didn't show poorly at all, last out in the San

Anita Sprint challenge. That's a grade 2 by the way.

For three and up gets back to 3. Old company, smooth cruising.

Is this the one that blows up the trifecta?

Nah, you can finish 4th. That's your.

That's your run through the Malibu field.

There you go. That's pretty much it.

Oh, that's the good stuff. By the way, we just went over

1300 live viewers right now. We appreciate everybody hanging

out with us here on Socal Saturdays.

We're here every week at this time previewing the card in

Southern California, all of the races on that card and that

means 11 this week. And that is, look, the last

grade one on the card is another 3 year old grade one.

But we, we move over to the Philly side of things.

We move over to the turf side of things a mile and 1/4 in the

American Oaks. It's a grade once presented by

side Games, by the way, $300,000 on the line here.

Barry. We start on the dirt.

We or excuse me, start on the turf, go to the dirt, get back

on the turf for this one. And buddy, just a fun field

here. You and I landed on two horses

that are the same in the top three, but we landed on

different ones on top here. Odd number race means you go

first here. But there is a very interesting

horse in here in the 10 horse in Otzala.

What do you make of her chances here?

First time in North America. Honestly, I think this is

probably the horse that I like the most on the card and the the

horse that I think is the most likely winner, which is great

because a, it's the last race of the turf pick three and the last

race on the card. So I think that this this horse

kind of lays over this field. You see, they lost to

Cinderella's dream back in the summer.

That race, even though they finished 6th, it would probably

be this field easily along with the other group ones that they

were in and just didn't run as well.

Lost a fallen Angel three times. Cinderella's Dream Lake

Victoria, who won a Breeders' Cup race.

I mean, I I just don't see how this horse isn't the goods in

this race. So Barry goes 10, three and

nine. Tell us about cliffs.

Jose Ortiz in the ride for Cherie Devoe.

I, I will say this, Sheree's greatest stakes number at 11

percent is excellent. I want to be very clear.

She also doesn't just ship for no reason, right?

This is a horse that we saw at Churchill to break it first run,

excuse me, moved up to Saratoga as part of their program, breaks

a maiden eventually on turf. Kept him on turf or kept her

excuse me on turf. Since then it's been running at

Saratoga. Then moved to Churchill last out

and did win in sort of a stalking style last out.

What do you like about cliffs here?

I think they they like this horse from the get go.

After they broke their maiden at Saratoga, they win that $100,000

optional claimer ran really, really good and I I think they

figured out that point. They have a nice racehorse on

their hands. Came back in that race November

7th at Churchill One and I think there's there's some more

improvement there and I think that's precisely why they're in

this race. I think this horse can come out

of that one run big. I think the stretch out and

distance makes a lot of sense too.

This horse should be able to run all day, you know, out of Omaha

Beach in the arch dam. They they should be able to run

all day and she does like you were alluding to, she does ship

with purpose and I think this is a really good spot for a horse

like this. Yep, trying to grade one company

for sure. Can never blame ownership for

doing that kind of thing. You landed on the nine in the

third spot. That's part of my handicapping

as well. So I will go ahead and steal

spotlight for a second. I went to a different spot on

top here and this is a this is a jockey play.

Won't lie to people. Flavia and Pratt picks up the

red carpet. 5th place finisher in Will.

Then Jonathan Thomas trains here.

That race was at a mile and three ace.

We get to go less distance instance here.

This is a horse that's twice been on the lead or near the

lead of stakes races there at in Southern California, I should

say. The China Doll of course got the

lead late and just kept it under.

Roberto Rispoli pulled away at a mile at Santa Anita earlier in

this year in March, but this is one they tried at the Edgewood,

they tried the San Clemente, the Grade 1 Delmar Oaks, etcetera.

If we get that run again, Berry in the Delmar Oaks here at a

mile and 1/4, I think this horse can win.

And so I'm very hopeful that she'll do exactly that.

A daughter of war Will, who we saw win on a lot of different

surfaces, pulpit on the damn side.

So like you just mentioned in another case, I think distance

not an issue for Will then in the spot.

I do worry about one for six, but I do get the one win in that

China doll. The only time over the track

there at Santa Anita has been working well at Santa Anita as

well has been out West. I think this horse moved out

West in mid-october in anticipation of this after the

the run at Woodbine. Excuse me.

So this is one that they've been trying to set up a home game

for. So I'll lay down the two horse

here for Jonathan Thomas, who I'm hoping will have a

reasonably good day. I did have your your 10 horse in

the second spot here because I agree with you Otzela.

My only reservation is that Altus hasn't turned around the

last 6 first timers from coming to North America, but this is

one that feels different. Barry, I agree with you.

Largely left-handed, especially in the matron was right there at

3 and you know, in a length and 1/4 in 3rd place by Fallen

Angel, who is clearly the class of those races as well.

Winning going straight, winning going left-handed.

If you can run third in the matron, I'm with you.

Largely speaking, that's going to it's going to translate over

here. Yeah, I, I, I think it is.

They just need space and opportunity, you know what I

mean? Space and opportunity.

Oh, man. All right, Barry.

Well, that has wrapped up another edition of this thing we

call Socal Saturdays. Of course, a Sunday edition of

the program as we are looking forward to Malibu Sunday.

Your most likely winner on the race.

The card is in the last race, Oslo.

Yes, absolutely. OK, I will go with Niceos as my

most likely winner on the card. Chalk.

I know my horse going to be chalk too, but nice is going to

be like 1 from 1:00 to 9:00. Your your chalk is slightly

chalkier. I'm better than you, Barry

Spearside. I did.

I see it. That's not what.

You did New Year's. When do you go to bed?

The same time I normally do like 930 and I'll probably get up at

12:30 and you know, make a. Noise and be like oh I just

missed it yeah let me show you what we.

Rail and go back to sleep. So we we have a a joke in our

house that we do Argentinian New Year's because if you look at

the clock, Buenos Aires is 2 hours ahead of Louisville.

So I can drop the ball at 10:00. Let's.

Go bang. That's old man.

You damn right that's, I'm telling you a little Buenos

Aires, New Year's, you know, maybe you get out the Churrasco.

Maybe you get out, you know, I don't know.

Maybe, maybe you're baquero for a day.

I don't know, Barry. I can, I don't know if.

You're in chaps or whatever you and your lady you're into, it's

up to you. I could.

Do that they got. Something not no judgement on

Socal Saturdays. You no judging you, you chap up

as much as you want. He's Barry Spears.

I put your boat. This has been chapped, but other

chafing. Avoid the chafing kids lotion

up. That's the advice this week on

Socal Saturday. So we're presented by AM wager,

even though they probably don't want to amwager.com go get that

tied up match dot now. No, that's right.

No 100% deposit match right now up to $150.00 man, Go ahead and

double your bankroll for for Sunday there on Malibu day

available in California all over the country for sure.

And you can back those tracks in Southern California as well.

Beautiful, beautiful website. Go check them out am wager.com.

I appreciate them hanging out with us every week.

Well, Barry, Merry Christmas. Happy New Year, my friend.

We'll see you in a week and hopefully we will see all of you

watching in a week as well. I'm blue your bow.

He's Barry Spears. Merry Christmas.

Happy New year. This has been So Cal Sunday on

the Horse racing happy hour.