The fifth is 8k claimers. I think you mean the fourth.

I've gone ahead and sent my condolences to the connections of the horse, but I'm guessing that because of the low purchase price for this Giants Causeway 2yo, they don't have huge expectations for it to either be really very good, or stay around long.

I thought you'd be all over the full to Royal Delta.

Speaking of that race, which will be a 5-horse maiden special weight field, I don't think I've ever seen a Dick Mandella horse with a 1:11 flat 6f breeze, let alone a first-time starter.

Curiously, the DRF write up only mentions the colt as a half to Regal Ransom. No mention of the much more accomplished half-sister, Devil May Care.

No kidding man. That Mandella FTS is eye catching. It's got 2 works that are unusually fast for Mandella, the rest are pretty slow.

Did you notice the Mandella FTS in the 6th as well? Second dam was the great mare Committed.

Ok, maybe not great, but really darn good and fun to watch. Seventeen wins in thirty starts, multiple champion in Europe, etc...

Committed is also the 2nd dam of English Channel, sire of the Neil Drysdale horse in the same race.

I like the irony with Conjure The Spirit. He sold for a mere $10K last year. His dam is multiple stakes winner Atlantic Ocean, who sold for nearly $2 million as a 2yo-in-training.

That was an odd race.

The pace horse seemed to be getting out the whole way, or at least on both turns.

The winner obviously still has some improving to do. He kind of won this the way Coil won the Affirmed--got it done, but perhaps a bit below expectations. Rousing Sermon couldn't handle claimer Ruler Of Dubai at Del Mar, though to be fair he probably prefers two-turns.

The Cashcall Futurity should be another 14-horse slugfest, with some undeserving nag being crowned a Grade 1 winner with a free pass to Churchill Downs. They should call it the Cashcall Jackpot.

He was either really green, didn't dig the pace, or didn't like the track. He ran really spotty, and even Bray noticed he was under urging early on.

Then he got green in deep stretch.

Wouldn't be surprised if they get special permission to remove the blinkers for the next one.

All the signs suggests he simply wants to sit back and make one run. Hopefully, they don't foul him up trying to make him into something he isn't. He'd be a nice complement to the speedier Drill and Secret Circle in the West Coast preps.

After the race, Baffert said he lacks the usual brilliance typical in IC offspring. I'm going to guess with that statement and performance, he will lay further back.

Then again, he may have lost in this instance with that dawdling pace.

If he had any of the talent that he hints at, he wouldn't have. That was a terrible field. Rousing Sermon settled in the back and would have won by open lengths if the Baffert horse wasn't in there.

Any inside word from Baffert? I live for that stuff.

:tro: