1/31 (SA): Santa Monica H. (G1)
 

8th (4:07) Santa Monica H. (G1)

7 Furlongs (All Weather Track) | Fillies and Mares | 4 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $250,000

1 Diamondrella (GB) Gomez G K 119 L
2 Cherryblossommiss Quinonez A 111 L
3 Evita Argentina Rosario J 120 L
4 Captain's Lover (SAF) Solis A 114 L
5 Made for Magic Berrio O A 114 L
6 Free Flying Soul Smith M E 118 L
7 Proviso (GB) Bejarano R 120 L
8 Tuscan Evening (IRE) Baze T C 119 L
9 Czechers Sutherland C 113 L
10 Sweet August Moon Talamo J 118 L
11 Gabby's Golden Gal Garcia M 118 L
12 Gilded Gem Espinoza V 114 L

Off the entries alone, I'm liking one of the highweights, Proviso. The cutback to 7f should make her extra tough in here.

Most of the others are at their limit at this distance. Evita Argentina is solid at the trip, but her class has always been in question. The three turf mares are classy enough to give her all she can handle.

It can't just be coincidence that Evita Argentina has always improved in her 2nd start off of layoffs, whether short or long. I think she gets the setup in here and will be tough.

Proviso is worth watching as well as her Distaff was actually pretty solid.

NT

At the same time, Evita Argentina has never won two in a row. She hasn't had much behind her in any of her wins. Still, there's no guarantee that any of the turf mares will show up on Pro-Ride.

As for the pace, I don't think its a slam dunk to be a scorcher. Free Flying Soul is the only confirmed frontrunner (when sprinting), though more than likely she'll see some sort of pressure from at least Czechers. Tuscan Evening is the X-factor as far as that goes.

Nice race !!! Captain's Lover (SAF) by a nose....

Gary Stevens will continue to build that rep as a move-up trainer.

TIED 1ST- Diamondrella, Evita Argentina
TIED 3RD-Sweet August Moon, Gilded Gem
TIED 5TH-Free Flying Soul, Proviso

To me, 6 of them have a shot. Soon as ya take all 6, here will come Smith n' Smiley Rosario(coming to the line together to pay nothing.) Diamondrella, SWM, and G Gem are all similar chances (to me...all capable, but with questions to answer.) I could do without the race. To me, this is an extra-credit type track right now. That's why Scofield Barracks won the 10th on Saturday. Totally out of position to win, but the track waited for him. So, even though the pace looks soft enough to favor Free Flyin', I still think Diamond n' E.A. (with the 2 best rate jocks in the country) have a track advantage.

I like Cherryblossommiss but don't like Quinonez taking the mount here.

I'll (probably moronically) throw Smith out on Free Flying Soul. I like Proviso, Tuscan Evening, Sweet August Moon, and Gilded Gem.

There was talk of Tuscan Evening scratching.

Tuscan Evening is out.

Difficult to envision a scenario where either Diamondrella or Proviso do not win!

Is this for real? Have you watched the post-Penna Diamondrella? Even if you don't take that into account, her one race on synthetics was terrible.

Try to take everything into account.

The synthetic start in Erie was off a 100 day layoff. Daughter of the "rock" has had two efforts since the change in trainers. The first was in the Matriarch where the race flipped and she had ZERO chance yet ran huge.

In the nine panel effort earlier this month she was oddly favored in a heat too far for her. Her works for this have been much, much better. As the only multiple grade one winner she draws the fence, gets gomez, sheds weight and drops back to a trip she should relish.

Well, I'm not betting the race so good luck. You should actually get a decent price on her.

I will be very surprised if Diamondrella wins this race. She was dreadful in the Presque Isle Masters and I can't see how the cutback will lead to some huge wake-up call.

I think Proviso will be tough but could see Evita Argentina jumping up should the field come back to her even slightly.

NT

I also like Cherry Blossom Miss too. Seems she could be better routing but hopefully she can get a good trip to get ITM.

I don't like Diamondrella, but off the running line (2.5 lengths off a :45 half), its possible she was a little too close to a relatively quick pace in that one synthetic start. She might be better on it than that race suggests.

46.31? I Yi Yi

Congrats to Marty n' Vic.

Could of done without that race.

Yeah, didn't do much for me as far as Grade 1s go. Gabby seems difficult to keep sound.