Saturday, January 31, 2009

The Nomination is In: January 31, 2009

The Holy Bull, G3 at Gulfstream. 1 1/8 miles on Dirt for 3 YOs.



Interesting race to handicap. I see four real quality horses who should be solid graded stakes contenders, some mediocrity, and some quirky post positioning as well. It's hard not to like the expected chalk, Grade 3 winner West Side Bernie. He's been brought along slowly, but his work is sizzling and his speed is building each race out. Money will flow to him, and while a win bet isn't worth it, as a player in boxed exotics seems without question.

In the 9 and 11 post sandwiching West Side Bernie is Nowhere to Hide and Beethoven. Nowhere to Hide is similar to West Side Bernie, as he's at a new distance, but does he sizzle in works. Trainer Zito is 32% winner off last win starts. Garcia is up.

Beethoven, a Grade 2 winner, will have Borel up and will need a good trip from the far outside.

I can picture Danger to Society being there in the last few hops to the wire. Idol Maker needs to show me something and I'm not even sure I'm not ranking him too high as it is.

Little Turk's karate dojo (AKA Turk's Saturday handicapping safe harbor)was madness today for whatever reason. I have no real bet strategy right now except that I like the separation between what I see as the quality stakes contenders and the good allowance winners. With that type of separation I'm thinking exotic right now. As always, watch the board and judge your scorecard against value (unless you like to win Show money- Bless Mama Turk's heart).

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