Ralph Siraco’s Selections For Santa Anita

Friday, Oct. 24, 1997 | 11:38 a.m.

Saturday's card

Selections made for clear racing conditions before scratches.

Post Time noon

1st race 1-1/2 mi 3YO&up Hcp

California Cup Starter Handicap

1 Budroyale (Solis) 114

2 Ready Eddie (Stevens) 109

3 Roman Cuzzin (Espinoza) 115

4 Heart Of Snow (Gonzalez) 108

5 Masterful Slew (Desormeaux) 111

Budroyale -- Won Fairplex sprint off-the-pace to set up for this in last, claimed when weakened before that, has won three of last six starts, four of seven lifetime victories of seven Anita starts, Solis reunites for young trainer Canani.

Ready Eddie -- Won going away at a mile over the track in last, in the quinella half of last six starts, bred to get the distance, should be a pace factor, Stevens will try to nurse Hendricks trainee for repeat.

Value Play -- Masterful Slew

2nd race 5-1/2 fur 3YO&up Hcp

California Cup Starter Sprint

1 Geenger Man (Nakatani) 117

2 Judyneedsabeemer (RBaze) 115

3 Hemet Gold (Flores) 118

4 Mr. C I Prospector (Antley) 114

5 Native Russian (Stevens) 117

6 Mc Fig (Desormeaux) 116

7 Strategist (Solis) 116

8 Native Sculpture (Almeida) 113

9 Zamboni Swing (Espinoza) 113

Hemet Gold -- Off slow with rail-trip victory in last when in need of a race, 5-year-old with limited starts in the quinella in all four lifetime outings with a pair of wins, hasn't worked since raced, Flores returns on Peterson trainee, pulling out all stops here.

Native Russian -- Has had legitimate excuses in last four off-the-board outings, pair of smart back-to-back victories this summer before that, three for nine this year and in the quinella half of six Anita starts with two victories, reunites with Stevens, good spot for action.

Value Play -- Judyneedsabeemer

3rd race 1-1/16 mi 2YO Fil

California Cup Juvenile Fillies

1 a-Fiscal Year (Desormeaux) 115

2 Classic Holiday (Solis) 115

3 a-Career Collection (Nakatni) 115

4 Super Slewpy (Gonzalez) 115

5 Pert Laura (Almeida) 115

6 Griselle (Matos) 115

7 Nijinsky's Passion (Black) 115

8 Inexcessive Speed (Flores) 115

9 Mamaison Miss (Pedroza) 115

Career Collection -- Part of potent entry with Fiscal Year, pressed pace while wide and weakened in Grade II Del Mar Debutante in last, won pair of Grade II stakes in prior two outings, freshened on solid swift works with two bullet drills since raced, entrymates hold the aces here.

Griselle -- Stretch-running filly finally gets two-turn stretchout here, third as the favorite over speed-favoring track in last, runner-up in prior pair of Grade II outings, two nice works since raced, Matos stays, should love the extra real estate.

Value Play -- Classic Holiday

4th race 6-1/2 fur 3&up F&M Turf Hcp

California Cup Distaff Handicap

1 Iza Bon Bon (Scott) 117

2 Fair Mims (Garcia) 110

3 Batroyale (RBaze) 116

4 Seattle Carla (Garcia) 115

5 Aurora Slew (Espinoza) 112

6 Karakorum (Stevens) 114

7 Starry Ice (Delahoussaye) 113

8 Ivory Mint (Desormeaux) 118

9 Pachira (FValenz) 113

10 Witchy (Flores) 112

11 Calling Your (Valdivia) 108

12 Above The Table (Hunter) 117

13 Thrill To Victory (Gonzalez) 114

14 Fleet Lady (Nakatani) 116

Karakorum -- Makes another return off layoff, sharp steady works with bullet seven-panel drill on the 6th, in the quinella five of 11 lifetime starts with a trio of victories, last two wins have come off layoffs at this distance, makes downhill debut, Stevens/Hofmans team.

Above The Table -- Held on gamely for Del Mar grass win at a mile in last, highest money-earner of the field has more wins with 15 than any other and in the quinella 23 of 50 lifetime starts, two for seven this year, runs well fresh, Hunter/Peterson repeat try.

Value Play -- Aurora Slew

5th race 6 fur 3YO&up Hcp

California Cup Sprint

1 Renteria (Solis) 114

2 Fearless Pirate (Atkinson) 110

3 Red (Nakatani) 114

4 Puddles (Stevens) 111

5 Weekend Playboy (Flores) 115

6 Native Desert (Delahoussaye) 117

7 Surachai (Douglas) 120

8 Windstrike (Schvaneveldt) 113

9 Nor'Easter (Black) 114

10 Letthebighossroll (McCarron) 117

Surachai -- Bang-up run down the hill for second in last to set up well for this, sharp work since, three of four career victories of six Anita starts, in the quinella 11 of 15 lifetime, Douglas stays, versatility key to victory.

Renteria -- Runner-up to Men's Exclusive -- who heads for Breeders' Cup next -- in Cal-Sprint Invitational at Bay Meadows in last, bullet drill over this track on the 11th since raced, Dutton trainee reunites with Solis, needs prompt start and clean trip from rail post.

Value Play -- Windstrike

6th race 1-1/16 mi 2YO

California Cup Juvenile

1 Ex Marks The Cop (Flores) 118

2 Full Moon Madness (RBaze) 118

3 Doubleyourbucks (Pedroza) 118

4 Champ's Star (Delahoussaye) 118

5 Buttons N Moes (McCarron) 118

6 Thingamajig (Garcia) 118

7 Hez A Keeper (Almeida) 118

8 A Touch Of Grey (Black) 118

9 King Of The Wild (Stevens) 118

10 Nationalore (Solis) 118

Ex Marks The Cop -- Baffert trainee was much the best while winning in hand as the favorite in Cal-Sires stakes to set up nice for this, smart breeze since raced, two for two at Anita, draws good rail post, Flores back, Ex Marks the winner.

King Of The Wild -- Set pace and faltered to Souvenir Copy in Grade II Del Mar Futurity in last, close second in Grade II stakes before that, debut maiden-breaker three races back, Stevens flees another contender to reunite here, should roll from outside post.

Value Play -- Buttons N Moes

7th race 1 mi 3YO&up Turf Hcp

California Cup Mile Handicap

1 Skywalker's Choice (Stevens) 115

2 West Coast Warrior (Delhousy) 111

3 Hundred Dollarkiss (McCarron) 115

4 Canyon Crest (Douglas) 116

5 Swiss Conviction (Blanc) 108

6 Megan's Interco (Nakatani) 123

7 Megawing (Espinoza) 113

8 Jadala (Sorenson) 114

9 Waxin' Poetic (Garcia) 113

10 Gastown (Solis) 120

Megan's Interco -- 8-year-old hasn't raced since winning Cal-Cup Classic last November, won this Cal-Cup Mile in 1995, in the quinella in all seven Anita grass outings with three wins, nine of 10 at the distance with six wins and 23 of 29 lifetime with 14 victories, bullet drills dot sharp swift comeback worktab, Nakatani/Sahadi combo, Megan for encore.

Skywalker's Choice -- Weakened in comeback effort on Del Mar lawn in last, steady works since, all four lifetime victories of seven turf starts and two of four at the distance, draws good rail post, Stevens stays on hidden Sahadi entrymate, had race, beware.

Value Play -- Megawing

8th race 1-1/8 mi 3YO&up Hcp

California Cup Classic Handicap

1 Awesome Daze (Stevens) 115

2 Just Call Me Bob (Solis) 114

3 Arrivederci Baby (Perez) 117

4 Batoile (Delahoussaye) 113

5 End Run (McCarron) 114

6 Busy Little Beaver (Flores) 115

7 Alki Joe (Espinoza) 115

8 To Be Khaled (Desormeaux) 114

9 Pete The Greek (Garcia) 111

Just Call Me Bob -- Wide third in restricted Fairplex stakes inlast, easy Del Mar win before that, in the quinella half of a dozen lifetime starts with a trio of victories, steady swift works since raced with most recent bullet drill on the 18th, reunites with Solis for this.

Awesome Daze -- Bobbled at the start, rushed and flattened out in Pomona 'Cap in last, Fairplex stakes win before that, in the quinella six of nine Anita starts with three wins, sharp works since raced, switch to Stevens now.

Value Play -- Batoile

9th race 1-1/16 mi 3YO&up F&M Hcp

California Cup Matron Handicap

1 Folklore (Gonzalez) 114

2 Swiss Deal (RBaze) 113

3 Supercilious (Pincay) 121

4 Fleeting Image (McCarron) 114

5 Miss Lady Bug (Solis) 116

6 Fun In Excess (Flores) 111

7 Pareja (Delahoussaye) 118

8 Swoon River (Garcia) 118

9 Avenue Shopper (Espinoza) 115

10 Bah Bye (Garcia) 112

11 Idealistic Cause (Nakatani) 114

Supercilious -- Even-effort fourth in Grade II Lady's Secret 'Cap to Sharp Cat last weekend when in need of a race, runner-up in two prior stakes outings at Del Mar, half of six lifetime victories in eight Anita starts, reunites with winning rider Pincay, had race, ready.

Fleeting Image -- Clear winner at this trip over the track in last, has won half of last six starts, speedster looks for theft, McCarron returns for trainer Ellis, may be elusive target.

Value Play -- Pareja

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