Fillies against the boys

[misscashalot]

Sat March 9th. in todays 8th race at Aqu a New York Bred Allowance, the even $ fav Golden Dreamer a filly ran against the boys. She got beat at the wire. The trainer is Alan Klanfer and the owner Paraneck- Ernie Paragallo (sp?) is credited as calling the shots. He's run thru more trainers than Carter has pills. I think its stupid to run a filly against the boys. Any opinions here? Matt

[ranchwest]

If I recall correctly, the last filly to win the Ky Derby never won another race.

[alysheba88]

If I recall correctly, the last filly to win the Ky Derby never won another race.

Actually not correct. Winning Colors did win again.

She also ran a beautiful race in defeat to Personal Ensign,

There is nothing inherently wrong in running females versus males

Saw Serena's Song win the Haskell in person. In the BC have seen females do well in the open turf races as well as sprints

[46zilzal]

In non-sprint races they just don't do that well. On the lawn they are very capable foes.

W.C. won 2 of 7 starts in her last season of racing.

[ranchwest]

Actually not correct. Winning Colors did win again.

She also ran a beautiful race in defeat to Personal Ensign,

There is nothing inherently wrong in running females versus males

Saw Serena's Song win the Haskell in person. In the BC have seen females do well in the open turf races as well as sprints

Thanks, you are correct. I looked it up and Winning Colors won 2 of 7 as a 4 year old.

[Hajck Hillstrom]

It all depends on the filly/mare. As a rule, they don't have an inherent advantage, but every race presents a different situation.

People disparage fillies running in the Derby, but I believe in the last 75 runnings, we have seen 2 fillies win and one gelding. A total of 38 fillies have run in the Derby, so the 7% win rate isn't a terrible number.

It will be interesting to see if Pletcher and Tabor decide to run RAGS TO RICHES in the Derby this year, as she is eligible. Only 3 fillies have run in the Derby since WINNING COLORS 1988 victory, and none since 1999. Her victory at a mile and a sixteenth in the one mile Las Virgenes is the best prep I've seen yet.

[banacek]

I am likely missing something, but I almost never even know the sex of the horse I'm betting-there are too many other things that are way more important. It's a non-factor to me. And then during the race I sometimes find out - like when the announcer says something like "the filly goes for the lead". But sometimes she wins, sometimes she doesn't. I look at the form of all the horses and decide who looks the best.

I remember a story in one of Beyer's books about a stakes filly who was really good and the crop of boys was poor that year, but the owner wouldn't run her against the boys. And there was another great filly that year she kept losing to. Beyer thought she had a better chance against the boys than that horse, but the owner refused because you never runs fillies against colts.

Now, of course, that would be an exception, the top male is going to be better than the top female, almost always. But if I've got a $7500 claiming race for 3+ non-winners this year, and my choice happens to be a filly and her odds are good, I'll be betting the horse - even if she is a transexual!