Ten To The Post In Frisco Mile
The highlight race this Easter Sunday here in California is The Frisco Mile (G2), held, of course, over a mile on the turf and open to three year olds and up. This year’s race has attracted ten starters to the gate for its set post time of 2:30 EST. The track will be fast for the weekend and the field looks evenly matched. Let’s take a look at this year’s contenders.
- Rusty Old Ford – bets7 – M. Staples – 17/1
Loading into the rail will be this five-year-old gelding, who is also set as the morning line long shot. The gelding is going to have a major shakeup for this start, as he will be making his first graded start. The bay gelding has been recently acquired by his connections and has made only one previous start under current trainer bets7. The most recent start for the gelding was over eight and a half furlongs in a starter allowance in Oregon. The gelding came out of the gate towards the back of the field but had taken over a few spots before crossing the wire in fifth, six and a quarter lengths off the pace and setting a speed figure of one hundred. October of last year was the geldings most recent win, this in a nine-furlong claiming race in West Virginia.
2. Cottage Fun (ENG) – bets5 – D. Schad – 16/1
Next up, we have the second entry for the BETS Racing Stables in the form of the oldest horse going to the gate on Suday. The seven-year-old English bred gelding will be making first graded start. The most recent start for the bay gelding was in a mile long allowance race in Canada. Like the other runner to his inside that will be under the same silks, the gelding settled off the pace towards the back of the field and didn’t make a move until entering the stretch, crossing the wire just off the board in fourth. The gelding set a speed figure of ninety-eight. The most recent win for the gelding was in March of 2020 under previous owner/trainer kev1 in a mile and a half claiming race, also on the turf.
3. Unexpected Timing (IRE) – seaside1 – Z. Ayya – 9/1
In the third slot, this Irish-bred colt has experienced graded company, but is still looking for that first graded win. The most recent start for the four-year-old son of Shamardal was in a listed stakes over a mile in Mexico. Far off the pace early on, the colt was unleashed in the stretch, though crossed the wire in ninth. Prior to that start, the colt made his first and only start in graded stakes company during the Strange Brew Turf Handicap (G3), at nine furlongs, in which the colt was just off the board in fourth. His most recent win was July of last year during a mile long allowance.
4. Clayderman – thehaack – O. A. Haack – 9/2
Early morning favorite and local champion, this four-year-old colt will be going into gate number four on Sunday. The bay colt is graded placed, but still looking for his first graded win. The most recent start for the colt was in a mile long allowance in Kentucky. The colt was held off the pace early on towards the far back of the field but went on to win at the wire by two- and three-quarter lengths. He colt set a blistering speed figure of one hundred sixteen. His only graded start came in last years Roy Rogers Handicap (G3) at a mile. The colt crossed the wire in second, off the pace by a length and a quarter.
5. Pivotal In Time (ENG) – stockswami25 – F. Gossett – 5/1
Out looking for his first graded win, the five-year-old bay horse is by the late sire Pivotal. On the seventeenth of April, the horse will be lining up for just his seventeenth career start. The most recent start for the horse was overseas in New Zealand in The What The Who (G2) at a mile on the turf. The horse settled back out of the gate in a mid-pack position but faded as the race progressed through its mile long course. He crossed the wire in seventh, setting a speed figure of one hundred sixth. His most recent win was in an allowance race in his native England over a mile. The horse is graded placed, finishing second in The Big Europe Mile (G2), Fried Rice Mile (G2), and The Nordic Chemical (G3).
6. Anchoring Bias (IRE) – mtkgrs3 – M. Kelly – 8/1
Another colt looking for his first graded victory will be going into the number six slot. He’s light raced at four years old with a total of ten starts under his racing belt. The bay colt had his most recent start in a listed stakes race in Ohio at eight and a half furlongs. Breaking out and going straight to the lead, the colt faded in the stretch to finish third at the wire, off the pace by three and a half lengths and setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred twelve. Prior to this, the colts two previous starts, both allowance races, resulted in victories for the colt. He has made two graded stakes starts to date, both as a three-year-old, during The Jefferson Davis (G2) and The Japanese 2000 Guineas (G1), both resulting in off the board finishes.
7. It’s Stormin Again – dydalt16 – T. Ace – 9/1
This four-year-old gelding will be easy to pick out of the field on Sunday with his light grey coat in stark contrast to the field of bay contenders. The gelding will be making his first graded start this weekend and has only just recently transitioned to running on the turf with impressive results. The gelding is coming off of two consecutive wins, both at allowance level, the later at Sunday’s distance of a mile in which the gelding won impressively by two and a half lengths with a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred sixteen.
8. Not For Fame (IRE) – babyfily – A. Rolling – 6/1
Next up we have the first of only two graded winners in Sunday’s field. The four-year-old bay colt is out of the million-dollar earning broodmare Seattle For Fame. With fifteen career starts, the colt has already earned half a million in lifetime earnings. This colt is shipping over to the States from Tasmania, coming out of the Mr. Anderson Special (G3) over seven furlongs. Staying just off the pace of a couple of other horses early on, the colt crossed the wire three lengths back in fourth. The most recent win for the colt was in New Zealand in the New Zealand 2000 Dark Beers (G1) at a mile. Again, hanging back just off the pace behind a few other front runners, the colt took off approaching the stretch and went on win by one and three quarter lengths
9. Lope De Madrid (IRE) – frankie5 – J. Dizzle – 3/1
Graded placed but still looking for his first graded win, the five-year-old bay gelding. Is out of the listed stakes winning broodmare Stormdotnet and by Lope De Vega. The geldings only graded start was in his most recent trip out of the starting gate in the Intercontinental Trophy (G3) at a mile in New Zealand. The colt set a speed figure of one hundred seventeen while crossing the wire in third. Since being gelded last year, the gelding has not finished off the board in his six starts, nor has he turned a speed figure any less than one hundred ten. The connections for the gelding are certainly excited about this start.
10. Dark Spinner (ENG) – rac1 – J Baigi – 7/1
Last up in the far outside post will be the only other gray horse going to the post in The Frisco Mile (G2). By Sepoy and out of the listed stakes winning broodmare Dinner Belle, the four-year-old light gray colt will be making his lucky thirteenth career start on Sunday. The colt has finished off the board only twice in his career and is coming off his only graded start to date. This start was in The Apple Martini Handicap (G3) at a mile in Florida. Set far back off the pace out of the gate early on, the colt opened up towards the latter half of the race, winning by a length and a half. The colt set a lifetime best speed figure in the race of one hundred nineteen.
Flrancho’s Picks
Win: Dark Spinner (ENG)
Place: Lope De Madrid (IRE)
Show: Clayderman