Racing! Secretariat and Citation top Triple Crown rankings

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we wait to crown Justify as a Triple Crown winner.

By now, you’ve figured out how the Triple Crown rankings were going to finish. And you probably had a pretty good idea who was going to win before it even started. But it’s been a fun journey for me and I hope you enjoyed the excursion as well. So, now, drumroll, the final two in the countdown.

2. Citation (1948) 121 points

Citation may have finished second in the Triple Crown rankings, but his 3-year-old season seems impossible to top. He won 19 of 20 races, including a 16-race win streak that encompassed the Triple Crown races. Panelist Jon White said this about his year: “What Citation did as a 3-year-old is still mind boggling. Not only did he sweep the Triple Crown, he set a track record for 1 1/4 miles in the Jersey Stakes at Garden State Park between the Preakness and Belmont. Ron McAnally, who trained the great John Henry, was at Garden State the day Citation won the Jersey Stakes, calling it one of the most impressive races he has ever seen a horse run.”

Panelist Tim Wilkin made this case: “He won three Triple Crown races by 17 lengths, won 32 of 45 starts, only off the board once, a clear second to Big Red.” And voter Rick Hammerle called him: “The best of four Triple Crown winners in the 1940s.”

Three of the panelists voted him fourth, one had him third and seven had him in his final spot of second.

Citation’s rise in racing could be foreshadowed early as he won eight if his nine starts as a 2-year-old. His only loss came in the Washington Park Futurity where he lost to stablemate Bewitch.

His 3-year-old career started with four straight wins at Hialeah Park, three of them stakes, when his jockey Al Snider drowned in a fishing accident near the Florida Keys. Eddie Arcaro was hired to replace Snider and in his first race finished second in the Chesapeake Trial Stakes at now defunct track Havre de Grace, located in Maryland halfway between Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.

Citation, and trainer Ben Jones, avenged the loss and won the Chesapeake Stakes, what would be the first of 15 straight wins. He brushed up his form by winning the Derby Trial Stakes and then it was on to the first Saturday in May. Citation’s reputation was such that the colt only had five challengers and the track only allowed win betting. His stablemate Coaltown went to the lead but Citation stalked until Arcaro asked him exiting the far turn and he breezed to a 3 ½-length win. Arcaro gave part of his purse money to Snider’s widow.

The Preakness was an even more select field of four. Citation won by 5 ½ in what was little more than a paid workout. He could have won by much more. Just for good measure he won the Jersey Stakes before moving on to the Belmont.

It was a field of eight at the Belmont Stakes. Citation stumbled coming out of the gate but quickly went to the lead. He ran honest fractions through most of the race but then turned it on midway through the far turn. He entered the stretch leading by five lengths and coasted to an eight-length win. Here’s a collection of the three races.

Citation didn’t lose the rest of the year. He had problems with arthritis and sat out all of 1949. Calumet Farms brought him back in 1950 wanting him to be the first horse to win $1 million lifetime. He had $865,150 to that point. After winning his first race back at Santa Anita, his win streak stopped at 16 when he finished second in the San Antonio Handicap, carrying more weight than his opponents. He then finished second in the Santa Anita Handicap and San Juan Capistrano Handicap.

He was brought back for one more season at age 6, still short of $1 million. It was there that he finished out of the money for the first time in his career in the Hollywood Premiere Handicap. He eventually got back to winning and became the first horse to earn $1 million. He even won the Hollywood Gold Cup in his final year of racing.

He finished his career with 45 starts, 32 wins, 10 places and two shows. He earned $1,085,760.

Citation couldn’t duplicate his success running as a stallion, although he did sire 1956 Preakness winner Fabius. He died in 1970 at age 25.

Still want more on Citation, here’s a 45-minute documentary from ESPN.

1. Secretariat (1973) 11 first place votes, 154 points

Was there really any doubt? In a unanimous vote of our panel, Secretariat was named the best Triple Crown winner ever. Here’s what some our panelists had to say:

Rick Hammerle: “Won the Belmont by 31 lengths, ‘like a tremendous machine.’ Horse that got me into horse racing.”

Jay Privman: “He set track records in all three races, including a Beamonesque Belmont. The gold standard.”

Jon White: “There is no question in my mind that Secretariat deserves to be No. 1. In one of the most amazing accomplishments in racing history, all these years after he swept the Triple Crown, Secretariat has the distinction of having run the fastest Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont in history.

Tim Wilkin: “The best horse to ever live, no one will ever touch his 31-length romp in the Belmont Stakes.”

Those of you who have seen the 2010 movie must remember it’s a Disney biopic, meaning all you can count on being true is that there was a horse named Secretariat and he won the Triple Crown. So, don’t get caught up in all the imaginary subplots. Steven Crist of the Daily Racing Form did this review of the film’s accuracy.

He was a massive horse when fully grown at 16.2 hands (66 inches) and carried the nickname “Big Red.” It was his size that might have been a contributor to his success. When they did his necropsy, it was discovered that he had a heart that was about 2 ½ times the size of a normal horse heart. That increased ability to supply the muscles with oxygenated blood might explain his performance in the Belmont and aided him in many races.

In his very first race on July 4, 1972, he finished fourth in a field of 12 at Aqueduct. In his remaining eight races as a 2-year-old, no horse crossed the finish line in front of him. Now, he only got credit for wins in seven of those races, because he was disqualified to second in the Champagne Stakes for interference.

Trainer Lucien Laurin sent Secretariat to Florida for the winter but raced him in New York. He had only three preps before the Kentucky Derby, which was a light schedule in the 1970s but the standard for today. He won the Bay Shore Stakes and the Gotham Stakes but finished third in the Wood Memorial. It was discovered he had an abscess in his mouth and pulling on the bit hurt.

In the Kentucky Derby, he broke slowly and ran the first half of the race near the back of the pack. On the backstretch and through the far turn he started picking off horses and pulled even with Sham entering the stretch, they ran side by side until Secretariat pulled ahead and kept going, winning by 2 ½ lengths. The time of 1:59 2/5 was the first time the Derby was run in less than two minutes. Each of his quarter miles was faster than the previous one, going the final in 23 seconds. There was no sign of tiring. Watch the race here.

In the Preakness, Secretariat broke last and jockey Ron Turcotte was content to stay back through the early part of the race. But on the first turn, Turcotte thought the fractions were a little too slow and in a massive charge went to the front in seemingly a matter of seconds. He just glided around the track the rest of the way and he won by the same 2 ½ lengths. Watch race here.

By this point, Secretariat was becoming a national celebrity appearing on many magazine covers.

The story of his Belmont win has been well told. Secretariat and Sham went out to the lead and ran a blistering 46 1/5 second for the first half mile of the 1 ½-mile race. Nearing the far turn, Sham had no more and Secretariat started lengthening his lead. Track announcer Chick Anderson uttered the famous phrase, “He is moving like a tremendous machine.”

With a quarter-mile to go, his time was 1:59, faster than he won the Kentucky Derby. The 31-length margin marks this as the greatest performance by a horse in history. The picture of Turcotte looking back underneath his arm entering the stretch remains one of the iconic images in the sport. Watch race here.

Secretariat raced nine more times, winning six of them. He also had two seconds and a third. His last race was Oct. 28 of that year, winning a 1 5/8-mile turf race at Woodbine by 6 ½ lengths. Watch race here.

Secretariat went on to a successful career as a stallion, but like many of the other Triple Crown winners, produced better broodmares than colts. In 1989, he contracted laminitis, a painful condition where the top of the hoof can no longer support to bone of the leg. After unsuccessfully treating it, he was euthanized at age 19.

If you want more, here is the 40-minute ESPN documentary.

We can’t thank our panel enough for the thought they put into their selections. It was composed of horse racing experts, journalists and racing secretaries. It members are Rick Hammerle, racing secretary at Santa Anita; Steve Haskin, racing author and columnist at the BloodHorse; David Jerkens, racing secretary at Del Mar; Tim Layden, turf writer at Sports Illustrated; Tom Pedulla, lead writer for America’s Best Racing; Jay Privman, national correspondent for the Daly Racing Form; Jeff Siegel, veteran horseman and lead commentator at XBTV.com; Childs Walker, turf writer at the Baltimore Sun; Alicia Wincze Hughes, racing editor at the BloodHorse; Jon White, racing historian and morning-line maker at Santa Anita and Tim Wilkin, turf writer at the Albany Times Union.

Vote totals were 14 points for first place, 12 for second, 10 for third, and then one point less in descending order.

3. Seattle Slew (read about him here)

4. Count Fleet (read about him here)

5. Affirmed (read about him here)

6. War Admiral (read about him here)

7. Whirlaway (read about him here)

8. American Pharoah (read about him here)

9. Gallant Fox (read about him here)

10. Assault (read about him here)

11. Omaha (read about him here)

12. Sir Barton (read about him here)

Our handicapping lesson

Here’s our weekly contribution from Rob Henie of the WCHR (West Coast Handicapping Report) and the ECHR (East Coast Handicapping Report). The thinking is if you can know and understand the strategies, it will make you a better handicapper.

But, today, we’re going to do something a little different and give you his case for Justify winning the Belmont Stakes. Take it away, Rob.

“We've been so surprised by the negativity and doubt with regards to Justify’s Preakness win. So, he didn't win by 6 lengths, which, think about it, is basically the premise for the doubt of many. After all, if he had won by many lengths, he'd be the guaranteed next big thing, but a narrow victory with others closing, and he's now viewed with a hint skepticism?

“Here's our take (which is the shortest, and by the way, best one):

“First, he broke his maiden on Feb. 18th. Uh, people, think about this, he BROKE HIS MAIDEN JUST OVER 3 MONTHS AGO. He then followed that with your ‘basic’ allowance win, SA Derby win, how about a Kentucky Derby win, and, oh, throw in a Preakness win why you're at it. During that Pimlico win, he overcame a sticky track, while being eyeballed the entire way by last year's BC Juvenile winner Good Magic, before putting him away at the top of the lane. Then, he was forced to deal with those who found themselves in an advantageous position of running on late, yet they still couldn’t out finish this beast named Justify.

“Will Justify win the Belmont? My answer is an emphatic YES. Actually, I don't believe he's just gonna win, I think he'll win like the Triple Crown champ he’s soon to be, and since I'm never one to mince words or shy from ‘making the call,’ I'll emphatically state: JUSTIFY WILL WIN THE BELMONT BY A MARGIN OF 7 LENGTHS OR MORE.

The West Coast Handicapping Report can be found at https://www.westcoasthorseracing.com It has been endorsed by leading trainers, handicappers and industry sources.

XBTV Belmont analysis

As with the past Triple Crown races, we’ve got exclusive analysis of the Belmont from our friends at XBTV.com. Jeff Siegel and Aaron Vercruysse share their thoughts on the race. They are top shelf. You are guaranteed to get some insight. (You can view it here.)

In case you missed

Here’s your preview story from the Times on today’s Belmont Stakes. (Just click here.)

More on the Belmont

We can’t be everywhere, so with the help of the NYRA Press Office here’s a quick spin around what’s going on at the backstretch.

--Gronkowski, the horse, is expected to meet Gronkowski, the man, on Saturday afternoon. Trainer Chad Brown will set up a brief meeting with New England Patriot Rob Gronkowski before the colt runs in the Belmont Stakes. “Any time we can bring some positive publicity to this great sport we work in, it's a great thing,” Brown said. “I really hope this horse has success tomorrow because I think it can be a great thing all around. To meet one of the all-time great tight ends is exciting for me and is a nice little perk.”

--Tenfold jogged around the one-mile Belmont training track on Friday morning. Trainer Steve Asmussen came in from Kentucky for the exercise. “He's a beautiful horse,” Asmussen said. “He's got a great frame, a really nice way of going. Being here at the races [Thursday] it was a little concerning because the racetrack was pretty dry. As big as he is, hopefully the racetrack is a little tighter for Saturday afternoon. But he's coming into it in very good physical shape.”

--All systems are go for likely second-favorite Hofburg. “We had a good morning training all the way around,” said trainer Bill Mott. “He seems to still be going around the racetrack good. You just hope that you're dealing with a horse that's genetically capable of dealing with the mile and a half. I think we have that.”

--Blended Citizen owner Stephen Young is happy with the $85,000 purchase. “We're lucky to have him,” Young said. “We have a budget of $100,000, and the only reason we got him is because he was a really late foal. It took him a while to mature, and [trainer] Doug [O’Neill] was real good, and as patient as he could be with him. When he and [assistant trainer] Leandro [Mora] put the blinkers on him, he got a little bit better then got a little bit better on his own after that. He’s going to be competitive, I think. I mean, Justify might get a 48 opening half, and he might be sitting back there 15 lengths behind after the race, but you have to run and find out.”

--Free Drop Billy galloped around the 1 ½-mile main Belmont track on Friday morning. Trainer Dale Romans understands the effort it would take to win this race. “[Justify] has to beat himself,” Romans said. “We all know it. I think that he's the best horse, but he might not be able to go a mile and a half. He might go too fast early. A lot of things can happen. We've seen a lot of horses come in here that looked like there was no way they could lose, and get beat.

“It's good to be here. It's a showcase, but we're here to beat him. We're a long shot, but I think we're a live long shot. There are a lot of reasons to be here, including you've got to make him earn it. It's not worth it if he doesn't earn it.”

Santa Anita review

Law Abidin Citizen was able to get up over a competitive field to win Friday’s allowance feature, a $63,000 allowance down the hill at 6 ½ furlongs. He won by ¾ of a length with Tiago Pereira in the saddle. The 4-year-old gelding paid $17.80, $8.20 and $4.00.

“He’s a really nice horse, but he’s been a little inconsistent,” winning trainer Mark Glatt told Mike Willman of Santa Anita. “He’s had a few things crop up on him, but he’s good now. He’s out of conditions, so we’ll have to think about what’s next.”

Air Vice Marshall was second and Texas Wedge was third.

Santa Anita preview

Great 11-race card at Santa Anita on Saturday, starting at noon, although gates open up at 7:15 a.m. for betting at Belmont. There are lots of full fields at Santa Anita and four of the five turf races have also eligibles. The feature is the eighth, the Grade 2 $200,000 Honeymoon Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on the turf for 3-year-old fillies.

Fatale Bere is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for trainer Leonard Powell. She won her first two races in France before shipping to the U.S. She is two-for-two at Santa Anita, having won the Surfer Girl Stakes and Providencia Stakes. She was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.

The second favorite is Paved at 3-1 for Michael McCarthy. She was third in the Providencia and is two-for-five lifetime. She has never finished off the board.

The field sizes, and hold on to your hat, are, in order: 9, 9, 8, 12 (2 also eligible), 7, 12 (2 AE), 9, 8, 8, 12 (1 AE), 12 (1 AE).

The turf races are the first, fourth, sixth, eighth and 11^th.

Big races preview

A look at graded stakes or races worth more $100,000 or more on Saturday. All times PST.

9:11 Belmont: $150,000 Easy Goer Stakes, 3 year olds, 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Mask (5-2)

9:47 Belmont: Grade 1 $750,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes, fillies and mares 4 and up, 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Abel Tasman (8-5)

10:24 Belmont: Grade 1 $700,000 Acorn Stakes, fillies 3 years old, 1 mile. Favorite: Monomony Girl (4-5)

11:03 Belmont: Grade 2 $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational, 4 and up, 1 ½ miles. Favorite: War Story (2-1)

11:43 Belmont: Grade 2 $400,000 Jaipur Invitational, 4 and up, 6 furlongs on turf. Favorite: Disco Partner (5-2)

12:22 Belmont: Grade 2 $400,000 Woody Stephens Stakes, 7 furlongs. Favorite: Kanthaka (3-1)

12:59 Woodbine: $100,000 Alywow Stakes, fillies 3 years old, 6 ½ furlongs on turf. Favorite: Road To Victory (1-1)

1:02 Belmont: Grade 1 $700,000 Just a Game Stakes, fillies and mares 4 and up, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: A Raving Beauty (5-2)

1:11 Gulfstream: $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer Stakes, Fla.-breds 3 and up, 1 1/16 on turf. Favorites: Galleon Mast, Mr. Jordan (7-5)

1:45 Belmont: Grade 1 $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap, 3 and up, 1 mile. Favorite: Mind Your Biscuits (5-2)

2:32 Woodbine: $125,000 Plate Trail Stakes, Ontario-breds 3 year olds, 1 1/8 miles. Favorite: Telekinesis (2-5)

2:40 Belmont: Grade 1 $1 million Manhattan Stakes, 4 and up, 1 ¼ miles on turf. Favorite: Beach Patrol (5-2)

2:58 Churchill: Grade 3 $100,000 Mint Julep Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Favorite: Lovely Bernadette (3-1)

3:30 Santa Anita: Grade 2 $200,000 Honeymoon Stakes, fillies 3 years old, 1 1/8 miles on turf. Favorite: Fatale Bere (5-2)

3:37 Woodbine: $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, Canadian-bred fillies 3 years old, 1 1/8 miles. Favorite: Wonder Gadot (1-5)

3:46 Belmont: Grade 1 $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, 3 year olds, 1 ½ miles. Favorite: Justify (4-5)

Bob Ike’s SA play of the day

SIXTH RACE: No. 3 Tequila Blanco (4-1)

Older gelding from the Phil D'Amato stable didn't show much when finishing a distant third as the favorite over a wet-fast main track last time. However, he switches back to turf and had a very tough trip when sprinting over the grass one race back and can handle two turns. Look for him to rebound in a big way.

Friday’s result: Cimpl Man ran out in the sixth race.

Bob Ike is a Partner/VP of Horsebills.com (here’s a video) and the proprietor of BobIkePicks.com (full-card picks, 3 Best Plays and betting strategy).

Ed Burgart’s LA play of the day

THIRD RACE: No. 6 Land Of The Free (3-1)

Stretch-running gelding should get a great pace setup and was reclaimed by trainer Jesus Nunez from a victory vs. softer $2,500 field in last. With the presence of front runners Avila Beach, Bonmont and Battle Jet, I look for jockey Efrain Hernandez to get a great stalking trip aboard a gelding who has defeated stronger fields during a 43-race span in which he has seven victories and 13 seconds.

Final thought

Always looking to add more subscribers to this newsletter. Can’t beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you don’t like it, then you’re probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up. Remember, it’s free, and all we need is your email, nothing more.

Any thoughts, drop me an email at johnacherwa@gmail.com or feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

And now the stars of the show, Friday’s results and Saturday’s entries.

RISKY PROPOSITION sped to the early lead, angled in and set all the pace inside and drew clear in the stretch under left handed urging. GOODWILLAMBASSADOR came a bit off the rail to stalk the winner throughout and held second. HONEYMOONZ OVER broke a bit slowly, moved up inside to stalk the pace, came out into the stretch and bested the others. GRAY ADMIRAL broke on top but bobbled and dropped back, chased just off the rail then outside a rival, steadied midway on the hill, angled in and saved ground thereafter but did not rally. GIDDYMEISTER pulled his way between horses then stalked between foes down the hill, came out into the stretch then drifted in through the drive and weakened. SARATOGA MORNING stalked the winner three deep down the hill and four wide into the stretch and also weakened. Rail on hill at 7 feet.

LOUDEN'S GRAY chased inside, came out leaving the turn and into the stretch, went around a rival then angled in nearing midstretch, rallied under urging to the lead in deep stretch and proved best. LOVE YOUR LIFE sent along to duel for the lead inside, came off the rail into the stretch, was between foes a sixteenth out and held second. ADRIATIC SON dueled three deep then outside the winner into the stretch, was between rivals past midstretch and edged a foe for third. BLAZE'N PROSPECTOR close up stalking the pace off the rail, came three wide into the stretch, bid four wide past midstretch and was edged for the show. FOUR GAELS dueled between horses, dropped back some in a bit tight leaving the turn, drifted to the inside in the stretch and weakened.

SEA SENSATION pulled between horses then stalked inside, continued between foes into and on the second turn and into the stretch, steadied in tight off heels nearing midstretch, came out and rallied under some urging and vigorous handling to the front in deep stretch to prove best. NOTHING BUT HEAT angled in and pulled along the inside stalking the pace, came out leaving the second turn and three deep into the stretch, gained the advantage outside a rival in midstretch, fought back in deep stretch and held second. RADISH saved ground stalking the pace, came out in upper stretch, went around the pacesetter in midstretch then bid inside and outfinished rival for the show. MARJORIE E three deep early, dueled outside a rival, took a short lead leaving the second turn, fought back toward the inside in the stretch and was outkicked for third. VENUE chased outside a rival then off the rail into and on the second turn, came four wide into the stretch and put in a late bid at a minor award. ZILLINDA stalked outside then alongside a rival, went three deep on the second turn and four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. PULPACHEEKS pulled inside then came off the rail, stalked outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch and weakened. AND COUNTING sped to the early lead, dueled inside, fought back on the second turn, steadied as a rival went past in midstretch and also weakened.

ROARING FORK stalked off the rail, bid outside the pacesetter leaving the second turn, took the lead into the stretch and drew clear under a tap of the whip and good handling. MOMMA'S BABY BOY chased inside then a bit off the rail, split horses leaving the backstretch, continued outside a foe on the second turn and three deep leaving that turn, came four wide into the stretch and gained the place. STREET TO INDY stumbled badly at the start, settled inside, came out into the stretch, went around a rival in midstretch and came up the rail for the show. TIDAL EFFECT stalked the pace inside, came out leaving the second turn and into the stretch and was outfinished for third. WESTERN MONGOLIA broke slowly, chased outside a rival then three deep leaving the backstretch and into the second turn, dropped back and angled in on that turn and weakened. LATITUDE stalked outside a rival, dropped back between horses leaving the second turn and also weakened. ESCUDO NACIONAL (ARG) sped to the early lead and angled in, set the pace inside, dueled along the rail leaving the second turn and had little left for the stretch.

ATREVIDA four wide on the first turn, stalked outside a rival, moved up three deep early on the second turn, took the lead outside a rival, inched clear leaving the turn and proved best under urging. BONNEVILLE FLATS had speed inside then tugged along the rail stalking the pace and steadied early on the backstretch, split horses midway on the second turn and leaving that turn and closed the gap to the winner late. REINAHERMOSA saved ground off the pace, came out into the stretch and edged a rival late for the show. MILLIE JOEL chased inside then outside a rival leaving the backstretch and into the second turn, went three deep leaving that turn and into the stretch and was edged for third. LOVELY LINDA had speed between horses, dueled a bit off the rail leaving the first turn then inside, continued along the rail and surrendered the advantage on the second turn and weakened in the drive. MAJESTIC DIVA stalked outside a rival then inside into and on the second turn and into the stretch and also weakened. MISTY SLEW chased off the rail then outside a rival leaving the second turn and also weakened. RED WHITE 'N PEACH had speed three deep then dueled outside a rival, dropped back between horses on the second turn and gave way.

LAW ABIDIN CITIZEN dueled between horses, came three deep into the stretch, battled on a short lead three wide in the lane and held on gamely under urging. AIR VICE MARSHAL stalked early then bid inside to duel for the lead, came out into the stretch, fought back between horses through the final furlong and went willingly to the end. TEXAS WEDGE stalked outside a rival or off the rail, came out four wide into the stretch and finished with interest. SO CONFLATED chased off the rail then between rivals, continued outside a foe into the stretch and found his best strife late between horses. CIMPL MAN between rivals early, chased inside, bid along the rail in the stretch and was outfinished. ARTIE B GOOD settled outside then angled in a bit off the rail to the stretch, came out in midstretch and also found his best stride late. ERIC THE TROJAN chased three deep, came four wide into the stretch and could not quite summon the needed late kick. GRAZEN SKY a bit slow to begin, saved ground chasing the pace throughout and lacked a rally. ACCEPTANCE broke in the air and slowly, pulled early while off the rail, swung four wide into the stretch and was not a threat. SIGUR ROS dueled three deep then four wide into the stretch and weakened in the drive. Rail on hill at 7 feet.

WARM IT UP prompted the pace six wide then stalked outside on the turn, bid again four wide into the stretch, took a short lead outside the runner-up and held under urging. CHAMPAGNE HONEY dueled four wide between foes then three deep on the turn, fought back off the rail in the stretch and continued willingly to the end. I'M SASSY had good early speed and dueled three deep between foes then between rivals on the turn and held third. SPECTACULAR STORM stalked a bit off the rail then inside on the turn, came out in midstretch and split rivals late. DON'T PASS pressed the pace five wide between foes then stalked between rivals on the turn, came three deep into the stretch and weakened. KYA settled outside then off the rail, angled in off the inside on the turn and outside a rival into the stretch and lacked a rally. LUCKY OUTCOME dueled between horses then inside on the turn and weakened in the drive. SISTER NELA chased off the rail then outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch and lacked a rally. MS. REHBURG dropped back off the rail then outside a rival leaving the backstretch and on the turn, swung out into the stretch and was not a threat. CALI CHATTER went up inside to duel for the lead, fell back on the turn, came out into the stretch and weakened. TIZ INTRIGUING bobbled at the start, settled just off the rail then inside leaving the backstretch and on the turn and into the stretch and had little left for the drive.

ALMOST REALITY saved ground stalking the pace, came out in upper stretch, bid outside the runner-up under some urging past the eighth pole, gained a slim advantage in deep stretch and gamely prevailed. X S GOLD pulled her way to the early lead, angled in and set the pace inside under some restraint, fought back inside the winner in the final furlong and went willingly to the end. SEA SMOKE stalked outside the winner then off the rail to the stretch and held third. MIZZEN GLORY chased between horses then a bit off the rail, continued inside on the second turn and into the stretch, came out in midstretch and was edged for the show between foes late. CLEARLY GONE pulled early and steadied into the first turn, settled a bit off the rail, split horses leaving the second turn, came out in the stretch and put in a late bid at a minor award. MOONSHINE ANNIE stalked three deep on the first turn then outside a rival to the stretch and lacked the needed rally. VERONICA BAY saved ground chasing the pace, continued inside in the stretch and did not rally. EASYDOES IT PLEASE broke a bit slowly, settled three deep then outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch and weakened.