In The Gold

[congaree1]

I find this one to be very interesting, seems to be very sound just a little slwer then most. Storm Flag Flying had the same pattern last year, the only differance was SFF was faster younger.ITG is well rested and trains at  Belmont and has a win on the track.

Con

[scottv]

Looking at figs only, Distaff may be most competitive.  Ashado has slight edge, but at least six others with close figs.
Compare In the Gold\'s Belmont races with Soc Selections.  looks like SS has run at least three lengths faster in her Belmont races.  Plus SS has a recent race.

I would like ITG more if she had a prep in the last 4 weeks.  Don\'t see a big move forward  with 7 weeks rest.

Scary horse is the Pleasant Dream.  Horse is improving and moving to a track that favors her style.

Anyone else see something in Distaff that we are missing?  This appears to be a competitive race.  If ashado doesn\'t place, payouts are big.

[Kasept]

scott..

Don\'t read too much into In The Gold\'s lack of a \'prep\'. She is a slight filly, and doesn\'t exactly thrive on work. Nick said minutes after the Gazelle that his inclination would be to train up to the DIS with her. She\'s a game lil gal and winning the Gazelle was an important step towards next Saturday.

I absolutely agree that this event may be the day\'s most intriguing. Stellar Jayne is every bit as imposing in my mind as Ashado, and I tend to think the race goes through her. I loved Happy Ticket coming into the last one and expect her to fire right back. Had Espo switched to the right hand a few strides earlier, I believe she would have caught Ashado.

The Phipps filly is indeed interesting at what is certain to be a price, and isn\'t there the chance that Sweet Symphony comes back off the bounce? Then there\'s Society Selection, who only seems to need the right trip to break through, though I\'ve maintained that she hasn\'t been the same since the two enormous efforts at the Spa last summer.

Just a great assembly of some very good girls...


scottv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Compare In the Gold\'s Belmont races with Soc
> Selections.  looks like SS has run at least three
> lengths faster in her Belmont races.  Plus SS has
> a recent race.
>
> I would like ITG more if she had a prep in the
> last 4 weeks.  Don\'t see a big move forward  with
> 7 weeks rest.
>
> Scary horse is the Pleasant Dream.  Horse is
> improving and moving to a track that favors her
> style.
>
> Anyone else see something in Distaff that we are
> missing?  This appears to be a competitive race.
> If ashado doesn\'t place, payouts are big.
>
>

[scottv]

With Zito, I guess I should give ITG a little more credit.  But, I agree, I think Stellar Jayne is as attractive as any of them.  Notice the record at the distance--- Soc Selection, I Fashion and a few others have bad records at this distance. Soc. Selection appears to be a closer, but on further inspection it\'s almost like she just starts running 200 yards from the wire.  

If it rains, then SSelection is a great looking play.  post position will tell whether stellar Jayne or Happy Ticket is the better play over Ashado.
I think the Pleasant Home horse is a live In the money play as she has a true closing kick.

[NoCarolinaTony]

I think both Pampered Princess and Pleasant Home should not be overlooked in this race. They both come into this oneoff very good races. Pampered Princess has a lot of heart as well. As for Happy Ticket do you really think she can handle the distance again. She\'s been basically a sprinter throughout most of her career and perhaps the last one took  a little zip out of her.

NC Tony

[Kasept]

Tony,

Re: Happy Ticket, carefully watch that Beldame. I loved her in that spot. If this was a two turn 9f, I\'d agree that the distance would be an issue. But in that first try at the trip, once she realized that she was being asked to go an extra 110 yards than she ever had before, and once Espo stopped using the left hand, she dug back in and fought to the wire AND BEYOND IT..

In \'05, she has banged out: 1.5; -.5; .25; -1.25; -1.25.. And amazingly, she has done that at 5 different tracks under 5 different midgets. She has been beaten by 2 horses EVER, Ashado and Madcap Escapade, and against Escapade in that Princess Rooney she broke lousy and steadied before the turn. You say that Pleasant Home is \"must consider\", and I agree. But I think you were there Ballerina Day... \"Home\" had NO ANSWER when Ticket cruised by her!


Leggio has spaced her races beautifully; we get the benefit of knowing she likes the Big Sandy surface; she zipped 5 panels in 1:00 (2/49) on the deep TRAINING TRACK the other day; Espinoza knows her now; and she\'s liable to float up on the board. If she draws slightly outside (#6-#10 say), I think she gets the classic Belmont stalking trip at the distance off the 3-4 front-runners and is right there when they hit deep stretch (Think Limehouse in the Brooklyn this year).

Can she beat Ashado this time? Will she have something left for Stellar Jayne? We\'ll see. But at 8-1.. 10-1.. I have more confidence in her than in Pampered Princess, Pleasant Home, Society Selection, Sweet Symphony, et al..

Steve

[NoCarolinaTony]

Steve,

I will re-look at the last race for what you mentioned here. Do you really think she will end up being over 8-1? I\'m thinking based on the energy I\'m hearing about her she may be closer to 4 or 5-1.

Thanks for the input though.

NC Tony

[jimbo66]

8-1 is very unlikely.  For what it is worth, she is 9-2 in most spots in the futures.  

[Michael D.]

as one who not long ago predicted ITG would not be able to compete with the older f&m\'s in the distaff, i must confess she looks decent. based on thoro-pattern, i would say she has a better chance of moving forward than most of the faster horses. there is a lot of speed signed up for the race and her stalking/closing style should work to her advantage. i\'ll probably side with a faster mare, but not a bad longshot stab.