Today's results almost reflect how risky playing for price can be in this contest-- we didn't squeak by a whole lot.
It just doesn't take much sometimes: one entrant contesting pace instead of taking back, another one not liking the surface...and now your contest hopes ride on a single entrant who might not like the surface / weather, or due to its running style endure commonplace turf bad trip / be done in by the bias, etc. Had that happened, it would've been especially galling to be eliminated while most of the crowd betting faves advanced.
***
***
***
Of note today...8th Race:
as previously stated, turf rail out 12 feet(website incorrectly posted normal placement)...Field kind of weak quality-wise. If you wonder why Bravo on the winner disputed the pace: the sod here can get a bit firm at times, and this is exacerbated when running over the nice, unused section of the course(w/ rail placement significantly out)... Bravo was just taking advantage of this-- although I as the owner or trainer would've preferrered to see the horse take back a smidgen. Photo-loser DeCarlo was sharp also in keeping the leaders within range.
***
***
***
Contrast that mostly Older Mare Allowance times: 23.66 - 46.78 - 1:09.85 - 1:34.05 - 1:40.12
WITH earlier 6th Race mostly 3YO Filly Maiden Claimer's: 23.04 - 45.63 - 1:09.54 - 1:34.04 - 1:40.35 ...
Not just the runaway filly winner ran a faster early pace, but as well the next 3/4 back of her.
***
We would mark down not just the winner, but the first 3 fillies for watching: the second-place finisher did all she could from so far back, ticking off her finishing furlongs in 12 flat...And the show horse held on fairly well while tracking the torrid pace: she actually middle-moved averaging less than 11 & 4/5.
