The Just A Game – Grade I
1 Mile Inner Turf Stake Purse $500.000 Filly & Mare 4 Year Olds And Up.

1st Voltaire Threshold Lopez P

Everything fell in place today for this five-year-old as she found her favored track conditions, an easy inside run and a trip that suited her more than some. Stalking the lead but holding the rail she just kept grinding when she hit the lead and held them at bay all the way up the stretch.

2nd Antares Alydar Stables Curtis B

I was a little surprised that this one started such a short, priced favorite but then who knows where the odds monkeys get their information because she ran pretty well in the end to be second. Some strong mile works suggested this sprinter was ready for the mile again, but she just struggled a little in the latter part of the race to hold the winner’s confirmed stamina. This was the sort of effort that said take me back to sprinting.

3rd Let Me Explain Mb Stables Velazquez J R

She is definitely suffering from four-year-olditus as once again she just couldn’t reproduce her brilliant three-year-old form. She kept on well enough for third on going that doesn’t really suit but the days of her dominating from the front seem to be over. I wouldn’t write her off just yet as sometimes the four-year-olds can hit the improvement curve again as older mares and if that happens to her it wouldn’t take much for her to be back at the top.

4th Wander Mb Stables Gutierrez Mario

Ended up fourth in just an average effort and she too seems to have gone off the boil a little.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES