Claimers Climbing the Ladder

A recent trend of low level claimers, winning up the ladder, struck again last weekend as Central Heat won the $50,000 Golden Poppy Stakes. Trained by Bill Delia, Central Heat has now won 4 straight races and 8 in total since being purchased by Delia a year ago. In January of 2014, Central Heat was in the barn of Ellen Jackson and running for a $4,000 claiming tag.

Jackson got a steal herself  when she claimed a five year old gelding named Intermix for $5,000 in February. Since then, Intermix has run second in a starter allowance and then won back to back times for a $20,000 claiming tag.

Finally John Martin saw something he liked in a horse named Loop Current Eddie. He claimed Eddie for $4,000 in December and since then won four of five races, including for prices of $4,000, $5,000, $12,500 and finally $20,000 last week before being claimed by Jerry Hollendorfer.