MERIT MAN will be a banker for the home team to kick-start this year's challenge and by the way he outclassed previous winner South Floyd over the C&D last month it will take a massive performance to beat him. Bob Baffert will have winning debutant Super Ninety Nine revved up and though his victory on the track came over 7f he was always in the front rank and the drop back in trip won't be a problem. Sweet Shirley Mae has reportedly worked well since finishing second in the Grade 1 Spinaway, a recognized trial race for this, but Hazardous and Hightail look outmatched. Ascot's Queen Mary winner, Ceiling Kitty, has also won on the Polytrack but Santa Anita's main track has reverted to Dirt since staging the 2009 Breeders' Cup and Tom Dascombe's filly will do well to figure on this surface.
Hightail (USA) 60-1 (8-9) Bid 6w,bumped,kept on, 6th of 16, 2 3/4l behind Joha (8-9) at Keeneland(USA) 1m 2yo Grp 1 (1) in Oct.
Ceiling Kitty 14-1 (8-12) Raced centre held up, ridden over 1f out, not troubled leaders, 7th of 11, 2 3/4l behind Rosdhu Queen (8-12) at Newmarket 6f 2yo fll Grp 1 (1) gd in Sep.
Merit Man (USA) 14-5 (8-6) 3wd duel,led,clear, won at Santa Anita(USA) 6f cond stks in Oct beating South Floyd (8-6) by 6l, 7 ran.
Hazardous (USA) 8-1 (8-6) Off slow,ridden out, won at Santa Anita(USA) 6f 2yo clm stks in Oct beating Justa Gusta (8-8) by 13l, 7 ran.
Sweet Shirley Mae (USA) 22-1 (8-7) Green chute,long drive, 2nd of 7, 2 1/2l behind So Many Ways (8-7) at Saratoga(USA) 7f 2yo Grp 1 (1) in Sep.
South Floyd (USA) 3-1 (8-6) Inside duel,2nd best, 2nd of 7, 6l behind Merit Man (8-6) at Santa Anita(USA) 6f cond stks in Oct.
Super Ninety Nine (USA) 4-1 (8-8) won at Santa Anita(USA) 7f 2yo mdn stks in Oct beating Shakin It Up (8-8) by 1 1/4l, 8 ran.
