[JolyB]

I think that a card that includes the Cigar Mile, the Remsen, the Demoiselle and the Go For Wand is well worth playing. After that, the focus of quality racing tends to move to the South until springtime.

I just don't have the same warm and fuzzy feelings about the Claiming Crown series. While it is easy to admire the hard knocking claiming horses who often compete for smaller purses and run much more frequently than stakes horses, the conditions of the CC races too often reward the trainer who plans far ahead with his claimer. For example, the Claiming Crown Express is open to "Three year olds and upward which have started for a claiming price of $8,000 or less lifetime." That is very different than a race for $8,000 claimers. One of the nominees [Kalu] became eligible by running in a 6250 claimer at GP last January, but has been protected since then by entering higher priced claiming races, optional claimers, starter handicaps and last time out finished 3rd in the Grade 3 De Francis Dash. The usual winner of each of the CC races is a horse who has been competing at a level far above that of the eligible claiming price.