Kendrick's Patsy consistent on turf

ALBANY, Calif. - Deciding why a horse is dropping is one of the keys to successful handicapping, especially the way the game is being played in Northern California.

But the equation is a simple one for backers of Kendrick's Patsy in Thursday's Golden Gate Fields feature, a $16,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

A turf specialist who has never finished off the board in five starts over the grass course here, she has six rivals in the race for fillies and mares.

Doug Utley claimed Kendrick's Patsy for $25,000 for longtime owner John Battle from a July 25 victory at Santa Rosa.

"We just claimed her off her form," Utley said just after the claim. "She sure likes to win. She gives it everything she's got."

In four races for Utley, Kendrick's Patsy ran fourth in a $50,000 optional claimer, then won a $25,000 optional claimer when entered for a tag before running sixth in a similar spot. She was third for a $25,000 tag in her last start here on Nov. 8.

The 5-year-old Kendrick's Patsy has earned $24,060 for Battle, so he will show a profit even if she is claimed.

She will be running at the lowest level of her career, but she remains on the turf, where her record is 14-7-3-1 with $121,344 of her $150,719 in career earnings. She has 3 wins, a second, and a third in 5 starts here.

The drop is probably to find her an easier spot and give her a confidence boost.

So Happy Together is getting a similar drop from $25,000 to $16,000, but the 6-year-old mare is making her first start since April 27, which makes her drop a bit more suspect.

In Other Words gets a similar drop from a $25,000 optional claimer, but she was claimed for this price on Aug. 24 and has already earned $22,658 in three starts since trainer Art Sherman grabbed her. Her drop is simply aimed at picking up another victory with little - if any - concern whether she will be claimed.

Inspired Candi, moving up off a nose victory in a $12,500 claimer in her first start for trainer Steve Miyadi, could provide the toughest opposition for the droppers, with Oh Yes I Am and Crooked River also moving up.