Since 6/6, 4 former claimer stakes winners..
 

Palace ($20k) in the True North (G2)..
Kid Cruz ($50k) in the Easy Goer..
Iotapa ($50k) in the Vanity (G1)..
Moonshine Mullin ($40k) in the Stephen Foster (G1)..

Nice $160,000 stable. Lots of folks looking for that next Lava Man. From claim box to Grade 1 winner is always great story.

How awesome! :tro:

I've long felt that the gap between claimers/allowance horses and graded stakes winners has been closing fast. It's almost to the point that you can't tell the difference anymore. That's why I always say take a shot. Seeing horses that are completely outclassed in a race is rarer and rarer.

Back in 2001 when War Emblem was on tap to race at Belmont, a NY radio station, WFAN w/ Mike Francesca had Baffert as a guest. WE was going for the TC and the topic of conversation was the usual re "why no TC since Affirmed"
Baffert reiterated the usual but said, years ago when 'your' horse was in a race there were maybe 3/4 horses as well bred as your horse. Now, every horse in a race is just about as well bred as the rest. Breeding has "leveled" the field. Made sense.

Maybe someone brighter than this redneck can help, but just looking at the pedigree on paper it is remarkable to me how Palace ended up in a $20,000 claimer. I suppose $50,000 would not be that unusual but seemed to be way too cheap.

But good value for Mr. Miuccio just the same!