At the Gate – Sunday

With several inches of rain and winds that could exceed 40 mph on Sunday I just skipped Aqueduct and we will venture out to Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita this afternoon looking to pad our bankroll.
 
The feature at Santa Anita is the $100,000 Astra (G3) for fillies and mares going 1 ½ miles on turf which drew a field of 10.
 
It is a competitive group and I landed on Amboseli, the James Cassidy trainee sitting at a decent 6-1 on the morning line. The seven-year-old mare is coming off a fifth-place finish in the Robert J. Frankel (G3) last out going nine furlongs on turf.
 
We saw a serious racehorse on Saturday in the $200,000 Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds which is a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race.
 
Trained by Mark Casse, the colt sat a good trip just off the pace from the outside and kicked it in nicely in the stretch and galloped out strongly for the win as my top pick.
 
The only problem was his 6-1 morning line sure shrank, and we got paid just $5.20 for the win as he got heavily bet.
 
It was not a very productive day overall, but it looks as if we should be able to find some value this afternoon. My Best Plays Report for Sunday includes my seven strongest plays from Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita.
 
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Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Gulfstream Park:
 
GP Race 8 Md Sp Wt (3:39 ET)
#10 La Chauffeur   5-1
#9 Gray Owl   6-1
#4 Can U Handle This   4-1
#1 Moon Eyes   6-1
 
Analysis: La Chauffeur returns off a four month break here for the Casse barn that is 2 for 8 with runners coming back off a 61-180-day layoff. She was fifth in her debut at Ellis Park and took some play at 3-1. She was the beaten chalk last out at Churchill Downs where she tracked the early pace and then had nothing left late in a sixth-place finish. The winner, runner up and fourth place finisher all came out of that race to win next out. The winner Unholy Alliance came back to beat Alw-1 foes and then was a good third in the Letelier Memorial at Fair Grounds on Dec. 22. Decent works for her return. The $170,000 purchase is out of a Yes It's True mare, her first foal to race.
 
Gray Owl ships in from Chi-Town for the Rivelli barn. Last out the filly dueled for the early lead and battled on gamely in a solid runner up finish. The third and seventh place finishers exited that race to graduate next out. She is in a sharp barn and another move forward puts her in the mix here at a decent price. She is out of a Cherokee Run mare that has dropped three other foals to race with one winner.
 
Wagering
WIN: #10 to win at 7-2 or better.
EX: 9,10 / 1,4,9,10
TRI: 9,10 / 1,4,9,10 / 1,4,7,9,10
 
Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Santa Anita:
 
SA Race 8 The Astra G3 (3:34 PT)
#4 Amboseli   6-1
#5 Plein Air    4-1
#8 K P Pergoliscious   3-1
#9 India Mantuana   7-2
 
Analysis: Amboseli exits the Robert J. Frankel (G3) where the mare raced last early and finished evenly in a fifth-place finish going 1 1/8 miles. This gal was a game second two back in the Cardinal 'Cap (G3) at Churchill Downs over yielding ground. Her lone trip in her career at this distance came three back in the Dowager (G3) where she came with mild late bid to finish fifth beaten 2 1/4 lengths. These do not look as tough as she has been facing and the 6-1 morning line looks fair enough.
 
Plein Air won this race last year in a gate to wire score off the bench in her U.S. debut. She only made two other starts fifth and a sixth. Baffert is 23% winners with runners coming back off a +180-day layoff. The barn is having a slow meet, just 2 for 25. There is not a ton of early speed signed up and she can be a danger if she shakes loose early.
 
Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 4,5 / 4,5,8,9
TRI: 4,5 / 4,5,8,9 / 4,5,8,9,10
 
Good luck today!