By Rick Harris
Trainer Doug O’Neill sends out an uncoupled entry, SCOREWITHCATER and CAPE TRUTH, in the Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park, a Grade 3 event at a mile and a sixteenth over the synthetic track on Saturday.
The latter last raced at Lone Star, on the dirt, in the Lone Star Derby, and finished fifth, beaten fifteen lengths. The race before that, Cape Truth broke his maiden at Hollywood Park over this surface and distance, essentially going gate to wire. Cape Truth should again be part of the pace scenario which will set it up perfectly for his stablemate, SCOREWITHCATER.
Scorewithcater last raced at Belmont in the Peter Pan Stakes, which is most commonly used as a prep for Belmont Stakes. This route was taken by the eventual Peter Pan winner, Charitable Man. Scorewithcater finished thirteen lengths off the winner. This one made a move on the far turn but could not sustain a late kick over the sandy Belmont course. The time before that, Scorewithcater finished third in the Sunland Derby, finishing a neck IN FRONT of eventual Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird!
Doug O’Neill worked this colt nicely on June 12th, going a solid six furlongs in 1:12 2/5, the second best time of the day out of six working that distance. His off-the-pace style should fit perfectly with this speed laden field.
Because of the relatively short field in this year’s Affirmed, I would suggest singling SCOREWITHCATER in your multi-race exotics (Pick Three’s, Pick Four and Pick Six) and hope for prices in the other races.
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By Rick Harris – www.calhorse.com
