With just two entries, my first week of racing was inconsequential. I sent out a couple second stringers, so there was not a lot to get excited about.
This week however, I'm rolling out a couple established horses and several up-an-comers. The fields are large though and the talent is deep, so it's hard to tell how things will go.
3yo filly Xtra Run will try her hand at 6F after a successful 5F race in November. She put up a 86 PSR in that race finishing in second place. Her extremely slow starts continue to be a concern and I would prefer to put her in a longer race to compensate, but she just doesn't have the stamina at this point. Her AR states that she prefers distance, but with a stamina rating of 66, that doesn't hold water.
I'd like to think that 3yo colt Azrael, perhaps my best younger racer, will be on the path towards the Kentucky Derby. The new qualification process could be problematic for me though because Azrael will have to qualify earnings-wise, and I don't always chase the largest purse, preferring to enter races that I have the best chance to win. He'll be running in the 8.5F Holy Bull Stakes and a good showing will keep him on the road to the roses.
Stable stalwarts House of M and Crossbones will both run this weekend and should contend in their respective races. House of M is running at a pet distance, so she should be a handful. Crossbones is stretching out a bit to 10F.
3yo's Deep Magic and You Know My Name both run this week as well. Deep Magic is coming off 2 consecutive second place finishes, but has been unimpressive. He may be fighting for a stall if he cannot show significant improvement very soon. YKMN has won 2 of her last 3 races and appears to have enough ability to contend in F&M races.
On a side note, we have acquired 4yo filly Spy Vs Spy (Memcay x Inside Information). While browsing Endless Vista, she caught my eye. I have not seen her AR yet, but I'm hoping she is a late bloomer like her sire. I watched one of her previous races and noticed with amusement that her HRF stamina is rated as POOR. However, with a raw stamina score of 70, I would conclude that the POOR rating may be inaccurate. By way of comparison, War of the Lilies, who recently finished 2nd in the 10.5F Japan Cup Dirt, has a raw stamina score of 68. In any event, with her light racing history and blue-blooded parentage, I figured she was worth a chance.
3 comments:
But interestingly.... Lilies rates as "Good" for Stamina... I've given up trying to understand HRF lol
The HRF ratings are worthless. They are not accurate and I have no idea where they come from.
If you are referring to the ratings for Speed and Stamina.. Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor, I agree completely. They are certainly inaccurate.
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