Cosmopolitan Attracts Top Contenders
The highlight race this Saturday in New York is the Cosmopolitan Handicap, a mile long race over the dirt, open to three year olds and up. With a set post time of 3:00 PM EST the Grade I race boasts a $1,500,000 purse and has drawn in a full field, including one filly. The track looks like it will likely be fast at post time, so let’s take a look at the fourteen contenders that will be going to the post.
- Chrome Death – simsters7 – E. Banner – 8/1
Drawing the inside rail, the first of two runners sired by California Chrome in the race this weekend, the five-year-old bay gelding will be making his first graded start this weekend. The gelding is out of the Grade II winning broodmare Seeking Death. The gelding is coming off his first listed stakes win, this coming last February in the Tricky Tony Dirt Mile in New Mexico. The gelding settled off the pace towards the middle of the pack and was urged forward later in the race to win by a head bob at the wire. The gelding set a speed figure of one hundred sixteen. Prior to this victory, the gelding also won two consecutive allowance races at a mile.
2. Nation Of Honor – elkstables31 – K. Ledwith – 13/1
Though at odds of 13/1, the four-year-old brown colt will be the first colt into the gate that has already won a graded stakes. Well accomplished with half a million in lifetime earnings, the colt has raced primarily in Texas, but recently lit up the track in Japan in his last race during The February Stakes (G1) at a mile. Settled in the middle of the pack out of the gate, the colt made his move in the stretch and powered past the front runners to win by one and three-quarter lengths. The colt equaled a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred eighteen. That was the colt’s first and only graded start to date, though he is on a four-race winning streak, the others all over a mile in allowance starts.
3. Johnny Quist – nationalore – T. Loesch – 21/1
A former runner in the claiming ranks, the four-year-old bay colt has been running primarily in allowance races, though he will be going to the starting gate for another try at a graded start. The colt is coming off an allowance start in New Zealand at eight furlongs. The colt was out of the gate towards the rear of the field at the break, though he began to pick off other runners early on in the race. The colt would win by half a length and set a speed figure of one hundred eleven, equaling a lifetime best. The most recent graded start for the colt was in October of last year in Germany during the Hitters Stakes (G3) at a mile and three sixteenths on a sloppy course. Much more forwardly placed in this just, settling just off the pace of a few other runners, the colt faded in the stretch run to finish ninth.
4. Havana Life – morrowind – K. Banner – 9/1
This four-year-old bay gelding will be making his first graded start of his career on Saturday. The son of More Than Ready has finished off the board only twice in his career. Last started across the country in California, the gelding ran over a mile in a listed stakes. Set far off the pace early on, the gelding made a move in the later portion of the race but lost by one of the narrowest of margins in a heartbreaking head bob at the wire. Despite being declared finishing in second, the gelding turned in a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred twenty. Prior to that start, the gelding won, by a quarter of a length, at a mile listed stakes in Iowa.
5. Florida Affairs – resting – G.D. Mate – 15/1
Easy to spot in the field this weekend, this will be the lone grey in the field. The second colt in the field by California Chrome, the four-year-old colt is a Grade I winner and million-dollar earner over his eighteen lifetime starts. His dam, Corzaffair, is also a Grade I winner and million-dollar earner. The most recent start for the colt was in March during the mile and one-eighth Oaktree Handicap (G2). The colt was settled just off the pace of a couple of front runners, tucked nicely into third. He made up some ground in the stretch, but only managed to pick up second at the wire, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred fifteen. We have to go back to May of last year to get to the colt’s most recent win, this also at a mile and one-eighth in The Labatts Ontario Oaks (G1), which had the colt set back more towards the middle of the field early on.
6. Der Betrug – zeco – E.C. Doyle – 6/1
Graded placed but still seeking that first graded win, this five-year-old horse is out of Bayern. Making his last start in Nebraska during the Fos Gonner Handicap (G3) at a mile and one-sixteenth, the horse was trailing the field early on out of the gate but put in a powerful kick in the stretch, though it was only enough to get him across the wire in fifth. The horse set a speed figure of one hundred twelve. The most recent win for the horse was last December during a listed stakes over a mile and one sixteenth in Maryland.
7. Sensible Sammy – natasha0 – E. Siefert – 17/1
Going into the seven slot, this five-year-old horse will be making a comeback to graded racing, last seeing the post in a graded race in 2019. The most recent start for the brown son of Street Sense was over a mile and three sixteenths during an allowance race here in New York. The horse was sent out of the gate to a pace-stalking second, though he was overtaken late in the race by a couple of late chargers, with the horse crossing the wire third. The horse set a speed figure of one hundred ten. As previously stated, the horse’s most recent, and to date only graded start came in 2019 in the Pleasure Stakes (G3) in Idaho at a mile and one sixteenth. Setting the pace out of the starting gate, the horse would finish fifth.
8. Awesome Giants – beerkeg1 – R. Hansen – 5/1
The first of two horses sired by Awesome Again will be headed to the eighth post. The five-year-old chestnut gelding is well accomplished with one million in lifetime earnings and a couple of Grade I victories under his belt, including last year’s Breeders’ Bowl Mile (G1). The most recent start for the gelding was in the UAE during the Sand Castle Fee Duty (G1) over a mile and one sixteenth on the turf. Placed a little forward of the middle of the pack at the break, the gelding dropped back later in the race to cross the wire in eighth in a field with some pretty stiff competition, setting a speed figure of one hundred ten. His most recent win was the afore mentioned Breeders Bowl Mile (G1), which is also held over the turf. The gelding is not untried over the dirt, having won the Lil’ Leprechaun Mile (G2) and also having been a starter in last years’ Cosmopolitan, where he finished eighth.
9. Viscount Horatio – zz2912 – T. Ace – 11/1
By late sire Lord Nelson, the four-year-old brown colt is graded placed and is making his first try for a graded win this year. The most recent start for the colt was in a seven-and-a-half-furlong allowance race in Kentucky. Stalking the pace early in third, the colt took command of the pace before coming into the stretch run. He crossed the wire in front by a length and setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred nineteen. The most recent graded start for the colt was last year in the mile and one eighth California Derby (G1), a Derby Lock prep race. Running in a similar stalking position, the colt lost his edge in the stretch and came home eleventh.
10. Dragon’s Deputy – sansa – Q. Cassell – 9/1
Nearing the last portion of the field for this Saturday, the first of two Distorted Humor sired colts will be going into the starting gate. This four-year-old is also part of the Grade I winning million dollar earnings club and is out of Hall of Fame broodmare Dream Dragon, who has produced three Grade I winners. The bay colt is coming off of two consecutive wins, most recently in the 2022 Equinics (G1), and preceded by the Breeders’ Bowl Dirt Mile (G1), both of these starts coming over eight furlongs. The 2022 Equinics (G1) saw him post a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred nineteen. The former fourth place finisher in last year’s Bluegrass Derby (G1) is looking to make it three in a row, and the connections couldn’t be more excited as the colt continues to be a consistent runner in recent Grade I company. If past races indicate anything, he will most likely be held off the pace towards the middle of the field when being sent out of the gate.
11. Bon Peintre (AUS) – nola – B. Jungnitsch – 41/1
The longshot of the field, in addition to being the only filly in the field and the only horse in the race bred outside the US, this Australian-bred four-year-old bay filly is listed stakes placed and lightly raced, making just her thirteenth career start this weekend. The most recent start for the filly was in Kentucky during a mile in three sixteenth listed stakes race. Set well back off the pace at the start, the filly would come home to finish ninth, setting a speed figure of ninety-six. In her prior start, she’d set a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred twelve, finishing third in the mile and one eighth listed stakes. The most recent win for the filly was in 2020 under former breeder and trainer fab50. This was over the turf in a 25k tag claiming race at six and a half furlongs, which the filly won by a head at the wire.
12. Istana Rama – stevesutto4 – J. Ledwith – 5/1
Following will be the second Awesome Again sired horse in the race, this in the form of the listed stakes winning five-year-old. The most recent start for the bay horse was in Iowa over a mile listed stakes. The horse took the field gate to wire, winning by a length and a half, setting a lifetime best blistering speed figure of one hundred twenty-four. The most recent graded start for the horse was last year under former owner roosters67 during The Birkenstock (G3) at a mile and one sixteenth. The horse settled off the pace of a few front runners at the start and crossed the wire in seventh.
13. Dad’s Rule – equistable – D. Evans – 16/1
In the thirteenth slot, we have our finial Grade I million-dollar earner going into the gate. The four-year-old brown colt is sired by Triple Crown winner Justify and is out of graded winning broodmare Strikingly Sassy. The most recent start for the colt was in Pennsylvania during the Charles Town Classic (G1) over a mile and one eighth. Set well off the pace in eleventh out of the gate, the colt set forward with his late closing kick down the stretch, though he got up to finish just off the board in fourth, equaling a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred twelve. The most recent win for the colt was in his three-year-old season during last year’s Travelers Stakes (G1) here in New York over a mile and one quarter.
14. An Inquisition – foxhold –J. Benisz – 11/1
The last horse to go to the post before the field sets off is the final Distorted Humor sired horse. While a million-dollar earner, this four-year-old colt is still looking for a Grade I win, though he has found the winners circle with Grade II company. Lightly raced with just sixteen lifetime starts, the colt made his most recent start in the UAE during the Sand Castle Godolphin Mile (G2) at a mile. The colt was held back just off the pace in fifth and was urged forward coming into the stretch and went across the wire in front by one and a quarter lengths, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred fifteen. The colt has made three attempts with Grade I company, the most recent and closest to securing a win was in The Malibu Sprint (G1) at seven furlongs last year, in which the colt finished third.
Flrancho’s Picks
Win: Dragon’s Deputy
Place: Florida Affairs
Show: Awesome Giants