QIPCO 1000 Guineas heroine Love remains very much the one to beat in Saturday's Investec Oaks, according to Timeform. Check out their big-race preview.

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The Top-Rated

Love (Timeform weight-adjusted rating: 131p)

Love had more racing than any of these as a two-year-old, winning three times (including the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh) before appearing to have no excuses when third in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. However, she returned after eight months off with a much-improved effort to win the 1000 Guineas at the same venue last time, quickening clear impressively entering the final furlong to beat Cloak of Spirits by four and a quarter lengths. That form is comfortably the best on offer in this line-up, and her pedigree suggests she may have even more to offer now stepping up in trip, being by Galileo and a sister to a pair of useful sorts who stayed this trip well. She looks to hold sound claims of emulating the same stable’s Minding, who completed the Guineas/Oaks double in 2016.

The Improver

Frankly Darling (125p)

The Oaks trials staged in Britain this year were dominated by fillies from the John Gosden yard, with none of them making a better impression than Frankly Darling. She was an emphatic five-length winner of a maiden at Newcastle on the day racing resumed and then followed up in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, where she put some useful sorts to the sword in ready fashion. Still far from the finished article (raced freely off a steady early gallop), she was ultimately value for several more lengths than she won by in the end, being looked after by Frankie Dettori in the final furlong after she had gained a decisive advantage at the top of the straight. By Frankel – sire of last year’s winner for Gosden, Anapurna – Frankly Darling has proved herself at the Oaks trip and is very much the type to improve further.

The Timeform Flag

Gold Wand (107P) (Trainer Form)

Gold Wand is the one runner in the field with a Timeform large ‘P’ still attached to her rating, which denotes that she may yet prove capable of significantly better than she has shown so far. Beaten a neck by Domino Darling in a Doncaster maiden on her sole two-year-old start, she readily landed the odds (without needing to run to the same level) in a similar event at Newbury last time, leading on the bridle two furlongs out and quickly forging clear to win by a length and a half. Clearly that form is well below what will be required here, but the Roger Varian yard could hardly be in better form at present, sending out 24 winners in June.

Timeform weight-adjusted ratings

131p Love

125p Frankly Darling

119p Ennistymon

116p Queen Daenerys

112p Passion

111p Bharani Star

Verdict

The last six renewals of the Oaks have been shared between Aidan O’Brien and John Gosden, with both trainers having saddled three winners apiece during that period, and there’s every chance that the finish on Saturday will again be fought out by fillies representing the same two stables. Gosden’s Frankly Darling is progressive and proven over this trip, but preference is for the more battle-hardened Love, who has the pedigree/profile to suggest this test won’t present any issues after stretching clear to win the 1000 Guineas in impressive fashion on her return.

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Explaining DRF, BRIS and TimeformUS Past Performances: Daily Racing Form began publishing past performances in 1905 for thoroughbred horse races and leads the field in sales. Other options exist though, including BRIS and TimeformUS.

All three companies rely on Equibase data to create their past performances.

Pick the one that fits best!

DRF

On a basic level, expect to read information relating to the horse’s previous starts (such as their position throughout the race, times, surface, etc.). Pedigree, connections, equipment changes and workouts come standard as well. Plus, the included post positions, program numbers and morning line odds make buying the track program less necessary!

DRF’s own unique Beyer Speed Figures, a number used to adjust the final time and rate how fast the horse actually ran based on track pars for the day, tends to attract the most attention.

For example, former Kentucky Derby champion Orb won a nine furlong optional claiming race on Jan. 26, 2013 in 1:51, and Beyer figure makers gave the colt an 83.

A few months later, Orb won the nine furlong Florida Derby in 1:50 4/5 and earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure.

Looking at raw times alone, the difference ends up being just 1/5 of a second. Using Beyer Speed Figures, one might conclude Orb matured a great deal between those months, as the difference between the two numbers is 14 points or seven lengths. One month later, Orb won the Kentucky Derby.

The Formulator version offers additional features such as pace figures, mud ratings, charts for past races, past performances for each horse in those charts, race replays, expanded pedigree information, customizable features and more statistics.

Purchasing a classic edition single card online currently costs $2.95. Formulator costs a little more.

Prices for the paper version vary depending on location.

Beginner’s Note: Find and buy DRF at every thoroughbred racetrack, or check out their various online versions at the official website.

BRIS

Similar basic information appears on their ultimate past performances, minus Beyer Speed Figures.

BRIS uses their own computer based speed ratings and offers pace ratings under the E1, E2 and LP categories. Pace ratings or figures just equal speed ratings at a certain point in the race.

In Orb’s optional claiming win pointed out earlier, he earned pace ratings of 65, 69 and 105. In the Florida Derby, Orb ran pace ratings of 76, 87 and 103.

Although his late kick stayed powerful in each start, the numbers also show Orb’s improved early speed in the Florida Derby. When a race favors closers such as Orb, most bettors look for the horse with the highest late pace ratings, and certainly horses capable of running over 100 would take consideration.

When the race favors early speed, horses with high early pace figures gain more attention.

Also notice the numbers under the 1c and 2c columns, which indicate if the pace went above or below par.

Another BRIS difference comes from the pedigree data shown near the upper right, which display the sire and damsire’s average winning distance, and winning mud percentages. Also, additional auction information tells handicappers how the horse ranked compared to other horses with the same sire at the sale.

In the case of recent Sam F. Davis winner Ocean Knight, who broke his maiden easily, he sold as the second most expensive Curlin colt at the 2014 OBS March sale.

On top is a “Prime Power” number that translates the information for each horse into one overall number (simplified explanation), and ranks the horse compared to the Prime Power numbers for others.

Race and class ratings under the RR and CR columns round out the major differences. Race ratings evaluate the strength of the field, while class ratings rate the overall performance.

Prepare to pay $3 a card, but different options exist.

If insistent on physical past performances with BRIS, turn on the printer!

Beginner’s Note: Click on this link for free select BRIS past performances, or visit the official website for paid versions.

TimeformUS

Like BRIS, TimeformUS offers nearly the same basic information.

One difference comes from the jockey and trainer ratings, which assign them a score based out of 100. The score relies on the same data DRF and BRIS use for statistics. They only translate those statistics into a number more easily understood.

From an aesthetic standpoint, TimeformUS looks very different. For one, they use colors to highlight certain areas such as track biases, surfaces and extreme pace scenarios. On the left side of each running line is a class rating inside a box. Sometimes the box is colored red to indicate a speed bias, and blue to signal a specific race favored closers.

Farther right, the speed figure column falls next to the finish position, and the color surrounding the speed figure indicates the surface. TimeformUS upgrades horses that ran close to a fast pace, and closers benefiting lose a few points. When the pace runs slow, the opposite happens.

Sometimes the winner receives a lower speed figure, such as in last year’s La Brea S. at Santa Anita. The speedy Taris earned a 110 for accomplishing the “dirty work” setting the pace, and winner Sam’s Sister received a 102. A 102 roughly equates to a low to mid 90s number in Beyer Speed Figures.

In addition, pace figures and the colorful Pace Projector chart help predict the pending race shape.

For pedigree enthusiasts and maiden handicappers, every sibling and their top speed figures are listed after clicking on the breeding information and siblings tab. The dam’s top speed figures show under the dam tab. Plus, handicappers can check the lifetime earnings of the sire, dam and siblings to see if their careers were successful.

Timeform Ratings Derby Winners

Their single card price runs at $3 too and a print option exists.

Beginner’s Note: TimeformUS greatly benefits those that prefer using technology to read past performances. Visit their blog and official website for free examples!

Timeform Ratings Free

Timeform Derby Ratings 2019

Written by Reinier Macatangay