With both Photo Call and Midnight Storm both looking like need the lead types in the BC Mile on the turf, that race is looking like it might open up for an off the pace type to get the job done me thinks. I haven't watched anything on video from the Euros yet, although the horse that Hodge mentioned, Limato (7/2 ML), does look like he is the class of this field having had a whole bunch of wins and place finishes in G1 on the other side of the pond. If I see a running style that could take advantage of a pace battle up front he looks like he may be tough on just his class alone. Out of the North American horses, Ironicus (8/1), would probably be the one I'd back before anybody as he's made a nice run in each of his last three races after having to overcome a slow pace up front in those races (49+ second half mile paces in each). In their one mile races, Photo Call and Midnight Storm have been running no slower than 47 seconds to the half mile, which is very fast for a race on the grass which typically sees pace that is slow early, fast late. With both those early speed types entered I think we have a very good chance to see a 46 second half mile and that would only help a horse with a closing kick like Ironicus, who's won every race he's been in with a 48 second or quicker half mile (4 of them).
Ironicus' (grey horse, #8) last race where he makes a huge late run and almost gets there at the end when trying to overcome that slow pace up front;
In his race before that Ironicus (#6) went up against Flintshire, and while it may be doubtful that he would have beat him that race since Flintshire appeared to get the jump on him, any chance Ironicus had was thrown out the window when he found trouble in the stretch and had to have the breaks put on his some (1:55 mark of next video). He still recovered from that, though, to get back up into 2nd at the line;
So yeah, I'll give Limato a good look in the next day or two, and maybe one of the other Euros. If I like what I see I'll use him. Shit, I may just use him anyway just based on his class and that I probably trust Hodge's opinion on the grass more than I do my own. But it's also looking like I'm going to get Ironicus into some wagers as well just because I think the race shapes up for him. Maybe mix up a few plays in that race with an exacta box involving those two included? At 7/2 and 8/1, there's nothing wrong with that I don't think since I'm trying to get some kind of decent price opportunities mixed in with all the chalk this weekend.
