Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar
Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes comes our way from Del Mar this Saturday, August 4th. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will race 1 1/16 miles on Del Mar's all weather track for a purse of $300,000 and more importantly and automatic bid into the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic in the fall.
The Clement L. Hirsch has attracted eight ladies to go in race 8 on Del Mar's Saturday card. Post time is 5:30 PM. Let's take a look at the eight entries and the recent performances that brought them to this Grade 1 stakes.
2012 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Race Favorites
Switch - is a former grade 1 winner that broke a slump last time out with a win in the Grade 2 A Gleam three weeks ago. Her last wins prior to the A Gleam were at the end of 2011 and beginning of 2012 - she hadn't won in eight tries before the A Gleam. Switch had a second in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint to end a 2011 campaign in which she finished no worse than third in seven starts - one win, four seconds and two third place finishes (one being the Clement Hirsch) all in graded stakes races. 2012 has seen Switch race to a fifth in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff Stakes in May and a fourth in the Desert Stormer June 17th. Despite some unflattering results she served notice last time out that she may be back to that winning form - she will be looking for a second Breeders' Cup bid on Saturday.
Include Me Out - has been stellar in 2012 - four starts - three wins in the Grade 2 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap, in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational Stakes at Santa Anita on March 17th and an impressive 4 ½ length victory in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes on January 22nd on that same track preceded a second as favorite last time out in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park on June 16th. Include Me Out has five wins, three seconds and a fifth place finish in her last nine starts and has won three of her last four - all starts coming in Grade 1 or Grade 2 races over that span. Include Me Out is certainly a name to watch on Saturday!
Clement L. Hirsch Stakes 2012 | Remaining Field Entries
Star Billing - has only one start in 2012 for trainer John Shirreffs - a disappointing eighth in the Redondo Beach Stakes on June 10th. Before that her last race was in November - an impressive win at the Grade 1 Matriarch to finish a 2011 campaign in which she placed in six of seven starts - three wins, two seconds and a third place finish
Amani - very impressive Chilean filly will be making her North American debut on Saturday after 10 wins and a second place finish in 11 career starts in her native land. Amani has been impressive indeed - many are eagerly anticipating her debut Saturday.
Clement L. Hirsch Stakes betting at Del Mar with OffTrackBetting.com
Quaintly - has had four starts in the US after a decent career overseas. Those four starts resulted in a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming in her debut, a second in the Round Table Stakes on May 13th, a decent third in the Grade 3 Beverley Hills Handicap on June 24th and another third last time out in the Grade 3 Sunset Handicap against males on July 15th.
Kayce Ace - had a win at Hollywood Park in an Allowance race in June of last year but has struggled since with an eighth in the Osunitas Stakes in July at Del Mar, a fourth in the Pasadena Handicap on January 15th and a seventh in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes in February. But she did finish a respectable second last time out in the Harry Henson Handicap at Sunland Park.
Zafeen's Pearl - English bred mare made her first start in North America with a decent third in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap on June 16th after a 17 race career overseas resulted in four wins, five seconds and a third place finish. Last time out was a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming here last week!
Great Hot - Brazilian bred Great Hot has certainly struggled lately - a sixth last time out in the Desert Stormer Handicap followed a fourth in the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes. She has shown some decent form however - an impressive second in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes on January 22nd and a third at the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes in a race in which she finished ahead of Sweet Home Aspen. Among Great Hot's four wins are the Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar last summer and the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes in October at Keeneland.
