If anyone has followed my own blog in the past, the day before/of a race of one of our horses I post a blog where I breakdown the race and make the case that we can win. I’ll give it a shot here for MUNDY. I’ll list the horses by post position with the trainer/jockey in parenthesis and then a brief analysis.
1 – Lookinatmindy (Brinson/Martin): Clay’s other horse will look to close from off the pace. The may just be enough pace to run into, unfortunately part of the pace that would have to collapse for Lookinatmindy would be Mundy!
2 – Mundy (Brinson/Rivera): Juan Rivera retains the ride on our claim. She didn’t care for the soft going last out and she does her best work on the front end, but she’ll have some company there this trip.
3 – Morgans a Blumin (Robertson/Eikleberry): Return to the races for this steady Minnesota bred. Has proven that she belongs in open company winning an open allowance here last season.
4 -Extract (Shorter/Shepherd): $10,000 claim at Oaklawn two back, managed a 3rd at Prairie Meadows and now tried the turf where she is 1-4 lifetime.
5 – Vertical Lift (Rhone/Butler): Back on the turf where she is most comfortable. You can cross out that last race and she certainly belongs in here.
6 – Grace of Greatness (Robertson/Franco): Never off the board at Canterbury – including a 3rd in last year’s Princess Elaine Stakes – she had some trouble after traveling to Chicago.
7 – Inside Deal (Brueggemann/Goodwin): Speedy winner of last two against higher classes will look to take the field gate to wire. If she’s still “on” she’s going to be tough to beat here.
8 – Machorina (Biehler/Bell): Last out winner over the soft turf. She looks to be in top form and will be sitting just off the pace and could be in perfect position to pounce.
9 – Coconino (McFarlane/Stevens): She was thought enough of by trainer McFarlane to get claimed right back and brought up to Minnesota where she faltered in losing last over the soft going to Machorina.
This is a tough field of fillies and mares that are going to go at it. We know that our gal likes the front end but there is a real speedster in Inside Deal that is going to want to go with her. While Machorina also seems to enjoy the front end, she was able to stalk last out and a repeat of that is likely what the connections have in mind. Clay’s other horse, Lookinatmindy, is going to want to pick up the pieces should the front end fall apart.
The question is why is Inside Deal dropping down like this after winning two races at higher levels? If she is having some trouble then there is the real possibility that we could get on an uncontested lead which she (and us) would love. There is the real possibility that the owners, Midwest Thoroughbreds, are okay losing the horse for what they paid for it back in July after picking up two wins and two thirds – especially if they can pocket the win money here. All in all that would be a very successful claim.
We’ll know more Friday evening. Best of luck and I’ll see you at the track!
Canterbury Racing Club 
Yikes! sounds like a tough field. Should be exciting! Hope to cash in a winning ticket ( or two ).
Any chance we’d claim that filly?
Which filly? Right now we’re all set as far as horses go, but we’re always on the lookout in case we win a few and have some money or lose one and need to get one!
Inside Deal.
Not now, the budget is spent. Looks like a nice one if you’re sure that the reason for the drop is to lock in their profits on her and not because there is an issue.
I see there is a chance of rain tonight… how much rain can the turf course hold before they would move it to the main track?
Good question, Scott. Given the ton of rain that fell the other day and races being off the turf last night, it won’t take much to get the races off the turf tonight. The course can take quite a bit of rain when it starts dry and firm. When it’s already wet, it also depends upon how quickly it dries which depends upon wind, humidity and precipitation. For our purposes this evening, let’s hope it just stays dry.