Racing! Really good opener for Santa Anita

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we relish in some really good performances on Wednesday.

Wow. That’s all I have to say about McKinzie’s win the Malibu Stakes on Wednesday. I know as a journalist we are never supposed to take sides, and I believe in that with all my heart. But, as someone who knew the late Brad McKinzie, I have a soft spot in my heart for the horse that was named after him.

He was mid-placed in a big 14-horse field but when Mike Smith gave him the cue, he circled the field and went to a dominating 4 ¾-length win in the Grade 1 $300,000 race.

Our own Eric (Manny) Sondheimer was out at opening day as I was tied up on the other coast, and he filed this excellent report. Read it here.

It was also a good day for new race caller Frank Mirahmadi, who seemed on his game with really smart, accurate calls. Now, that’s not to say that we won’t miss the calls by Michael Wrona, whose contract was not renewed. But, it’s good to know that Santa Anita continues its tradition of great race callers.

We would be remiss if we didn’t point out that Mr. Annoying on TVG said it was Mirahmadi’s first call of the Malibu. Frank called opening day in 2016. Now, MA may have corrected himself as I tend to watch in the fast forward and mute mode, but if he didn’t …

Let’s get to the stakes races.

Lady of Shamrock Stakes

Clearly, this was the weakest of all the stakes as it had 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf for $75,000. The race is named for the filly that was the first big winner for Hronis Racing and the personable Kosta and Pete Hronis. The race was won by second-favorite Amandine, who was making her second start in the U.S. after starting her career in England.

She ran down favorite Ms Bad Behavior in the stretch to win by 2 ¼ lengths. Amandine paid $5.60, $3.00 and $2.80 for trainer Jeff Mullins and jockey Drayden Van Dyke. Stradella Road was third.

Grade 1 La Brea Stakes

There are two notable story lines in this $300,000 race for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. The first, is the really bad performance by the previously undefeated Dream Tree. She was coming off a layoff where she had epiglottis surgery but no one expected her to got to the lead and then fade to last place on Wednesday.

“I don’t know what happened,� Van Dyke said of Dream Tree. “She just came up empty.�

Now, the second story line is the win by Spiced Perfection, a favorite of this newsletter because she is in part owned by Times contributor and my friend Mike Tierney. And when you consider this Cal-bred has now won a Grade 1 and you’ve got a great story.

“I never dreamed of this,� Tierney said. “To win a Grade 1, with a Cal-bred…This is pretty impressive.�

Spiced Perfection bided her time near the lead for most of the race and then stayed outside passing the lead horses to win by 1 ¼ lengths. She paid $12.80, $6.20 and $4.00 for trainer Brian Koriner and Flavien Prat. Longshot Hot Autumn was second and Emboldened was third.

“She ran big,� said Prat, who picked up the mount after Joe Talamo got off the horse two races ago. “She broke off nice and then I was outside in the clear. She was comfortable the entire way. … As soon as I asked her, she responded well and ran big.�

Grade 2 Mathis Brother Mile

This race was for 3-year-olds going on the turf for $200,000. River Boyne, under a patient ride by Prat entered the stretch fourth and then rallied four-wide to win a great finish over Desert Stone by a head. You could throw a blanket over the first four horses.

“He’s solid,� winning trainer Jeff Mullins said. “You know when you lead him over here he’s going to give it you. He might not get it every time but he’s going to give it you. I thought Flavien might have had [River Boyne] a little too far back but he knows more of what he’s got under him than I do.�

River Boyne paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.20. Combatant was third.

“I had a great trip, he broke well and then it was more about getting him to relax,� Prat said. “With the mile sometimes, it’s a bit tough to get him to relax. [Wednesday] we had some pace, he relaxed well, made a nice move when I asked him to go and he gave everything he had to hang in there.�

Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes

The wise guys should have been all over this. The Hronis brothers and John Sadler made a private purchase of this horse (Gift Box) and well, understated Sadler, was talking this guy up. He proved to be very good beating a very good Battle of Midway and Dabster in this 1 1/16 mile race. He won by 1/2 length from a stalking position.

“Hopefully this horse will be in the handicap division this year and we’re not opposed to going to Dubai with him,� Sadler said. “He’s close to my heart. He’s from the first crop of Twirling Candy so I’ve been watching him for a couple of years. He’s trained really well for this race and he’s had a bunch of bullets. He ran like he trained.

“I was following him before the sale happened. He went back to the farm and the previous owners indicated that they’d like to move him along so I went back there before the September yearling sale and took a look at him, and liked him.

“I know he can run, he’s had some good speed figures. We took a shot and here we are.�

Gift Box paid $15.00, $6.20 and $3.60. Battle of Midway was second and Dabster was third. Joel Rosario rode Gift Box.

As good as Gift Box’s effort was, Kosta Hronis said he likely won’t run in the Pegasus.

Grade 1 Malibu Stakes

We talked about it up front, but McKinzie’s 4 ¾-length win was spectacular. Now, this was a great comeback after a lackluster performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. And lackluster is kind. Once he started moving around the far turn it was all over. Now this was only a seven-furlong race, but it shows he will be someone to contend with as a 4-year-old.

“This horse really has something in store,� winning jockey Mike Smith said. “You’re really better off running him like this because you don’t take too much out of yourself. Bob [Baffert] brought him back here, gave him a little break and his energy came back up, his weight came back up and he was ready to run today. He was loaded from the word ‘go’.�

McKinzie paid $4.40, $3.60 and $3.40. Identity Politics was second and Still Having Fun was third.

“After the Breeders’ Cup he came back here and I told Mike [Smith] he was doing really well and Mike worked him a couple times for me,� Baffert said. “Because after the Breeders’ Cup, Mike was like, ‘is he OK? He just quit.’ And I told him, ‘Don’t worry about it, it was my fault.’

“Coming in to this race they were all training really well but the horse is just an outstanding individual. You could just tell he was getting in gear. His namesake is looking down on him today so I was pretty excited about that and the crowd, they were all in on him. Frank [Mirahmadi] made the call turning for home you could hear the crowd really got in to it so it’s pretty exciting to see that.�

Who goofed, I’ve got to know?

Who else? Me. In Wednesday’s newsletter I lamented that morning-line maker Jon White had to come up with a morning line for the new roulette bet. Well, Jon reported that he does not have to come up with a line on the colors, but, of course, does for the individual horses. Ken Miller is the guy who groups the horses and comes up with the line. And, while we are talking about the roulette bet …

Spinning the wheel

It seems only right to check on the first-day results of the new roulette bet. So here is how it played out, and, remember that you get multiple horses in each color grouping, so it’s not surprising the roulette payoff is always smaller than the bet on just the winner.

Race 1: $3.80 (roulette payoff), $8.60 (winner payoff), $2,625 (amount of money in the wager)

Race 2: $4.20, $21.40, $3,047

Race 3: $5.20, $5.80, $3,339

Race 4: $4.00, $5.60, $3,357

Race 5: $8.20, $19.60, $4,016

Race 6: $2.40, $12.80, $3,724

Race 7: $2.60, $2.80, $4,050

Race 8: $8.60, $15.00, $4,224

Race 9: $3.60, $4.40, $3,985

Race 10: $5.80, $5.40, $2,567 (Note: Only race roulette pad more than the winner price.)

Final thought

Always looking to jump the circulation of this newsletter. Can’t beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you don’t like it, then you’re probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up. Remember, it’s free, and all we need is your email, nothing more.

If you have any thoughts, you can reach me at [email protected]. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

And now the star of the show, Wednesday’s results.

TWENTYTWENTYVISION angled in and stalked inside, bid between foes into the second turn, inched away leaving that turn and drew clear under a crack of the whip and strong handling then a long hold late. COMES THE DREAM a step slow to begin, angled in and saved ground off the pace, came out leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch and edged a rival for the place. PLAY HARD TO GET chased between foes, was in a bit tight into the stretch, split horses in midstretch and gained the show inside. TAELYNS PRINCE stalked a bit off the rail, bid three deep between foes into the second turn, continued between rivals into the stretch and was outkicked in the final furlong. CROWN THE KITTEN chased three wide, swung five wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. BUSTER DOUGLAS (BRZ) stalked a bit off the rail, bid four wide leaving the backstretch and into the second turn, came three deep into the stretch and weakened. FRITZ JOHANSEN bobbled some at the start, saved ground chasing the pace, came out in midstretch and could not offer the necessary response. ORCHESTRAL had speed outside then inched away and angled in, set the pace inside, dueled into the second turn, dropped back into the stretch and weakened.

AMERS settled inside then a bit off the rail, came out leaving the turn and four wide into the stretch, rallied under urging to get up three deep on the line. D D'S LUTE angled in and stalked inside, split horses in midstretch, took the lead outside the pacesetter in deep stretch and was edged late. EASTER DREAM chased outside a rival, came four wide into the stretch and finished gamely between foes late. EMPRESS OF LOV stalked inside then a bit off the rail into the turn, came out leaving the turn and three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed late kick. COME ON KAT was in a good position stalking the pace outside a rival then a bit off the rail on the turn and could not offer the necessary late response. UNO TROUBLE MAKER had speed outside a rival then angled in and set the pace inside, held on well to deep stretch and weakened late. NAUGHTY SOPHIE bobbled some at the start, stalked inside then a bit off the rail, drifted in through the final furlong and weakened. CHATTY stalked off the rail, dropped back outside a rival on the turn, continued just off the inside into the stretch and also weakened.

I AM THE DANGER sped to the early lead, dueled outside a rival, regained the advantage leaving the turn, inched away into the stretch and drew clear under left handed urging. STREET TO INDY stalked three deep then off the rail leaving the turn, came out into the stretch and edged a rival for the place. SHANE ZAIN close up stalking the pace off the rail to the stretch, split rivals in deep stretch and was edged late for second. RINSE AND REPEAT chased a bit off the rail, came out three deep into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. LIL MILO angled in and dueled inside, put a head in front midway on the backstretch, continued inside on the turn and into the stretch and weakened. LITTLEBITAMEDAL settled a bit off the rail then inside, continued along the rail into and on the turn and into the stretch and improved position. WILSHIRE DUDE bobbled slightly at the start, chased inside, came out into the stretch and did not rally. ACCORDING TO BUDDY chased a bit off the rail, dropped back outside a rival on the turn and gave way. FOR THE HUSTLE stalked between horses, also dropped back on the turn and gave way.

AMANDINE (GB) saved ground stalking the pace, bid outside the runner-up in midstretch to gain the lead under a tap of the whip nearing the sixteenth pole and won clear under good handling. MS BAD BEHAVIOR angled in and set a pressured pace inside, inched away leaving the second turn, fought back along the rail in the stretch, could not match the winner late but held second. STRADELLA ROAD prompted the pace outside the runner-up then stalked outside the winner leaving the second turn and held off a rival for the show. LOVE AND PEACE (FR) a bit slow to begin, angled in on the first turn and saved ground, cut the corner into the stretch and was edged for third. STREAK OF LUCK stalked three deep, continued outside on the second turn and three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed late kick. X S GOLD pulled her way along to chase the pace three deep, also continued outside on the second turn and four wide into the stretch and did not rally. WEST PALM BEACH (IRE) chased between horses, dropped back on the second turn, came three wide into the stretch and also lacked the necessary response. ANIMOSITY a bit washy at the gate, pulled between horses then stalked outside a rival, dropped back on the second turn and weakened.

BIG SCOTT DADDY stalked outside then three deep into and on the turn and four wide into the stretch, bid outside foes to gain the lead nearing midstretch, inched away, drifted in some and held gamely under left handed urging. KA'NAH stalked the pace inside, continued along the rail into and on the stretch and finished with interest. ONE BAD BOY saved ground chasing the pace, steadied in a bit tight into the turn, came out leaving the turn and three deep into the stretch, drifted in some past the eighth pole and edged rivals for the show. ALLEVA stalked off the rail then between foes into and on the turn, bid between horses in upper stretch and was edged for third. NORSKI bobbled slightly at the start, chased a bit off the rail then inside on the turn, came out in midstretch, was in tight nearing the sixteenth pole and was outfinished for a minor award. SCALPER pulled between horses early then steadied midway on the backstretch, chased outside, came four wide into the stretch and also was outfinished for a minor share. MO MISSISSIPPI stalked a bit off the rail, angled to the inside in the stretch and lacked a rally. JUMPIN THRU HOOPS had speed outside the runner-up then inched away and set the pace a bit off the rail to the stretch, was between foes in midstretch and weakened in the final furlong. ALL GOOD bobbled at the start, settled a bit off the rail then inside into the turn and into the stretch and was not a threat. COGAN settled outside a rival then just off the rail, angled in on the turn, came out some under urging in upper stretch, had the rider lose the whip in deep stretch and failed to menace. NOLDE broke a bit slowly, chased just off the rail then between foes into the turn, dropped back leaving the turn and gave way.

SPICED PERFECTION stalked outside then three deep on the turn, bid four wide into the stretch, gained the advantage nearing midstretch and inched away late under urging. HOT AUTUMN dueled three deep then three wide between foes into the stretch and held second. EMBOLDENED saved ground stalking the pace, bid inside into and on the turn and in the stretch and was edged for the place. HAPPY LIKE A FOOL had good early speed and dueled a bit off the rail then between foes into and on the turn and into the stretch, fought back between rivals in midstretch and was outfinished. HEAVENHASMYNIKKI stalked off the rail then inside on the turn, came out some in the stretch and weakened. KELLY'S HUMOR broke a bit slowly, settled just off the rail then inside, came out in the stretch and lacked the necessary response. CATHEDRAL READER close up stalking the pace between horses then outside or alongside a rival on the turn and weakened. DREAM TREE a step slow to begin, went up to duel between horses, fell back on the turn and gave way in the drive.

RIVER BOYNE (IRE) chased outside a rival, came out leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch, rallied under some urging and energetic handling to gain the lead while drifting inward in deep stretch and held gamely between foes. DESERT STONE (IRE) broke a bit slowly, angled in and settled inside, came out on the second turn and three wide into the stretch and finished willingly. COMBATANT angled in and stalked inside, awaited room leaving the second turn, cut the corner into the stretch, came out in midstretch, bid between foes in deep stretch and continued gamely to the end. FIGHT ON settled outside a rival, came out leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch and also finished with interest. GIDU (IRE) pulled between horses early, stalked off the rail then outside a rival, bid three deep in midstretch, put a head in front a sixteenth out and was outfinished late. SHIVERMETIMBERS angled in and chased outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch and could not quite summon the necessary late kick. HARDBOOT saved ground stalking the pace, bid inside in the stretch, fought back in deep stretch and weakened late. CHOO CHOO stalked the pace along the rail, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. SNAZZY DRESSER had speed outside then angled in, set the pace inside, came a bit off the rail into the stretch, battled between foes in the final furlong and weakened late. GEMONTEER three deep early, stalked just off the rail, dropped back between foes leaving the second turn and gave way.

GIFT BOX broke in a bit, stalked off the rail, bid three deep leaving the second turn and into the stretch to gain the lead and held on gamely under urging. BATTLE OF MIDWAY close up stalking the pace a bit off the rail, bid between horses on the second turn to put a head in front, fought back inside into and through the stretch and continued gamely to the wire. DABSTER stalked outside the runner-up, bid three deep on the second turn then between horses into the stretch, had the rider lose the whip in upper stretch, fought back between the top pair in the drive and was outfinished late. BEACH VIEW settled outside then off the rail, went three deep on the second turn and into the stretch and bested the others. SONNETEER saved ground chasing the pace, came out on the second turn, drifted four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. AIR STRIKE four wide into the first turn, angled in and chased outside a rival, went three deep leaving the second turn, was fanned five wide into the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. YULONG WARRIOR angled in on the first turn and chased inside, came a bit off the rail into and on the second turn and gave way. TATTERS TO RICHES squeezed some at the start, went four wide into the first turn, angled in and chased outside a rival, dropped back on the second turn, gave way and was eased in the stretch. PITINO sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, dueled along the rail early on the second turn, dropped back leaving that turn and into the stretch, also gave way and was eased in the drive.

MCKINZIE chased outside then four wide into and on the turn and into the stretch, drifted in and bid outside a rival in the stretch to gain the lead past the eighth pole and drew clear under a brisk hand ride. IDENTITY POLITICS chased just off the rail then between foes leaving the backstretch and on the turn, came out four wide into the stretch and finished well to get up between foes for the place. STILL HAVING FUN saved ground stalking the pace, cut the corner into the stretch, continued inside and edged foes for third. AXELROD steadied in tight early, settled off the rail, went between horses on the turn, was fanned five wide into the stretch and was edged for the show. BOBBY'S WICKED ONE had speed four wide then stalked outside, came three deep into the stretch and was outfinished for a minor share. CALEXMAN went up inside to duel for the lead, inched away on the turn, came a bit off the rail into the stretch, fought back in midstretch, was between foes in deep stretch and was outkicked. NERO dueled between horses then outside a rival, stalked just off the rail on the turn, was between foes again into the stretch and weakened. KANTHAKA chased between horses, steadied in tight nearing midway on the turn, continued just off the rail into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. SOLOMINI settled outside then four wide on the backstretch and turn, was fanned six wide into the stretch and could not offer the necessary late response. MAJESTIC DUNHILL broke a bit slowly, settled inside then came off the rail on the turn and three deep into the stretch and could not offer the necessary late kick. COPPER BULLET stalked inside, steadied between horses leaving the second turn, angled back in and did not rally. AX MAN had speed between horses then stalked between foes and weakened some in the stretch. GREYVITOS stalked off the rail then outside on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and weakened. SEVEN TRUMPETS chased outside a rival then between foes on the turn, dropped back leaving the turn and also weakened. A claim of foul by the trainer of AXELROD against the runner-up for alleged interference into the stretch was not allowed by the stewards, who ruled the incident was not enough to warrant a disqualification.

ACKER stalked outside a rival then between foes on the second turn, bid between horses in the stretch, put a head in front in deep stretch and held on gamely under urging. SOUTER (GB) pulled hard early, stalked outside a foe, went up three deep into and on the second turn, bid three wide in the stretch and continued gamely between foes late. SHAKY ALIBI speed to the early lead, set the pace inside, fought back along the rail through the stretch and continued gamely to the wire. AVALANCHE angled in and settled off the pace inside, came out on the second turn and four wide into the stretch and finished well. THE HUNTED saved ground stalking the pace, came a bit off the rail in the stretch and was outfinished. CUPID'S CLAWS chased along the inside, came out some in midstretch and lacked the necessary late kick. ICY STREET three deep early, angled in nearing the first turn, chased inside, split horses into the stretch and was outfinished. TROJAN SPIRIT chased between horses, came out three deep into the stretch and lacked a rally./. RED KING settled outside a rival then angled in and saved ground to no avail. EROTIC stalked between horses then three deep on the second turn and into the stretch and weakened. LUCKY SOUL a bit slow to begin, angled in and settled outside a rival chasing the pace and was not a threat. TAKI'S CHOICE chased four wide on the first turn and three deep on the backstretch and second turn and weakened in the stretch.