$200k Kona Gold

by Tom Quigley

$200,000 Kona Gold (G2)

Santa Anita Park

Race 5 (Saturday, April 20, 2019; 6:00 p.m./ET; 3:00 p.m./PT)

Six and one half furlongs on the main track (three-year-olds and up)

Named after one of the best horses legendary conditioner Bruce Headley ever trained, the 2019 Kona Gold (G2) features a quintet of the fastest colts and geldings on the west coast:

#1 DR. DORR makes his second start off a six-month break for trainer Bob Baffert. In his first start off the layoff, he outfinished #5 KANTHAKA for second place in the seven furlong San Carlos (G2). Baffert wins at a high 35% clip with runners making their second start off a vacation longer than six months. Contender.

#2 CISTRON hasn’t been seen on dirt for quite some time. The John Sadler trainee most recently ran second in the San Simeon (G3) on March 31 racing down the hill at Santa Anita. He faces tougher company here than what he faced on his proffered surface, Looks outclassed.

#3 ALL OUT BLITZ won the Bill Thomas Memorial going six-and-one-half furlongs at Sunland Park. His two back effort, a three length loss to next out winners COAL FRONT and RATED R SUPERSTAR, was a much better than looked effort going two turns at Oaklawn (G3). Possibility from the Simon Callaghan barn.

#4 ZATTER is the second Bob Baffert entrant in the race. He ran very poorly at 18/1 in his most recent start, the San Carlos (G2), in which he finished over nine lengths behind his stablemate #1 DR. DORR. He was wide on the far turn and swinging for home, but improvement is still needed.

#5 KANTHAKA ran third behind #1 DR. DORR in the San Carlos (G2) and returns in this spot with an outside post position draw and Flavien Prat, who was aboard when this guy ran a very good second two starts back to champion sprinter ROY H. He sat farther off the pace than usual in his last start with a different rider, but in a small field with his regular rider, expect him to get a different trip and a possible better result.

SELECTIONS

1. #5 KANTHAKA – Looking for a rebound.

2. #3 ALL OUT BLITZ – Good recent form.

3. #1 DR. DORR – Two words: Bob Baffert.

LONGSHOT VALUE PLAY- #4 ZATTER – The ‘other’ Baffert.

WAGERING STRATEGY

I’ll box my top two picks in an exacta and try to beat the Baffert duo.

BANKROLL PLAY ($50 Budget)

$25 Exacta Box: #5 KANTHAKA and #3 ALL OUT BLITZ

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