“Off the Charts” Trip Notes – Sept. 30, 2015

AGameofSkill.com Horses to Watch are never automatic bet backs.  Always analyze the horse’s chances versus today’s competition and in light of the information provided here.

BELTERRA PARK

#4 – Upper Arlington (Belterra Park – Race #3 – #4 – 1 mile on the dirt) – Jockey Eddie Zuniga was aboard this Cleveland invader, and ran a cloaked good effort. He started making up ground putting in a good bid and ran into traffic. Zuniga wrapped up on his runner thinking of next time out.

#3 – Fly’ n Bayou (Belterra Park – Race #7 – #3 – 1 mile on the dirt) – Angel Stanley was aboard and encountered trouble going to his nose at the start, and was forced to take up in upper stretch and alter course.  This rider shows a great deal of talent, and was leading rider at Mahoning Valley last winter. – Bet this one early and often next timeout.

#1 – Curalina (Belmont Park – Race #5 – #1 -1 1/8 on the dirt) – John Velasquez up for his go-to-man Todd Pletcher. She stumbled at the start, and in a race of this magnitude that is enough to be running for second monies at best. She settled out nicely and offered up a two-wide bid to come up a little empty nearing the wire against standout chalk Wedding Toast. – I love runners who bring it every time, and with a clean break and a little racing luck has her turning the tables next out.

BELMONT PARK

#4 – Wavell Avenue (Belmont Park – Race #7 – #4 – 6 1/2f on the dirt) – Jockey Joel Rosario had the call for Chad Brown, and this filly stumbled at the start and recovered nicely to put in a solid bid tipping off the rail and posing a threat to the ultra-talented La Verdad. – She’ll need a clean break and save some ground against the rail. I think the barn will have her in top gear next up.

#1 – Ray’s the Bar (Belmont Park – Race #8 – #1 – 1 1/16 on the inner turf) – Javier Castellano in the irons for Chad Brown, and this guy has the look of something special. He had a great effort and moved away from the rail and started to find his best stride when he was forced to steady behind a wall of horses in mid-stretch. He was coming in from Royal Ascot, and we’ll give him a pass in here. Castellano makes very few mistakes, and Team Brown will have the screws tightened down for maximum effort.

SANTA ANITA

#6 – Class Leader (Santa Anita – Race #6 – #6 – 1 1/4 on the turf) –  Santiago Gonzalez in the irons for John Sadler, and this guy did everything right but win. I like to file this under running a winner’s race finishing second. Maybe a cut back in distance, or facing a little lesser could be the key. Either way, it was a game effort and he’ll be a player.