Blue Norther Stakes

Friday and Saturday were both excellent racing days. Fabulous Strike switched his style up in the Grade 3 Gravesend Handicap, rating in second before accelerating to an easy 1 1/4 length victory. Indian Blessing was all business, taking the Grade 1 La Brea in a similar fashion. Perhaps my favorite race in this two day span was the Grade 1 Malibu. Just as I had predicted, Bob Black Jack lulled them to sleep on the front end and found the winners circle. His price was ripe at $12 considering the short field. The connections are now considering a trip to Dubai. I don’t know if he is quite that good, but I wish them luck.

The Blue Norther at Santa Anita looks like the best stakes race left this weekend. Two-year-old fillies will be racing one mile on the turf. My top selection will be Oro Blanco at 6-1, who is coupled with Streetscape. Trained by Marcelo Polanco and piloted by Joe Talamo, the daughter of Hold For Gold finished third by five lengths in the Grade 1 Oak Leaf Stakes as a maiden. She enters this race after an easy maiden win and looks primed for a big run. I don’t think there is much speed in this race, so her close stalking style should be an advantage. She is hard to go against at 6-1.

Internally Flawless is the 8/5 ML favorite. Bob Baffert has opted to remove the blinkers which she has ran with in all three of her starts. She closed with a fury last out in the Grade 3 Mieseque and just missed the win by 3/4 of a length. April Pride is also an interesting entry. Grade 3 placed in Britain, she finished 11th in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in her only U.S. start. The daughter of Falbrav should move up this time, and offers value at 5-1.

1st- Oro Blanco

2nd- Internally Flawless

3rd- April Pride

$2 Exacta (1,3,7 BOX)

$2 Trifecta (1,3/1,3,7/1,2,3,6,7)

Grade 1 Malibu Stakes

Let me start off by making one thing clear. The Malibu Stakes is not an easy one from a handicapping perspective.  It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a race as truly balanced as this one. Entrants range from Travers winner Colonel John, CashCall Futurity winner Into Mischief, and Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf winner Nownownow.

The seven furlong distance, which I’ve heard people refer to as the “Devil’s Distance” further complicates the situation. It’s not long enough to give a router like Colonel John a clear advantage, and its not short enough for Bob Black Jack, the six furlong world record holder, to easily take them wire to wire.

Georgie Boy is the only Grade 1 winner at the distance, taking the Del Mar Futurity. The gelded son of Tribal Rule enters the race after a second place to Into Mischief in the Damascus Stakes. Both horses were racing for the first time in over six months. Into Mischief took the race quite easily, so I’m going to eliminate Georgie Boy as a potential winner.

On the other hand, Into Mischief looks very tough, and has been tabbed the 2/1 ML favorite. This will likely be his last race according to owner B Wayne Hughes, so I expect them to “bring it”.  He will be retired to Hughes stud farm where he will stand for a fee of $12,500. Winning this one would certainly attract some mares!

Eoin Harty says Colonel John shouldn’t have any problems. He expects the son of Tiznow to run well. This is typical of him, as he said the same thing prior to both the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders Cup Classic. I can’t blame the guy for being optimistic, but from handicapping standpoint we can disregard this. He is lethal at distances over a mile, but I don’t know how he will fare shortening up to seven furlongs. I’m going to look elsewhere, but I would certainly include him on my exotic tickets.

My top selection will be the speedy Bob Black Jack. He is a bonefied front runner and may have things his own way on the front end. His best performance this year came in the SunShine Millions Dash, where he shattered the six furlong world record, stopping the clock in a stunning 1:06 2/5. He also put in a strong effort when finishing second in the Santa Anita Derby. Let’s hope Bob Black Jack runs them off their feet at 9/2.

CashCall Futurity

The spotlight in the racing world will be on the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park this Saturday. This race is for two-year-olds, and will be contested at 1 1/16 on the Cushion Track. Six CashCall Futurity starters have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby, including names such as Alysheba, Thunder Gulch, and Real Quiet. Due to the staggering purse of $750,000 the winner is virtually guaranteed a spot in the Kentucky Derby. Into Mischief took the race last year under Victor Espinoza for trainer Richard Mandella.

With a large field of twelve, this event is sure to be competitive. The most notable entry is Pioneerof The Nile, who joined the Bob Baffert barn after finishing a close fifth in the Breeders Cup Juvenile. Prior to that race he was a distant third to Square Eddie in the Grade 1 Lanes End Breeders Futurity at Keeneland. The son of Empire Maker has been working well for Baffert and looks poised for a career effort.

I like Axel Foley to win this race. Named for Eddie Murphy’s character in Beverly Hills Cop, he broke his maiden in his second career start at Lingfield in Great Britain for trainer John Best. The son of Officer earned a Racing Post Rating of 81 for that race. Blood-Horse quoted assistant trainer, Martin Smith, saying: “The jockey who rode him that day just smacked him once and said he could get a mile and a quarter,”. If he can win the CashCall Futurity, it would the first step on the long road to the Kentucky Derby. He will be racing with lasix for the first time, and the odds of 12-1 make me like him even more.

Other contenders include Azul Leon, Chocolate Candy, and Bittel Road. Most recently second in the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue, Azul Leon has to prove he can get the distance in this one. He is a Grade 2 and Grade 3 winner at distance under one mile. Chocolate Candy will be entering this race after a victory in the Real Quiet Stakes. Bittel Road is a Grade 3 winner on the turf, but will be trying Cushion Track for the first time.

I’m probably going to put some win money on Axel Foley if he goes off at a price higher than 8-1. Lets not forget that his connections are the same ones who connected with Square Eddie in the Lanes End Breeders Futurity at 10-1. I’ll use Pioneerof The Nile, Azul Leon and Bittel Road for my exotics. Good luck, and Merry Christmas!

Bejarano Looms Large on SoCal Sweep

I’ve been saying for a long time that Rafeal Bejarano is the best jockey in the United States. On the verge of sweeping the Southern California jockey titles, he continues to prove me right. The Peruvian wunderkind is currently riding 21% winners, and is finishing in the money a whopping 57% of the time.

Rafeael Bejarano, or “Rafi” as we at the track affectionately call him, is just 26 years old. He is doing something in only his second year on the circuit that has only been done twice in the past, and by legends. Chris McCarron swept the circuit in 1983, and the rambunctious Patrick Valenzuela did it again in 2003.

Undoubtedly, his most remarkable win on the circuit since moving his tack to Southern California came for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer in the Santa Anita Handicap. Sent off at odds of 7-1, Bejarano was able to hold off Go Between late, while in the irons of Heatseeker. Unfortunately for the connections and racing fans alike, Heatseeker sustained a career ending injury later in the year and was forced to retire to stallion duty. Check out the video of his bold victory above.

My favorite win of the year for Rafi came in the Grade 1 Lanes End Breeder’s Futurity at Keeneland. Piloting Square Eddie in his first U.S. start, he won easy and at the juicy price of 10-1. I remember the day particularly well, because a friend called and asked who I liked. I told her about this European colt who looked to be coming into his own. Too bad I was broke at the time, or I would’ve bet him as well.

Total earnings for the year currently stand at $15,734,892, which is second only to Garrett Gomez. I’m sure it wont be too many more years before Rafeal Bejarano shatters that record too!