Race Preview: Shoemaker Mile

Santa Anita holds it's first WAYI race of the year on Saturday with the Shoemaker Mile. This is for the Mile division.

The Field:

7th Race - Santa Anita Park - Saturday, June 14th, 2014 STAKES. 1 Mile Turf. Purse $400,000. Shoemaker Mile S. (Grade 1). FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD. (04:00 PM) (7)
PP Horse A/S M/E Wgt Jockey Trainer
1 Obviously (IRE) 6 G L 121 Talamo Joseph D'Amato Philip
2 Jack Milton 4 C L 119 Castellano Javier Pletcher Todd A.
3 Tom's Tribute 4 C L 119 Desormeaux Kent J. Cassidy James M.
4 Winning Prize (ARG) 5 H L 124 Nakatani Corey S. Drysdale Neil D.
5 Summer Front 5 H L 119 Bravo Joe Clement Christophe
6 Pulpit's Express 5 G L 119 Van Dyke Drayden Sadler John W.
7 Silentio 5 H L 119 Espinoza Victor Mandella Gary

Horse Preview:

Obviously (IRE) (Choisir (AUS)): Won the American Stakes in his last start after finishing his 2013 season with a 5th in the BC Mile. Is the defending champion of this race and could spring board him to being a contender again in this year's Mile again.

Jack Milton (War Front): Won the Poker and an allowance before that. 6th in lone West Coast start after finishing in the top three in several stakes last year including the Secretariat and Jamaica. Interesting choice for the win spot.

Tom's Tribute (Lion Heart): Won the Thunder Road and 7th in the Kilroe before that. The last 6 starts have been on the SA surface. Each time it was either a 1st/2nd or off the board completely. If the form holds, he in theory would finish off the board in this race.

Winning Prize (ARG) (Pure Prize): Won the Kilroe Mile in his last, before that won the Arcadia. Hasn't done much wrong since coming to the US last August. He's a G1 winner in his native Argentina. Will challenge Obviously at the front.

Summer Front (War Front): 2nd in the Fort Marcy at Belmont after an off the board finish in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. Won the Ft. Lauderdale in his season debut and well in California before (2nd in the Citation). Speed duel will help him then hurt.

Pulpit's Express (Lucky Pulpit): Sire has been hot the last 5 weeks. That being said this horse has finished at best 4th in both of his stakes races that where run in 2012. He did win his last race, an allowance against fellow CA breds.

Silentio (Silent Name (JPN)): 3rd in the American after a 5th in the Kilroe. Won the Citation and was 3rd in the BC Mile to Wise Dan last year. Really tough to leave him out of my top three, but there are very horses in the race that he might be up against it here.

Picks:

Win- Jack Milton

Place- Summer Front

Show- Winning Prize

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