Hot Rod Charlie deserves spotlight at Santa Anita

Essential Quality is a favorite to be the champion of his division. Dr. Schivel is looking for his second Grade 1 victory this year. Going Global is aiming to win the American Oaks at Santa Anita. Santa Monica is seeing a revival of its racing. The winter-spring meet has a four-day racing week for the first time in nearly three years. There were 37 horse deaths three and two years ago. The current year's division championships will be revealed on February 11 at the Santa Ana Anita track. California has endured an uphill fight to fill races for decades. It's a landlocked island far from the rest of the country's top-level colonies.

Rocket Dawg and Tejano Twist are making their two-turn debuts in the inaugural running of the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes in New Orleans on Sunday. The Classic Empire colt trained by Brad Cox will be ridden again by Florent Géroux. Surfer Dude is making a class jump for Dallas Stewart. Epicenter overcame the rail to win a one-mile stakes race for Steve Asmussen at Churchill Downs. Waita Minute Hayes is a long shot worth watching. Ron Flatter’s racing column is posted every Friday at VSiN.com.