According to a buddy/owner, Cali has been very actively solicitling for horses this year. Big purses, small fields = happy owners/trainers.

Add the Anti Gulfstream argument over the MSW and Allowance races, with the 1 - poor saddling area in the tunnel, 2 - the small paddock ring with an elevated ramp from and to the track that trainers dislike 3 - and the piece de resistance, the short run to the turn for 1 1/8 races and no possibility of running 1 1/16 races . plus the obvious rotten purse structure. Is it any wonder that so many 3 yo horses were shipped out of town to run their preps, rather than run at Gulfstream ?

Patrick Biancone got it right and went out west for the winter and Pletcher is following and is simply making the most of a good opportunity timing wise.He will see if the Gulf slots will actually make a difference and see how things work out on the west coast. I remember that Dutrow tried the west coast thing without much success a couple of years ago too !