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The best claiming angle
By Tom Tolmich I have always been fascinated by the way some horses improve off a claim. Often the price is great, but there seems to be no simple reason to explain why a certain trainer could improve another's horse. There is one angle that has, however, proven itself time and time again. The best claiming angle is any horse that is claimed, then steps up in class off a layoff, usually off a win or a good effort. That's it! Check out the seventh race Jan. 2 at Golden Gate. Hiway, the 8-5 favorite, was following this very angle. But so was another, Priceless, at 25-1. There were two reasons why Hiway was a bad bet and Priceless was worth a shot. One was that Hiway, a Hollendorfer/Baze horse, had never run on turf and had never shown he could go 1 1/8 miles. Plus he was a heavy, heavy favorite in a wide-open affair. Priceless, conversely, had already proven himself on grass at Del Mar and other tracks down south. Claimed for 12,500, stepping up to an allowance race off a win, coming off a layoff and moving onto the grass, Priceless won going away. I watched in digust -- why didn't I throw a measley two bucks his way? I stayed out of the race and paid for it! Other examples abound. Opening day 1999 at Emerald Downs had 27-1 shot Annie's Bou Peep doing the exact thing. She lost in a photo and I had the exacta five times with the favorite, which payed $45. The Wind Moriah also at Hollywood Park last month, and last year Peppermint Twist at 9-2 at Santa Anita. Next time you are confronted with a layoff horse stepping up off a claim, pay extra attention to it. There is a reason why the trainer is doing this. The horse probabaly needed time off, has had a string of works, and is freshened up. Bingo! Throw in a decent jock and a shakey favorite, and you may have a whopper on your hands. Don't be scared by the step up in class. It's a positive thing! So is the layoff -- especially if the horse is coming off a win. This way it avoids a "bounce." I can't wait for the next Priceless. I know it's out there. |