Two Nice Looking Runners for Today's 6th at Santa Anita

J P Jammer Schooling at Santa Anita for trainer Rafael Becerra

I watched two very nice looking colts schooling in the Santa Anita paddock yesterday morning, both of them preparing for today's sixth race, an allowance event at 1-1/16 miles on the main track.

J P Jammer, a 3-year-old colt by Old Topper, looked fit and healthy schooling for trainer Rafael Becerra.

Unusual Smoke, trained by A.C. Avila

And Unusual Smoke, a 4-year-old Unusual Heat colt, was also on his toes and looking sharp for trainer A.C. Avila. Post time for the 6th is 3:36 PM (pst).

A.C. Avila: A Horse Trainer Whose Dreams Predict Winners

Southern California Thoroughbred trainer A.C. Avila had a dream last year about a big win. In his dream, he saw racehorse owner Madeline Auerbach handing a huge check to her trainer, Barry Abrams, and insisting that Abrams cash it and bet on their horse. The next day, Avila asked Auerbach, "Do you have a horse in today?" "No," she answered. "Tomorrow?" he insisted. "No, but we have one in Saturday," she said, referring to Rushen Heat in an allowance feature at Hollywood Park.

"I had a dream," Avila told her. "She's going to win." Auerbach didn't pay much attention to his premonition, but Avila bet $2,000 to win on Rushen Heat, who paid nearly $10.00.

Avila tells another story of when he was training in Brazil. That time, he dreamed he was dressed entirely in blue. Several days after the dream, he was on the way to the track when he noticed that he was wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans, and blue shoes. He made a wager they had at the time in which he had to select the winning exacta in each of four consecutive races. "I just made the bet, without really handicapping," he said. "And I won. It paid about $111,000 U.S."

He doesn't have these dreams very frequently, but swears that when he does he always knows that they will come true. My new greeting for A.C. will be, "Had any dreams lately?"