She Found Her Way

- I'm pretty positive that there's a new chartcaller in place at Belmont. The trip comments have been far more expressive and descriptive of late. Check out the call on I Lost My Choo in Saturday's third, the state-bred Elmont Stakes:

I LOST MY CHOO was patiently handled along the inside, continued to bide her time under a good hold approaching the far turn, was forced to steady when caught in traffic midway on the turn, managed to slip off the rail, positioning herself between rivals, waited briefly behind a wall of horses in upper stretch, chose to swing outward at the three-sixteenths, quickly got into stride when given her cue, then finished with good energy down the outside of the course to get up in the final jump.

Whew, got that? Talk about anthropomorphism, sounds like this filly is about ready to write a dissertation on how to negotiate urban traffic patterns during rush hour. Despite all the verbiage though, you still have to see the replay to appreciate just how good this daughter of Western Expression was; when she chose to swing outward at the three-sixteenths, she trailed the other six horses in the field. She came flying home and bested a stubborn Blitzen Too (another sharp runner for Clement) with a determined late surge in the final jumps for trainer Phil Serpe. Great race, and the most impressive performance on the day by a three-year old filly in my opinion, despite the fact that she outclassed these fillies on paper. She came home in 22.31 according to Formulator.

The other three-year old filly stakes was pretty much a joke, literally from the start, when three of the four starters stumbled, to after the finish, when Proud Spell was taken down, I think maybe as added punishment for getting herself beat at 1-2. Certainly couldn't have been for costing Never Retreat (the only one in the field away in good order) the place spot. Don't think there was any question that Proud Spell, who suffered by far the most severe of the stumbles the start, was clearly at least second best; she came home in the same 12.23 as Music Note. The winner had a perfect trip stalking the moderate pace, and a clear path to victory as Proud Spell was checked severely on the rail. To be honest, I thought it was a joke that Music Note would be as low as 8-5 off her maiden and entry level allowance wins against Larry Jones' classy three-time graded stakes winner. I for one would be most happy to back that opinion if the odds on the two are reversed next time they meet.