G2 – California – Great Field – Whatever You Do – Don’t Read This!!
Ok I told you not to read this and yet here you are!! What’s the go? Seriously? Its like a sign that says “Keep of the Grass” and yet there are more people walking on it than on the pathway. Its like a sign that says “dun tuch – wet painte” and yet everyone seems to think – is it really wet? maybe its dried? One thing it is, is extremely poor grammar and spelling!! Every know what a mango is? I drove past a sign the other day that said “mangoe for sale”. Poor spelling. Social psychology and experimentation. Thats all it is 🙂 Probably a strange introduction to this G2 race hey… but it is a super field today. A very good field for this G2 race. 😎 Have I told you I really like this emoticon? 😎 I like it a lot! Nothing to do with this race though is it? Ok shall we look at the field? Say please please 😎
1 – FILOBEEL
4yo Filly out of Teofilo. This one is already all class and talent and looks a step ahead of the rest of this field. Definitely the distance is no problem and in fact, of her recent runs, the higher grade race she is in the more distance she is wanting! Interesting! Pulling speeds well over 100 and already a classy career behind her this one looks the goods here. Only issue is whether she will have enough distance to pull of the win.
2 – BEAUTIFUL SUZY
Good form for this Bernardini girl has come only of late with her currently trying to break into the graded levels. Has won at Stakes and also ran a good race in October last year where she finished 2nd in a G3. Coming of age as they say she is starting to ratchet up some good speeds and can certainly trouble here if she performs like that. An outside chance but certainly could surprise.
3 – WHAT YA WANT
Looks very good on both dirt and turf tracks but did deliver a very speed rating in an allowance race 2 runs back of 107 for the win. Will need at least that to win here though. This is much harder and she may find this tough. Right on the limit of her distance too I would suggest but that is not to say she can’t make it. She definitely can and should be a good contender here.
4 – CRAVEN JONES
Craven Jones hey? CRAVEN JONES HEY??? I knew a craven jones once. He was a bag of bones. But not this 4yo filly. She’s a flying bag of bones 😎 ! Very fast of late with some good results on the board and her speed slowly increasing which is a good sign because that is what she will need here today. Going up a bit in class she will find it tough but may well relish the challenge!
5 – LIFE STORY
She has looked very good on dirt and Stakes racing over 6 furlongs of late with some fast closing runs for the win. Out of the successful Curlin, she is stepping up in both class and distance here. No idea on whether the distance is right although looking at her previous runs, she may well be ok with it. In terms of class – she will probably be a genuine challenger based on some of her speeds she is showing. Real champion in the making.
6 – SCREAMO’S BABY
Likes anywhere between the 8 and 10 furlong range and it just so happens that this race is between that! Maybe that’s why the trainer put her in hey? Had a string of good wins in the middle of last year and that was topped off by a fast finishing 6th place in a G2 in October. This will be her first race of 2014 after finishing the year with a win at Allowance level in December. Time to show whether she can do the Graded level or not.
7 -SOUTH OCEAN DRIVE
Out of Galileo, yet another nicely bred filly. This race is just full of them but then we are at Graded level racing so that’s probably no surprise either. This one has been very consistent and solid at Allowance level and has stepped up to Stakes with also some good results, that a 2nd place finish 2 runs back. Last race though was at Graded level company and she didn’t really impress at that level. Back today to try again – will need a much better effort.
8 – CADET SLEW
Another who is starting to perform in her last few races is this one which has had a very solid and consistent career so far particularly at Allowance level. A brief foray into a Stakes and G3 race yielded promising results with the G3 finish being in 3rd place and closing. Does fly home with a bang let me tell you and her last outing at Allowance level she flew down the straight and won by over 5 lengths. Lots of closing speed this one – very exciting – definitely one of the contenders.
9 – I’M ON F
Good filly and well bred and while she has done much of her racing at allowance level, the talent and speed and form she is showing right now has given her a start here today in this G2 race. Last race out was a 9 furlong run at Stakes level and she appeared to struggle distance wise so will be interesting to see how she copes with 8.5f at this class level. I would suggest to you my friend, my reader, probably even the trainer of this one (assuming you read this – are you reading this?). I bet you are reading this. I digress!!! I think she may struggle for distance possibly. Hard to tell as 9 was a bit too far. 8.5 may be perfect. We shall see. Speed though she has and is good.
10 – PERTH ROADHOUSE
No distance issues for this one and loving the dirt. Loving the dirt I say! Like a roadhouse with a burger. And some fuel. If that makes sense. Has been improving in form and speed with her last run a speed rating of 106 over 8.5f. That will make her contend here I would put to you. Looks good. A middle of the field runner which could certainly surprise.
11 – PROVE EM WRONG
Out of Tiznow, this 4yo has had a solid career so far with wins at both Stakes and Graded levels. Her form is a touch erratic with a few very good races and then she will turn up to the next race and have a bad one. Could be more consistent that’s for sure but is still very classy and one of the favourites here !
12 – DETERMINIST
Has had a mixed career of runs on both turf and dirt but it does like she just may well favour the dirt track and that is exactly what the trainer thinks after swapping her back to dirt after a few runs on the turf. Late last year she was running good times and getting good placing results at Stakes level on dirt and the return to dirt today might well bring her back with a bang in 2014. This is harder though so it will have to be some sort of race for her to win.
13 – LAW AND CHAOS
Yet to debut on dirt. I can say nothing about how she will go on dirt.
On turf she has been good but hasn’t looked like being able to cope with much distance beyond 7.5furlongs. Trainer hoping that:
- She can run on dirt
- That she is very fast on dirt
- That she will win this race on dirt
Her sire stats suggest the trainer is going to be VERY disappointed. Comisserations! Still better than anything I own though!
14 – TRALINE
This filly out of Pulpit in only her 4th race of her career came storming home for a win in the G3 Davola Dane South back in Feb of last year. That’s the good news. The bad news is she has not been able to repeat or even go on with that result since that race at Graded level. Still a very successful career with earnings on the way to the $200k mark but anything that is higher than an Allowance level to date she has struggled with. My guess is this will be too tough. Surprise me though – I do like surprises!