3/6/21
7 SA San Carlos Stakes (GII)
$200.000 4yo&Up 7f Dirt 123lbs +penalties
The big sprinters will be headed to the gate on Saturday evening and we look at the field for the San Carlos Stakes (GII), a 7f sprint on the main SoCal surface. I’m going to the far outside and will take Tallmadge Star as my top selection. I like that last out win in the GP Sprint Chp where he just got in front and went on with it… a game performance. Another that will have my attention is coming off of a poor performance, but I think Cucamonga can bounce back from that BC Day flop. If he can run back to that Bold Ruler (GIII) race, he could be a big horse today. Let’s put Zombie City in the middle of this as well. He’s won two in a row including a stakes over this track last out. He may end up going off as the favorite, but also carries a two pound penalty for that win.
Here’s The Field –
He hasn’t had his picture take in quite some time. His last win came back in Nov of 2019, and oh what a win it was… he took the BC Dirt Mile (GI) in his first start after selling for $300.000. He’s been close in a couple of races but no wins since and sold prior to this race. Is today the day?
Comes into this one off of a pair of graded stakes wins and that adds up to the two pound impost gain. Took the Mr Prospector (GIII) at GP then won the Palos Verdes Stakes (GII) over this track in his most recent. Both of those races were if pretty quick time, so you have to give him a big look in this one.
Won the Kennedy Road (GII) at WO to close out his 20 season, then tired to be fifth on a strip listed good at LRL in the General George (GIII), to kick off the year. Was it the wet surface or just a bounce and will he get back on track today?
His last win came back in May when he took the Cartier (GIII) at WO. He’s been close in a few races since then, but will obviously need his best to be in the run here. He kicked off 21 beating one horse in that Toboggan (GIII) at AQU, so he needs to improve from that.
He was picked-up from the Dec Auction for $17.780 and has won both of his starts for the new connections. Took down claimers over the turf course here in SoCal then scored on the dirt over at TUP. Pretty quick times in both of those races so maybe he steps up to these.
Claimed three back for $32.000 and has just kept on going despite the raise in class. Came back to win at the $50.000 tag, just missed when third here vs Cal-bred stakes horses then closed well to be second in the General George (GIII) at LRL on a good strip. Can he keep it going here?
Four wins from nine starts last season including a nice win in the Bold Ruler (GIII) at BEL, then beat one horse on BC Day. Makes his 21 debut in this one and his best would certainly put him in the hunt… is he ready?
Big win last out taking the Toboggan (GIII) at AQU, showing good speed throughout in that one. He had a three race win-streak last year, so he seems to go in streaks and he seems to be heading in an upward direction right now. I’d give him a big chance to win today.
Another that had a three race win-streak last season, was seventh on BC Day and kicked off his 21 season with a near miss second in Alw company right here at SA. His best would put him in the middle of things, I’m just not sure if his best is his best any longer.
Three wins last season but his last victory was five races back and he’s changed hands twice in the meantime. He was last of eleven in his most recent, the Hooper (GIII) at GP, but he was second in the Malibu (GI) over this track prior to that. Was he a victim of the “bad start” bug?
Three wins from this one last season, was runner up in the BC Sprint (GI) then ran a bad race in the Cigar Hcp (GI)… so it was off to another outfit and he paid dividends, winning the GP Sprint Chp (GIII) going wire to wire in that one. Can he overcome the post?
COZMAN 11 / 7 / 2 Willie’s Green Card 2 / 5 / 11
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
