🐴 SLICE RACE RECAP

We'll give it to you straight, as we always do — today was not the result we were hoping for, but there is a LOT to unpack from this chart and the story it tells. Slice ran in Race 1 at Santa Anita Park this afternoon — a $65,000 Maiden Special Weight at 6½ furlongs on the dirt. She drew Post 1 and broke a step slow out of the gate, which immediately put her on the back foot. From there, EJ had her trailing the field in last place early, swung her 4 wide then 3 wide around the turn in an attempt to find running room — and while she did pass a couple of tired rivals late, she finished 5th, beaten just over 14 lengths. The chart footnote says it plainly: "bit slow start, 4-3 wide, no menace." Here's the honest truth — this was a very tough trip from a very tough spot. Breaking slow from the rail in a sprint means you're immediately in no-man's land. Being forced 4 wide around the turn in a 6½ furlong race is essentially asking a closer to make up ground she never had a chance to recover. This filly simply had too much to do from too far back. But here's what matters most going forward — EJ told us after her DEBUT that she wants a mile. Trainer Michael W. McCarthy echoed that. Today she ran 6½ furlongs again, broke slow AGAIN, and was asked to close ground on a distance that still isn't truly hers. The winner Mizumi, trained by Bob Baffert, ran a professional race — but the top three finishers all had clean trips on or near the lead. That's a different race entirely. We remain firmly in Slice's corner. She is a quality filly with a quality pedigree — Into Mischief over Lemon Drop Kid — and we believe the right distance, a clean break, and a fair trip will tell a very different story. The mile is still calling her name. Onward. 💪