Santa Anita Saturday | Santa Ynez Stakes

What? What, Sir?

I didn't want that for my face. How about that?

Well, welcome in. It's a SoCal Saturday, the horse

racing happy hour lure boat and Barry Spears hanging out with

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Mr. Spear. That would be happy new Year my

man, happy new year. New Year, same bleep.

This is So Cal Saturdays. We get together every Friday to

try to predict who's going to win on Saturday.

And this weekend, the Santa Inez is on the Oaks Trail and it will

be the feature. It's Race 8A trio of Bafferts

and that and of course a Sadler runner and a Mark Black runner

alongside. Seems to be what we find every

week here in Southern California.

But we are here for all of the cards.

You'll hear about Santa Anita for the foreseeable future for

sure. But Barry, did anything stand

out on Malibu Day to you as far as the results?

I thought we got, you know, understandable results, if

that's the best way to put it. But boy, nice, nice day for the

guy that I told you would have a nice day.

Jonathan Thomas. How about that?

Yeah, yeah, he certainly had a great day.

Couple of nice wins at prices and All in all, and I thought it

was a really good card and it played out that way.

We we had a couple winners ourselves that were kind of

nice. So yeah, I mean, I know I made

some money that day it. Worked out as a even with the

delay looked like the on crowd, you know the on track crowd was

really good as well. So hopefully able to keep some

of that momentum moving forward here. 9 race card on Saturday.

We will go through every single race on the car.

That's what we do here on the program every single week.

So we will start with Race 1 and appropriately Barry, it's a mile

on the turf. It is for California breads and

it is a maiden special. We're going a mile, like I said,

and this is for three-year olds. Of course, January 1st means

everybody turns a year older in the horse racing world.

Barry, where'd you land with these three-year olds?

Yeah, happy birthday, horsies. I got you nothing.

Go ahead. Yeah, Yeah, exactly.

I got you a whole bunch of donation money.

I guess so, depending on how depending on how this card ends

up. But yeah, you know, this is the

bread and butter, you know, switching between turf and dirt

with these races. I thought the two here was quite

interesting Start the Ride was declared a non starter and I

thought they ran pretty good despite all of that trouble and

I I can only imagine you can only go up from there.

Switching to the turf makes sense.

I think this horse might take to the turf OK, not much in here as

far as speed but they got it run and I think Dart start the ride

might have a good shot to win this one.

Some expensive Cal breads in this race, as you point out,

dark blue $100,000 sale just in April at the OBS sale, but and

then bond Alero a $40,000 purchase as well.

So the $25,000 you know, excuse me, breeding price on this one.

It stands out and you and I landed on the same horse here

and I went back and watched that race break horses just standing

in the gate. Yeah, he's just stood there.

And just standing there and still finishes 4th.

I mean, like of all things. And so, you know, for wagering

purposes was not part of the Super effect.

I'm sure there are a bunch of angry people for that, but

Armando keeps the keeps them out here.

Like you said, the switch to dirt to turface is an

interesting one for Dan Blacker. But frankly, if the horse likes

it at all, we'll have a legitimate shot in here.

So Barry in the first race does GO-26 and four.

What do you like about a Flash of Lightning in the second spot?

Excuse me, you were 271. Excuse me?

Yeah, you said. Dark blue.

Excuse me? Yes.

Yeah, high-priced. You know, state bred horse and

in a race like this out of a big outfit is certainly probably

well meant. I I mean, there's not much form

to go off in general, but I, I do believe this horse has some

improvement in there. They didn't run too poorly and

either race just didn't get off very fast in the beginning.

Getting Lasik's and blinkers on might make all the difference

here. So I I think they might have a

pretty good shot. I went to the six horse second

flash of light here for Richard Baltus and I'm largely going on

the fact that this horse has looked OK in its first two

races, gets to keep similar company but gets to stretch out

a little bit. This is a son, excuse me, of

Halladay. That's a war frontline Barry.

And so we're getting back to a little bit more distance here.

Unbridled song on the damn side. And so hoping that just a little

bit of added distance and sprints around for Richard

Baltus a solid he hits about one out of eight races doing that.

It's a just to hope that, you know, moving from Sprint to

route makes sense with this horse.

Also gets Lasix for the first time.

A lot of horses in this race getting that for sure.

It's a little bit of a wild card there, but like Kazushi keeping

the amount here for Richard Baltus should be an interesting

one there. But 6426 and 4.

Excuse me? For me, I think the four in here

is kind of interesting as well. At 12:50, Kyle Frey gets the

mount for Debbie Winnick. Why not last?

Out. Gets back on the turf and almost

goes ahead and wins the race. I think the stretch out makes a

fair amount of sense here. Scat Daddy on the sire side

there, ghost zapper on the damn side a little bit more distance

for this horse, I think makes a fair amount of sense has been

really close to the last two and so I'm hoping we'll just get

that breakthrough as well. SO26 and four for me in the

first one. Barry, you went excuse me, let

me find your name. There we go 2 seven and one in

this one. Why did you like?

Why did you like the one horse here?

Has some experience. I I don't think that race was

really indicative of of the town of this horse.

It was kind of like a just get this horse on the track and and

run them kind of race. I think they're well or better

meant in this race. Leonard Powell does pretty good

second time out. Harmio's an interesting rider

choice, but I think they're, you know, honestly this this could

go a lot of different ways. A horse like that with that

jockey could actually kind of get out and and wing it there

and see how long they can last and that that might be a pretty

good move in a race like this. Yeah, there you go.

Race one of course starts the early pick five.

Move on to the early pick four that starts in race 2.

It's a $10,000 claimer for non 3 lifers were going 6 furlongs on

the dirt here, Barry, $20,000 on the line in the even numbered

races on this program, Louie goes 1st and so I landed 5-6 and

four here. Very uninteresting top pick with

the five for sure in man EA Mirko tomorrow picks up the

mount from Armando Iuso here, but this is one that was really

close at both the 16 and the 20 levels.

Last two times out. Did win at the 10 Level 3 back

Berry at Del Mar going the 6 1/2 gets to go.

Frankly, A manageable 5-6 furlongs here.

Excuse me. And I should be able to handle

that just fine. I do think this is the best of

the rest in this race. I went to the outside in Angie's

Tipsy Aguilar picks up the mount here for the second time for

Steve Sherman. This one one last out in one of

those 6250 claimers we talk a lot about at Los Al.

And what I like, Barry, is this was a very fast race with very

fast contenders and this one had no trouble doing that.

Pulled away at the end. Hopeful that this one can be

part of that early pace again at Santa Anita.

Maybe just get it done on the front that way and then went to

the the four horse here was Straker, longest odds on the

board at 12 to 1. Short field here, but a long

price was running in that $1000 or 1000 yard level.

Last out at Los Alamitos, but was amongst 14.

Five allowance type company here gets the win from a pressing

kind of position. And boy, you talk about quick

fraction. That's another place where you

got to be fast, fast, fast. I love that finishing time of 53

and change. I think this one's got a serious

shot if it just breaks well and back-to-back wins at that

thousand level. Going to have to go a little bit

further with this one for sure. But if striker could be out on

the lead, all signs point to being able to go.

I'm leaving out the 2 to one horse.

Fear Barry. Where'd you land in a race to?

Yeah, no surprises here. Manny A looks pretty good

actually sort of owns the Omni fig here where those last two

races. The buyer speed figure is better

than everybody else is in the race and usually those horses

are pretty solid when they when they do get into the starting

gate. I used the one for second

though. West Side Oaky hasn't really run

a bad race. The only race they really didn't

show up for was the first time at Santa Anita in that 10,000

non Warners of two without Lasix and they get Lasik's going to

low Sal. They win.

Then they come back at low Sal and none 1 is a three 20,000

don't really run that bad of a race, right.

I I'd give them a shot here to to kind of get in the picture

behind Manny A and then I used Angie's tipsy for third, kind of

the best of the rest. The the rest of these horses

like Straker really don't appeal much to me and and neither the

Saint Mahel who it has some speed but I'm not sure how far

this horse really wants to run. Saint Miguel will win by 30

lengths now that neither of us has them in our top three.

Pretty much, though if you're looking for the winner of Race

2, we may have just accidentally given it to you.

The pick seven starts in race three.

I'm just kidding. There's no pick seven, but the

last seven races do begin here. Does.

Should be $1.00 pick. Three listen, listen, just

stretch it out, make it a dime. I don't care, $25,000 claimer

non two Life is going 6 1/2 on the turf course.

They're not the downhill but the flat course here, Barry.

And this is on the Philly and Mare side, 4 and up.

We'll go to see those four and up conditions once again now

that we are in to January. Where'd you land in Race 3?

I landed on number six skating through life.

If you look at this horse's past performances, there's only 5

races. The ones at this trip?

6 furlongs on the turf, 2 really good efforts.

The second one on October 13th didn't get the greatest of trips

and I I can forgive that. This horse has run pretty good

both times going to the flat 6 furlongs and should be able to

replicate there. There's enough speed, especially

from the outside to where this horse can get a good trip.

Prices fair at 5 to 1. I think we'll get most of that

because I think Cloudy 1 is going to take a lot of action,

and deservedly so, but I still think skating through life might

be just a shade better. You went 6-9 and four breaking

from the 9 big field. By the way, we should have 11 or

12 in this race. Cloudy women.

Hector Berrios keeps them out for John Sadler.

Really close last time out. Yeah, this horse is very, very

consistent. As you can see in the past

performance, it's kind of does the same thing, just doesn't win

a whole lot, gets close a whole lot.

The the drop in class is probably appreciated here, but I

I still think this horse is win challenged and and we're gonna

try to beat this one. Yeah, lower, lower tag than it's

been in for a very, very long time.

And frankly as far as I can see career wise as well, Barry, I

went a slightly different way. I went to the number 5 horse on

top here in this one in Willow Cove.

Juan Hernandez keeps them out for Blaine Wright that he's been

aboard for the last three rides for this horse who has had an

unbelievably mixed bag of of experiences this year.

Wins in August turf Turf Sprint for the first time, goes ahead

and breaks his maiden, comes back after being claimed out of

that race or moved Barnes at least out of that race.

Juan keeps them out, but the horse finishes 8th in a six

furlong spread at Santa Anita after just completely giving way

and then comes back at this level and looks considerably

better last time under one Hernandez.

So maybe in the Blainwright barn where he does do well with these

kinds of claimers, get back to this kind of race.

I think this is probably a good spot, a good fit for this sort

of horse. And I think Juan Hernandez, who

is off to a very slow start, one for 11 at Santa Anita, overdue

for a big day and Saturday might provide that just in frankly in

spades for him at that .59 and 6 for me.

Totally agree on the 9 horse with you.

Totally agree on the 6th horse. You have the four horse.

And darling Tammy in your handicapping here.

Barry, what do you like about the four?

Yeah, this horse is dropping in from the state bred optional 20s

and I think this is a decent class relief.

The horse didn't run that poorly in the turf efforts.

I think this horse probably needs to be ridden differently,

more closer to the pace. Maybe that's what they're trying

to do. I see that bullet on December

27th. That would probably be their

best bet because there's not a great amount of speed here and

they probably can get good position.

I, I, I don't think they really want the lead, but they might

end up being right on it. And a horse like the five I I

really couldn't get behind too solidly only because of the fact

that this horse is 6 years old when one time had a year layoff

and, and didn't come back all that great.

I, I mean, they do have some speed, which is probably their

greatest weapon in a race like this, but it, it's hard for me

to get behind that horse like that.

That's short of a price. Move on to race 4, continuing

along with Socal Saturdays on the horse racing happy hour.

He is Barry Spears. I am Louis Roubeau, by the way,

before we get any further into the show, a shout out since it

is 2026 and we're missing a member of our horse racing

podcast family in Chase Sessoms are Guy Wolf of Oaklawn.

Shout out to the notorious OTB, which did over 450 episodes.

Has a ceased operation. Wanted to give Chase a shout out

on this on this program once we reach the kind of numbers that I

wanted to get to with the with the show.

And so Barry, I know you were really involved with that show.

I'm so glad you'll get to continue some of that work with

me on the happy Hour of a man. That grind of that show and all

those things. I'm sure you woke up this

morning and thought, man, I'm supposed to be doing something.

Aren't I? Yeah, yeah, it's a little

awkward, you know, not not getting on there and and making

some pics and doing our thing. But you know, life happens and

we'll recover time. For the next project, that's

exactly right. We're on Socal Saturdays.

We're presented by Amway. You get their 100% deposit match

right now, up to $150.00 with their with any new customer.

They're live in California about all those Southern California

tracks with our friends at Amwager Maiden special way to

rates betters in Race 4. This is for four and five year

olds and there's $70,000 on the line.

That's what the running maiden specials for at Santa Anita

right now. And Barry Race 4 means that I go

first in this one. I landed 51 and two in here.

I'm going to try the Baffert second timer.

And this is an interesting one because this is a conversation

you and I have a lot of who is he starting at Los Al, etcetera.

Well, this is a very different one.

This is one that started at Los Al as a three-year old in

December and now we're in his five year old year, this son of

Arrogate who hasn't raced since December of 24th.

But to me, Barry, I am treating him like a first time starter.

This is a sprinting distance and his works look like what Baffert

does with first time starters and so I'm looking at him purely

as a first time starter. It's interesting that in my

mind, because Juan Hernandez is on the different horse and if

this were really a first I've started from Bob Baffert, he

would be a board. But I'm going to take TIFE or

TAFE or however you say his name.

It's been so long since he's been at a race that I don't

remember how you pronounce it and so I'll take him.

One of the last sons of Arrogate.

I imagine that's still in racing, frankly. 5 year old

here. Zadon paid 1.45 million for this

guy. Barry 51 and two for me means

I've got the the even money favorite here.

Second off the layoff for John Sadler one Hernandez gets the

mount makes a ton of sense here. Barry I think is is a pretty

logical thing. If you told me you're going 5

and one in here and nothing else, I would believe you and

that would be fine. Rod and then has has the two

horse running with chaos in here.

Edwin Maldonado keeps the mount was in that race with running

with chaos last time. If if the horse can flip the

tables could absolutely win here 512521125 whatever combination

you want to do there. Barry, I think you do those

three. Move on.

Yeah, yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm with you 100%.

I think the five just has he, he drew better than the the one did

that. That's really kind of all the

difference here because latitude will probably not want to tangle

with TAFE early, but they'll have to get out and get

position, which might be enough to put this horse in a or

latitude in a really uncomfortable position on the

rail, probably boxed in next to running with chaos and and

that's not a good spot for this horse to to be in.

I wouldn't gather they'd try to outrun TAFE because that might

really make it easy for the 2. So I I just think that the race

dynamics kind of point towards the five, not to mention the

fact that this horse is fast off the get go.

I think the, you know, cutting back from a mile, even though it

was over a year ago, makes a lot of sense.

It probably will make this horse more effective going 6 1/2.

So all signs point to TAFE. I used the 2 running with Chaos

for second kind of because of the fact that they're going to

probably get a better trip than Latitude.

So that that's pretty much why we're going against them.

There you go that was race 4 move on to race 5 starts the all

turf pick 315% take out on a $3 minimum wager.

Fun, fun one. And of course the late pick

five. A $0.50 wager starts here as

well with race 5 at Santa Anita on Saturday.

This is so Cal Saturday's on the horse racing happy hour network.

He's Barry Spears. I'm Lou Urbel.

Thanks for hanging out with us today. 6 furlongs on the turf

awaits Phillies and mares four and five which if essentially

non 2 lifers at this kind of level.

Berry odd number race. You're an odd fellow, what say

you about #5? Oh yeah, I'm odd.

And you, you already know that. Little minus there's time.

No, it's. Not no, you don't want to go

there, but I am going to throw 1 downfield.

I I thought this race was kind of wide open.

We're going to go with number six Invincible Molly.

You can see in the past performances that this horse ran

down the hill a couple times and you can just see that this horse

runs way better not down the hill.

And and that's to me is the difference maker here.

If they were going down the hill, I would want no part of

this horse. But I think there's not really a

whole ton of speed here. It's a court will probably get

the lead, but I don't really think they want to go this trip.

I think they'd like to go farther.

And this horse is more effective going a mile rather than 6 1/2

six furlongs. And that puts invincible Molly

in a great trip. Sitting right behind this horse.

There's not really much speed. I mean, Madonna, Loreto might

show up, possibly Helgebrandt, but they really don't want the

lead no cap. It's probably not fast enough to

get involved and that that's pretty much it.

So I think Invincible Molly can sit a good trip, stalk, get

first run and out finish horses like Love in the run, Lovin on

the Run and the Mizzen Queen. So we're going to go with the

six Invincible Molly on top to the hoop.

Let's go all. Right 12 to one there.

Your 11 pick here is 15 to 1 in a jockey with two starts in

2025. Let's say you about the Dan

Blacker train, the Mizzen Queen. Obviously, this is a horse with

nine career starts. We've seen her a lot, frankly.

The four races that this horse ran in the States have been

against pretty good company. You see Miss Artois there twice,

Ribbons and Baia who just won a stake the other day.

This horse didn't disgrace himself, himself again or

herself against those horses in that race on October 30th.

We were actually at the track that day, came out of that race

and drew inside and and didn't want any part of it.

I know Barrios abandons this horse to go to another in the

three misleading, but I still think this horse is battle

tested. The buyer speed figures kind of

line up for this horse. I mean everybody's kind of the

same. So it I think it's going to all

come down to trip and and maybe a little bit of racing luck, but

I think the 11 can show up in the number at a big price. 6:11

and 7:00, go ahead and box that up in an exact a good God.

You'll get paid. Our guy Barry Spears hanging out

with you. You've been deep inside the mind

of Spears. He just told you that one of my

horses isn't fast enough. His name's no Cap.

She will be in here a daughter of Dad's Cap and I'm essentially

very going on her performances against state breads.

But frankly, 2 back at Santa Anita, it was on the dirt.

Yes, she held her own against open company running second.

Frankly, if that race is shorter, she wins it.

She's not eligible for this race and so I am interested in her.

She seems to not care which surface she's on.

I disagree a little bit about the distance in that I I watched

her win a 5 furlong turf race at Del Mar at the optional 20 level

and yes, that was against state breads, but it was still 58 and

one. To me, that's fast enough to win

in this group. Hamarillo does not bother me at

all for that purpose. I think the the corner and Hama

Rio combination is actually going to get me considerably

better odds than 10 to 1. I think I'm looking at 15 or 20

to one on no cap. And so I'm hopeful at least that

we'll get that kind of number. But 10-7 and two for me loving

on the run. Another one that you besmirched

one last time at Los Al. I always like those horses

getting back to turf out there. They've been at Los Al, this one

was really good in the Daisy Cutter a couple back at Del Mar

Frankly, if that race is 6 furlongs, probably wins under

Antonio Fraser. Edwin Maldonado picks up there

and I think should be really good in this company. 10 seven

and two for me. And so the two horse is dare to

fly a bear to wrist police saying his name.

Gosh, I don't think either of us has said his name at all to this

point. But ran really well last time at

5 furlongs at Del Mar, was really good down the hill before

that and was was good enough 3 back as well.

Then right there in the last three races.

I'll go ahead and trust you, Berto, to be part of that as

well, so I'll go. Something interesting.

Yeah, go ahead about no cap. And it's funny because we talk

about how we analyze these races.

And you pinpointed that October 12th race and I had a totally

different view. And I I've, you know, this is

just how how horse players think.

Now you had a favorable view of that race and I had a totally

opposite view. I thought that the horse

actually had a perfect trip and didn't get it done.

Got it. So that really puts the negative

on it for me. But you see how these things can

shake out where you know, it's just, it's all about

perspective, what you see versus what I see.

Sometimes, you know, we can see different things come to the

same conclusion, but in this case we see the same thing and

think total opposite opinions about it.

Yeah, there you go. That was Race 5.

We move on to race 6, moving later in the card.

Late pick four starts here, $1.00.

Pick three as well an $8000 claimer.

Barry and I'm massive fans of these races.

Unfortunately, only a field of 6 for this one.

Four and up in this one. Again in for an $8000 tag.

They're running for 18-5 Barry in this one.

Race 6 means I have to go first and you and I landed on the same

horse. This might be the boring pick of

the day. The five horse and Mystic Flyer

gets to drop back into this kind of company.

Last time that would the horse was there was at the $10,000

level. Ran second under Kyle Frey,

throws the blinkers on here, which I think is probably a good

move by Libretto Borosio, the trainer.

He doesn't do that move too terribly often, but when he

does, he wins at 25% and he does move horses back from a longer

distance to a shorter distance at a solid number as well.

So I'll go ahead and trust him in this spot.

He and Kyle Frey are 23% kind of combination there as well at

Santa Anita. I think that matters as well and

so I will go 54 and two in here. The only thing you and I have

difference is the third horse, so I'll go with autism.

Did I get autism puzzle? I did.

I'll go with autism puzzle. You get Alpine Thunder.

Besides having a cooler name, what do you like about Alpine

Thunder? As some back class and and ran

good races previously. Sometimes horses like that, even

though they're getting older and dropping down in class, they can

still dial up some some some energy to finish some races off.

I, I, I think they're really up against it as far as the pace

and everything in this race, but I think they're better than

everybody else. So behind the five and the four

they will go like. 543 for Barry, 542 for me.

Yet another example of handicappers just completely,

completely disagreeing on what they see on the screen.

So there you go. Race 7 comes up next late pick 3

here. If you are new, two pick threes

out West. It is a $3 minimum and a 15%

take out on the late pick 3. Go to mile and an eighth here

and an optional claimer. 50 grand if you're in for the tag

and $70,000 is what you are running for.

A bunch of fun ones in this race here, Barry.

We do get a nine to five favorite in Centro de Lontero.

Odd number race. You're an odd fellow.

Where'd you land in Race 7? I definitely did not select the

6th Central de Lentero. Yeah, no thank you.

This horse is a few races on the turf.

The last one was good. What I deem is a perfect trip.

Nine to five in a spot like this is kind of absurd.

No thank you. Now that being said, who does

the race really go through? I really couldn't find anybody.

They all look sort of mediocre. Nobody really wants to win the

10 horse moonlit Sonata. I wish they would run down the

hill. Final edition doesn't draw well

so I ended up on the 4th. Theodore George I I like that

this horse is older, 4 year old making his third start.

Got on the grass first time and ran OK Really improved second

time, even though it was in the mud.

I, I, I think that was just consequential.

It wasn't really, you know, a factor of this horse, you know,

just being better on the dirt or in the mud than they are on the

turf. I think the jury's still out on

that. But I just think this horse was

probably meant well, meant in that spot.

Was going to win anyway, whether it was the turf or the dirt.

Now they get to their preferred surface against a group that is

really so so and you know a lot of them have proven to be kind

of runner up types. This one hasn't yet.

So we're going to go with the four on top.

Theodore George 6 to 1 fair price in a race that's that's I

think it's kind of wide open. So this was really interesting

because you and I landed on the same horse and I think it's for

many of the same sorts of reasons.

Here's the other part. This is Michael McCarthy.

You and I have talked a lot about his maiden runners this

year, right? Because that was a when we

started doing this show. They're like throwaways.

They were complete throwaways, but by the end of the year they

were no longer throwaways. And it's So what I'm getting at

is I think in 2025, Michael McCarthy became much more

intentional about not just getting experience on the track

and getting a horse out there, but rather really trying to pick

out what they do Well. He could have started this horse

anywhere. Starts with Churchill going a

mile and a 16th on the turf. And this is a curling baby.

This is a tap it on the damn side.

I get the distance part, but thinking that this horse needs

turf stands out to me about what Michael McCarthy was doing early

with this horse, Barry. And so I'm with you.

You get washed off the turf. You're still running for more

than a grade 3 at the maiden level in Kentucky, right?

So you're still running for 120 K.

You'll leave your horse in the race.

You go ahead and win it. Frankly, he's got dirt pedigree

in there. You'll leave him in the race.

He wins the race. I, I think getting back to the

turf here is what McCarthy has envisioned for this horse the

whole time. I totally agree with you.

I'll put him on top. I think if you wanted to be

interesting in this series, Barry.

Sure. Late pick three or in the turf

pick three, you single this horse and you go from like,

that's an aggressive play, I know, but I think it's the kind

of play that can get you really paid as well.

Yeah, but I I gotta have a feeling this horse is gonna go

off like second choice. OK, You know that's.

It OK, then maybe you put him, you single to pick 5 or

something, or he's in the middle part of that turf, pick three,

right? So you hide him a little bit

that way. He's still he's still a good

play in in a in a in a situation like the turf pick three, you

got a short winner, you got to take it because they pay well.

There's a lot, you know, boosted up money in the pool.

So having a horse, even if they're second choice, like it'd

be a little different if this horse was going to be favored,

which I don't think they will be.

And they're also a chance that this horse goes off third or

fourth choice. I mean, it could go a different

ways. I mean, the one one of these

days could end up being favored in this spot as the six who's

the morning line favorite could be as well.

So it, it could go a different, some different directions.

I, I think Zalamo's going to take more money than the morning

line suggests. So watch the board.

But I I'm still I I like the four quite a bit here.

Yeah, Baldoro, second here. Obviously hoping to get back to

that form we saw at Del Mar in August.

But frankly, even in a mile and 3/8 was really good at Del Mar

as well. Just looking at those kinds of

performances, I assume 10 to 1's also a really nice price,

frankly. Yeah, yeah, this horse has some

really good races and some back class.

Changed hands a couple of times early last year, then gotten to

the groove. I, I don't think there's a whole

hell of a lot of speed in here. This horse is probably gonna be

on the engine, if not right second right there.

And that might be a a really good spot to be in, especially

come around the the last turn. A horse that frankly, had he

been running at a mile and an eighth last time, probably wins

is one of these days. Who ran out of time in an

optional claimer at a mile at Del Mar last night?

Juan Hernandez gets them out here for Víctor García.

What do you like about the one here, Bear?

Yeah, I I mean, this source has been pretty consistent, just not

that lucky and doesn't like to finish.

That's that's really my only problem with this horse.

But against this competition stacks up very well.

Should be real formidable. Definitely a contender.

I I just think that this trip isn't their best.

I agree with the one horse I put the 6th in second.

I know it's chalky, but if that horse can get anywhere near the

performance of last time, which was its first time back on the

turf in a while, and frankly before that, a Gulfstream Park

in a 35 claimer looked really great too, then Centro de

Montero is going to be part of it.

Jeff Mullins goes 38% winners, back-to-back 39%, excuse me.

Which is an absolutely absurd number.

I do want to draw attention to the 13 here in Lamas.

If that horse draws in for the tag, pay attention.

Jeff Mullins trains there. Kyle Frey likely to get the

mount. And how about this?

How about this? On the AE list is Dicey Mochara.

Watch out for those two. An 8 year old gelding and a nine

year old gelding in a Dicey Mochara llama.

So back-to-back there. So watch the AE list Otter A7 on

Saturday out there at Santa Anita in Southern California.

This is So Cal Saturdays on the horse racing happy hour.

Lou Rabo and Barry Spears hanging out with you.

We get to the late double here and it starts with the feature

which is the listed stakes. The Santa Inez points on the

line, 10 of them for the Kentucky Oaks for the winner in

this race. Explorer is back out of her

second place finish in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Philly.

She gets to go back to seven furlongs here.

She hasn't run at that distance since. 2nd place finish in the

Del Mar Debutante behind surprise winner Bottle of Rouge.

Explorer's been favored in every race she's ever won in Barrie.

It isn't even numbered race. Your boy goes 1st and this is

Louise Baffert play. Oh, look at.

That I put explorer on top. I don't.

Think it was a. Surprise to anyone that she

would be on top. There are some other horses in

here though that I think are very interesting and they are

not all in the Bafford barn, but one of them is.

And I am fascinated by Toaster and I don't know what to do with

Toaster Berry because you and I have had many conversations

about the Baffords that debut at Losal and often you use them as

play against in in Maiden special weights, this kind of

thing. She goes ahead and wins.

That's a field of eight. When she beats getting closer,

she beat Wolf Hill, who you and I have talked about.

But Barry, when you think about a Baffert, don't you just assume

that every workout time is going to be the fastest damn thing

you've ever seen? Don't you just?

Assume that typically are. I mean, you know, he runs the

horses like they're in races in the morning.

Monster's one of the slowest. Workers Baffert's ever had,

probably. I mean just one of the slowest.

Well, I mean. Also a 7 furlong race Berry, and

I think she could be the one who's kind of just lurking.

Well, gets. The second place check, go

ahead. You got to take that with a

grain of salt because trainers will like to try to slow a horse

down who's super fast in the morning.

Not not to hide works or anything just not to have the

horse go buck nutty in a workout.

So that's what I think toaster is and I think toaster is a

target for explorer here. OK it it only makes sense.

This source is only one start gets into this race.

Hemika is is probably just to to reinforce that pace scenario and

and try to sweep the top with explorer.

You know, kind of beating those two, but.

She got confused by Hamika. I want to, I want to talk about

her real quick because sure, it's curling and into mischief.

Yeah, she doesn't want to go. Long and she doesn't want to go

two turns at all. And it's it is.

I think they just they're like we'll put her in the we'll put

her in we'll put her in the the oak leaf.

She'll oh fifth by 18 legs. I think they thought maybe

explorer would be the one that wants to go 7 furlongs and she

made On this date but man I just I think they thought Amika was

going to be their 2 Turner. Well, Amika hasn't even

performed at 7 the two times, you know, she kind of backed up.

Granted it was against better fields than this one, but you

still have to wonder. You know what?

What's the upside here, especially in a non graded state

showing up here? I think this is just to get some

kind of work for Explorer going into the.

You know, prep season. Yeah, right.

And and get it in early, get this win under her belt and then

and then build on that to stretch her out or try to

stretch her out again. I I don't think it's going to

work, but we'll see. 3/4 of a length from winning an Eclipse

award was Explorer right behind Super Corridora in the Breeders

Cup Juvenile. Yeah, I went 2-4 and one Berry.

You went 2-5 and one. Go ahead and make the 2nd place

case for La Wally. I know there's a horse you've

loved for a long time. Yeah, I like La Wally quite a

bit. I I think they tried to go too

far with her going them out on the 16th in the yeah.

If she shows up like she did the Del Mar debutante, she's gonna

be a problem. Yeah, I think, I think she's,

she's on par with Explorer. She just needs a little bit of a

setup, which she's probably gonna get.

I, I, I, I don't think these horses are gonna just kind of

lope along up front. They never do.

They don't in the morning. Why would they do it in the

afternoon? So La Wally sets up to get a

pretty good trip here to finish behind Explorer for the third

time, I think. It's a tough game.

I'll tell you what, it's a tough game.

Sure is. But yeah, so there you go.

There's your Santa Inez field. The only one we didn't talk

about is Rivera. And I know that we both have

Rivera in our handicapping, so we should probably talk about

that horse. John Sadler trains, Hector

Berrios rides. This is one that won the Desi

Arnaz at 7 furlongs last time in a very stalking, very impressive

beating Himika, frankly, at that distance as well.

Barry, I just, I know she's in every other type, but she's

never been worse than second. I I just think she's a gamer.

Yeah, she she runs good. I would love to see the source

on the turf honestly, but we'll see.

I mean, she she's run behind Hamika a couple of times, which

is a little bit concerning. But this is a different kind of

set up, different sort of race. I think she can show up in the

number. So her she's a daughter of

Lexingtonian and I'm trying to remember what it was.

Lexingtonian ran 2 races, very close back-to-back.

And one one at a huge price at Saratoga.

That's what it was. He won the the Vanderbilt was

the Vanderbilt right in July of 2021.

Trust me, my pockets are still loving that win.

So what's interesting is 30 to 1 I believe.

On this show on the happy hour, we had Rob on because Rob played

the cross country pick five. It was $0.50 back then.

He went ahead and played it for a buck $20 ticket.

He swept 40% of the of the pot boom.

That's a good handicap right there.

Boom. It was, it was like a $30,000

hit or something on a, on a $20 ticket.

Yeah. That's pretty.

Yeah. Exactly.

That is it all right, closer on the card tomorrow at Santa Anita

is in fact a maiden 50. Be a mile and an eighth on the

turf. How about that?

This is for four and five year old Phillies and mares.

Should be a really, really fun one to close the card here,

$35,000 on the line. Barry, this is Socal.

Saturdays, by the way, were presented by Amwager.

Barry, where'd you land in Race 9?

I think this one's fun, fun, fun at the end of the garden.

Yeah, this is a pretty good race.

I landed on the 6th musical song.

I thought they have a pace advantage here, should be

winging it out there on the lead.

They don't really need to go all that fast.

I think things set up really, really good for musical song 8

to 1. Might be a bit of a stretch.

I think we'll probably get about 5 or 6, maybe even 9:00 to

2:00-ish. But that's OK with me.

I I think this horse wires them and we'll get the bail out on

the 6th musical song. You also have the five in your

handicapping that's my top pick. So I'm going to have you skip

that one move to the 11 though, who I also have in my

handicapping in global consort. Any concern on breaking from the

outside? Or do you think because of the

configuration at a mile and an eighth will have enough time to

move? I'm less worried about it,

apparently, than you are. Yeah, if this horse drew

anywhere. Aiden N or.

Something Aiden N Yeah, Aiden NI would have put this horse on top

A. Couple scratches and this horse

could break from the 9 dude I mean.

I yeah, that's what I was just going to say.

You know, if things kind of work out, there's a couple of

scratches this horse gets in a little bit.

I still think they're going to be a bigger price than than the

others. Definitely keep an eye on the

scratch situation there. I went 5-11 and two I had you

skip over the five horse and Winnieka 5 to 2 here.

Look, this is one that just missed at this level at Del Mar.

I get Hector barrios here, it's Jeff Mullins, it's all the

things hi, so I apologize and look just been working well

working on that to pita there at Santa Anita as well.

I I I think this is one that makes a ton of sense, Barry.

I know that's why you had it second in your handicapping in

that case, 511 And then I went to the two horse toward the

inside in authentic grace Armando Ayuso is going to be

riding for Neil Drysdale and I'm essentially going on what I saw

last time from this horse at a mile and the fact that this

horse was closing into two of the other runners in this race.

And so hopeful that maybe just a little bit earlier of a move

from Armando Ayuso. Tough to make that move at Del

Mar, but maybe this horse started to put it together last

out has tried a mile in an eighth before with no success,

but hopeful that you know this daughter of authentic maybe take

a step forward as we get into this one.

So 511 and 2 for me in the closer.

All right, Barry, there you go. Man.

Is it as simple as if you can beat explorer?

That's how you're going to get the ridiculous pay on on

Saturday. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

If if Explorer somehow stubs her toe, the board will be lighting

up like a Christmas tree that we just took down.

You already got yours down. Yeah, my wife loves to do it

like the day on New Year's Day, actually, let's have this

conversation. I don't really care.

She could leave it up all year and it it wouldn't bother me,

but it's just and there's. Pro Christmas tree All right So

what what does your wife enjoy more buying things or throwing

them out I'm. I'm throwing them out.

She's definitely. Woman enjoys throwing things out

more than buying them 100%. Absolutely.

My mom going to the store, buying things, that was what she

wanted. My wife throw them all away.

All of it. Just throw it out.

Be done with it. Clutter's bad.

All the things I she could never have this backdrop where there's

like 5 things in it she could never do.

No way. She she has like an anxiety

attack. Yeah, right.

Going into my office. Your studio's getting thrown in

the garbage wholesale. Yep.

Oh, we got to get rid of a lot of this stuff.

No thanks. Telling you, man, it's not good.

You read my stuff alone. I'm a man.

I've been wearing the same pants for eight years.

I don't wear pants. What is that?

I wear shorts. I wear things on my legs.

Barry's pictures from the thigh up.

Find out next week here on Socal Saturdays on the home pressing

happy hour power network. We appreciate you hanging out

with us. We're presented by am wager am

wager.com get the new customer sign up match right now up to

150 dollars 100% deposit match right now bet all of those

tracks in Southern California and many of the tracks around

the country as well. He's Barry Spears.

I'm Louie Rabo, who you got in the Jerome, by the way, you bum,

you got the Balboa, who you got. Balboa.

OK, Rocky Rock, you're a bum. I need the Balboa tank and the

Derby because then we'd get Russell and they'd have to be

like, yeah, the best thing that happened to Balboa was leaving

the Baffert barn. I think it's not gonna.

Happen, but yeah. We'll see you next week on the

horse racing camper.