Hot List Graded Stakes Review: Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks
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Stopshoppingmaria earned her first Grade 1 win in the Coaching Clun American Oaks but doesn't look like a threat to Untapable. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Shawn Rychling
Perhaps the takeaway for horseplayers and fans after watching Sunday’s Coaching Club American Oaks is simple: Untapable has little to worry about in the 3-year-old filly division.
Stopchargingmaria ran very well in victory, but was well short of spectacular. She raced a little wide early and stalked a reasonable pace before moving three-wide on the far turn to take over and then pull away to win by five lengths. The Repole Stable/Todd Pletcher filly sat out the Mother Goose last month at Belmont Park waiting for a spot where Untapable was not running and that’s exactly what she did with the star filly pointing to next weekend’s Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. Stopchargingmaria was professional in victory coming in off a bullet work six days prior and then handling the average pace with authority by making an early winning move. It was her fifth win in nine career starts, first Grade 1 win, and fourth graded-stakes win overall.
Second choice Unbridled Forever was dead last through a half mile and tried to rally on the turn, but had little chance of catching the leader and wound up second. Miss Besilu was a nice value play going in, but wound up disappointing as she faded to third after helping to set the moderate pace.
No horses earned letters due to any late betting action as the winner went down just one notch in the final five minutes. Tough to give any letters on performance alone, but Stopchargingmaria did close well despite going wide and we’ll give her a ‘B’ figuring she can improve in second start off a freshening.
HOT LIST LETTERS
B – Stopchargingmaria
Coaching Club American Oaks Late Wagering Report
Horse No.
Odds – 3 min. to post
Final Odds
1
7-5
6-5
2
9-5
8-5
3
8
10
4
22
--
5
7
9
6
4
9/2
The $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes
By Bill Cloutier
Del Mar kicked off the Grade 1 portion of its 75th season with the Eddie Read Stakes and it certainly turned out to be a poignant opener. Mike Smith guided Tom’s Tribute from off the pace to capture the 1 1/8-mile race on the turf by 1 ¼ lengths.
The winner was named in honor of the husband of owner Marilyn Braly, who lost his battle with cancer in 2010. Tom’s Tribute, paid $6.60 to win in the six-horse field. Summer Front went off the even-money favorite and placed second while Spring Up finished third.
Braly purchased Tom’s Tribute at the Ocala Sales in 2012. It was the first Grade 1 score for the horse, who has now won five of his dozen career starts and the 11th Grade 1 win for Smith who continues to excel at the seaside strip.
Tom’s Tribute has earned a reputation for coming from well off the pace but there was very little speed in the Eddie Read so he sat in second place for most of the race and had little trouble running down the front-running Horizontalyspeakin after they turned for home to win in 1:46.01. Trainer James Cassidy had originally planned to enter the 4-year-old in the Del Mar Mile in late August and now has set his sights on a possible trip to the Breeders’ Cup.
Tom’s Tribute earned a Hot List grade of A for his victory and is certainly a threat to score again soon in similar conditions. No other horse in the race earned Hot List honors.
Eddie Read Late Wagering Report
Horse No.
Odds – 3 min. to post
Final Odds
1
8
8
2
65
1
3
13
27
4
9-2
4
5
7
9
6
5-2
2
The Hot List, founded by turf writer/handicapper Bob Ehalt in 2011, blends a detailed analysis of a race with late wagering trends to pick out the horses with the best chance of running a winning race in their next start. Hot List horses are rated in four lettered categories:
A : A preferred horse to watch off his effort in the race B : A secondary horse to watch off his effort in the race *C: Went down 2 or more betting notches in the final minutes of wagering and finished 1st through 3rd *D: Went down 2 or more betting notches in the final minutes of wagering and finished 4th or worse * - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.
For questions on the Hot List, email: nyhotlist@gmail.com