DR SOCRATES is down in class for tomorrow's top-level claiming race at 1400 metres and will be hard to beat, considering his recent efforts in Graded Stakes and Open Allowance races, consistently making the frame over the last four months.

The six-year-old American-bred last won at a mile, beating Overnight Allowance runners LIKKLE BIT and GOOD COMPANY early August. Since then, DR SOCRATES has found it hard to beat the higher classes and even lost a claiming race to the super-fit AGUILA at 1820 metres.

However, his subsequent races have been against top-shelf horses such as Superstakes winner AD INFINITUM, even finishing four and a half-lengths second to GOOD CITIZEN in the 1400-metre CTL Imported Stakes on September 20.

DR SOCRATES failed to spark in the CTL Imported Mile on Superday but with Dane Nelson returning for the ride, signs are that the gamble must be on down in class, as his Governor General's Stakes fifth-place behind AD INFINITUM was a big effort.

An honest pace is expected as Dwight Chen's ASKAWOMAN should drag the field down the backstretch, taking the likes of JET SKIER, SATISFIER and CHIPONYOURSHOULDER with him, the perfect set-up for DR SOCRATES' late run.

The 1100-metre Titania Trophy for three-year-olds should be a quick sprint for Philip Feanny's TWENTYFIRSTOFJUNE, who returns off a six-month lay-up.

The filly is basically out of class as she was keeping far better company earlier this year and continues to work well in the mornings, clocking 34.3 for three furlongs round last Friday.

Top two-year-old

Track Price Plus Pick-6 players should give Percy Hussey's NAVAL COMMANDER another chance in the opening event for the one-mile Andrew HB Aguilar Memorial for two-year-olds.

With most of the top two-year-olds out of the event after running in last Saturday's Pick-3 Super Challenge Trophy at 1400 metres, NAVAL COMMANDER should blow past his short-running rivals in the home stretch.

SANTA ANITA GIRL is technically down in class for the 1400-metre second race although still on a $180,000 claiming tag. After placing fourth among open company on November 1, she takes on conditional claimers, horses who haven't earned $70,000 since August, and need only reproduce her last effort to be unsaddled in the winners' enclosure.

SKETEL's second-place run behind FULL FARE should make her a winner with Omar Walker replacing Barrington McLarty in the fifth at 1000 metres straight. After raring at the gate with McLarty on November 8, SKETEL closed 10 lengths from the quarter to get within a length and a half of FULL FARE.

Close those bets with Walker aboard LADY SUHAAGRAAT at 1500 metres in the seventh. She was beaten in a slow time at a mile by ARIZONA SUNSHINE on November 19 but has consistently beaten most of her rivals.