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Old 08-29-2012, 01:17 PM
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Friday, August 24

8-24-01
Poultney jumped straight up at the start and lost about 3 lengths. Aussieaussieaussie got pinballed around at the break, losing 2-3 lengths as well. Magical Moon came in and bumped Aussieaussieaussie at the start, was eager in behind the speed down the backstretch, made a big 3-wide move on the turn, inhaled the frontrunners before the turn for home, was set down and put to a lefty whip inside the 3/16 pole, opened up quickly from there to win by double digits, eased up in the final yards of a powerful performance. Tough to say what she beat, but you don't often see 2-year-olds dominate on the grass like this. Watch going forward. Runway Ready came out slightly at the start, together with the winner sandwiching Aussieaussieaussie, bobbled a few strides after that, was bumped by the unwieldy K to the Croft going into the turn, had to shuffle back to fourth with no room on the turn after tugging her way into second, continued to be bottled up and stumbled approaching the turn for home, finally got clear run at the 3/16 and ran greenly from there but continued on OK to get in a 3-way photo for the place. Not bad all things considered. Grenoble broke well but couldn't keep up with the speed, was taken back to run a distant sixth down the backside, saved ground on the turn before being swung wide at the top of the stretch, closed decently in the center of the course to narrowly miss the show and galloped out past all but the winner. Clearly doesn't have the early foot to succeed in these sprints but showed enough in the stretch to hint that she could factor going longer on grass.

8-24-02
Desert Traveler stumbled a bit coming out of the gate, otherwise break OK. No More Fives broke alertly from the inside, was hustled to the front and made the lead without issue, got away with a slow 1/4 unchallenged, was kept busy to maintain a clear lead on the turn, stayed several lengths to the good into midstretch, began to drift out past the 1/8 pole, held a safe margin to the line, making all. Go the Distance had to be held up going into and through the turn but got a great opening on the rail going into the stretch, was the only one to make up ground on the drifting winner but couldn't go by. Painfully slow race.

8-24-03
Dangerous Trick stumbled at the start, otherwise break OK. Reserved Quality was away well, sat in a good spot down the backstretch behind two dueling pairs, somehow maneuvered to the inside and made an unimpeded rail run into the stretch, got the lead and opened up turning for home, comfortably held off all challengers in a textbook example of why Dominguez is the best on this circuit. Absolutely flawless ride. While Dominguez was getting his outside-drawn horse through on the rail, Professor Fate was held up in behind a tiring frontrunner 2-wide, came 3-wide off the turn and wore down Fusa Code to get the place. Not bad, just beaten to the punch by the winner like the rest. Fusa Code had a similar trip to the winner, dropping back into sixth, was also beaten to the rail into the turn, came 2-wide into the stretch but couldn't match the punches of the top two but finished well clear of fourth. Good run with a good trip.

8-24-04
Kellster was off 2-3 lengths slow. Bridgetta broke on top, was allowed to settle just off the second choice early, drifted up to that one willingly as the top pair separated around the turn, was carried wide top stretch by the drifting frontrunner, leaving the rail open for Carrot Thief, discarded the leader into the final 3/16, won unthreatened from there as best with a great trip. Esthers Classy Las was nudged outward by Azasecret after the start, consequently bumping with Dontrainonmyparade, was hustled to stay in touch with the first flight and then switched to the outside, made an unnecessarily wide bid on the turn, floated even wider into the stretch, came over the top to grab the place late from a tripped-out Carrot Thief. Showed a new dimension and ran way better than the form says, will benefit greatly with a switch to a competent rider.

8-24-05
Break OK. Ampersand hit the gate at the start, almost immediately dropped over to the rail in last, saved ground from far off a scorching pace on the 1st turn, came off the inside briefly before ducking back over to the hedge for clear run into the stretch, was set down from there and split horses to get up in the final 1/16 and hold sway to score in a 3-way photo. Night and day compared to the trip he was given last time. Gimme Credit saved ground in a distant fifth on the 1st turn, was asked from inside a tiring pacesetter on the far turn, began to reel in the gassed frontrunner inside the 1/8 pole, was narrowly outsprinted home by the tripped-out winner, still just beat Hear the Footsteps to the line despite having his jockey stop riding early. Hear the Footsteps broke well, was part of the early pace discussion on the hedge around the 1st turn but got taken back when the fractions started sizzling down the backside, got shuffled back briefly when attempting to come through between horses towards the end of the far turn, produced a good rally in the stretch only to finish on the short end of a 3-way win photo. Sharp effort, was closer to the salty pace than the top two but still kicked on with them late and finished a clear third. Appears on the verge of finally breaking through at this level.

8-24-06
Purely Love hopped at the start, otherwise break OK. Madame Giry found herself in a good spot sitting off a torrid 3-way duel on the backstretch, slid into the 2-path going into the turn, looped around the tiring frontrunners approaching the turn for home, opened up a clear lead in midstretch, veered in nearing the 1/16 pole but held to score over a tripped-out closer. Remains sharp for Gambolati. Revenue settled in second-last off the hot pace, made a 2-3 wide move on the turn, came through between horses in the stretch and made up ground on the winner but was second-best with a good trip and setup. Purely Love was eased back into the race after her slow start, tried to follow the winner's move 3-wide on the turn, got floated 5-6 wide top lane, could not keep up with the top two but closed OK to be a clear third in a decent try with an unideal trip.

8-24-07
Break OK. Sally's Dream was allowed to settle just off the pacemaker 2-wide on the first turn, inched closer to that one down the backstretch, stayed glued to her hip 2-wide on the far turn, pulled on even terms in midstretch, worked hard to poke her head in front nearing the 1/16 pole, held sway over two modest closing bids to score with a good trip and setup, coasting alongside a moderate pace. Forever Vow continues to refuse to win, rode the hedge in the 2nd flight both turns, came off the inside and had dead aim on the new leader in the final 1/8 but couldn't pass her. No excuse. Little Red Rider also had a good, ground-saving trip and could only rally for the show, was away last and a little bit further off the slow pace than Forever Vow, however. Frivolous Alex set that easy tempo, fought the winner inside into midstretch, but wilted from there to fade to a no-excuse fourth.

8-24-08
Break OK. Isn'tlovejustgrand ran in a clear fifth behind a slow pace, moved 2-wide on the turn, came out top lane, rallied to reel in the tripped-out show horse, making the lead inside the 1/16 and holding off a late bid just to his outside. Chernobyl's Hero had a similar trip to the winner, following that one's 2-wide move on the turn, kicked on nicely in the stretch and fell short by a neck, galloped out past the winner. Not a bad run for the old-timer off a significant layoff. Saints Alive sat just off a slow pace, made the lead in midstretch but couldn't hold off the two from midpack. No excuse. None either for Silver Timber, a one-time crack turf sprinter who's lost a step. Sat a great trip in the pocket just off the easy pace, saved ground on the turn and couldn't keep up with the top two, horses he would've dusted in his heyday, in deep stretch.

8-24-09
Break OK. Turbulent Descent was bumped slightly coming out of the gate, set up shop on the outside of the 2nd flight behind a slow pace, began to inch up 3-wide in tandem with Nicole H at the 3/8 pole, made the lead turning for home, held a clear lead past the 1/8, was put to a full drive to hold off the bid of Derwin's Star. A win's a win, but she was hardly dominant in here the way many expected her to be. The place horse is OK, but when you're beating Belle of the Hall by less than 3 with a good trip, that's nothing to write home about. Derwin's Star stayed in touch behind the 2nd flight down the backstretch, was 2-wide around the turn, emerged as the only threat to the winner in midstretch but couldn't quite wear that one down while staying on for the place. Not a classic renewal of the Ballerina.

8-24-10
Ginagain got squeezed back at the start, Maggie R was off several lengths slow, Fun and Gains also was pinched a bit and Londoness had to be checked several times in the early stages, effectively taking her out of the race. Bluegrass Rumor went right to the sharp end, shook off the challenge of Any Given Moment around the first turn, strung out the field down the backstretch through legitimate fractions, continued to widen her lead into the far turn, was set down at the 3/16 pole, started to shorten stride nearing the 1/16 but had just enough in reserve to hold off the closers. Pretty impressive for the level considering the pace she set. Let the Kitten Run came out and bumped with Ginagain at the start, saved ground while headstrong on the 1st turn, was guided to the outside in a clear 3rd down the backside, made a 2-wide bid towards the lead into the stretch, had dead aim on the tiring leader but drifted out late and couldn't get by. No excuse with a good trip. Picture Book and Shewreckstheplace each had clear trips without significant ground loss and also couldn't couldn't produce significant rallies in the stretch. The winner was really the only one who ran here.

Last edited by ateamstupid : 09-04-2012 at 04:51 PM.
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