I Am Woman at Monticello; Fizzy 4th for New Connections

I Am Woman is back to Monticello from Saratoga in what normally would be considered a good spot for her after that last outing. If you recall she was trapped in the back of the field in her last and was stuck three wide through almost the entire last quarter while picking up horses and finishing a strong fourth. All we wanted was to get a race back and move inside. Well, it took a few weeks and we didn't get moved inside at all - we drew the 8 hole again!

The race will be the 12th of the day and the conditions are non-winners of 2 races, but no more than 4 for fillies and mares. Like I mentioned, she drew the outside. Let's take a look at on her inside:

1 - No Limit Lady (Poynton): Shifting inside for the first time in a long time, she had a nice run two back, but her last was uninspiring.

2 - JL Lucy (Aldrich, Jr.): Been a while since she's been competitive but a return to form could bring her a piece.

3 - PH Quick Chick (Marohn, Jr.): First trip over the strip after coming in from Yonkers was flat. Should be some improvement this week. ML favorite.

4 - Bryn-Zion's Girl (Marohn, Sr.): Has had a tough last few months. Not a real chance in here.

5 - Fun Four Everyone (Micallef): Tough one last out, but has been right in there every week. Could be the one to beat.

6 - Celeriter (Benedetto): Best puts her right in this group.

7 - Biding Her Time (Parker, Jr.): Tends to run hot and cold. Hot here and she's a winner.

8 - I AM WOMAN (Merton)

Since the end of August, our gal has performed admirably. She destroyed her field in her qualifier and paced a solid fourth last out. I'm not asking for the rail, but would the four hole have been too much to ask? I don't think she can necessarily beat this group from the outside. She'll need some real help from the racing Gods. If she can get into a good position early so she doesn't get shuffled back, we could be in a really nice spot. But that is going to be tough to do on a half mile track out of the eight spot. In reality, I'm hoping for a win, but really expecting another strong effort and top four finish.

FIZZY FOURTH FOR NEW CONNECTIONS

Fizzy's race was taken off the turf and he raced over a sloppy main track finishing fourth of the six remaining horses in the race. The chart says he "never menaced" and that was true watching the race. He just ran around the track. This really didn't surprise me as Fizzy has always hated really sloppy tracks. Wet fast and he's OK, a real mess and that's another story. I would have asked Bernell to scratch out of the race if he were still ours because I would have seen this as a waste of a race considering his dislike for this type of surface. In the end, I just hope that he came back well.

Tonight's Show; I Am Woman

Just a short blurb update this morning as I get ready to climb aboard a no o'clock in the morning flight back to Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Tonight I'll be looking to get your views on whether or not there is too much racing right in now in N. America. Does the industry need to cut off a limb in order to make the patient healthy again? Or are there just too many barriers to making this happen? Please think about it and weigh in with your thoughts as we go On the Air With Owning Racehorses again this evening at 10 PM Central Time on Blog Talk Radio.

I AM WOMAN

She simply cannot pace a solid mile these days. She followed up a relatively tough trip 4th with just a terrible seventh Monday night at Monticello. She'll be given the once over by the vet again and see if there is any reason she keeps stopping on her miles. She appears sound with no heat and no visible signs of injury. Even blood work in the past has been clean. We'll just have to wait and see what the vet says and then see how VIP follows up.

I Am Woman - Monticello Monday

I Am Woman takes on seven rivals in a Non-Winners of 3 Lifetime plus conditioned pace at Monticello Raceway this afternoon. It looks as if she should be able to get the garden trip, second on the rail, for most of the way around. If she can clear traffic and finally finish a mile she should be in a good position in the stretch. We've sung this song before, but if I weren't an optimist, I wouldn't be in racing!

SK Stu Peru - Got up in the last strides to nip I Am Woman for third last out and now moves to the rail.

I AM WOMAN

Pretty Pedals - Struggled since moving up to this level, though her last was a considerable improvement.

TT's Medalofhonor - Tried to wire the field last out but was gang tackled in the stretch to finish 5th. Wants the engine and doesn't appear to have early speed inside of her.

Powerful Al - Very flat last out and was beaten by many of these.

JL Lucy - Been able to stay close in last two but may be too tough for the top spot.

Hello Grin - Been facing much speedier in Penn, but never close to a win. Should fit in here, though.

Bella Paradisa - Wants the front but burdened with the 8 spot again. Could be a repeat of last.

If I Am Woman can't hang with this group, I'm not sure what VIP will do with her next. I would think that a drop into claiming company would be warranted, but maybe she'll surprise in here?

I Am Woman - 4th Again

I Am Woman had a bit of a difficult trip yesterday afternoon and finished fourth in her non-winner of three conditioned pace at Monticello. As feared, she was shuffled back to fourth early and at each opportunity to pull and make a run she was blocked on the outside by a fading horse or by a stalling filly to her front. Heading into the stretch she finally popped free but was too far back to rally.

In a punch to the gut, while she passed several in the lane, she was nosed out by a hard closing SK Stu Peru for 3rd. Sure, it's only a 4% difference in purse money, but it would have got her close to breaking even for the month. Hopefully she gets back in Monday and we get one last shot at August.

It's hard to evaluate a race like this one, but our gal seems to get the worst of it every time out. I don't know what level the folks at VIP are looking at next, but she may be OK in here one more time. A second and a fourth is not being totally outclassed, but it would not break my heart to drop her into a claiming race either.

Finally - I Am Woman Back in Action

I Am Woman hasn't raced since August 3rd, a victim of a racing office error that had her entered in a race she was ineligible for, though she's be training well the entire time. Sadly, that was followed up by the inability to get into a field the following week and here we are, three weeks later, finally starting again. This is way too much time for a Standardbred trying to build off a nice second place finish after some dismal performances prior.

Monday afternoon's race at Monticello, the first, is a Non-Winners of 3 PM Races Lifetime with an earnings condition which is where she fits here. Six of the eight starters are three year olds so I Am Woman will be facing mostly her own age for the first time in a long time. Interestingly enough she will also be facing two half sisters (sired by Blissful Hall) from the same foal crop in the race.

Here is a rundown of the field:

1. Four Starz Dylan (Merton) - Dropping way down from her last race to really the next logical level for her after being trounced in a Freehold Stake. Prior to that her starts were consistent and on the engine - something the one hole should help with this time.

2. Magical-Flash (Bouchard) - Last two have been rough, but was trying from the outside. Moving inside will help, but has not won for a while.

3. Maverick Benka (Marohn, Jr.) - First over this track was a just-miss. She may be able to settle behind Four Starz Dylan and get the garden trip.

4. I AM WOMAN (Hough)

5. Powerful Al (Marohn, Sr.) - Has been treading water at this level for months now with an occasional piece of the pie in slower races.

6. Sk Stu Peru (Aldrich, Jr.) - Parked wide in last two but had valiant efforts to hit the board. Still has not broken a two minute mile, however.

7. Cardinal Bliss (Parker, Jr.) - First half sister in the field and has been racing very professionally since correcting her breaking issues in July. Likes the front, but may find it tough to get there from the seven spot.

8. Bella Paradisa (McAllef) - Other half sister who also likes being on the lead. Her problem is that she's even further outside! Throw out her Yonkers effort and she's won 4 in a row including her first here.

So what are our girl's chances in this one? Her morning line is 10-1. Admittedly she had not shown much prior to her second place finish on the 3rd. That being said, that second was finally a pretty nice effort - she actually gained a length on the leader in the stretch rather than give up distance! But I worry about the three weeks off and her level of sharpness. There is not a ton of speed on her inside and she may be shuffled back early or worse, parked wide. Although it's only an eight horse field, that's still plenty of traffic to negotiate on a half mile oval. Another solid effort here and I think she's back on track, but we'll need more racing luck than usual to get the win.