Santa Anita - Race 9

#12 Hunch (10/1 ml)

Big, talented Lion Heart colt gets the acid test here for Sadler, but note that Bejarano is getting off both Supreme Summit and New Bay in order to stay with this guy. Just a 4-horse field last time out, but that actually may have worked against him as he was forced to reel in the loose frontrunner Conclave, who in fact had gone postward as the 4/5 favorite. Note also that Conclave had things pretty damn easy up front while setting splits of 23 and 46, but this guy rolled up alongside him anyway and them engaged in some light bumping before turning loose an eye-catching late stride to going away while geared down at the wire (with a final furlong in 11.4). Based on that powerful finish, it doesn't appear the additional furlong will be a problem for him, in fact quite the opposite, especially if he gets a contested pace to run at. And he figures to be sitting in the clear again, with the far-outside draw and the long run into the turn. Definitely a big step up for this guy, but i think he has the talent to do it, and i think conditions will flatter his running style. Honorable mention to #11 Smart Bid (6/1 ml), whom i was looking at pretty closely as well.

HRT record:

65 for 231 (28%)

$558.40 mutuels ($8.59 avg)

Went off @ 9/1 and ran pretty well, but he couldn't catch up to the loose frontrunner M One Rifle. Thought around midstretch that he might take second, but he flattened out a bit late.