Fairmount1 Wrote:
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> Handicapping and racing feels alive when FrankD is
> posting on the board.
Yes, amazing that handle is up at all these tracks (except Greedeland) with
Frank on hiatus!!!
Only Round I for me for, as in past years, I refuse to sacrifice a day\'s pay or
a vacation day to watch races, no matter how good those races might be. The
truth is, my employer hates to see me gone for a day, because (with apologies
to Homer Simpson) my unique work ethic forces all my co workers to work harder.
Lets get right to some opinions/longshots on a day which, win or lose, will
feature at least one Nicky Special and a couple of peeks at Bedlam in Norman.
Juvie Fillies: Maya Malibu is consistently slower than these and draws a bad
post. She is, however, bred for the stretch and adds blinkers, a positive move
for trainer Motion. She might crack the verticals, or maybe she runs a clunker
and comes back in the Demoiselle at a price at new and improved Aqueduct.
Like Frank says, the Turf Sprint is tough. I might start by throwing out the
two fillies who have been running in NHRA events across the pond. I was liking
Pure Sensation before the draw. Now I\'m looking at Richard\'s Boy, who bucked a
trend by moving forward, and eventually pairing, after a trip to the desert. RB
of course eventually paid the price, was rested, and now might be ready to
throw a performance which makes him competitive. Proven over the course but
certainly gets tested today.
Unique Bella (FM Sprint) might win, but she is a toss out for all Kool Aid
quaffers. Posted wide, likely 7/5 odds, not as Thorographically fast as many of
her older rivals. Frank\'s longshot Curlin\'s Approval, By The Moon,and
Finleysluckycharm, by my reckoning, are the only entrants to have run TG
negative and that might be where I start if making a horizontal wager. Some
have mentioned that Highway Star has a nice looking sheet and she is
ultraconsistent, but AS Arroyo and Rodrigo Ubillo would be a surprising pair to
see in the winners circle.
I\'ll keep it simple in the F&M Turf. What can Brown do for me? Grand Jete and
Lady Eli are consistent and well suited to the distance, while defending champ
Queen\'s Trust might want more ground, though its hard to put anything past Sir
Michael and Lanfranco Dettori. War Flag is getting good now and should save
ground.
In the Sprint, Drefong, in my opinion, faces much tougher sprinters than he
beat in last year\'s BC Sprint and this year\'s Forego. I\'ll hope that Imperial
Hint will occupy Drefong on the front end and set up one of the three other Cal
based runners: American Pastime, Roy H or even Ransom the Moon. Again, Drefong
is fast and favored, but others in the race are arguably as fast or faster.
Turf Mile looks packed with speed, which might benefit World Approval, who
tries to give his dam a second BC Mile winner. Zelzal will be off the pace,
likes a firm turf and will need to move way forward first time Lasix. Speaking
of Lasix, why isn\'t Ribchester getting it? Ballagh Rocks was well back of World
Approval in the Fourstardave and gets a rough post whereas World App and Zelzal
are more favorably drawn.
I\'m out of gas and will rely on others\' opinions in the Juvie, the Turf and the
Classic.
Good Luck and Good Night.
Correction: Bedlam in Stillwater, not Norman.
