BreezeFigs Quick-Pix for Saturday, January 11 by Bob Fierro and Jay Kilgore

How’s the weather been by you? As expected, Mother Nature played havoc with most BreezeFigs cards last week, but there were still six that broke their maidens and two that won stakes (Gulfstream and Tampa Bay). The winners included a nice BreezeFigs exacta at Gulfstream Park, one at Fair Grounds, Golden Gate, Laurel and two at Santa Anita. Do Not Enter, our Pick last week was so far back early that we almost walked away, but then his near 27-foot stride length got into gear and he was a fast-closing second. Lots of action on today’s card, including opening day at Oaklawn, where we may have found a goody. Good luck!

Remember to pay attention to two changes we’ve made over the past several years. First, there have been changes in the CLASS EDGE category (at the bottom of the BreezeFigs card) because one sale was eliminated (OBSFEB) and FTFFEB is now in March (FTFMAR), and that moved OBSMAR into a higher class. Also, in the SALE & HIP column: the “HIP” refers to the catalogue number for that horse in that sale. This reference will enable you to go to the website of the sales company involved and easily find the short video of the horse’s breeze at that sale.

The web links for each sale are listed in the NOTES section of the new BreezeFigs Report and you will find all the information as to why we have done this and how you can benefit from this addition to the service by downloading the document which explains it all here: http://www1.drf.com/BreezeFigs/Video_Links_BreezeFigs_for_2009_Sales.pdf. Remember, no other handicapping service can give you the advantages you need from 2-year-old sales, So sign up for DRF-Plus on the front page of www.drf.com and get the BreezeFigs cards.

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 www.drf.com 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.

If you click here http://www1.drf.com/BreezeFigs/BreezeFigs_&_Stride_Length_Study_Part_I.pdf you will get a document which details our latest study. The conclusion for those who like to know the bottom line fast is this: When it comes to 2-year-old racing only, horses that earned Group 1 or Group 2 BreezeFigs and had longer-than-average stride lengths at the five major 2-year-old sales of 2006-07-08-09 won more races, won earlier, and earned more black-type, than horses with shorter-than-average stride lengths, regardless of BreezeFigs Group. There’s a lot more to it than that, and a review of this document, which is the first in a series, will strengthen your hand at the windows, or, if you are a buyer, at the sales or claim box. So, download it and absorb.

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 www.drf.com home page, click on BreezeFigs™ Information, and then download “2006 Sales Study,” or just click right here: http://www1.drf.com/breezefigs/breezefigs_010507.doc.

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: www.biotrack.com.

Here’s Saturday’s Pick:
Oaklawn Park, 9th Race, Maiden Special Weight, 6 Furlongs (Dirt)
Three BreezeFigs horses making their debuts in here including two viable colts and one who might hang on for a gimmick. Paganol clocked an impressive four-over-Par Group 1 profile at OBSMAR where his 24.96 foot stride length was .77 feet longer than average for colts that day at a quarter mile. Street Strategy came out the next month on the same track at OBSAPR and knocked out a two-over-Par Group 2 profile at one-eighth, his 24.49 foot stride length being 1.44 feet longer than average for colts that day at the same distance. All things considered, these two are dead even. Denali South Peak showed up at EASMAY and didn’t impress with a three-under-Par Group 4 effort with a 22.06 foot stride length, a foot and a quarter shorter than average that day for colts at one-eighth. He would be hard pressed to fill out a gimmick here, but the top two need to be serious key choices. Good luck!