8/22 (SAR): Lake Placid S. (G2)
 

4th (2:39) Woodford Reserve Lake Placid S. (G2)

1 1/8 Miles (Inner turf) | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $150,000

1 Hatheer Garcia Alan 116 L
2 Triple Cream Maragh R 116 L
3 Check the Label Dominguez R A 122 L
4 Exclusive Love Bridgmohan S X 116 L
5 No Explaining (IRE) Velazquez J R 118
6 It's Tea Time Leparoux J R 116 L

This is a nice race, but why is it carded as the 4th race? Instead the 9th race is the eagerly anticipated re-run of the 3rd race from August 1 for NY-bred maiden fillies (watch the trip on I Dreamt I Was).

Short field and a huge favorite. They routinely do this to keep that kind of 'free square' race out of the Pick 6.

Does that hurt or help the pic-6 handle?

This is a pretty good field. Check the Label is no cinch.

Good question. My guess would be fewer people play, but those who do play are forced to put in larger tickets, so I'd think it's a wash. Either way, it produces a greater chance of a carryover, which obviously increases the following day's Pick 6 handle.

As for the race, I'm not sure how Check the Label can lose. The pace scenario is murky, but that didn't stop her in Virginia.

In terms of the pace scenario, I have to believe that Hatheer will be sent from her inside post. Check the Label's is a very nice horse, but Motion has been struggling up here (1-17) and, this is a much better field than she faced at Colonial. The Canadian fillies both ran well in the Lake George (probably as deep as turf race run in the division this year), and It's Tea Time was very impressive in her recent allowance win over the course.