‘Forest’ tops marathon on the bayou
The ultra-consistent Forest Search BG heads a compact field of six for today’s $80,000 Power Orbit Handicap. The 1 1/2 miles on the main track trip seems to hit this Forestry mare right between the eyes as she looks to right the ship off of a 4th place finish going a quarter-mile longer. The drpag trainee shows a stellar record of 20 out of 28 on the board finishes. This versatile mare has an excellent record both sprinting and going long. Today, she will be ultra tough as she figues to sit just off the pace and will pounce as they hit the stretch.
Perhaps the main challenger to the favorite is 5/2 second choice Shaky Legs, a 7 year old FuPeg mare. This one like to try to shake loose on the lead, and had used that as her M.O. here lately. In fact, she seems to be a bit of a “need the lead to win type”. bigspruce is hoping for no other speed from this field, and that seems highly unlikely. In fact, there are two others in here with that same running style. This one may be simply playing into the hand of the favorite. However, if, by chance, she takes a clear lead….. look out.
Satin In A Coffin comes to the bayou off of a disappointing thrid place try in Kentucky. We have to go all the way back to week 2986 to find a win for this Rahy mare from the barn of eddie72. The cutbak in distance may help, and the pace situation could go a long way as well. If she rebound well off the big loss, she may contend for a share. However, we’ll need to see some improvement in order for this gal to get her picture taken.
Learing Indy is another speedy type who will be trying to take this one wire to wire. Problem is, at the 12 furlong distance, too much speed in a race is often deadly for everyone who attends the pace. This daughter of Lear Fan, trained by shagadel4, has shown a bit of rating ability in the past. However, this one is simply likely to contribute to a pace that will likely not carry them the distance today. The fact that this race is her first venture into stakes in a while is yet another negative. Definitely an “iffy” proposition.
Further complicating the speed situation is Exceller Road, a daughter of Magloire. She has shown tremendous speed in her most recent, shorter efforts. Trainer lamepony gives no indications that these tactics will change. She found a clear lead in her last two, but that is not likely to happen today. If her speed is not contained, she will be a sitting duck at the quarter pole, if not sooner.
The outsider in the field is War Livewithmom. This daughter of Awesome Again is a bonafide closer, which may bode well for her chances in this race. At 8/1 odds, we may have a good betting proposition here if she can sit well off the pace and make a late run into what figures to be a brutal pace for the distance. 1aussie sends her into this one off of a well beaten third place effort in which she was too close to the early pace. She cuts back a furlong today, and we will see if the pace scenario makes this gal come out of her shell a bit.
That’s the short field for today’s feature. It should be interesting to see the tactics used in here. If this one goes like it looks on paper, we will see a wild early place setting the race up for a wild late finish. Good luck to all and happy racing!