Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes comes our way from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California this Saturday, April 12. Horses four years old and upward will take to Santa Anita’s dirt track and spring 6.5 furlongs looking for the winner’s share of the $200,000 purse.
A competitive field of eight older entries will line up in the Potrero Grande Stakes – race 8 on Santa Anita’s Saturday card. Post time is 4:00 PM. Let’s take a glance into the past performances of all eight entries for this Grade 2 stakes.
Wild Dude – Jerry Hollendorfer trained colt raced in stakes company for the first time February 2 and won in impressive fashion the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes over Sahara Sky here February 2 to add to a two race win streak – both Allowance races with the last coming on this track January 3. Last time out was a bit of a hiccup however – a fourth in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita March 8. He has nine career starts with four wins, two seconds and will be looking to bounce after an uncharacteristic fourth last time out. A cut back in distance should help Wild Dude as Rafael Bejarano gets the call again from post 6.
Big Macher – Richard Baltas trainee made his graded stakes debut March 8 and finished a good second ahead of Wild Dude and behind Sahara Sky in the Grade 2 San Carlos after a win in his stakes debut – the minor Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint here January 25. Before that was a second, a third and another win respectively in Allowance races this past winter. He has three wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in nine career starts and has placed in six straight starts ahead of this weekend. Tyler Baze gets the call from gate 7.
Zeewat – previously very impressive Jerry Hollendorfer colt has 15 career starts with seven wins including the minor California Derby over Wildcat Moon last January 12, the Gold Rush Stakes December 8 and in the minor Damascus Stakes over Flashback here November 2. Last time out was a career worst performance however – a tenth in the Grade 2 San Carlos March 8. Before that result he returned to the winner’s circle in the minor Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate February 17 after an OK fourth in the Grade 2 Strub Stakes January 18, and his Grade 1 debut – an OK third behind Shakin It Up in the Malibu Stakes on this track December 26 – a race the he earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure. Zeewat needs a strong bounce back after an ugly effort last time out and will line up in gate 3 with Mario Gutierrez aboard.
Midnight Transfer – had a second in the minor Santana Mile Stakes in March, 2013 and has just four starts since – a fifth in the Grade 2 Mervyn Leroy Handicap at Hollywood Park and then eight months away. He returned January 4 to a fourth in the Midnight Lute Stakes on this track and finished second in an Allowance February 7 before a sixth most recently in the Grade 2 San Carlos. Midnight Transfer has 14 career starts with three wins and three seconds and a third place finish but hasn’t won since January 2012. Joe Talamo rides for gate 4.
Potrero Grande Stakes betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Cyclometer – is coming off a ninth in the Grade 2 San Carlos after a fifth in the Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint here January 25 and two wins and two seconds in his previous four starts – including the minor Midnight Lute Stakes on this track January 4. He has one other graded stakes start under his belt so far – a sixth in the 2013 Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park in June. Cyclometer has five wins, five seconds and three third place finishes in 19 career starts and will have Edwin Maldonado in the saddle from the outside post.
Mongolian Saturday – finished third in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby in July and went on to a second in the listed Straight Line Stakes at Arlington in August. He has been up and down since – a third last time out in the listed Caixa Electronica at Gulfstream March 2 followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score in February and a seventh in the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby in October. Aaron Gryder will be in the saddle from the rail.
Wine Police – finished eighth two back in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint for new trainer Peter Miller and followed that with a respectable second last time out in the listed Bill Thomas Memorial Stakes at Sunland Park March 23. Prior to the Breeders’ Cup he won the listed Remington Park Sprint Cup, had a fourth in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar in August and had an Allowance Optional Claiming score also in August. Wine Police has five wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 13 career starts and leaves from gate 2 with Martin Garcia aboard.
Crimson Giant – has 50 career starts with just one win, three seconds and 11 third place finishes – he makes his graded stakes debut Saturday. He enters having finished third in three of his last six starts while failing to place in the other three. Crimson Giant takes a huge step up in competition as the longest shot in the field – by far!
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