Power Cap

Power cap- existential handicapping

11 July 2010

July 10 recap




I could think of no better way to spend a Saturday than at the racetrack. Cheap admission, check; plenty of shade, check; frosty beverages on tap, check; gambling action, check. It beats going out to a Mets game by one.

Two races that I found interesting on the Belmont slate was an allowance race and the Man o' War stakes. The stakes action taking place on the eastern seaboard during the course of the day was of interest as well.

Race four at Belmont was an allowance race tha was the return race for Tahitian Warrior from his June 5 effort against Trappe Shot. His effort yesterday was impressive to me, he had to move from post seven out of eight in his last start to the rail yesterday. He rewarded his backers with an easy victory after sitting a patient rail trip and moving to the lead with ease at the top of the stretch. I'm not sure of where the connections are planning to run him next time out, but the King's Bishop seems like a spot where he could do some damage.

The results of the Man o' War could be interpreted a few ways, Gio Ponti ran a big race against an extremely slow pace and closed like a freight train. Gio Ponti could be a horse on the decline, last year in this race he would have demolished this field by open lengths. The second place finisher Mission Approved ran a monumental race in defeat running against superior competition. I am siding with Gio Ponti being 0n the decline and Mission Approved ran a monster race. Last year the Clement runner would have inhaled this competition to win by open lengths this year it took longer for him to get into gear, it happens to the best of them Cigar and Skip Away functioned on intestinal fortitude by the end of their career more than anything else. As for Mission Approved, I would be shocked if this horse does not win a stakes race before the year is out. The John's Call at Saratoga which has the condition of non-winners of a stakes race written up for it would be right up his alley, as a matter of fact the gelding ran in this race last year.The out of state stakes action was of interest too, the Summit of Speed was contested yesterday and the most impressive of the winners of the big four (the Azalea, Carry Back, Smile, and Princess Rooney) was the winner of the Azalea, Pica Slew. Pica Slew faced grade one winner Franny Freud last year and ran faster than older fillies and three year old colts on final time in her previous start. In this start she was stuck with the unenviable task of chasing a loose runner spouting off fractions of 21 and 44. The horse chasing the fast pace usually is the first victim of the fast pace, Pica Slew reeled the leader in and won easily.

D'Funnybone lost as the odds on favorite as well after setting the pace, he gave up the lead inside the 1/8 pole. Either this horse is starting show signs of fatigue after running hard in five races this year or he doesn't like running at Calder, he lost a stakes race there last year before two dominating wins at Saratoga and Belmont.

Trappe Shot won the Long Branch at Monmouth Park, the field had two scratch which reduced it to a four horse field, he ran on June 5 against the earlier mentioned Tahitian Warrior. Trappe Shot won without putting a lot of effort into the Long Branch. Southern Ridge was taken out of his normal (for his the only two races on his resume) running style by going to the lead and he did not look comfortable at all. Nacho Friend turned in his usual decent effort by finishing strong for second, but the race was over with an 1/8 of a mile left. The most likely next start out for Trappe Shot would be the Haskell seeing how the Long Branch is the traditional prep for this race. The Long Branch did not answer a lot of questions about Trappe Shot's ability to go two turns seeing how this race was an easy spot to run in.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting take on Gio Ponti. I tend to think he's improving right now rather than declining. The way he burst through that opening to get up by a neck looked so easy and fluid.

The_Knight_Sky said...

Gio Ponti is "improving" in the context of his performances this year. But he has ways to go to match his prowess of last year.

I would think a loss yesterday would have had Christophe Clement scratch his head even more to the point of mulling retirement. Instead there is a summer of racing to look forward to.

Amateurcapper said...

Too early to call the 5y.o. on the decline. I'm not sure I love the tactics, however.

GIO was full of run down the backside when they were dawdling but Dominguez put a double strangle hold on him. That decision nearly cost him as GIO nearly got stuck in a box into the lane that he was lucky to get out of.

GIO outclassed that bunch but I believe he was open lengths best and would have proven it had he been ridden like the best horse.

Does anyone think his kick could be as good or better than a typical G.1 Euro invader's late move??? I do not.

G. C. said...

Gio Ponti's loss to Interpatation was the most shocking loss I have ever seen in a grade I race. Interpatation was the "Unbridled Danger" of the turf world; he was on something like a 35 race losing streak. Interpatations last win was over "The Man from Wicklow" at Philly in 2005.

It still boggles the mind to this day that Gio Ponti lost that race. With that abomination or loss in mind I will bet against Gio Ponti next time he runs twelve furlongs. If he can lose to Interpatation he can lose to anyone at that distance.