[eajinabi]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Instead of having an interesting Strub series, Santa Anita and its ridiculous stakes schedule has made it possible for John Sadler to keep his two top 4yos apart without even having to ship either one out of town.

Despite winning separate stakes for straight 3yos on the same day at the same track, Twirling Candy and Sidney's Candy won't clash in the second leg, the San Fernando. Twirling Candy will simply await the final leg, the Strub.

Will Sidney's Candy, presuming a good effort this weekend, return for a showdown? Unlikely.

In all probability, Sidney's Candy will simply sit the next one out, just as his stablemate is doing here.

If for some reason, Sadler decides Sidney's Candy needs another race 3 weeks from now, he still won't have to pit him against Twirling Candy in the Strub.

The day after the Strub, a 9f race for 4yos, Santa Anita will also run the San Antonio, a 9f race for 4yos and up.

It's pure genius.

Not to mention the Sunshines Classic a week earlier to the Strub/San Antonio weekend BUT those are only prep races to the Big Cap. I would rather have two/three prep races close together and have those top finishers end up in the Big Cap resulting in a bigger field. It doesnt make sense to have the same 6-7-8 horses run in the San Fernando then Strub then San Antonio only to have them run again against each other in the Big Cap ending in an almost predictable result.