Favorites Out of the Money

- Pussycat Doll scratched, so Hystericalady was 3-10 in the G1 Santa Monica. On class, and having come within a neck of beating Ginger Punch in the Distaff, she seemed to have the modest field at her mercy. But looking back with the benefit of hindsight, she was cutting back to seven furlongs after running in five straight routes, so maybe it shouldn't be that surprising that she was run off her feet by the speed-crazy Overly Tempting. The favorite was done not midway through the final turn, and the bridgejumpers shortly thereafter, as she labored home 4th in the field of five.

Gary Sherlock, the trainer of winning Intangaroo ($55.80) said:

"To be honest, we were running for third. She’s a nice filly, and I would have been happy to hit the board...This whole business is based on bloodstock development. This filly now has big value. [Bloodhorse]

Intangaroo is a daughter of the third-year sire Orientate, 4th on the sophomore list last year. She's out of a mare by Tasso (Fappiano), the 1985 juvenile champ whose name we don't see much in pedigrees. He's been in Saudi Arabia since 2000.

Daaher was also a huge disappointment; he was sent off at 4-5 in the Donn and beat only one horse after being beaten into submission by Kiss the Kid. Daaher was done at around the same point on the turn as was Hystericalady.

"The jock said it felt like he overheated. With the heat in Florida, coming down here, these things can happen. Right now he’s walking OK and we’ll scope him soon. Hopefully, we’ll live to fight another day." [Bloodhorse]

Spring at Last is turning into quite a nice handicap horse, and got his first Grade 1 win. His trainer, Doug O'Neill, got his second citation for milkshaking from the CHRB.

- I'm pissed and I'm sorry that I forgot to mention that Ling Ling Qi ($9.80) was running in the 7th; I'd mentioned him and the key race he was coming out of in this post. He was scratched that day and hopefully some of you recalled reading that.

Dale Romans said of the Swale winner Eaton's Gift:

"If you have a fast 3-year-old this time of year, you have to think about stretching him out, so we'll try it again," said Romans. "I think I can get him to stay two turns. It will just take a lot of work to get him there." [Daily Racing Form]

But why go through that effort to get him someplace where all indications are he doesn't want to go? I mean, even Romans seems to realize that. Why do you "have to think about stretching him out?" He's already failed in his only two turn effort, and that was only a mile and a sixteenth. By Johannesburg, out of a Carson City mare, he has a dosage index of 7.00.

Crown of Thorns stretched out successfully in the Robert Lewis. He's owned by B. Wayne Hughes, so you know what's in mind for this colt. He's by Repent, who stands at Vinery Florida for $5,000. Crown of Thorns is his first graded stakes winner as his third second crop turns two this year. She's out of Crowning Touch mare by Thunder Gulch who's a half sister to Smoke Glacken and Smokey Glacken. Reflect Times closed OK for third into some lively closing fractions after a slow pace.