EMD MCL

[OverlayHunter]

This past Sunday's 10th race at EMD was for Maiden Claim 12,500. 7 of the entries were colts/geldings and 1 of the entries was a filly (she won).

The filly was clearly a contender to me but, because these situations are relatively rare, I came away from the race with a question. How much difference (if any) does sex make at that (and similar) levels? Should it be considered or ignored? In this case, I chose to ignore it but I'm not certain that's the correct long-term best way to deal with it.

[mistergee]

I would keep ignoring that factor and just do my normal capping

[tbwinner]

A lot of the times I find if a filly is facing males that means the trainer knows the horse is ready to run and couldn't find a spot for her at that class for her own sex. It could actually be a good angle to see if fillies against males do better with certain trainers; myself I pay attention if a good trainer on the circuit (say 15%+ win percentage) sends a girl out against the boys in an open overnight race.

Example - 35% winning AP trainer Jimmy DiVito sent out the mare Allaboutimage to face against 9 other males at Arlington on Sunday 9/11. The horse's form certainly showed that it fit and in Illinois (and I'm sure other jurisdictions as well) females facing males get a 3 pound weight allowance. She went to the lead and wired the field to dead-heat a closer for the win. The horse was ready and they likely weren't writing races for fillies sprinting on turf (well...there is one written on tomorrow's card so not sure if 5 days would have made a difference).

[Stillriledup]

A lot of the times I find if a filly is facing males that means the trainer knows the horse is ready to run and couldn't find a spot for her at that class for her own sex. It could actually be a good angle to see if fillies against males do better with certain trainers; myself I pay attention if a good trainer on the circuit (say 15%+ win percentage) sends a girl out against the boys in an open overnight race.

Example - 35% winning AP trainer Jimmy DiVito sent out the mare Allaboutimage to face against 9 other males at Arlington on Sunday 9/11. The horse's form certainly showed that it fit and in Illinois (and I'm sure other jurisdictions as well) females facing males get a 3 pound weight allowance. She went to the lead and wired the field to dead-heat a closer for the win. The horse was ready and they likely weren't writing races for fillies sprinting on turf (well...there is one written on tomorrow's card so not sure if 5 days would have made a difference).

As soon as i read this thread, i was thinking of this example you cited. I was originally going to toss her out, but the field wasnt all that great and the trainer 'never loses', i'm shocked she was 7-1, phenominal price.

[Striker]

A lot of the times I find if a filly is facing males that means the trainer knows the horse is ready to run and couldn't find a spot for her at that class for her own sex. It could actually be a good angle to see if fillies against males do better with certain trainers; myself I pay attention if a good trainer on the circuit (say 15%+ win percentage) sends a girl out against the boys in an open overnight race.

Example - 35% winning AP trainer Jimmy DiVito sent out the mare Allaboutimage to face against 9 other males at Arlington on Sunday 9/11. The horse's form certainly showed that it fit and in Illinois (and I'm sure other jurisdictions as well) females facing males get a 3 pound weight allowance. She went to the lead and wired the field to dead-heat a closer for the win. The horse was ready and they likely weren't writing races for fillies sprinting on turf (well...there is one written on tomorrow's card so not sure if 5 days would have made a difference).
You can also add the fact that Divito ran her out of condition as she was eligible for a nw3L and that race was a nw4L, which Arlington is carding more of the latter half of the meet. 3 other horses in that race were also eligible for the nw3L condition.

[Robert Goren]

I have watching races for over 40 years and I never any thing to make me believe that a filly is at a disadvantage against the males. They may actually have an advantage at the very short distances like 5 furlongs.