Running a filly with the boys

BillB · Postby **BillB** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 10:22 pm

This has probably been discussed a million times...But what are the basics for or against running a filly with the guys?? I have a 4 yr old 2 wins..likes turf long and was looking at the Turf Starter Series that starts at a mile for horses that have run for 15K claiming or less in 2011/2012

zinn21 · Postby **zinn21** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:02 am

Assessment of the male competition is the bottom line. Time of year. 2 yold fillies run quite successfully in spring/early summer v the boys.

Just recently Jerry Hollendorfer ran a 2 year old filly against the boys going long on the grass and won. He was forced to run when no straight maiden fillies going long would fill and wanted to move his filly along. He caught a weak field of boys.

Your above condition sounds awfully tough for a filly to compete in..

ct2346 · Postby **ct2346** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:10 am

I've done it - a couple of years ago had a 4yo filly that couldn't get a 5f nw2 f&m turf sprint to go, so out of frustration ran her against the boys. She got 2nd.

If she is not delicate, I wouldn't hesitate.

casallc · Postby **casallc** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:04 am

Fillies, being earlier to mature than colts, actually have no disadvantage at 2 and 3, at 4 it depends and 5 and up the colts should have a strength advantage (always exceptions though). Not running fillies and mares with colts and geldings is more out of tradition than anything else.

QH fillies have always run with colts and geldings in the All American Futurity and other stakes and done quite well. Looking back there have been lots of great race mares that ran against males.

kimberley mine · Postby **kimberley mine** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:53 pm

If she's fit enough and fast enough to run at that level, she's fit enough and fast enough to run at that level.

BillB · Postby **BillB** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:40 pm

Zinn....is running with those that have run in 15K claiming 2011/2012 tough?

zinn21 · Postby **zinn21** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 6:45 am

Bill they can be very tough. GLTU if you go..

Joltman · Postby **Joltman** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:17 am

I think much better to run where the filly/mare fits in terms of surface, distance, etc. against boys rather than being compromised to do something that is not in her strong suit. Plus the weight allowance doesn't hurt. In some cases, that weight advantage can be leveraged using a good apprentice gettiing additional weight going long (who can actually make it). Roll in a boggy surface and a lightweight mare skipping over the turf seems to be really at an advantage.

jm

wilf · Postby **wilf** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 10:57 am

Just run her and go from there.

ageecee · Postby **ageecee** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 12:31 pm

whats her name? I can give you a fair assessment if i know her name.

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:05 am

my personal opinion is that the filly and the boys stuff, matters more at the higher end of the scale. when you get down to the meat and potatoes part of the game, starter allowances and stuff like that, there is already a defined quanity of talent that has been clearly outlined, in other words, horses that meet these conditions, can run. at that point, your just as good as any.

i see 50k starters and stuff that are fillies take the boys to school all the time, for some reason they do it often at churchill, run girls with the boys.