Victor Espinoza | Horse Racing Free Tips

Blitzkrieg, Espinoza Steal The Show In Santa Anita’s American Stakes

With a solid work under his belt and a post position advantage, trainer Doug O'Neill's Blitzkrieg was hustled to the lead and made every pole a winning one as he took Sunday's Grade III, $100,000 American Stakes by one length at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden for the first time by Victor Espinoza, the 5-year-old gelding by War Front got a flat mile on turf in 1:33.46.

In his second Santa Anita start since running in four races in Dubai over the winter, Blitzkrieg broke from post four and enjoyed a half length advantage on speedy Bolo, who broke from the far outside, into the Club House turn.

Although he set brisk fractions, Blitzkrieg was never headed as he opened up 1 ½ lengths on Bolo into the far turn and he was large and in charge, leading by two lengths turning for home and was never challenged while holding classy Bowies Hero at bay late.

“His last work was phenomenal,” said Leandro Mora, assistant to O'Neill, who was returning from New York. “He went six furlongs, on his own, in 58 and four (fifths) and galloped out in 1:12. He worked so good, we were tempted to put him back on the dirt, but we stuck to the plan and I'm glad we did. I told Victor that with Bolo drawn way outside, let's go and I think maybe we can steal it. He's back no question. This is the horse we thought we had all along.”

Well beaten at 57-1 in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile (turf) at Santa Anita on May 25, Blitzkrieg was off at 7-1 in a field of nine 3-year-olds and up and paid $16.80, $7.80 and $4.60.

Owned by R3 Racing, LLC and Calara Farms, Blitzkrieg, who was claimed for $25,000 11 starts back in January, 2019, got his second graded stakes win and now has six wins from 21 career starts. With the winner's share of $60,000, he has earnings of $388,097.

“The pace was pretty quick, but he was doing it so easy,” said Espinoza. “For me, every time I ride a horse like him with speed, I like to just sit up there and have fun.”

A two-time Grade I winner who had been away since running fifth in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 2, Bowies Hero was in high gear late under Umberto Rispoli, finishing 2 ¼ lengths in front of Sharp Samurai. Off at 6-1, Bowies Hero paid $6.40 and $3.80.

A multiple graded stakes winner who had been idle since Aug. 18, Sharp Samurai, who was attentive to the pace throughout under Abel Cedillo, dead heated for third with his stablemate Souter and paid $2.40 to show.

Souter, ridden by Evin Roman, was off at 72-1 and paid $8.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.02, 46.42, 1:10.03 and 1:21.66.

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Tiger Dad Outfoots Rivals, Including Favored Stablemate, In Thor’s Echo At Santa Anita

With most of the attention focused on last year's winner, trainer Carla Gaines' “Avis choice,” consistent Tiger Dad, set the tone early as he battled head and head for the lead with a well-meant Principe Carlo, eventually gaining the ascendency in deep stretch as he drew off to win Saturday's $100,000 Thor's Echo Stakes by three quarters of length at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Ridden by regular pilot Victor Espinoza, Tiger Dad, a 4-year-old California-bred gelding by Smiling Tiger, got six furlongs in 1:09.56 while never threatened by his well fancied stablemate Desert Law, who checked in third as the even money favorite.

“I have been riding him quite a few times (his last eight races), so I really have the confidence in him. When some other horse is outside, it is exactly what he wants because he won't let them go by. I didn't want to take the lead too soon because he has a bad habit of waiting for horses, so today I was just hoping the outside horse (Principe Carlo) would keep going and keep me company all the way to the wire and it worked out perfectly.”

Most recently second to highly regarded Collusion Illusion in a six-furlong allowance here on May 17, Tiger Dad was the third choice at 5-2 in a field of five California-bred or sired three year olds and up and paid $7.60, $3.80 and $2.20.

“He ran fantastic,” said Gaines. “He really dug in and Victor knows him so well. As I said pre-race, my other horse (Desert Law) needs a race off of a layoff. He got a little far back.”

Owned by his breeders, Mark Devereaux and Scott Gross, Tiger Dad, who had been out of the money in just two of his previous 14 starts, notched his first stakes victory and improved his overall mark to 15-4-5-3. Out of the Unusual Heat mare Q T Shae, Tiger Dad bagged $60,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $276,661.

Breaking from the far outside with Agapito Delgadillo up for trainer Ryan Hanson, Principe Carlo, who was claimed two starts back for $20,000, battled gamely throughout and finished 1 ¼ in front of Desert Law. A winner of his last two starts, Principe Carlo was the narrow second choice at 5-2 and paid $3.60 and $2.20.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Desert Law, who had been idle since running second in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on July 27, paid $2.10 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.33, 45.06 and 57.09.

Sponsored by the CTBA, the Thor's Echo, for 3-year-olds and up, is part of the lucrative Golden State Series for California-bred or sired horses.

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