1/14-16 (SA): San Fernando (G2); Santa Ynez (G2); San Gabriel (G2)
 

8th (4:07) San Fernando S. (G2)

1 1/16 Miles | Open | 4 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $150,000

1 Prayer for Relief Bejarano R 123 L
2 Balladry Talamo J 118 L
3 Riveting Reason Quinonez A 118 L
4 Dreaminofthewin Garcia M 118 L
5 Irish Art Rosario J 118 L
6 Spud Spivens Smith M E 118 L
7 First Strike Espinoza V 118 L
8 Tapizar Nakatani C S 118 L

SUNDAY 4th (2:03) Santa Ynez S. (G2)

6 1/2 Furlongs | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $150,000

1 Made to Love Her Bejarano R 118 L
2 Reneesgotzip Nakatani C S 118 L
3 Rowdy Gal Rosario J 118 L
4 Painted Woman Smith M E 118 L
5 Lady Hokulea Talamo J 118 L
6 Candrea Garcia M 118 L



SUNDAY 8th (4:07) Paseana H.

1 1/16 Miles | Fillies and Mares | 4 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $75,000

1 Downhill Diva Blanc B 117 L
2 Spirit Seeker Talamo J 113 L
3 Fashion Trend Flores D R 115 L
4 Kayce Ace Bejarano R 116 L
5 Ellafitz Garcia M 121 L
6 Vision in Gold Rosario J 121 L
7 Briecat Espinoza V 121 L

Well there went that.

Not that she had a huge shot with Briecat in the field but still.... now it's hopeless.

MONDAY 8th (4:07) San Gabriel S. (G2)

1 1/8 Miles (Turf) | Open | 4 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $150,000

1 Sandor (GB) Nakatani C S 118 L
2 Ashtar (CHI) Krigger K 120 L
3 Norvsky Bejarano R 118 L
4 Jeranimo Garcia M 123 L
5 The Usual Q. T. Espinoza V 118 L
6 Imponente Purse (BRZ) Sutherland C 118 L

Wow, Balladry is still going strong. As a mare she finished second to Pine Tree Lane in the 1987 Santa Monica. :)

I'm impressed you remembered her!

I liked that filly a lot back then..

Glad to see someone else remember her.

I liked Le L'argent too.

Winnah. :$:

If Asmussen can keep Tapizar healthy, he's going to have a very big year.

I'm not convinced by this horse. He still appears unrateable, which will be his undoing. The field was subpar today, so any less of a performance and he could have been written off on the national stage. This race may be a bit dressed up the way Twirling Candy's Strub was last year. Allowance horse Balladry can't be much better than Tweebster.

Tapizar could get past the Strub himself, as I'm not sure Ultimate Eagle's turf speed is transferable to the main track, but I don't see him butting heads early with Game On Dude and lasting in the Big Cap.

He seems a lot more unratable going two turns, I'll give you that. I thought he rated just fine in his comeback allowance win and the Dirt Mile to a lesser extent.

You're also right that he beat absolutely nothing today. I just think the talent is there and I thought today was a good first step to the year. Outside of Game on Dude, there isn't much in California....or anywhere to be honest.

Tapizar is lightly-raced, so the possiblity of further improvement is there. I'd like to see him run a game race with early pressure before having confidence in him. Right now, he seems like an all-or-nothing type (only 1 placing in his 5 defeats). He got outrun going for the lead early in the BC, eventually settling after the opening quarter, yet didn't offer much of a response in the lane. Doubt he can pass horses.

Hopefully Mucho Macho Man and To Honor And Serve fill the void. I don't have high hopes for Shackleford or Flat Out, as they haven't got much of a break since last year, and weren't in particularly good form at the end of the season. Stay Thirsty would be going against the grain if he did anything of significance for Pletcher this year.

Dutrow was complaining about having to run Trickmeister and Redeemed together in the Donn, so maybe he'll call an audible and send the latter to the Strub to give Tapizar a run for his money.

If by some miracle Premier Pegasus comes back, AND if by some bigger miracle he comes back undiminished, he should be the dominant older horse, at least in California, if not the whole country.

2nd in the BC Mile??

The BC Dirt Mile was a weak field and Shackleford was no match for Caleb's Posse, losing 6.5 lengths to that rival in the final furlong.

At least he held off Tres Borrachos.

The Factor and Tapizar have already come back with nice wins.

Nice wins against outclassed competition (allowance eligible horses) within their own age group. The Dirt Mile is supposed to be a Grade 1 open to horses of all ages. The 2011 edition, like the other 3 or 4 runnings, have been subpar. Wilburn, who was unplaced in the Matt Winn and the Long Branch, was post-time favorite.