Sunday Racing: San Vicente Stakes
PICKS: 5-4-2-6 (Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita)
After a stakes-filled Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, we head out to Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California for the $200,000 Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds over seven furlongs on the dirt.
The field of 6 will go to gate for race 7 on the 8-race card with an approximate post time of 6:30 p.m. ET.
#5, Storm the Court, Flavien Prat, 9-5 - He has won in three straight Grade 1 races, highlighted by a head triumph over Anneau d’Or as the seventh choice in an eight-horse field in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile here on Nov. 2, his last start. Flavien Prat was aboard then and is back in the saddle today for trainer Peter Eurton. He has had some time off and I don’t think he bounces. Prat/Eurton will have him ready. The pick.
#4, Nadal, Joel Rosario, 4-5 - The morning-line favorite has had one career start, winning his debut by 3 ¾ lengths as the favorite over Exaulted and Mike Smith in a maiden special weight race here on Jan. 19. Joel Rosario gets his first mount aboard for trainer Bob Baffert and he will be tough to beat, but like where Storm the Court is now heading into today. Runner-up.
#2, Ra’ad, Drayden Van Dyke, 8-1 - After finishing fourth in a maiden special weight race here on Oct. 26 in his career debut, he bounced back nicely taking a maiden special weight race at Los Alamitos on Dec. 7 by 2 ½ lengths as the favorite over Phast Pharoah. I’m curious to see what he does here in his second try on the track. Drayden Van Dyke is aboard for trainer Bob Baffert. Contender.
#6, Ginobili, Abel Cedillo, 5-1 - He has had back-to-back fourth-place finishes since his first career win in a maiden special weight race at Del Mar on Aug. 17. He finished fourth in his first graded stakes, the Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity, at Del Mar on Sept. 2 and in his last start, placed fourth in the Speakeasy Stakes in his first try at Santa Anita on Oct. 6. Abel Cedillo is in the saddle for trainer Richard Baltas. In the mix.
By Lou Monaco