BreezeFigs Quick-Pix, Saturday, February 14th

This weekend kicks off the 2009 2-year-old sales seasons with the breeze show at OBSFEB on Friday followed by the sale on Tuesday. Spring is in the air! But there was no karma at Aqueduct for us last week, although we think one of our Pix may have taken a bad step around the turn and was not pursued with after that. The only thing we can say is that there were five BreezeFigs-qualified winners on that card elsewhere (two at Fair Grounds, one each at Laurel, Golden Gate and Charles Town) and another at Mountaineer who ran cheaply enough to put him into consideration. This week s card is loaded again with 17 maiden races at 10 tracks, but we re going to stick to one that looks to be a key race in our Pick of the week so sign up for DRF-Plus and get the card on the front page of .

Remember, there s a new look to our sheets for the sales of 2008 we have added SURFACE as a new category to tell you whether the horse breezed on a dirt (D) or synthetic (S) track. There are four (S) sales this year OBSFEB, OBSMAR, OBSAPR and KEEAPR; and three D sales FTFFEB, BARMAR and EASMAY. Just to add some more insight to your handicapping.

Also, our rules still hold about BreezeFigs qualified runners: You can get a good idea of what qualified BreezeFigs horses are by clicking on BreezeFigs Information underneath the two BreezeFigs links in the DRF PLUS box in the right hand column on the home page and downloading files there. Remember, keep stride length (SL) in mind when handicapping from the BreezeFigs sheet and take advantage of all the tips that we provide on those sheets as well.

Also, refer to a study we did which shows that using BreezeFigs for 3-year-old maiden races in just as viable as using them for 2-year-old maiden races. Go to the DRF PLUS box on the .

If you d like to learn a little more about how we come up with BreezeFigs, take a look at our new website by clicking here: .

This race below is loaded with pricey horses, some of them first-timers, but two BreezeFigs horses should be considered. Good luck!

Gulfstream Park, , Maiden Special Weight, 7 Furlongs (Dirt)

Probably the toughest of all Gulfstream maiden races to handicap is the seven-furlong one with pricey colts, but this one came up real tough. Despite that, we think two of the three BreezeFigs horses here have decent gimmick shots, and with the right trip, either could take it. Stephen is Leaving was impressive in his breeze at FTFFEB last year, putting up a Group 1, four-over-Par profile with a 25 foot SL, 1.3 feet longer than average that day on a dirt track. Convocation had an even longer SL at KEEAPR (25.47 feet), which was also about 1.3 feet longer than average, but that came on Polytrack where stride lengths can be a little longer, and it resulted in a one-over-Par Group 2 BreezeFig. Citizens Brigade, who's started once was one paced in slower company, had a just-over 21 foot SL at the KEEAPR sale and will be hard pressed to match strides with the top two late, both of whom are basically even in our book watch the board, look at them in the paddock, and good luck!