santa anita | Horse Racing Free Tips

With Goat In Tow, North County Guy Ships To Santa Anita, Captures Unusual Heat Turf Classic

Content to sit well off the early pace, North County Guy wheeled four-wide at the top of the stretch en route to a hard-earned neck victory in Saturday's $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Richard Baltas and ridden by Mario Gutierrez, North County Guy, a 6-year-old gelding by The Pamplemousse, got a mile and one eighth in 1:46.34 on firm turf.

Presented by City National Bank, the Unusual Heat Turf Classic is part of the CTBA's lucrative Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

With 70-1 longshot Cono winging on an uncontested early lead, North County Guy was a distant fifth, about 20 lengths off the lead with a half mile to run. As Cono stopped mid-way around the far turn, the entire field moved into contention, with North County Guy about three lengths off the lead at the top of the lane.

Favored Acclimate and Tyler Baze hit the front at the quarter pole, while North County Guy had about two lengths to make up with a furlong to run and he was equal to the challeng. After striking the front he held off the late charge of longshot Heck Yeah.

A second condition allowance winner at today's distance two starts back on Oct. 9, North County Guy was well beaten in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at a mile and one half Nov. 27. Off at 4-1 in a field of 11, North County Guy paid $10.40, $6.40 and $4.00.

Owned by Nancy Messineo and Bruce Sands, North County Guy, who is out of the Unusual Heat mare Warmth, notched his first stakes win and improved his overall mark to 28-6-7-5. With the winner's share of $110,000, he increased his earnings to $366,647. He was bred in California by Edward C. Allred.

“He was training really good and obviously we had to put the money up to make him eligible,” said Baltas. “He's been running against open but we saw the $200,000 mile and an eighth which is his distance, so we did it.

“He's at San Luis Rey, he has the outside den and has a goat,” Baltas added. “If he doesn't have the goat and he's not outside he runs the stall so it's kind of funny, he comes up here in the van with the goat. We just try to keep him happy.”

Heck Yeah, a three-time stakes winner at age three who seemed to have found new life on synthetic Tapeta with Golden Gate Fields-based trainer Steve Sherman, rallied to boldly to miss by a diminishing neck under Drayden Van Dyke. Off at 21-1, he paid $17.40 and $8.40.

Acclimate, the 9-5 favorite, paid $3.20 to show while finishing a half length in front of Ward 'n Jerry.

Fractions on the race were 22.31, 44.76, 1:09.18 and 1:34.36.

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Big Fish Reels ‘Em In To Win California Cup Derby Going Away

Patiently handled by leading man Juan Hernandez, Legacy Ranch's Big Fish reeled 'em in late to take Saturday's $200,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., by 1 ½ lengths. Trained by David Hofmans, Big Fish got a mile and one sixteenth in 1:46.37.

A joint sixth, about four lengths off the lead going into the far turn, Hernandez bided his time, angled outside three sixteenths from home and Big Fish unleashed a powerful stretch kick to run down None Above the Law in the final sixteenth.

Fourth in the one mile turf Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 27, Big Fish, a 3-year-old gelding by Mr. Big out of the Into Mischief mare Perched, had been on turf and faced open company in his last four races, with both of his wins coming on the grass.

Ridden for the first time by Hernandez, he was also fitted with blinkers, after having not run in them in his last two starts. Off at 4-1 in a field of eight, Big Fish paid $10.00, $5.80 and $3.60. He was bred in Cal;ifornia by George Krikorian.

A one mile turf stakes winner in his fourth start on Sept. 7 at Del Mar, he now has added money victories on both surfaces. With the winner's share of $110,000, Big Fish increased his earnings to $229,018.

“I thought he preferred the turf, but since he was a Cal-bred we thought we'd take advantage of that,” said Hofmans. “He breezed well over (the dirt), the other day with Juan (Hernandez) and seemed to get over it well. He's just maturing. This horse is just now coming into himself. I think we have a better future going forward.

“I dream all the time, it's the only reason I get up in the morning,” Hofmans added. “We'll see what happens, how he comes out of it and go from there.”

Attentive to the pace throughout with Kent Desormeaux, None Above the Law finished four lengths better than pacesetter Good With People and paid $8.80 and $4.80 while off at 9-1.

Ridden by Rickey Gonzalez, Good With People finished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Warrens Candy Man and paid $3.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.26, 47.50, 1:12.43 and 1:39.38.

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Closing Remarks, Rispoli Team Up For California Cup Oaks Victory

With a nightmarish trip in her last start behind her, Harris Farms' homebred Closing Remarks powered to an impressive one-length win in Saturday's $200,000 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. One of three fillies in the field trained by Carla Gaines, Closing Remarks was ridden by Umberto Rispoli and covered one mile on turf in 1:35.62.

Named for the longtime owner/breeder and trainer who passed away this past Sept. 3 at 79, the Leigh Ann Howard Cal Cup Oaks is part of the CTBA's lucrative Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired three year old fillies.

Fourth, about two lengths off of longshot leader Super Game at the top of the stretch, Closing Remarks wheeled three-wide and was free-running to the wire as she easily held off the late run of Warrens Candy Girl on the money.

Full of run with nowhere to go turning for home in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes going a mile on turf at Del Mar Nov. 28, Closing Remarks, in her fourth career start, was off as the 5-2 second choice in a field of 10 sophomore fillies and paid $7.80, $4.40 and $3.60.

By Vronsky, out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove, Closing Remarks notched her first stakes win and her second win from four overall starts. With the winner's share of $110,000, she increased her earnings to $149,500.

Far back early, Warrens Candy Girl closed well to prevail by 1 ½ lengths for second over Super Game with Drayden Van Dyke up. Off at 5-1, Warrens Candy Girl paid $5.60 and $3.80.

Trained by Brian Koriner and ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Super Game made things interesting at 50-1, as she enjoyed a roughly two-length advantage on the winner a furlong out, but tired to finish third by a neck over Dylans Wild Cat and paid $17.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.60, 46.96, 1:11.15 and 1:23.56.

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Leggs Galore Rolls To Fourth In A Row In Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint

Never headed at any point, owner William Sims' homebred Leggs Galore sped to an emphatic 3 ¼-length win in Saturday's $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, Leggs Galore got six furlongs out of Santa Anita's new turf chute in 1:08.90 while collecting her fourth consecutive win.

Presented by John Deere, the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint is part of the CTBA's lucrative Golden State Series for eligible older fillies and mares bred or sired in California.

Breaking from post position two in a field of nine, Leggs Galore went right to the lead, enjoyed a one length advantage three furlongs from home and easily repelled a challenge mid-way around the turn from Mo See Cal to register her first stakes victory.

“I knew it was going to be hard for them to beat her,” said Gonzalez. “She was doing it so easily, and running so relaxed. She had a lot left in the tank…The trip went exactly how it was planned, and it couldn't have gone any better. She loved it.”

A 4-year-old daughter of Bayern, out of the Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, Leggs Galore had been idle since taking a first condition allowance in open company going 5 ½ furlongs on turf here Oct. 10. Ridden for the third consecutive time by Gonzalez, Leggs Galore was off as the second choice at 5-2 and paid $7.60, $4.60 and $2.80.

“She runs very well fresh and she'd been training as good as she can possibly train, so I was expecting a big performance, but that was pretty impressive today,” said D'Amato. “I think being able to steadily develop her and the turf has moved her up here…Jack Sims has been really good with that and I think that helped with the success today.”

Winless in two tries versus open maiden allowance company at Oaklawn Park in March and April, Leggs Galore is now unbeaten in four Southern California starts and is thus four for six. With today's winning purse of $90,000, she increased her earnings to $202,208.

Far back early, the second and third place finishers closed well but never threatened the winner.

Off at 7-1 with Joel Rosario, Nardini paid $6.00 and $3.60 while finishing a half length in front of Warren's Showtime.

The 6-5 favorite with Juan Hernandez, Warren's Showtime found her best stride late to be third by a head over She's Devoted and returned $2.20 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.84, 45.09 and 56.84.

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