Saturday selection from DiscreetPicks.com

DiscreetCat

Hollywood - Race 9

#3 Alpha Kitten (5/2 ml)

Impressive maiden winner for Sadler ran exceptionally well on the move up to stakes company last time, but was simply unlucky as the winner ran out of her mind en route to a final time of 1:07 4/5. Note that Alpha Kitten finished nearly 5 lengths in front of Toro Bonito (also entered here), and that one returned to run second by a length in a subsequent stakes race around two turns. Alpha Kitten has twice now shown a very powerful closing kick, which figures to serve her well on the stretchout to two turns, and it doesn't hurt that she's well-bred for route racing also. Continues to train in sharp fashion, and looks to be perhaps the second-best filly on the circuit behind Stardom Bound. Should be playable here thanks to the presence of East Coast shipper Laragh, and also Dave's Revenge, each of whom ran close in Breeders Cup races.

HRT record:

50 for 165 (30%)

$428.90 mutuels ($8.58 avg)

DiscreetCat

Kind of a bizzare-run race. Laragh took the early lead as expected, with Alpha Kitten stalking frrom second just a length or so off the pace coming off the first turn. Then the entire field seemingly rushed up to engage in in a multi-pronged speed duel, causing Mike Smith aboard Alpha Kitten to take back somewhat sharply in order to lay off the pace (as he had been attempting to do up to that point). Then, no sooner did that happen than Laragh went clear again by another length or two, with Alpha Kitten now shuffled back to 5th or so several lengths off the pace. Very weird. Hard to really describe, you just need to watch the replay. Highly doubtful it costr her the race, as she seemed to flatten out pretty badly thru the lane, but i do think it cost her her best chance. Hard to knock this filly off one bad route try (particularly considering the circumstances here), but she may have some distance limitations after all.