Horses to Watch: Strobe rebounds, plus 6 in the entries

In this biweekly series, racing analyst Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.

Recent Watch List Winners

Strobe

Up-and-coming sprinter Strobe brought his record on fast tracks to a 3-for-3 (and his overall record to 3-for-4) with an impressive victory in a $50,000 allowance optional claimer on Thursday at Fair Grounds.

Victory was never really in doubt for the 1-2 favorite. Strobe set fractions of 21.89 and 45.18 seconds before pulling clear with authority to dominate by six lengths in 1:09.42. The son of Into Mischief is back on track following a surprise defeat at Churchill Downs and is surely bound for stakes company in the near future.

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Apprehend

Apprehend has been racing around two turns as of late, dominating an $80,000 allowance optional claimer racing one mile at Santa Anita before finishing second in the 1 1/16-mile Zia Park Derby. But his sprinting form is also respectable; during the summer at Del Mar, he finished second in an $80,000 allowance optional claimer over 6 1/2 furlongs, beaten only half a length by two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up C Z Rocket.

Apprehend is returning to sprinting for Monday’s 10th race at Santa Anita, the Malibu (G1, post time 6:30 p.m. EST). The son of Arrogate is facing a deep field in this seven-furlong dash, but Apprehend is a formidable competitor on his best day and can’t be dismissed from consideration.

Dazzling Blue

Dazzling Blue impressed in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs last month. The daughter of Into Mischief carved out a solid pace before kicking away down the lane to win by 4 1/2 lengths.

Dazzling Blue will make her stakes debut in Monday’s eighth race at Fair Grounds, the Letellier Memorial (post time 4:30 p.m.). Horses trained by Brad Cox often improve second-time out, so the fact Dazzling Blue romped in her first start is a sign she might be something special.

Expressman

How talented is Expressman? It’s hard to gauge his ability. He looked like a budding star in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga during the summer, leading all the way to win by 7 1/4 lengths with a 105 Brisnet Speed rating. But he regressed sharply in a subsequent seven-furlong allowance at Aqueduct, finishing second as the 3-10 favorite.

We’ll get a better feel for Expressman’s ability when he starts in Friday’s seventh race at Gulfstream Park, a $25,000 allowance optional claimer (post time 3:05 p.m.). The son of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map has been training at Palm Beach Downs for hot trainer Todd Pletcher and is eligible to improve while stretching out over one mile.

Forbidden Kingdom

Anyone who saw Forbidden Kingdom in action at Santa Anita last winter will give the son of American Pharoah a long look in the Malibu. Forbidden Kingdom was an impressive gate-to-wire winner of the San Vicente (G2), defeating Grade 1 winner Pinehurst by 2 1/4 lengths, and he followed up with a 5 3/4-length romp in the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe (G2).

Forbidden Kingdom was recently beaten half a length when facing the Grade 1-caliber older horses Get Her Number and Ginobili in a $100,000 allowance optional claimer sprinting six furlongs at Del Mar. Returning to Santa Anita (and to the 3-year-old ranks) should put Forbidden Kingdom in the hunt for victory.

Salimah

Three wins from four starts. The lightly raced Salimah brings an improving profile to Monday’s 11th race at Santa Anita, the American Oaks (G1, post time 7:00 p.m.). She was especially impressive in the 1 1/16-mile Winter Memories at Aqueduct last month, pouncing from behind a modest pace to dominate by three lengths.

Conditioned by renowned turf trainer Chad Brown (a 26 percent winner this year), Salimah is slated to be ridden by Flavien Prat, a 25 percent winner on turf. Brown and Prat teamed up to nab the 2020 American Oaks with Duopoly and should have every chance to snatch another American Oaks title on Monday.

Taiba

The horse to beat in the Malibu might be Taiba. True, the son of Gun Runner has made his reputation running long, winning the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Haskell (G1) over 1 1/8 miles before running third against a deep field in the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic. But his lone sprint start to date produced a powerful 7 1/2-length romp in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Santa Anita.

With five triple-digit Brisnet speed ratings under his belt, Taiba is the fastest horse in the Malibu field. He’s been cranking out quick workouts for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert (including a bullet half-mile in 46.6 seconds at Santa Anita) and is eligible to produce a big effort while cutting back in distance.

Which horses do you have your eyes on?