AQU Race #3 (4/4/2020) 14:10

The Gazelle – Grade III (P5) [KYO]

1 1/8 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $300.000 Filly 3 Year Olds.

Well in my tired old eyes you couldn’t get a bigger sign that the wide gate seems to have more of an effect on racing than any other thing, be it form, jockeys or trainers. Maybe its not the wide gate in itself but the effect of the AI in its programmed inability to deal with it. In this race we had Mad Mistress a filly that had had stellar form up to The Honeybee in its last race before today. Previously running from good gates it had been third in the grade one Starlet and BC Juvenile fillies and a barnstorming head second in the Las Virgenes. Then came the Honeybee where a wide gate saw it stalk a fast pace and then wither away like a two bit claimer to finish seventh. Today back to a halfway decent draw and it flies home to dead heat for first. Yes there are many things that ‘could’ve’ affected the run but this is so far from the only example that there really is only one logical conclusion to be drawn. The same could be argued for the runner up where a bad draw saw it finish behind Mad Mistress in the BC Juvenile and then again in the Starlet but today with a decent draw, there she is.

It is what it is i guess but for the record here is how they finished:

1st = Mad Mistress Jokerjoes Castellano J J

This daughter of Indistinguishable bounced back to her best today coming with a strong finish to grab a dead heat win. This effort was a long way from her 1.12 and 2 6 furlong work just a fortnight ago but we all knew what she was capable of with a good draw and she delivered in tenacious fashion today.

1st = Lil Baby Bomber Aer Stables Sanchez M J

Aer Stables can do little wrong at the moment despite a recent slump at the stable he again got a horse to lift beyond itself to grab a share of a big win. Whatever they are doing it is working and this lightly raced filly will go to the KYO with this game effort behind her and all in front of her.


3rd Local Lass D J C Racing Stables Lezcano J

Beaten just a head the draw certainly helped this filly run beyond her recent form and it is pleasing to see the stable with a nice filly going forward. Like the other two a glance at her form shows you how the draw affects her efforts as she had been well beaten in stakes efforts where she had drawn wide but run well when given a chance by the draw.

4th Data Overload Mb Stables Jaramillo E

I think the only explanation for this ones failure could be that nine furlongs was beyond her. Leading at the furlong pole we normally expect Mb’s runners to power clear but she folded quickly to the closer’s and could only manage fourth in the end.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES