Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Cannon Shell
This years handicap horses (a guess that is an outdated term also) are as bad as any I can remember and next year may be worse. It is not out of the realm of possibility that a horse will be claimed and win a graded stake next out. Maybe a grade 1.
|
Not that I necessarily disagree with you, and maybe with the use of synthetics out west it ultimately means little, but I have to say that the CA division is pretty solid this year. Neither Heatseeker, Tiago, or Surf Cat have missed a beat all season long and up until he got hurt, Monterey Jazz was a prominent force himself. Old-timers that try hard like Lava Man and Big Booster (and perhaps Perfect Drift) add a little more depth and there are a couple of horses that may improve like Champs Elysees, Monzante, and Neko Bay.
At the same time, praise should be given to Dan Hendricks for his handling of the good turf horse Daytona, who has butted heads without a break since last October, and even after a big Grade 1 victory last out, is still pointing for a Grade 2 target in the next couple of weeks rather than staying in the stall awaiting something like the Eddie Read or Arlington Million.