EL ROMANO pattern question

[Box]

I noticed that the horse was given out in the Analysis yesterday { GP race # 9}. When handicapping I thought this was an 02 x pattern. That being said at 70:1 I had to use him; but since he was recommended in Analysis I was wondering if my initial read of 02 x was incorrect on my part.

[TGAB]

Yes, it is incorrect. El Romano was an 0-2 going in, not 0-2-X. There are a lots of horses that show 0-2 and don\'t X. The analyst made a calculated decision that El Romano\'s chances of running well, either pairing last, pairing his top or running a new top, all of which might garner a payout position, was more than amply rewarded by his prospective odds.

Sure maybe the 0-2 knocks him out, but it wasn\'t a sure thing. The prior runs indicated that he was in the midst of a grown spurt, better than he was, and pattern-wise when he ascended to new levels he usually stayed at or near them. So the supposition that he was an improved horse and not likely to run an X was not a stretch by any means.