Looking for Mudders
Hurricane Wilma is working its way up the East Coast, drenching New York and New England this morning. Everything is supposed to clear up on Thursday, and Saturday should be partly sunny, with only a 40% chance of rain. Even if not another drop falls until after the Breeders’ Cup, the Belmont turf is sure to be soft, which is another reason for me to leave the three grass races to others.
As for the dirt, reader Victoria emailed to say she was “handicapping with an eye toward mud” and I think she’s probably right in doing that. If the rain does go away on Thursday, the main track should be fast on Saturday. It’d be folly to count on that, though. So, who are the off-track standouts? One that really popped out at me in going over the Daily Racing Form Breeders’ Cup preview is Capeside Lady (30-1 morning line) in the Distaff. Trainer Todd Pletcher is understandably talking up stablemate Ashado, who will be retired after the BC and is the likely Distaff favorite. On a fast track, Capeside Lady isn’t likely to upset. On an off-track, she could win at a big price. Some of her most impressive performances and biggest Beyers — which equal Ashado’s — have come on muddy surfaces. She’s definitely one to consider if the conditions are right.
