Beyond the Wire

Where Every Race Has a Story.

Oh My Sweet Clementine

Champions Return to California for a Stacked Grade 1 Showdown

California’s Oh My Sweet Clementine has become one of the premier dirt races for older fillies and mares, and this year’s renewal promises another memorable chapter. Eleven accomplished runners will line up over 8½ furlongs on the fast California dirt, bringing with them nearly $18 million in combined earnings, multiple Grade 1 victories, Hall of Fame bloodlines, and more championship credentials than most races see in an entire season.

Champions aren’t built overnight. They are forged through seasons of battles, hard-fought victories, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. Saturday’s Grade 1 Oh My Sweet Clementine brings together eleven accomplished mares whose combined résumés include Hall of Fame honors, millions in earnings, and some of the sport’s most prestigious victories. At a mile and a sixteenth over California’s fast dirt, every one of them arrives with something to prove—and another Grade 1 trophy waiting at the finish line.

Let’s meet the field.

#1 Corona Premier (6/1)

Owner: hoosier23
Breeding: Authentic × Street Cry × Dynaformer
Running Style: Pace Presser

Few mares enter this race in sharper recent form than Corona Premier. The six-year-old arrives off a determined victory in the Grade 1 Mike Phipps Handicap after dictating the pace throughout much of the race. With more than $1.6 million in earnings and seven career victories, she has spent years competing at the highest level. Her ability to secure forward position without needing the outright lead makes her dangerous if the early fractions remain reasonable.

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#2 Connecting Flight (10/1)

Owner: 30years
Breeding: Connect × Encosta de Lago × Key to the Mint
Running Style: Stalker

Consistency has always been Connecting Flight’s calling card. Although victories have been harder to find recently, she continues to earn checks against quality company and rarely runs a poor race. Her tactical style allows her to settle just behind the leaders before grinding home through the stretch. If the favorites soften each other up early, she’s capable of picking up another Grade 1 placing.

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#3 She’s Dangerous (5/1)

Owner: given5
Breeding: Curlin × Danzig × Mr. Prospector
Running Style: Deep Closer

Hall of Fame credentials speak for themselves. With more than $7.5 million in earnings and eleven victories, She’s Dangerous has already secured her place among Derby Fever’s elite mares. Her devastating late kick has carried her to multiple Grade 1 victories, though her recent seventh in the Mike Phipps Handicap suggests she’ll need to rebound. Dismissing a champion of this caliber would be a mistake.

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#4 Take the Cone Off (9/1)

Owner: givenhot2
Breeding: Tapit × Deputy Minister × Mr. Prospector
Running Style: Front Runner / Pace Presser

Still only four years old, Take the Cone Off has already amassed more than $2 million in earnings while capturing eight victories from sixteen starts. She does her best work when allowed to race prominently and proved that again earlier this season with a Grade 1 victory in the Original Margarita Invitational. If she controls the tempo, she’ll be difficult to reel in.

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#5 Tierna (9/1)

Owner: eminc10
Breeding: Uncle Mo × Bernardini × Galileo
Running Style: Front Runner

Tierna arrives with an unusual résumé, finding success on both turf and dirt throughout her career. Although much of her earnings came on grass, she possesses enough dirt ability to make this field interesting. Expect her to show speed from the gate and attempt to dictate the pace before the deeper closers begin their rally.

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#6 La Penny (6/1)

Owner: rabid1
Breeding: Le Havre × Giant’s Causeway × A.P. Indy
Running Style: Mid-Pack Closer

French breeding meets American dirt form in La Penny, whose Grade 1 Swapsco Kitty victory earlier this year proved she belongs among the division’s best. She generally settles in mid-pack before producing a steady late run. If she returns to her January form, she becomes one of the more dangerous value plays in the field.

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#7 High Rapids Lady (8/1)

Owner: ddkstables12
Breeding: Speightstown × Unbridled’s Song × A.P. Indy
Running Style: Stalker

High Rapids Lady has quietly built an impressive résumé with nine victories and more than $1 million in earnings. Her recent Grade 2 Bumblebee Classic victory demonstrated she’s regained excellent form after a difficult stretch against Grade 1 competition. She rarely gets far behind early and owns enough tactical speed to stay within striking distance throughout.

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#8 We’re the Strong (5/1)

Owner: liamswan
Breeding: Quality Road × Unbridled’s Song × Seattle Slew
Running Style: Mid-Pack Stalker

Few pedigrees are stronger than this one, and We’re the Strong continues to justify it. After capturing the Grade 2 Swift Kick Mile earlier this season, she followed with a respectable third in the Grade 1 Taffy Mile. Her steady, professional running style keeps her involved throughout, making her one of the more reliable contenders.

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#9 Jessica Bella (9/1)

Owner: sloma
Breeding: Ghostzapper × A.P. Indy × Storm Cat
Running Style: Stalker

Jessica Bella has enjoyed success at both sprint and route distances throughout her career, and her runner-up finish in the Mike Phipps Handicap suggests she’s rounding into peak form. She doesn’t possess the explosive turn of foot of some rivals, but she’s remarkably honest and usually delivers another competitive effort.

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#10 Tarkin (8/1)

Owner: kaner8
Breeding: War Front × Uncle Mo × Tiznow
Running Style: Closing Stalker

Tarkin enters off perhaps the strongest current form in the race, having won consecutive Grade 1 events before finishing a game third in the Mike Phipps Handicap. Despite her sprint ranking, she has repeatedly proven she handles route distances against elite competition. Another similar effort would put her squarely in the hunt once again.

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#11 Nitro War (15/1)

Owner: asrblack
Breeding: War Front × Distorted Humor × Seattle Slew
Running Style: Deep Closer

Nitro War appears to be the overlooked mare in this talented field, but she brings improving form into Saturday’s contest after an allowance victory and a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Best Flight. Most of her best work has come sprinting, yet her late-running style could benefit if the pace becomes contested.

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Race Shape

This race appears loaded with early speed.

Expect Tierna, Take the Cone Off, and Corona Premier to be among the first to establish position, while several others—including High Rapids Lady and We’re the Strong—should settle just behind them.

That could set the table for the late runners. She’s Dangerous, Nitro War, Jessica Bella, and La Penny will likely be hoping the early leaders engage one another long enough to bring their closing kicks into play.

The pace could very well determine the outcome.

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Beyond the Wire Selections

🥇 She’s Dangerous – Champions rarely stay quiet for long. A Hall of Famer with this résumé always deserves another chance.

🥈 Tarkin – Outstanding recent Grade 1 form and appears to be peaking at exactly the right time.

🥉 Corona Premier – Dangerous if allowed to dictate or press comfortable fractions.

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Can the Hall of Famer remind everyone why she’s one of the greatest mares of her generation?

Beyond the Wire
Where Every Race Has a Story.

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