The Thunder Road – GIII
SA Race 7 1M – Turf
Purse $100.000
Four Year Olds and Up

A field of nine turf milers are going to be entering the starting gate for this year’s grade three Thunder Road over the Santa Anita turf course. It’s a pretty solid field for sure and there are some pretty nice horses in this race. Let’s go ahead and take a look at this field of nine runners.

1. Reuleaux (15-4-2-1 $170.830), trained by Mb Stables

The first runner that we come to is this horse right here that is coming into this race off of a stakes win in the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream at the end of December. He finally broke through with that win and he is a pretty good horse I think. If he gets a good trip I think he will have a decent chance to win.

2. Mean Street (45-12-12-7 $1206.990), trained by Nakamura Stables

Here we have the old grandpa of the race pretty much because he is a nine year old who is still competing and going at it. He had limited starts last year but he did win two allowance race and ran second in two stakes so if he is still in the same form as he was last year I think he might have a pretty good chance.

3. Dogs Noah (14-3-1-1 $205.030), trained by Maxmillion Farm

Well this is horse right here is a hard one to read because he hasn’t ran on the turf in such a long time and he also has never won over the turf. He is zero for six with only one third on the turf in his career so I don’t think this is his preferred surface. I just don’t really see him being a threat to win.

4. Regret Nothing (15-3-2-2 $687.800), trained by Estero Farms

A horse right here that has a lot of talent but just doesn’t seem to show it on the track all the time. There has been times where he runs lights out but there are times he doesn’t either. His last four starts have not been pretty at all but I think that deep down he has the ability to win this race.

5. Broomsticks Heir (11-3-1-3 $150.970), trained by Drabfantasy

A very lightly raced six year old right here. He only has eleven starts in his career so he has hardly been raced at all. He will need a slow pace up top for sure because he almost always goes to the lead and I’m sure that is the same gameplan in here. He will need a slow pace to have a chance to hang on in here.

6. Controlled Power (18-5-4-2 $846.500), trained by Spankys Barn

Well here we have a horse that really loves this distance over this turf course for sure. He won the grade one Kilroe Mile here at Santa Anita last year. He went on to have a successful campaign last year even though there was some races he probably wishes he could have back. I think he has a good shot.

7. Thoughtful Idea (11-3-5-0 $220.620), trained by D J C Racing Stables

Now here is a horse who is a model of consistency most of the time. In his last five starts he has ran first or second every single time and every race has been against stakes and graded stakes company. If he is still in good form I think he will have a pretty good chance in here for sure.

8. Block Message (13-5-3-1 $251.600), trained by Tiratzo

Here with have another very solid runner that is in the field. He is a stakes winner and he is also graded stakes placed so he has some class. He is a pretty versatile horse so I think that no matter what he does he will have a pretty good chance to be in the mix at the finish. He has a good chance to win this race I think.

9. Maniaco del Controll (16-4-3-1 $117.980), trained by Threshold

Well with this horse there is one thing for sure and that is if it rains and there is an off track this is the horse to go with most likely. He romped in a stakes race at the Fair Grounds over a soft turf course and he won by five lengths that day. If it rains he will be my top choice but if it doesn’t he will have to run a huge race.

Summary

This race is pretty stacked honestly and I think every single one of the nine has a chance to win this race pretty much. Some more than others but anything can happen in horse racing. My top pick is going to be Controlled Power because I think that he is the class of the field and he is the best horse in here. Good luck to all in the race.

6-2-7-1

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES