Santa Anita Oaks

[geowarrior]

What did everyone think of that?!

[bdw0617]

great race. I singled stardom bound in the pick 4, i was sweating bullets. lol

still alive too!

[geowarrior]

Hard to believe Stardom Bound got there, I thought it was over when she swerved in the stretch.

[Heidilady]

Hard to believe Stardom Bound got there, I thought it was over when she swerved in the stretch.

To be fair she wasn't choosing to swerve, it was either that or get knocked over. Those other horses interfered with each other to the point that nobody got taken down, the stewards just went 'ah screw it they're all responsible' I guess based on what the announcer said. If she had missed at the wire I think you'd have seen them put her up to first since it definitely would've cost her the race. It certainly slowed the momentum by enough IMHO. I think she wouldn't have won by daylight but a head or neck instead of a nose? Possibly.

[oliverstoned]

I wonder if she'll like dirt. Sure seems like she'll like longer races.

[ArchDandy]

The head-on for the race shows the following three finishers swerving into stardom bound, she avoided them, then re-rallied. Her finish is beneath her talent. Would have won by more if not for the horses bolting towards her in the stretch. I believe there was even an inquiry about the whole thing.

[Heidilady]

The head-on for the race shows the following three finishers swerving into stardom bound, she avoided them, then re-rallied. Her finish is beneath her talent. Would have won by more if not for the horses bolting towards her in the stretch. I believe there was even an inquiry about the whole thing.

I agree. And you're right the horses on the tote after Stardom Bound were all flashing. The reason they all stayed up is a mutual screwup by all 3 horses. She rerallied more than once if I remember right. I thought I saw her take up a smidge right as she began her move because the horse near her at the back got in her way a bit. At least that's what I thought I saw. She finished like that in spite of the other horses, not because she wasn't as good as she has been. Going that wide and still winning was just crazy. If I'd had a heart attack I'd have sent the bill to Santa Anita to get split amongst those jockeys.

[Exterminator]

I thought she'd lost at the 16th pole, then to win such a tight photo...whew!
Mike Smith did say he had to take her up a little when she first started making her move and then he decided to stay out of her way and let her just go around the others.

[Dave C]

Sorry to interrupt the love in for this filly, but her stride down the stretch is still turning me off. Watching her as a 2yo I hoped she would grow into her body and smooth out her stride, but it hasn't happened, and now that the other fillies as starting to mature they seem to be catching up to her. Unless she starts improving, by midsummer she won't be a top tier filly anymore. I know, she would have won by more if it wasn't for the interference, but that doesn't change the fact that her margin of victory keeps getting smaller as the competition gets better. I think any dreams of the KD for her are just that, dreams. JMHO

[bdw0617]

Sorry to interrupt the love in for this filly, but her stride down the stretch is still turning me off. Watching her as a 2yo I hoped she would grow into her body and smooth out her stride, but it hasn't happened, and now that the other fillies as starting to mature they seem to be catching up to her. Unless she starts improving, by midsummer she won't be a top tier filly anymore. I know, she would have won by more if it wasn't for the interference, but that doesn't change the fact that her margin of victory keeps getting smaller as the competition gets better. I think any dreams of the KD for her are just that, dreams. JMHO

she has 5 grade 1 wins. Id o'nt care if she got them as a 2 year old or a 6 year old. that's impressive.

[Dave C]

Don't get me wrong, I fully understand there isn't any extra money for winning pretty.

Winning G1's at 2 and early at 3 isn't the same as winning against open company. I'm just saying unless she's a late bloomer who hasn't started to blossem yet, she's going to be hard pressed to win against open caliber company. Right now it looks like she was winning because she was bigger/more mature than the competition. With every race the company is more mature and isn't quite so easy for her to run past down the stretch.

[erins isle]

I got this link from a friend and viewed the race, can't believe she comes down the stretch all on the outside, a great race, but we're not used to it I guess.

[ratherrapid]

SB was pretty impressive in my book. If M. Smith rode a different race, got his horse into it earlier, and positioned her, might she have won going away?

[UmmYeah]

SB was pretty impressive in my book. If M. Smith rode a different race, got his horse into it earlier, and positioned her, might she have won going away?

Yeah, I agree. As soon as Smith made the decision to swing wide, the rail opened up. He couldn't have known that would happen, and knowing that he had the best horse, I think he was willing to trade the lost ground for a clear path. Had he waited a little and taken the rail path, though, I think he saves five to ten lengths and would have won going away.

[Exterminator]

Heard she's headed for the Ashland next. Personally I thought she had every excuse for a tight finish in the Oaks and that maybe she was ready to face the boys next out, but maybe this race took more out of her than what she'd need against colts.