Cocoa Beach

Rossington · Music Note and Cocoa Beach will be a dangerous duo only if Zenyatta goes to the Classic. Otherwise, I'd say Music Note has a chance to show in the race. If Zenyatta defects from the Ladies Classic, I see the Ladies Classic ending as 1st-Careless Jewel 2nd-Music Note 3rd-Life is Sweet. That would be my Ladies Classic tri-fecta minus Zenyatta. · 135 days ago

Rossington · Unless she just totally collapses, with Zenyatta likely out of the Ladies Classic, Careless Jewel should, if she runs to form, win the Ladies Classic. Most expect Music Note to run well, but Cocoa Beach, Lethal Heat or Rainbow View seem to be the talk of who's likely to complete the tri-fecta. I think Life is Sweet hit's the board in this race. Managing to finish 3rd to the boys in the Hollywood Gold Cup, she can certainly get up to place or show in the Ladies Classic imo. · 137 days ago

Rossington · Both of O'Brien's horses, Rip Van Winkle and Mastercraftsman are for real. I've watched a lot of replays of races that they've either won or gave Sea The Stars all he wanted. Personally, although O'Brien doesn't seem to think so, I feel that Mastercraftsman is a bit more talented even then Rip Van Winkle. I plan to bet Mastercraftsman whether he's in the Dirt Mile or the Classic. I do, however, feel that Rip Van Winkle will be right there with the front runner's come Classic's end. If she sticks with the Classic, it would for me be difficult not to bet Zenyatta to at least hit the board. She handles the synthetics and most particularly Santa Anita race course as well as any horse in racing does. Since it seems that most good turf horses do well on the pro-ride surface, I also wouldn't rule Gio Ponti out of this race either. Beyond that, it's difficult to say. Einstein has done well here in the past having won the S.A. Handicap earlier in the year. Richard's Kid, although a longshot, has done exceedingly well on synthetics having won the Pacific Classic and finishing third in the Goodwood. Summer Bird and Quality Road are the question mark's to me in the race. Having raced exclusively on conventional dirt, no one really knows how they will fire on synthetics. If he does, I feel Quality Road may be sitting on a big race having been bogged down on off tracks his last two races. Colonel John is also proven on synthetics, although I think this particular group of horses may be a little better competition than he used to facing. All and all, this is a tough race to handicap with a lot of "what if" factors to consider. I anxiously await. · 140 days ago

invasor · In races in which there are multiple entries, they have carefully ensured the inclusion of pace setters · 142 days ago

dustino140 · It's a shame Zenyatta is campaigned by the people who have her right now. This is a mare that has deserved much better handling than she's received, and her legacy is going to suffer tenfold because of it. In decades, I think people will remember Rachel Alexandra - and it's amazing to consider that she's possibly not even the best female in racing right now. They've just never campaigned Zenyatta with any boldness (i.e. why wasn't she in the Goodwood instead of the Lady's Secret?), and her legacy is going to suffer because of that. A shame. · 158 days ago

Medlocke · The front page says it all, "Zenyatta does it again!" Simple but effective. Remember that phrase, because she'll keep on doing it again and again as long as this big mare continues to race. She owns whatever racetrack she's on. I've been watching horse racing for a long time, and I don't think I've ever seen a horse lag at the back of a pack like she often does and then just gobble up so much ground in the stretch. She makes winning look easy. '' · 157 days ago