Ralph Siraco’s Selections For Santa Anita

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997 | 11:11 a.m.

Thursday's card

Selections made for clear racing conditions before scratches.

Post Time 12:30 p.m.

1st race 6 fur 4YO&up F&M Clm

1 Polvita (Hunter) 116

2 Moon's Highway (Flores) 116

3 Our Irish Miss (Desormeaux) 116

4 Classic Vogue (Garcia) 116

5 Chans Pearl (Ramsammy) 116

6 Speed Of The Irish (Blanc) 118

7 Chile Reina (Valdez) 106

8 Ellie The Able (Espinoza) 115

9 Honey Be Good (Douglas) 116

10 Breezing Zee (Pedroza) 116

11 Benny's Torch (Solis) 116

Ellie The Able -- Scratched out Tuesday for this spot, third in last pair of outings at higher level, just missed by a nose while runner-up at this distance three races back, drops below claimed price, Espinoza stays.

Classic Vogue -- Four-wide close fourth in last, third before that, in the money 10 of 15 starts this year with five victories, pair of works since raced, Garcia stays for third start in southland.

Value Play -- Benny's Torch

2nd race 6-1/2 fur 4YO&up Mdn Clm

1 Costly Chip (Gomez) 117

2 My D. Cat (Garcia) 117

3 Parlier (Alvarado) 120

4 Cash Cash Cash (Scott) 118

5 New Mexico Cowboy (Vergara) 118

6 Dickandraysfortune (Flores) 118

7 Interpoint (Berrio) 119

8 Ice Champion (Valdivia) 117

9 The Great Chase (Davenport) 119

10 Catterco (Matos) 114

11 Call Me Ray (Espinoza) 119

12 Honor Is Power (Toscano) 120

13 AE-O'Tanks (Pincay) 119

14 AE-Local Hero (Garcia) 119

15 AE-Chief Jeremiah (Castanon) 117

16 AE-Takearealitychck (Alvrdo) 117

Dickandraysfortune -- Returns to races with steady works over the track, two nice runner-up sprint efforts at Del Mar this summer, best finish off the shelf three races back, Flores takes over for hot trainer West.

Call Me Ray -- Inside-pace duel and held second with best career effort in last, dueled and fourth only time at this distance three races back, Espinoza got to know him in last, another like last gets the diploma here.

Value Play -- Catterco

3rd race 1 mi 4YO&up F&M Hdcp

1 Supercilious (Blanc) 118

2 Traces Of Gold (Desormeaux) 117

3 Toda Una Dama (Solis) 119

4 Pareja (Delahoussaye) 115

5 Fun In Excess (Flores) 114

6 One Lucky Cat (Nakatani) 109

Toda Una Dama -- Saved from Sharp Cat's Hollypark walkover and returns in this spot, solid works for return with seven-panel bullet drill on Dec. 23, in the quinella six of seven starts this year with four wins, one to beat here.

Traces Of Gold -- Set pace and third in Grade II Hollypark grass stakes in last, won in mud at Golden Gate before that, two bullet drills since raced, in the quinella six of 11 starts this year with a trio of wins, a factor throughout.

Value Play -- Pareja

4th race 6 fur 3YO Fil Mdn Clm

1 Aplaceinthesun (Atkinson) 115

2 Know That Song (Delahoussaye) 117

3 Light Up The Year (Gomez) 117

4 Alymay (Pincay) 117

5 Sweet Allie (Sorenson) 117

6 Mollify (Vergara) 117

7 Luckyisforever (Almeida) 117

8 Dollar Dancer (Stevens) 117

9 Pentangle (Nakatani) 117

10 No Pretending (Simpson) 117

11 Miss Bobbie Lynn (Espinoza) 117

12 Runaway Val (Pedroza) 115

13 AE-She's A Smoker (Garcia) 117

14 AE-Stetson Lady (Desormeaux) 117

15 AE-Mz Minister (Matos) 112

16 AE-My Gal Groovy (Pincay) 117

Light Up The Year -- First-time starter has solid steady worktab, bullet gate drill on Dec. 18, well breds, well placed, good post, Gomez for debut.

Know That Song -- Lacked speed and rallied for third in last when in need of a race, steady works since, Delahoussaye stays for trainer Stute, draws inside again, continued improvement makes this gal tough.

Value Play -- Miss Bobbie Lynn

5th race 6-1/2 fur 4YO&up Turf Clm

1 Suggest (Flores) 116

2 Homecoming Flag (Matos) 107

3 Drumm Valley (Ramsammy) 112

4 Academyawardwinner (Barber) 116

5 Goldigger's Dream (McCarron) 116

6 Fearless Pirate (Garcia) 115

7 Troysend (Desormeaux) 114

8 Ben's Ridge (Black) 115

9 Jirhan (Valdivia) 116

10 Stately Warrior (Nakatani) 116

11 Croft Pool (Espinoza) 116

12 Madly Sharp (Stevens) 116

13 AE-French Wine (Flores) 116

14 AE-Don't Ever Change (Gomez) 116

15 AE-Makinanhonestbuck (Huntr) 116

16 AE-Mateo (Solis) 116

Goldigger's Dream -- Returns to races with steady worktab, most recent bullet six-panel drill on Dec. 24, runner-up down the hill at Oak Tree in last, third in prior pair of outings, reunites with winning rider McCarron.

Suggest -- Set pace and outfinished in Hollypark grass sprint inlast, won down the hill twice of four outings with last career victory four races back, two nice works since raced, Flores stays for trainer Mandella.

Value Play -- Troysend

6th race 6-1/2 fur 4&up F&M Mdn

1 Mama's Baby (Matos) 114

2 Countess Moon (Flores) 119

3 Lady Tiara (Valdivia) 119

4 Sham Dancer (Nakatani) 119

5 She Is Here (Delahoussaye) 119

6 One Wish (Solis) 119

7 Private Hunter (Ramsammy) 119

8 Boldskier (Pincay) 119

9 Bare Assessment (Blanc) 119

10 Mownawer (Desormeaux) 119

11 Unbridled Hope (Black) 119

One Wish -- Improved position while distant debut fourth in May at Hollypark, steady works for return with most recent bullet six-panel drill on Dec. 27, trainer Bradshaw employs Solis now, One diploma on Wish list.

Mama's Baby -- Another returner with solid worktab, showed speed in last pair of outings down the hill in the spring, should show early foot from rail post, bug boy Matos takes over for this.

Value Play -- Mownawer

7th race 1 mi 4YO&up Turf Alw

1 Sir Nibbles (Gomez) 115

2 Fabulous Guy (Stevens) 117

3 Atwood (Espinoza) 115

4 Cee Me Tizzy (Garcia) 120

5 Missigoni (Delahoussaye) 115

6 Capital Gains (Nakatani) 118

7 Dismissed (Blanc) 115

8 Von Raven (Douglas) 118

9 Storm Master (McCarron) 117

10 Affirmare (Flores) 118

11 AE-Assume (Nakatani) 117

12 AE-Sankarang (Desormeaux) 115

13 AE-Crowning Meeting (McCarn) 120

14 AE-Mannenberg (Almeida) 115

Capital Gains -- Working well in the a.m. for return to races, broke maiden in July on Hollypark lawn as the favorite in last, runs well off layoff, Nakatani/Mandella combo, Capital Gains dividend off the shelf.

Fabulous Guy -- Dull efforts on main track in last pair of outings, stumbled at the start and no threat in Grade II Oak Tree Derby three races back, broke maiden at this trip and course at Oak Tree, back on preferred surface with Stevens now.

Value Play -- Cee Me Tizzy

8th race 7 fur 3YO Stk

1 Longview Legend (Corrales) 115

2 Lucky Molar (Vergara) 115

3 Oly Ogy (Nakatani) 115

4 Aruba Magic (Desormeaux) 115

5 Buttons N Moes (Solis) 119

6 A Touch Of Grey (Black) 115

7 Champ's Star (Flores) 115

8 Hez A Keeper (Almeida) 115

9 Nationalore (Delahoussaye) 115

10 It's A Reality (Stevens) 117

11 Can Can Me (McCarron) 115

12 Full Moon Madness (Douglas) 117

Nationallore -- Maiden has most impressive resume in the field, third in Grade I Hollywood Futurity in last and third in Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile before that, runner-up in prior three outings, needs honest pace to run at, Eddie D. stays.

Hez A Keeper -- Four-wide fifth to promising colt in last, held gamely to break maiden as the favorite before that, runner-up in prior pair of career outings, steady works continue, solid chance at a price here.

Value Play -- Aruba Magic

9th race 1 mi 4YO&up Clm

1 Houston Vixen (Silva) 114

2 Marflin (Gomez) 116

3 Erinova (Martinez) 116

4 Toe Tappin' Wizard (Vergara) 115

5 Kiss Of Fire (Pedroza) 116

6 Tina Celesta (Espinoza) 114

7 Spumante (Alvarado) 116

8 Desert Mistress (Barber) 113

9 Synister Move (Ramsammy) 116

10 Karmel Kelly (Matos) 113

11 AE-Tailhook Trouble (Gomez) 116

Kiss Of Fire -- Takes nosedive in class, fourth in last pair of outings on Hollypark lawn, runner-up at four times the price twice on Del Mar sod this year, Pedroza takes over for trainer Carava and money run, tricky call but only needs to complete the course to win.

Spumante -- Tracked and weakened on wet fast track in last when in need of a race, claimed at this level from troubled outing before that, two of five career victories at this distance, Alvarado got to know her in last.

Value Play -- Karmel Kelly

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