Santa Anita - Race 2

#1 Sassou (15/1 ml)

Hard-knocking type for Jean-Pierre Dupuis exits a couple of tough turf sprints at Del Mar, and didn't show his customary speed last time out while breaking from the rail. Couldn't find any real reason for it; looked like Smith might've been experimenting. The non-rally isn't a huge concern because he was pretty much blocked turning for home and couldn't make any headway when needed. Willing to toss that race out here with the return to the Santa Anita downhill course, where he was last seen posting sharp front-end win under today's rider Tyler Baze. Speaking of which, Baze has actually won on this horse the last TWO times he's ridden him, both wins coming over the Santa Anita grass btw. Also catches a break pace-wise today, facing a field of pretty much exclusively stalker/closers, with most of them dropping out of two-turn races in fact. Could well get a soft lead here under Tyler Baze and open up some daylight crossing the dirt. Legit upset chance.


HRT record:

61 for 218 (28%)

$521.20 mutuels ($8.54 avg)

Scratched