7/9 (BEL): Man o' War S. (G1), Caress S.
 

8th (4:44) Caress S.

6 Furlongs (Turf) | Fillies and Mares | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $60,000

1 Fascinatin' Rhythm Boyce F 122 L
2 Rose Catherine Velazquez J R 124 L
3 Much Rejoicing Garcia Alan 124 L
4 Dominant Currency Prado E S 120 L
5 Sea Road Solis A 122 L
6 Qualia Lenclud F 122 L
7 Becky's Exchange Dominguez R A 122 L
8 Quebrada Shiner (ARG) Dominguez R A 122 L
9 Exchange Funds Spencer J P 120 L
10 Legally Blanca Espinoza J L 120 L
11 Donna Getyourgun Borel C H 120 L
MTO Hour Glass Velazquez J R 122 L
MTO Five Grand Girl Dominguez R A 122 L

A-Coupled: Becky's Exchange and Quebrada Shiner (ARG)



9th (5:17) Man o' War S. (G1)

1 3/8 Miles (Inner turf) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $600,000

1 Mission Approved Espinoza J L 123 L
2 Bearpath Lenclud F 116 L
3 Boisterous Velazquez J R 116 L
4 Al Khali Garcia Alan 118 L
5 Gio Ponti Dominguez R A 120 L
6 Nownownow Prado E S 116 L
7 Cape Blanco (IRE) Spencer J P 120 FTL

Dominant Currency has to be huge price, right?

Penna's horses take a lot of money but yeah, she should be a decent price. If the chart caller actually wanted to assess the trip last time out the comment would say, "Shitty ride."

Well, I'm sure the chosen rider change will solve that problem.

This is also a MUCH tougher spot.

The only thing she has going for her, and this is after just a lengthy glance at the race, is that she has the speed to stay close and there's very little speed in the race.

It's 1/5 that Prado buries her on the inside and she never sees the light of day.

Agreed. . . can't decide if she's good enough.

She feels like a horse you almost hope gets beaten reasonably badly, with the expected no shot trip Nick described, and then she gets in a more reasonable spot upstate. At least we know 5 1/2 won't be a problem.

Andy or Nick have any thoughts on Cape Blanco? She was quite a 3 year old but hasn't shown much this year but would O'Brian ship unless she was working good?

Cape Blanco's not a "she". . . and will be a very big underlay.

Always exciting to see Spencer back in the states.

Cape Blanco won pretty easily over the Michael Jordan with the Wizards Gio Ponti.

Is it time to start questioning the tactics on Gio Ponti?

The horse has more speed than that, which he's shown in his races at a mile, and it seems there is no thought about saving ground whatsoever in his races.

His class/talent allows him to be competitive at 10 panels, but I think deep down he's a miler and would have been a killer over that distance all these years.

YES YES YES :tro::tro::tro::tro:

Regardless of who is in the race and what the pace might be, they do the same thing, and to me, it's running a race in a vacuum. Watch the Dubai World Cup below and watch Dominguez strangle Gio Ponti as the winning move is made to his outside, through fractions of...

26.77, 53.18, 1:18.28, 1:42.61.

It just seems like they have the same plan regardless of the race. As an incredibly astute handicapper said to me today..."they are mishandling that poor horse terribly."

Beaten a combined three lengths in two $10 million races, not to mention some of the others. I'm thrilled they brought him back this year, it's wonderful, but refusing to even try to change his style kills me. You absolutely can't get a better angle for it than in this video.

http://youtu.be/J1JvCEbLUEw

Cape Blanco will be ok when he gets back to his good 3yo form. He's still a ways off of it.

His performance when he was a clear 2nd - by 11 freaking lengths - to Harbinger - was a whole lot better than his performance today.

Can't fool you.

When was Gio Ponti ever "Michael Jordon with the Bulls" ??

Go back and look at the PP's of his wins ...

The best race of his life was when he beat the female Ventura - at dead even weights - by a nose going a mile.

Either that - or I had his race when he was 2nd by 11 too fast

I've never compared him to MJ with Chicago. I never have thought he was dominant. I just meant to say that he's an older guy that still has some game but not his best anymore. Also, I don't think it makes any difference that Ventura was a female. I thought she was a pretty good horse and beating her at a mile was a good win.

maybe Jamie Spencer has learned a few things after all