Eight Belles – Grade II
7 Furlongs Dirt Stake Purse $700.00 Filly 3 Year Olds.
1st Cold At Knight Our Athletes Curtis B 1:21.87
This home bred filly has been showing plenty of improvement and today came out top, showing she is a filly that is going to make her mark in the sprinting ranks. The only blip on her record is a funny effort in a TP Optional claimer, but I think we can put that down to a HRPism and stick with her in the future. Running the perfect tactical race today she came out a half-length winner in good style.
2nd Acapulco Gray Maxmillion Farm Esquivel E 1:21.99
Whether it was a race engine special that got her so far behind I was wondering if the trainer had forgot to train her or just the gate bias turning her into Zenyatta, she flew home to run a great second. I am not sure she would be such a deep closer with an inside gate, but this was an eye-catching effort, and I put her in my black book for if she comes up with a good draw next time.
3rd Breathtaking Big Guns Stables Smith M E 1:22.14
The only thing breathtaking about her today was the fact that the odds monkeys had her at 50/1 after a great third in the SA Oaks last time. Crazy odd makers aside she has been good for a while now and this finish certainly out her right up there with the best three-year-old sprinters in the game at the moment. She was perhaps a little one paced when she had got the right position to launch from but never flinched when the whips came out and stayed true to the line.
4th Zifi Mb Stables Velazquez J R 1:22.16
Went up on speed as expected but couldn’t shake the speed and had to settle for the stalk. She had made the front with a furlong to run but in the end had used up too much and faltered a little in the drive. I am still a little unsure what her best trip is, but this was a good enough effort to suggest that with a better gate she could be an effective sprinter
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
Leave a Reply