Man Of War Stakes
We’re set to have a great weekend of racing here in New York this holiday weekend, with several stakes races lined up across the following days. The highlight race for Sunday will be the Man O War Stakes (G1) at a mile and three-eighths on the inner turf course. The race will be open to three-year-olds and up and will offer a total purse of $750,000. Set to start at 8:20 am EST, the race has attracted a total of ten runners. Let’s take a look at the field.
- Fiscal Disaster – redhill18 – K. Ledwith – 5/1
Looking for his first graded win, the five-year-old gelding will be making another try against graded company after taking a step down in class to the allowance ranks in his most recent starts. The most recent start for the bay colt was overseas in New Zealand during a mile and three-eighths allowance race. The gelding was sent out of the gate and settled towards the rear of the small field, though began to quickly pick off other runners. The gelding won the race by a quarter of a length with a speed figure of one hundred elven. His most recent stakes start was also in New Zealand during the Lipstick Gold Cup (G1) at a mile and five sixteenths, where he finished tenth.
2. Ugly Brienne (AUS) – hiddendragon – D. Raymond – 9/1
Also looking for the first graded win of his racing career, the Australian-bred four-year-old is out of the Grade III winning broodmare Brianne The Beauty. The most recent start for the brown colt was in Maryland during a mile and three-eighths listed stakes race. Held far off the pace at the break out of the gate, the colt finished strong and got up to finish third, three and three-quarter lengths off the pace, and set a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred twelve. His most recent win was this past March in Texas during another listed stakes over the same distance.
3. In Principle (AUS) – cork5 – GD Mate – 11/1
Making his first start in the States since his maiden debut, the bay four-year-old colt is stakes placed but is still seeking the elusive graded win. His most recent start came in Australia during an allowance race over a mile and three sixteenths. Forwardly placed out of the gate just off the pace in second, the colt briefly gained the lead but was overtaken in the stretch to finish second, back by three-quarters of a length and setting a speed figure of one hundred six. His most recent win was this past January during another allowance, this one in Japan over two miles. The colt took this race in mile-to-mile fashion.
4. Electric Week – preakness –K. Ebner – 10/1
Making just the second graded attempt of his career, the light gray four-year-old is lightly raced with just twelve lifetime starts. The most recent start for the gelding came in West Virginia during an allowance race over a mile and a quarter. Held towards the back of the field at the break, the colt rocketed forward going into the stretch to win impressively by four and a quarter lengths with a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred thirteen. The only graded start under the colt’s belt to date came last year during The Cant Breeder’s Cup at a mile and one-eighth where he finished eighth. The colt will also be stretching out by a furlong for this race, never having run past the ten furlong mark.
5. Fifty Guns (ENG) – xpansion5 – W. Cahill – 5/1
In the middle of the starting gate, this four-year-old English-bred horse will be the first graded winner to go to the gate, and the only Grade I winner in the race. The bay gelding is out of the million-dollar earning broodmare La Girona. Most recently started in Ireland, the gelding went wire-to-wire in the Tattersails Gold (G1) over a mile and five-sixteenths. He won by a head bob at the wire with a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred seventeen. He’d also previously won an allowance start over the same distance in Australia.
6. Sovs (GB) – ladybarn – R. Aymond – 13/1
Moving on to the sixth slot, the bay four-year-old colt will be making his graded stakes debut this Sunday. His most recent start was here in New York over the all-weather poly track at a mile and three-sixteenths. Last out of the gate at the break, he was urged forward later in the race and crossed the wire in fourth, setting a speed figure of one hundred one. The most recent win for the colt was over the same distance he will be running on Sunday, during a listed stakes race in Pennsylvania, where the colt set a lifetime best speed figure.
7. Saints Of Ole (FR) – mtkbyamile – M. Kelly – 7/1
Finishing on the board in his last three consecutive starts, the French-bred five-year-old will be making his eighteenth career start on Sunday. His most recent start was in Arkansas during an allowance race over a mile and a quarter. Towards the rear of the field at the break, the horse won this race by two lengths with a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred sixteen. Before this the horse also finished second and third in two other allowance races. The horse’s only graded start to date was in the Flying Carpet Handicap (G2) over a mile and three-eighths, where he would finish eighth.
8. Kyrgios Racquet (IRE) – cjt4 – M. Humbo – 8/1
Making lifetime start number thirty for this Sunday, the Irish-bred horse is graded placed and looking again for that graded win. Making his most recent start overseas in Norway during an allowance race over a mile and five-sixteenths. Settling off the pace in third behind the pace of a couple of other runners, the horse would gain the lead briefly but was overtaken in the final furlongs to finish second, three lengths off the pace, while setting a speed figure of one hundred six. His most recent win was last year in Colorado during a mile and one quarter allowance race. His graded placement came in 2020 during The Paris Counsel (G2) at a mile and a half.
9. Sea King Vega (IRE) – checkmate7 – L. Radzinski – 4/1
Working our way towards the end of the field, the five-year-old gelding is coming off a win in a listed stakes over at a mile and three-eighths in Kansas. Settling into the middle of the field after the break the gelding went on to win by two and three-quarter lengths and setting a speed figure of one hundred fifteen, which was a lifetime best for the gelding. The gelding has made only one graded start, this overseas in New Zealand during the Cities Cup (G2) at a mile and five-sixteenths.
10 . Colorado Gold – blankpoin8 – L. Colucci – 9/2
The last into the gate in the tenth slot, will be the only other graded winner in this weekend’s field. The bay four-year-old colt is out of the Hall of Fame broodmare Mushy Taters, who has produced four graded winners. The most recent start for the colt was in The Prince Of Whales (G1) at a mile and a quarter. Far off the pace in fourteenth at the gate, the colt rallied to finish just off the board in fifth, while setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. November of last year saw the colt’s most recent win in The Los Angeles Derby (G2) by two and a half lengths
Flrancho’s Picks
Win: Fifty Guns (ENG)
Place: Colorado Gold
Show: Sea King Vega (IRE)