Gomez

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Octave has a very impressive resume when it comes to looking loaded at the 3/16ths pole and finishing without the punch. She actually finished 2nd in six of the first eight starts of her career.

Hystericalady, on the other hand, had a lifetime record of 10-6-0-0 on natural dirt surfaces coming into yesterday. That is obviously not the record of a hanger. However, she was NEVER rated in any of her routes on natural dirt (where she was 4-3-0-0 lifetime - injured in her only loss) and Castro decided to put a full nelson hold on her early.

Being hard rated early on by Eddie Castro and getting rank - combined with being floated out very wide by the incompetent J. Baird (the jockey of the Tiznow filly who set the pace in the Distaff and beat Octave last out) is what I believe did Hystericalady's stamina in come the final furlong - after being taken out of her game with the rating tactics, racing rank, and getting floated so wide by Baird, the gas tank was clearly on E very late.