SHAMAN GHOST ONE TO BEAT IN 80TH SANTA ANITA HANDICAP

By Rick Francis —-

RACE 10), 1‚ Mile. Santa Anita H. Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino
PRESENTED BY SAN MANUEL INDIAN BINGO AND CASINO. Grade I. Purse $750,000
FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD. Post Time: 7:44/ 6:44/ 5:44/( 4:44)

Midnight Storm 1), D’Amato/Bejarano; 6-year-old by Pioneer of the Nile enters having won two straight Grade Stakes here and at Del Mar. Trainer with a last out winner, 24 percent, with jockey Bejarano, 32 percent.

Gangster 2), O’Neill/Gutierrez; comes on off three straight turf starts, all facing OC’s; Street Boss 5-year-old will have to beat me.

Shaman Ghost 3), Jerkens/Castellano; finished up well to place against the “World’s Best Thoroughbred” Arrogate in the $12 Million Pegasus, and in doing so posted his career best speed figure. Arrogate’s not here today making this son of Ghostzapper the one to beat.

Isotherm 4), Weaver/Prat; colt out of Lonhro is one of four exiting a turf start, his a game win in the Grade 3 San Marcos, which by the way was his only win on any surface since Sept. 2015.

Hard Aces 5), Sadler/Espinoza; solid California competitor, but only for minor shares; think his best days for a win are behind him.

Follow Me Crev 6), Cerin/Desormeaux; 5-year-old was game last out beating OC’s, which is the level he’s had his success at; passing.

Twentytwentyvision 7), Mandella/Smith; 6-year-old Pollard’s Vision gelding also exits a turf start, a dismal try in the San Marcos; two back he filled out the trifecta in a rained-off Grade 3 San Gabriel; Smith stays, but looking elsewhere for exotics,

Hi Happy 8), Souza/Domingos; Argentine-bred out of Pure Prize gets first lasix for his first dirt start since 2015. The best I see for this lightly raced 5-year-old is the bottoms of exotic plays.

Imperative 9), Hess/Gallardo; enters having taken the pricey Poseidon on the Pegasus undercard. When you’re ready to dismiss this veteran 7-year-old multi-millionaire, you seem to regret it.

Selections: 3, 1, 9, 6