Ralph Siraco’s Selections For Saturday at Santa Anita

Friday, Feb. 27, 1998 | 7:35 a.m.

Saturday's card

Selections made for clear racing conditions before scratches.

Post Time 12:30 p.m.

1st race 1-1/8 mi 3YO Fil Turf Alw

1 Zoelu (Alvarado) 115

2 Lawrenceville (Nakatani) 120

3 Key To The Keg (Stevens) 120

4 Aplaceinthesun (Atkinson) 115

5 Spiritual Magic (Desormeaux) 117

6 Continental Lea (Garcia) 115

7 Miss Fleet Diablo (Gomez) 117

8 Given The Nod (Almeida) 115

Spiritual Magic -- Gamely kicked clear to break maiden routing in last, held on well for third over the course to eventual stakes winner before that, has improved with each of four lifetime starts, threat to repeat.

Lawrenceville -- Ventured to Turf Paradise to win Arizona Oaks by daylight in last, close fourth to top pick on this lawn before that, Nakatani takes over, solid contender here.

Value Play -- Zoelu

2nd race 1 mi 4YO Clm

1 Riobamba (Flores) 117

2 Viscount Hastings (Valdez) 108

3 Wild Reward (Pincay) 115

4 Come On Coyote (Valdivia) 115

5 Colony Of Cajons (Ramsammy) 115

6 Cold Desert Wind (Simpson) 115

7 I Can Go (Sorenson) 115

8 Seventh Slew (Gonzalez) 110

9 Heza Ragin Cajun (Stevens) 115

Come On Coyote -- Wide-trip distant third in last, won at higher level three races back, nice gate work since raced, Valdivias takes over for trainer Shulman, good spot for action.

Riobamba -- Dueled lead between foes and weakened while overmatched in last, won while beating top pick before that, in the quinella four of last five outings with a pair of victories, back to competitive level now.

Value Play -- Heza Ragin Cajun

3rd race 6 fur 3YO Mdn

1 Shimmering Bronze (McCarron) 118

2 Danceswiththewind (Gonzalez) 113

3 Navel Academy (Delahoussaye) 118

4 Eastornorth (Simpson) 118

5 Tandem Flight (Steiner) 118

6 T.K.'s Bert (Flores) 118

7 Saturn's Ring (Nakatani) 118

Navel Academy -- Pressed early and wide-trip fifth in longer in last, stalked early while fourth to promising group before that, four-wide debut third three races back, Eddie D. returns on graduation day for Academy.

Shimmering Bronze -- Even debut stalking third in last, steady solid works since with a pair of bullet drills and most recent move from the gate on the 25th, McCarron returns for young Dollace, needs prompt rail start.

Value Play -- Saturn's Ring

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

1 Olympic Spirit (McCarron) 115

2 Bahamian Beauty (Flores) 115

3 Madame Martini (Delahoussaye) 115

4 Queen's Bet (Stevens) 117

5 Bilken Lass (Gonzalez) 108

6 Icksnay (Alvarado) 113

7 Oleana (Solis) 117

8 Blue Tuama (Desormeaux) 115

9 Passeggiata (Nakatani) 119

10 Baize (Garcia) 117

11 Very Very Bright (Ramsammy) 113

Olympic Spirit -- Fourth at a mile over the course in last, game photo-finish sprint winner on Hollypark lawn before that, two for four last year with an Anita turf win, should like the downhill layout.

Blue Tuama -- Returns to races with steady works, four-wide second by a nose to top pick on Hollypark lawn in December when last raced, in the quinella 12 of 21 lifetime turf starts with a half-dozen wins, runs well fresh.

Value Play -- Oleana

5th race 6 fur 4YO&up Clm

1 Nor'Easter (Solis) 117

2 Bold Capital (Puglisi) 117

3 A.J. Jett (Flores) 117

4 Bold As Beau (Black) 117

5 Moscow M D (Pedroza) 117

6 Mr. Einstein (Gonzalez) 110

7 Penal Code (Ramsammy) 117

8 McFig (Stevens) 117

9 Mr. Peter P. (Pincay) 117

10 Bacavi (Desormeaux) 117

11 One Tough Knight (Valdivia) 122

12 Driggs Retreat (Delahoussye) 117

13 AE-Fort Tumoltous (Alvarado) 117

Nor'easter -- Claimed back by trainer Mitchell in last, steady works since with a bullet drill on the 16th, drops after six-week wait, in the quinella eight of 12 starts at the distance with six wins, reunites with Solis.

One Tough Knight -- Gutted out photo-finish win at this level and distanced in last, won three of last seven starts, Valdivia returns on West trainee for repeat try, Knight is tough.

Value Play -- Driggs Retreat

6th race 6 fur 3YO Fil Mdn

1 Visible Slew (Alvarado) 117

2 Finally Yours (Delahoussaye) 117

3 Cats Meow (Gonzalez) 112

4 Kippersita (Pedroza) 117

5 Blushing Hope (Nakatani) 117

6 Purrfect Heritage (Gomez) 117

7 Sealy Place (McCarron) 117

8 Starlight Dreams (Flores) 117

9 Crystal Chandelier (Solis) 117

10 Brulay (Stevens) 117

11 On The Hook (Simpson) 117

12 Sheena (Black) 117

13 AE-Greyciousness (Garcia) 117

Blushing Hope -- Eliminated at the start after stumbling in debut in last, pair of bullet drills since raced with most recent gate work on the 25th, Nakatani returns for brother-in-law Dollace, hope for clean break.

Crystal Chandelier -- First-time starter by Houston has solid worktab, bullet drill on Jan. 30, swift gate drill on the 12th, good post, trainer Headley gets money-rider Solis for debut.

Value Play -- Sealy Place

7th race 6 fur 4YO&up F&M Alw

1 A.P. Assay (Solis) 117

2 Mountain Greenery (Desrmeaux) 117

3 Morell's Love (Pincay) 120

4 Countess Moon (Flores) 117

5 House Maid (Nakatani) 120

6 Isola Mia (Almeida) 118

A.P. Assay -- Promising daughter of A.P. Indy makes long-awaited return to races, impressive handy maiden-breaker in only career outing as the favorite in May '96 at Hollypark, solid drills with bullet move on the 12th, needs only be ready.

Morell's Love -- Second by a nose in debut four races back and has won last three in a row through May '97 since, makes comeback with solid works, Pincay back for trainer Spawr, runs well fresh.

Value Play -- House Maid

8th race 1 mi 4&up F&M Turf Hcp

1 Ecoute (Solis) 115

2 Wheatly Special (Ramsammy) 111

3 Made Of Jade (Alvarado) 109

4 Real Connection (Almeida) 115

5 Dixie Pearl (Black) 115

6 Dance Parade (Desormeaux) 115

7 a-Queen Maud (Nakatani) 119

8 a-Donna Viola (Stevens) 121

9 Imroz (Flores) 112

10 Seattle Carla (Vergara) 112

11 Shake The Yoke (Delahoussye) 116

12 Golden Arches (McCarron) 121

Donna Viola -- Returns to races with solid worktab, won Grade I Yellow Ribbon and Grade II Santa Barbara 'Cap over this course, has won more career races with 11 than any other in the field, Stevens returns on Cecil trainee, can fire fresh.

Golden Arches -- Won Grade II Anita grass stakes in last and Grade II Hollypark grass stakes before that, in the quinella five of nine starts last year with a trio of victories, McCarron/McAnally team, must overcome outside post.

Value Play -- Real Connection

9th race 6-1/2 fur 4YO&up Clm

1 Unrivaled (Garcia) 117

2 Rockwell College (Atkinson) 117

3 Never Failed (Berrio) 117

4 Heart Of The Storm (Gomez) 117

5 Jim E. Steel (Valdivia) 115

6 Tactical Heir (Toscano) 117

7 Rivermeritsdream (Pincay) 117

8 Puddles (Simpson) 117

9 Finder's Fortune (Alvarado) 119

10 Pancho's Cup (Martinez) 117

11 Best Anthem (Scott) 117

12 Temecula Native (Espinoza) 117

13 AE-Thru Way (Castanon) 117

14 AE-Double Swing (Flores) 117

Finder's Fortune -- Old class horse sharp right now, four-wide runner-up on wet track in last, gutty photo-finish winner before that, in the quinella nine of a dozen Anita starts with four victories, Alvarado stays here.

Tactical Heir -- Stalked and weakened in 22-month comeback in last, in the quinella in three previous career starts with a pair of victories, two solid works since raced, drops to low-level claimer, money-run time.

Value Play -- Heart Of The Storm