G1, The Hit Man: 16f across the dirt.
| Italy (ITY) Sunday, December 18, 2022 — 3:00:00 PM EST | Race ID : 2804991 | |
| The Hit Man | |
| Grade I / Group 1*CPU – Purse : $750,000 | |
| Restricted to 3 Year Olds and Older | |
| 16 Furlongs | ~3200 Meters | Two Miles | Fast Dirt |
This weekend we have a big race on the card in Italy the G1, The Hit Man. This race will feature a field of eight horses that will travel 16 furlongs across the Fast Dirt track. This looks to be an exciting field of horses that have entered and thus make for a very exciting race. The morning line odds have been set and the post positions have been drawn. Let us now take a preview of the eight horses that have ented this weekend’s G1, The Hit Man in Italy this Sunday.
| 1 | KIAMA HAGIB | JPN | 3M | breed2sell | B Scott | 8 | 4 | 100% | $197,770 | 25.50 | 14/1 |
This is a 3 year old Bay Colt who was sired by Nadal (NADAL x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY x MEDAGLIA D’ORO). In his eight career starts he has never been off the boards and has picked up four wins. He started his career as a 3 year old at the top of the season and on his second attempt he was able to break his maiden at the distance of 9 furlongs. He has continued to progress and in his most recent outing he was moved up in Class when he ran on 10/21/2022 in the Czech Republic going 13 furlongs in a Listed Stakes, Prince Murf Dirt Endurance. He faced some older horses for the first time, and he handled himself well as he got up for the win with a 110 speed rating. He is making another big move up in Class and distance this weekend when he comes out of the paddock and over to his gate representing the Midas residency.
| 2 | GRANDEZZA | IRE | 4M | frankster | Z Kentucky | 15 | 6 | 60% | $1,637,605 | 144.00 | 9/2 |
Here we have a 4 year old Bay Colt who was sired by Shamardal (SHAMARDAL x GALILEO (IRE) x DYNAFORMER) and who is out of HOF mare, Magniforma. This horse has done very well on the turf surface and had picked up multiple graded wins. But in his two most recent starts they have both been on the dirt. Two starts back he proved he could run in graded company on the dirt when he got up for the win in the G1, The Seattle Stayer. This horse was then sent out on 11/04/2022 for his most recent start in Kentucky where he would go 14 furlongs in the G1, Breeders’ Bowl Dirt Marathon. He would not have a good race this time out on the dirt as he crossed the wire out of the picture in tenth. This horse likes to be at or near the front in his best starts and he will come out this Sunday for another try on the dirt track representing the Empire State Racing residency.
| 3 | MEAN SHIFT | KY | 4M | doncaster | R Bokie | 16 | 6 | 44% | $444,149 | 100.00 | 10/1 |
This is a 4 year old Bay Colt that is a scratch bred (MINESHAFT x NUREYEV x UNBRIDLED). He is a multiple graded winner, and he is seeking his first G1 win. He recently won the G2, The Big Show at this same distance, but was denied a spot on the boards in the G1, The Seattle Stayer. This leads up to his most recent start in Germany on 11/19/2022 when he would go 14 furlongs in the G2, The Hamburg Hall. He would again be denied and was never a factor as he crossed the wire in sixth with a 103 speed rating. This horse tends to run in the middle of the pack and closes late. He will need to step up his game a little here from his two most recent starts if he is to factor this Sunday when he comes out of the paddock to represent The Mecca residency.
| 4 | JABUK CALOTTE | IRE | 4M | greynomad | M Scott | 14 | 5 | 57% | $416,425 | 64.50 | 6/1 |
Next, we have this 4 year old Bay Colt who was sired by Sea The Stars (SEA THE STARS x BERNARDINI x SADLER’S WELLS). He had been run fairly well earlier this season on the dirt track and picked up a couple of spots on the boards in some Graded races, but without a win. He was then moved over to the turf track for his three most recent starts where two starts back he picked up a win in a Local Championship Stakes in Ireland at the distance of 16 furlongs. In his most recent start, we saw him on the turf in New South Wales on 11/01/2022 where he went 16 furlongs in the G1, Millwood Cup. This time out he would not show up to be a factor in this race as he crossed the wire well back in seventh with a 109 speed rating. He is now being sent back to the dirt track here in Italy this Sunday and the owner is in hope to see his horse get his first graded win as they come out in the post parade to represent the Midas residency.
| 5 | BONDI MOONLIGHT | IRE | 5G | drivelz | M Perez | 26 | 8 | 85% | $610,918 | 62.00 | 8/1 |
Here we have a 5 year old Bay Gelding who was sired by Australia (AUSTRALIA x NAYEF x MINESHAFT). This season this horse has not been off the boards in any of his eight starts. Back in July he did pick up a second place finish in the G2, The Big Show. Last time out we saw this horse over at the track in India on 11/20/2022 going 16 furlongs in a Listed Stakes, Casual Connection Dirt Stayer. He crossed the wire in third but was more than 16 lengths off the lead. He will need to show a little more fire in those legs this Sunday and he will be getting a familiar jockey in the saddle to assist in that effort when they come out of the paddock at post time representing the Hoosier Racing residency.
| 6 | DENARO MORTALE | KY | 4M | brightvalr | W Cahill | 21 | 8 | 71% | $350,865 | 50.50 | 3/1 |
Next out we will see this 4 year old Bay Colt who was sired by Curlin (CURLIN x MEDAGLIA D’ORO x KINGMAMBO). His four most recent starts this season have all been on the dirt and he has not missed the boards in those four starts. He seems to be running some nice looking speed ratings recently and is looking sharp for the race on Sunday if he can handle the 16 furlong distance. Last time out we saw him run in Kentucky on 11/05/2022 in the G2, The Cartoon. He found a spot in third fresh out of the gate and he would hold on to that position throughout the race and where he would finish with a 113 speed rating. This horse has not gone this 16 furlong distance since January of this season. If he can pace himself for the distance, he may get a score on the boards representing the Midas residency.
| 7 | CUSTOMIZER | KY | 5G | vodka7 | R Hansen | 24 | 10 | 71% | $1,472,851 | 352.00 | 5/2 |
Here we have a 5 year old Roan Gelding that is a scratch bred (MEDAGLIA D’ORO x MR. PROSPECTOR x SEATTLE SLEW). This horse has made six graded starts this season and picked up a win in three of them including the win in the G1, The Desert Stamina Cup in Dubia. Last time out he would have another good race in Kentucky when on 11/04/2022 he ran 14 furlongs in the G1, Breeders’ Bowl Marathon where he would hit the boards in third with a 114 speed rating. The owner brings him back over to Italy this weekend where he hopes he can pick up another graded win this season before heading into next year. He has a familiar jockey in the saddle with his horse this Sunday when they head over to their post draw representing the Drunken Jockey Club residency.
| 8 | LEVER OF THE NILE | KY | 5M | cencall1 | F Duffy | 24 | 10 | 71% | $765,890 | 144.00 | 9/2 |
This is a 5 year old Light Grey Horse who was sired by Pioneerof The Nile (PIONEEROF THE NILE x TAPIT x STORM CAT). He has had a pretty good season thus far this year and only missed hitting the boards in two of his seven starts. But it was to be his shining moment when he most recently hit the track in Virginia on 11/06/2022. He would go 16 furlongs in the G2, The Rocky Top Derby of which he closed nicely to pick up the win by a quarter with a 106 speed rating. This was to be his only graded win thus far this season, but he hit the boards in several other graded starts along the way. This Sunday the owner is hoping to see his horse move up in Class and attempt to find a hit on the boards once again this season. With a familiar jockey in the saddle, they will come out of the paddock and over to their gate to the cheers of an excited crowd.
Good luck to all owners and horses!
Skippy’s Watch List
2-Grandezza: G1 win two starts back at the distance. Can he get to the boards on Sunday?
6-Denaro Mortale: Four most recent starts have been good. Can he handle 16 furlongs?
7-Cusomizer: Hit the boards in last two G1 trips. Can he find the win this time out?
Tarton’s Long Shot
3-Mean Shift: Three starts back this horse got a G2 win at the distance of 16 furlongs. His two most recent starts have been disappointments, but he could rebound here this time out and has a familiar jockey, R Bokie who will take the mount for this trip. At 10/1 in the morning line if he could get a strike on the boards he could be where the money is at on some of your exotic tickets. Let’s give him some support here and see what he can do in Italy this Sunday.