7/23-24 (DMR): Read (G1), Osunitas; Clemente (G2), Cal Dreamin'
 

5th (4:00) Osunitas S.

1 1/16 Miles (Turf) | Fillies and Mares | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $85,000

1 Wild Mia Flores D R 121 L
2 Turning Top (IRE) Rosario J 121 L
3 Andina (IRE) Gomez G K 119 L
4 Timezone Espinoza V 119 L
5 City to City Bejarano R 119 L
6 Miss Pleasant Quinonez A 119 L
7 Ninth Infantry Sutherland C 123 L
8 Kayce Ace Valenzuela P A 121 L
9 Lilly Fa Pootz Talamo J 119 Blk-Off L
10 Middle Club (GB) Smith M E 119



8th (5:30) Eddie Read S. (G1)

1 1/8 Miles (Turf) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $300,000

1 Jeranimo Gomez G K 119 L
2 Goldwaki (GER) Blanc B 119 L
3 Kid Edward (IRE) Espinoza V 119 L
4 Leroy's Dynameaux Sutherland C 119 L
5 Smart Bid Prado E S 121 L
6 Acclamation Rosario J 123 L
7 Caracortado Talamo J 119 L
8 Celtic Princess (BRZ) Bejarano R 116 L

More hilarity courtesy of the SoCal racing schedule.

May 30, they ran the 9f Gamely for turf mares at Hollywood. On June 26, they ran the Beverly Hills at 10f. A mere week later, they ran the Royale Heroine at a flat mile. Guess what, each of the latter two races got half the horses from the previously run Gamely. Yeah, because they need to be splitting up the already threadbare divisions in CA between milers and middle distance horses.

But whatever. As long as they keep running the stakes races, someone will show up, right? That's the problem. Suddenly, after the barrage at Hollywood, there's no where to run the turf fillies in So Cal until mid-August. The Ramona (now the John C. Mabee) is no longer the first weekend alongside the male counterpart race, the Eddie Read. In fact, the Mabee won't be run for over 3 more weeks. Feast or famine.

So now A.C. Avila has to run his in-form Celtic Princess against colts to get a race into her. Way to go.

The best part is that they moved the Mabee to the same weekend as the f'n Beverly D. at Arlington. It's no longer a Grade 1 springboard to that international race. Instead, it will compete directly with it. No wonder it's only a Grade 2 now and in this spot on the calendar is destined to be a Grade 3 like the once mighty Beverly Hills.

6th (4:30) California Dreamin' H.

1 1/16 Miles (Turf) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $100,000

1 Norvsky Bejarano R 118 L
2 Tamarack Smarty Rosario J 115 L
3 Tribal Nation Valenzuela P A 113 L
4 Earnednevergiven Flores D R 116 L
5 All Saint Delgadillo A 116 L
6 Burns Talamo J 111 L
7 Lucky Primo Baze T C 120 L
8 Atticus Jack Espinoza V 115 L



8th (5:30) San Clemente H. (G2)

1 Mile (Turf) | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $150,000

1 Up In Time (GB) Bejarano R 116 L
2 Celestial Kitten Rosario J 116 L
3 Fifth Commandment (IRE) Espinoza V 117 L
4 Bonita Star (GB) Valenzuela P A 116 Blk-On L
5 Sarah's Secret Flores D R 120 L
6 Fifth Ave (GB) Smith M E 116 L
7 Great Hot (BRZ) Sutherland C 115 L
8 Rosehill Dew (IRE) Blanc B 115 L
9 Mizdirection Gomez G K 115 L
10 Justenufappeal Talamo J 118 L
AE Carousel (GB) Garcia M 114

I know this horse, dude. Scarface is one of my favorite horses. When he loses a tough race against a Grade 1 horse, he needs way more than 3 weeks rest. He totally empties his tank. Whether it be Sydney's Candy (in the San Felipe,) Fluke (in the Kilroe,) or Courageous Cat (in the Shoemaker.) Give him 8 weeks, and he will put another great effort in.

Oh, in hindsight, Machowsky now agrees... C student with an A horse.

I can only assume Abrams is scratching Burns for tomorrow, or is he gonna run him right back?

If for some reason he does run him right back, it is worth noting that, according to Trakus, Burns had the second-fastest final quarter in any of the mile turf races so far, doing it better than Mr. Commons, Anniversary Girl, and anyone in today's speedy second, which had a final time faster than the Oceanside.

Burns also ran 30 feet farther than the average horse drawn from post two going a mile at Del Mar, and 21 feet farther than the average of all horses over the trip

Yawn. It was a merry-go-round race. He had no shot once the race scratched down to Acclimation as lone speed.

You realize that other than Caracortado sticking his nose in front of Smart Bid at the wire, there was not a single change in position throughout the race? That is, other than Acclimation drawing farther and farther away from the rest of the field.

If Caracortado's form seems inconsistent it's because of race dynamics, bad racing luck, and surface switches (which may continue if he runs next on the main track in the Pacific Classic).

Tough spot. It's a Calbred Gelding trained by a guy who loves the action. I think he survived another health scare a few weeks back. That will make ya live for today.

LOL..You are the ultimate bullshyt artist. If he has 8 weeks rest, he can smoke that Calbred. Slow pace, fast pace, easy lead ..whatever. Little horse is either hooked up, or he isn't.

Didn't even take me 8 weeks to come up with them, either.

The is more to the past performances than just the dates the races were run on.

Either way, we're both simply making excuses for a horse that probably isn't Grade 1 caliber when it is all said and done.

If they'd of skipped the Shoemaker, he'd of won this Grade 1 today. He can win a weak Grade 1, but he has to be at his best (full tank.) He's not as good as Courageous Cat etc.

Why is that? Because I come up with rational reasons why a horse has been compromised in some of his recent losses?

I guess it's easier to just come up with a magic number and spew it as Scripture.

I say he needs 7 weeks. 8 weeks is too much. After all, he lost the Shoemaker after 8 weeks off.

He wouldn't have beaten Acclimation if they went around there 5 more times. The winner controlled the race throughout.

Why is 8 weeks the equivalent of a "full tank"?

If he was trained by Jeff Bonde, then, he would be getting at least 45 days between starts. We wouldn't be having this discussion. He would be treated like Bonde's Grade 1 sprinter is treated. Machowsky admitted he shouldn't of brought him back on 3 weeks rest. There are signs of him finally getting his head out of his ass, and spacing this horse's races better. Losing at 7/5, and 4/5 will wake a trainer up.

Is the Grade 1 sprinter you're talking about named Smiling Tiger?

You know, the one that is scheduled to run in the Bing Crosby next weekend, 28 days after his last start...

Never mind his once-a-month schedule all of last year.

Talk about bullsh!t.

As for Machoswky, the "ran him back too quick" line is classic trainerspeak. The horse ran fine today given the race dynamics. At any rate, Caracortado has never even won a race off 8 weeks rest.

Absolutely agree, he ran fine. Actually had the fastest final eighth in a race where pace absolutely made the result.

Has it dawned on anyone that Caracortado is now winless on turf since his big restricted stakes win that was supposed to make him a major player in the division? He has been horribly overrated since the Sunshine Millions race.

I agree with the sentiment that he could have been returning in 60 or 600 days yesterday and was never going to touch Acclamation with the way the race unfolded.