San Clemente Handicap – Grade II
1 Mile Turf Stake Purse $200.000 Filly 3 Year Olds.

1st Bake The Donut, trained by Night Rider Stables
This filly had been highly touted at the start of the year but her form tailed off
a little through the Spring and she was beginning to look like she was an early type
who would never fulfill her promise. In her last two starts though she has bounced back
winning two black type in a row. Coming from off the pace as she usually does she just
got up for a thrilling head win in what turned out to be a good time. A mile certainly
seems to be her best trip and she is on a roll now so watch out for her in similar races.

2nd Tafadhali Harbor, trained by Allinthegate
Beaten in an allowance last time she very nearly won on her first black type start today
just getting out finished inside the distance. I have no idea how the winner started at 70
to 1 and this one with just a low level maiden win started at just under 7 to 1 but she
ran much better than i thought she would or her form suggested and is clearly an improving
sort.

3rd Nightmare Scare, trained by Yankee Doodle Stable
Wide gate and straight to the lead, its almost comical how easy it is to predict these things.
She made a good effort but set it up for the closers and got swamped in the last furlong.
This was another good black type effort from the filly though and i suspect there is another
little win in her yet.

4th Lime Dancer, trained by Drabfantasy
Starting at long odds on it seemed the couple of pounds she was due to give the field along with a
two week turnaround from her last start was enough to make her look pretty ordinary. Beaten less
than a length in the BEL Oaks last time and a grade two winner before than after a similar turn
round she found nothing after running the stalk and finished a puzzling third. I am guessing she
will be given a bit more time to recover before we see her again.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES