Santa Anita Race 1: Post: 12:30 PT Grade: B
Main Ticket: Love Our Family; 5-Tiergarten.
Backups: 1-Professor’s Pride.

Forecast: Love Our Family returns to what seems to be her preferred surface and also drops to her claim ($16,000) level and gets an ideal pace flow (second flight with speed up front) in an attempt to regain her winning form. She’s solid on numbers and has never finished off the board (with two wins) over the local main track. Tiergarten adds blinkers, has run well at this level on this surface in the past, and picks up J. Hernandez. She’s almost certain to be a major player against this group and is a “must use.”


______________________________________________________________________________
Santa Anita Race 2: Post: 1:03 PT Grade: B
Main Ticket: 5-Uncle Chilly; 1-Proud Racer.
Backups: none.

Forecast: Uncle Chilly has been knocking on the door without breaking through but adds blinkers today and is the likely favorite and one to beat. However, his numbers have leveled off, so basically he is what he is, unless the hood moves him up. Proud Racer got left at the start, then made a significant middle move before staying on reasonably well when fourth in his debut in a race in which ‘Chilly finished second in last fall. He has a right to improve a ton today, especially if he breaks, and his work tab at San Luis Rey Downs shows a couple of recent blazing drills. He draws the rail again, so a clean break will be critical.


______________________________________________________________________________
Santa Anita Race 3: Post: 1:34 PT Grade: X
Main Ticket: 4-Winds of Freedom
Backups: none.

Forecast: There’s not much we can do in this four runner affair that should find Winds of Freedom leaving at odds-on. The class dropping son of Stanford is nicely drawn outside and can dictate his trip. A repeat of his starter’s allowance win two runs back should be more than good enough in a race that is probably unplayable.


______________________________________________________________________________
Santa Anita Race 4: Post: 2:05 PT Grade: B
Main Ticket: 4-Have Patience; 6-Danzing Flyer
Backups: 9-Broke the Code

Forecast: Have Patience was nosed out under these conditions last month and not much more will be needed for the Pavel filly to earn her diploma today. Danzing Flyer shows an intriguing series of breezes at San Luis Rey Downs leading up to her debut and could be a runner of some kind. We haven’t seen her on video, so we’re largely guessing, but we’ll toss her in based on circumstantial evidence.

______________________________________________________________________________
Santa Anita Race 5: Post: 2:34 PT Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 5-Hermelinda’s Fancy; 10-Fast Service.
Backups: 6-Congrejo.

Forecast: Hermelinda’s Fancy plummets to the bottom maiden claiming level ($8,000) so if he can run at all, this would be the place to show it. The Northern California-based gelding exits an infinitely tougher maiden $50,000 event here in late December after being within range to the head of the lane before packing it in. He has Northern California numbers that are more than good enough to beat this field. Fast Service is another class dropper seeking his winning level. He’s drawn nicely outside and has speed figures that are similar to our top pick’s. The Fast Anna gelding should fold over into a good stalking position and have every chance from there.


______________________________________________________________________________
Santa Anita Race 6: Post: 3:06 PT Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 1-Mobe Town; 7-Almost Snow.
Backups: 4-Teddy’s Triumph; 3-Smarty Nose.

Forecast: Mobe’s Town moves up a notch after outrunning a $6,250 field at Los Alamitos a couple of months ago at 30 cents on the dollar. The S. Knapp-trained gelding may win again but we’re not wild about his pattern, which shows he was claimed for $20,000 in August and didn’t run back for nearly three months prior to his most recent layoff. Almost Snow should inherit a good stalking trip and then have his chance when the pressure is turned on. If ‘Town fails to fire, he’ll likely inherit the lead.


______________________________________________________________________________
Santa Anita Race 7: Post: 3:37 PT Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 3-Swift Stephan; 4-Nala.
Backups: 2-El Maga; 1-Doris Avenue.

Forecast: Swift Stephan adds Lasix for his first start in two months and is likely to improve in this starter’s allowance affair restricted to 3-year-olds. The Pleasanton invader has a strong look based on his gate-to-wire score at this shortened sprint distance two races back. He does strikes us as a need-the-lead type, though. Nala is a filly tackling boys and has numbers that make her a contender. Her form at Pleasanton wasn’t half bad, so we’re expecting a bounce back effort for the daughter of Adios Charlie, who should settle in the second flight and then go after the leaders when called upon.


______________________________________________________________________________
Santa Anita Race 8: Post: 4:08 PT Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 3-Wound Up 7-Cajun Brother
Backups: 9-Chasin Money; 4-Windribbon.

Forecast: Wound Up and Cajun Brother meet again after finishing one-two here last month in a hot race won by the former with a career top 92 Beyer speed figure. ‘Brother was the favorite in that affair at 3/5 and ran his usual number but ‘Up simply freaked. Will he or both bounce? Possibly. Logically, the winner will be one of these two, with neither offering much value. Maybe one of the backups can pose a threat if both of the favorites regress.


______________________________________________________________________________
Santa Anita Race 9: Post: 4:39 PT Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 7-No Bad Bets; 8-Allihies.
Backups: 8-Allihies.

Forecast: No Bad Bets has been a money burner in each of her three starts and isn’t one to trust, but may have found a field she can handle, unless one of the newcomers is better than we think. She’s back on dirt and catches what should be a softer pace scenario, but taking a short price isn’t advisable. Allihies shows a notable work tab at San Luis Rey Downs and probably can run some. Without the benefit of video, we’re not sure how good she is, but for protection you probably should use her somewhere on your ticket.


______________________________________________________________________________