8/22 (DMR): Del Mar Oaks (G1)
 

8th (5:30) Del Mar Oaks (G1)

1 1/8 Miles (Turf) | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $350,000

1 Internallyflawless Gomez G K 122 L
2 Nan Espinoza V 122 L
3 Hermione's Magic (GB) Smith M E 122 L
4 Dreamalong Baze T C 122 L
5 Well Monied Rosario J 122 L
6 Strawberry Tart Garcia M 122 L
7 Starlarks (IRE) Blanc B 122 L
8 Hameildaeme (GB) Sorenson D 122 L
9 Lexlenos (IRE) Solis A 122 L
10 Donttellmewhattodo Talamo J 122 L

How much longer can California keep up the sham of considering their races grade 1:zz:

1 1/4 Miles | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $600,000

1 Sweet and Flawless Dominguez R A 121 L
2 Wynning Ride Desormeaux K J 121 L
3 Funny Moon Garcia Alan 121 L
4 Don't Forget Gil Maragh R 121 L
5 Careless Jewel Landry R C 121 L
6 Be Fair Leparoux J R 121 L
7 Casanova Move Lezcano J 121 L
8 Milwaukee Appeal Velazquez J R 121 L

This is 1 out of how many? that's coming up a little light on talent, in Cali they have 30-50g claiming horse taking G1's on the regular out there. Name 1 horse that has risen out of the claiming ranks on the east coast that has taken a G1 recently.

really? o.k

You are joking, right?

The g1's on the East coast have been atrocious, save for the appearance of RA here and there.

How about this, at least the east coast has grade ones where you can recognize at least one of the horses in the race. Out there is a bunch of nobodies chalking up G1's, its a joke.

when is this happening? Site specific examples? Yes Lava Man was once claimed as a youngster and turned out (so did John Henry in California) but you throw this around and its not accurate. What grade 1's are being won by 30-50k claimers?

Yeah, but they have REAL Grade 1 winners like Telling and the fleet as a deer Funny Moon.

Both races seem to be really good betting races. I came up with 5 horses in the Alabama and Funny Moon is not one of them.

Article: Former claimer wins final Grade 1 of 2007; REPORT: USA La Brea Stakes G1 Santa Anita 7f Cushion Track (Saturday).(Sports)

Article from:
The Racing Post (London, England)
Article date:
December 31, 2007 CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 MGN LTD. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)

Byline: Dan Farley

FORMER claimer Dearest Trickski became a winner at the highest level at Santa Anita on Saturday, leading throughout to land the final Grade 1 of the year under jockey Mike Smith by a length and a half ...

Thats one

Heres another, Sun Boat, former claimer, took the San Diego hanicapp at Del Mar. Grade two but you get my drift, no way these horses pull down grade one on the east coast or twos.

Zensational eyes pair of Grade 1's

Zensational may have two more starts before the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 6.

Sunday, Baffert said Zensational could run in one or two $300,000 Grade 1 races - the Pat O'Brien Stakes at seven furlongs here Sept. 6 or the Ancient Title Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 11.

"I'll wait two weeks and then I'll know more," Baffert said. "I want to go in fresh for the Breeders' Cup. It depends on his level of energy. He loves to train."

In the Bing Crosby, Zensational outclassed four rivals, finishing 2 1/2 lengths in front of the ex-claimer Talkin to Mom Roo. Global Hunter, who won the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes on turf here July 25, finished third in the field of five.
Talkin to Mom Roo will be pointed for the Pat O'Brien, trainer Ted H. West said. A 6-year-old gelding who was claimed for $40,000 in March 2008, Talk to Mom Roo rallied from fourth in the Crosby.

Wow Zensational was ultra impressive in OUTCLASSING 40k Claimer TALKIN to MOM ROO by 2 1/2 lengths in the grade 1 Bing Crosby. He also beat grade 1 Winner Global Hunter in the race.

Yeah, you just have really low level horses from bad tracks that get put into the barn of certain trainers and win g1's and g2's.

But that's an occurance all over the country. It's certainly not unusual for a horse to move up to a stakes no matter the reason, it could be maturity, illness a better trainer, whatever. The facts of the matter are the Graded races
everywhere are lacking depth, not just in California, I don't see any better horses running in the graded races back East, Bullsbay was as mediocre as they come and is now a Grade 1 winner, so give me a frigging break, a filly beat him out here last time he ran, you are right about one thing though, we probably do have 30,000 to 50,000 claimers that could have at the very least run as fast as Funny Moon did in that staggerfest of a Grade 1.

.......if you cant see that zen is special you may want to look for another form of wagering:rolleyes:

Wow that Bullsbay is some rat isnt he, gee now who did he have to pass to win that race was it that mulitple grade one winner Commentator and wait a sec who did he have to hold off to win? Was it that 40k claiming pig Macho Again oh wait hes a grade one winner also.

So ill give you a break when horses in Cali are passing multiple grade 1 winning horses in the stretch and holding off a grade 1 winner to win the race. Not beat 40k claimers in 4 horse fields to win grade 1's.

The point im trying to make is how can Cali still be holding grade 1 or any graded races for that matter when claiming horses are winning and placing all over the place. All the while running on a surface of rubber tires that turn claiming horses into Champs

I'm in middle of this one. Obviously NY has the best racing anywhere, but lets face it, Grade 1's are no longer Grade 1's anywhere...that includes NY. Commentator is a shadow of who he use to be and the rest of the Whitney field was a joke. The Alabama tomorrow is another joke. Look at the field we just had for the Sword Dancer, another so called Grade 1. Lauro was 7/1! What does that tell you?

Then you have Del Mar, a once great place with real dirt that has been turned into a virtual toy track. I dont think I have watched more than 2 races all meet. Seeing the entries makes me cringe and reminds me not to bother to DVR.

Its everywhere, but NY has been the best at least at attemping to put out great racing.

Looking forward to the Travers, Woodward, Forego and then Oct 3rd at Belmont where its going to be perhaps the best card ever assembled anywhere. Cant say I am looking forward to anything in California except maybe seeing the Dodgers in the playoffs!

Im not even close to looking forward to the breeders cup this year. Bring on the Euros to take all the money, make our champs look like chumps and laugh all the way home.

That's EXACTLY my point!!!!! Bullsbay wins a Grade 1 out there after being bitch slapped out here, Informed and Rail Trip pissed all over him, as did the filly Life is Sweet, the point being there are no better horses on your side of the country, you think Macho Again and Rising Moon would scare anyone out here?

yes the speedy dearest trickski turned out to be a very good claim as a youngster, she actually won a few races throughout the year.

ok, who else...you make it sound like this is an everyday occurrence? You can go back a decade if you like.

I know Mullins claimed a mdn off headly a few years back and won a few races. Bluesthestandard turned out to be a good sprinter claim about 6 years ago, sprinters seem to be the type that can get claimed and improve.

Cmon, who else since you state it so equivocally?

LOL Rising Moon...Been following him forever and he hasnt lived up to the billing. Reminds me of that other Dutrow Diamond Stripes, although at least he won a big race in Dubai.

In Bullsbay's defense, he probably just hates poly. Not saying he was going to beat Rail Trip but that was like his only bad race, ever. Hes a nice Grade 3 type animal who found himself in the right place at the right time in a very weak rendition of the Whitney. Kudos to his trainer for spotting him there. In my opinion, Nick Zito should jump all over the opportunity to run his Cool Coal Man in the upcoming Woodward for the same reason. I think he can win that race if Rachel doesnt go there.

The point though while people say these are not grade 1 races the results tend to prove out that they are as good as anywhere else in the country, thus they deserve their status, not some comparison to 20 years ago. Bullsbay is a good example of that.

Bullsbay has won on synthetic, he's a nice
example of being a nice horse, but the poster child of mediocrity on BOTH coasts.

Why are you so high on Zito's Mineshaft's? Coal Play has run 1 good race outside of Monmouth and it was a Belmont allowance where he beat NO ONE.
Cool Coal Man freaks on occasion, but for the most part SUCKS.
I will say this, I have always liked both of them and maybe with the pedigress on them they are both getting better with age. I hope thats the case.

back to the race at hand

Is the morning line maker on crack? no way Well Monied goes off close to that number.

I personally think this race is more competitive than you do, I loved Strawberry Tarts last and there are at least 3 or 4 other nice fillies that can step up here and win, I like Walsh's filly, Bafferts filly and Lexlanos as well.

I think Dreamalong has an excellenty chance today and I'll probably be backing her especially at her projected odds.

Just because I think the morning line is not going to represent what the public does has no bearing on what I think of the race.

I think its very competitive and a number of directions you can go, definitely would want to see the tote before making a play.

I agree about her chances. There is not much speed signed on in the race, so Tyler Baze should have her prominent early and get the jump on the deep closers exiting the San Clemente. The key will be what Matt Garcia does with Strawberry Tart. Based upon those Oaklawn sprints she won earlier this year, it is obvious she could set the pace in the Oaks without being pushed along much. But she has been taken back in her three turf starts, so they will probably do the same thing with her in the Oaks.

Let's be honest this race is only a grade 1 in name, the jump up in class for most of these is minimal. Turf beyers are deceptive anyway but a 90 today should be close to getting the job done. Tyler doesn't have to steal this race, I would hope he gives her a covered up rail ride behind horses and have enough accerlation to get the jump on the deeper closers.

which other non grade 1 turf races restricted to three year old fillies would you like to see instead of this one?

My post was mean't from strictly a handicapping point of view, there are many races that are gr.1 in name only nowadays, as long as there are significant betting choices most horseracing fans don't really care for the quality of horses. I guess I am somewhere in the middle on that one.

This is actually a good betting race if you have any reason to doubt the favorite.

players - dont care about grades

fans - care a little

There are no standouts in this field, it's a fun race that will probably be decided by the best trip.