8/7 (DMR): Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1)
 

9th (6:15) Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1)

1 1/16 Miles | Fillies and Mares | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $300,000

1 Princess Taylor (GB) Espinoza V 119 L
2 Made for Magic Berrio O A 121 L
3 Spring Style (IRE) Valenzuela P A 119 L
4 Dance to My Tune Flores D R 119 L
5 Zenyatta Smith M E 123 L
6 Rinterval (IRE) Bejarano R 119 L

:wf

That field is an embarrassment to the sport.

2 career stakes wins for the entire field other than Zenyatta? Did I count that right? No wonder they "adjusted" her training schedule so they could fit this one in.

It's even worse than the Santa Margarita. At least she had to give 16lbs to Dance to My Tune in that race. :wf

Who?

So you're in it for the sport, huh? :rolleyes:

I say this only half facetiously, but I'm pretty sure Peppers Pride could handle this group with ease.

At least DelMar is giiving away pint glasses...

weight for age? Was this ever a handicap? Z giving 2-4 pounds to these dogs is embarrassing.

Not embarrassing enough for ANYBODY with a filly/mare that can outrun a POODLE on POLY to ship out there and take all the money. Guess the winner's share of $300k is just not enough to get all those with qualifying horses to ship out there. I mean, clearly, Z ain't much and she's getting free rides. :rolleyes:

I realize there are a lot of idiots in this industry but surely SOMEONE has a horse that can take that easy $180k home. What's stopping them? I know if I had a filly/mare, I'd ship her out there for some of what St. Trinians got ( i.e, a long vacation).

The only possible good that could remotely come from RA and Zenyatta beating up on the fields of cows they've faced recently is that perhaps their win streaks and/or dominant victories would build interest for their eventual meeting against each other.
Unfortunately for that theory, neither of them wins in that dominant of a fashion this year....and there proably won't be a meeting anyway.
The Haskell last week and the Whitney this week are infinitely more interesting than anything the supposed superstars in the sport this year attempt. They both bore me.

Gonna need a lot of refills in those to make this race seem interesting.

The horse Rachel beat at MTH would be 1/9 vs. this bunch w/o Z.

Is that really saying much? Anyway, whatever reasoning there was for upgrading this race from a G2 to a GI last year, it wasn't reasoning enough.

I get your point, but I'm surprised no one wants an easy $60k for 2nd and the grade 1 placing. Heck Zito made Andromeda's Hero(among others) a millionaire doing it in the East.

Lets meet this star studded cast for another almost typical Zenyatta Grade 1 ....

#1 is Princess Taylor - she is currently on a 17 race losing streak and has never finished 1st or 2nd in eight career starts on synthetic. Winless since the year 2008, she does get a 4lbs weight break from Zenyatta

#2 is Made For Magic - she was claimed for $16,000 out of a race where she tanked in at Golden Gate less than one year. Since that time, she's risen to be a Grade 2 winner in Southern Cal. Less than 2 months ago she was beaten 21 lengths by Rachel Alexandra despite getting 7lbs in weight - she will only get 2lbs from Zenyatta. Omar Berrio will ride again.

#3 is Spring Style - She is 0-for-4 lifetime in stakes tries .. her last start was a 7th place finish at 11/1 odds in the restricted Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar less than two weeks ago. Back on short rest - and getting 4lbs from Zenyatta.

#4 is Dance To My Tune - She is a loser of 19 straight races - her last win coming in the year 2007. She was last seen running 7th in a field of 7 in the $62,000 Desert Stormer Stakes at Hollywood on June 12th. Will try and rebound off that last place here.

#5 is Zenyatta - She needs no introduction the world over ... even though she leaves California about as often as I leave Erie. Mike Smith has the call in her quest to go 18 for 18 over this star studded cast.

#6 is Rinterval - She has crossed the wire first just once in her last 20 career starts - however she has two wins in her last 20 starts. One coming at Turfway Park in a 50K stakes race, the other when she was smoked at Presque Isle Downs by Happy Wac ... however Happy Wac failed the post race drug test .. and was 3rd in a 5k N2L claiming race a few months later. Rinterval is in sharp form - she was 2nd in the Gr 3 Chicago Handicap at 33/1 odds last out behind Informed Decision.

Too bad Kickn N Screamin is retired. She coulda gave this group a run.

That's what I was thinking..5 years from now a yearling gets the tag "out of Grade 1 placed mare who ran second to Zenyatta"

Not as easy as you make it sound. Sure the competition sucks, but that trip over the Rockies is really tough.