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#4
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In all seriousness, he made his own trouble. A bit shy leaving the gate, and then Smith was unable to get the horse to settle in the back of the pack, dragging himself up to the leading group. He'll probably break sharper next time, show more speed and have less finish. Unless he runs at Sunland. Then he'll win by 10 lengths. The filly Vexatious was mauled throughout the race, was quite rank down the backstretch, steadied and shuffled back at the top of the lane and still finished with a bit of interest. It's a sad state of affairs at Santa Anita when a filly with potential such as her has to be entered either in a graded stakes against a monster (Unique Bella) or a loaded allowance (one of the few they could get filled) against colts all the while coming off a layoff. Hopefully she can be placed where she can progress and perhaps make a run at the KY Oaks. But more likely she'll be in the Santa Anita Oaks and battle down the lane for that all important "black type" while several lengths behind the top two of the moment. Another horse out of there, Irish Freedom also looked interesting. Not sure if it was by design or more of the same with regards to race filling, but it couldn't have been ideal for this well meant colt to be coming off a 6-7 month layoff and showing up in a 2-turn race (for the first time). He settled in the back and then made a sharp 6-wide sweep at the 3/8 pole only to wilt down the stretch. The classic "short" horse. Hopefully he comes out well. Had he been in a one-turn race, we might be talking about him more than Reach The World. |