Distaff Breeders Bowl Cap
The second graded stakes on the Saturday card here in Maryland will be the Distaff Breeders Bowl Cap (G2) at seven furlongs. The race, set to be held over the fast dirt track will showcase ten fillies and mares, three-years of age and up, all contending for the $375,000 purse. Lets take a look at the ten to go to the gate.
- Mamba Forever – haack01 – Z. Ayya – 7/2
Set to start in her first graded start since February of last year, the five-year-old daughter of War Front has been racing consistently in listed stakes races, and her connections have decided it was time to take a step up in class for the bay mare. Most recently starting in Virginia during a seven furlong listed stakes, the mare was held well off the pace at the start in ninth, though she quickly began to pick off runners strung out in front of her at the break. She would go on to win the sprint by a length and a half, setting a speed figure of one hundred twelve. She’d also previously won another seven furlong listed stakes race in Kentucky during her prior start. February of last year saw the mare’s only graded start, in the 2022 Equinics (G1) over six and a half furlongs, where she finished eleventh.
2. Speightful Gal – ddstables32 – V. Webb – 12/1
Lightly raced with just ten lifetime starts to date, this four-year-old light grey filly is graded placed and could pose a threat on Saturday, making her one to watch. Most recently the filly started in California during The La Zebra (G2) at seven furlongs. The filly broke sharply, second out of the gate, but quickly took control of the pace. She would get caught in the final furlongs, however, crossing the wire to finish third, with a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred eleven. Prior to this the filly had won two consecutive allowance races, both at seven furlongs in New York.
3. Arronautic – gamine – H. Ross – 5/1
Next up in gate three will be another light grey mare, this one a five-year-old daughter of Arrogate. The mare will be making her first start against graded company this weekend. Most recently starting in a listed stakes race in California at seven furlongs, the mare won the race in wire to wire fashion. Winning by a head at the line, the mare set a speed figure of one hundred six. The mare has previously started in four listed stakes, winning two.
4. Sunzer – rubiano06 – J. Hernandez – 10/1
Taking a big step up in class from allowance races this weekend, the five-year-old bay by Flatter is placed in listed stakes, though has recently been running in allowance races. The most recent start for the mare was in Kentucky during an allowance race over six and a half furlongs on a sloppy course. The mare won in wire to wire fashion by half a length, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred two. The mare has started with graded company before, most recently in July of last year during The Honored Miss (G2) at six furlongs in New York. The mare went straight to the lead in this race, but was caught by a late closing field to finish fifth.
5. Hows The Thump – sprintersacre – J. Miglore – 13/1
By Sky Mesa, this four-year-old filly will be making her first graded start after winning her listed stakes debut last December. The filly was held off the pace towards the middle of the field in the seven furlong sprint, bounding forward when asked midway through the race, and going on to win by a length and a quarter with a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred nine. Prior to this the filly had also won two consecutive allowance races, both over seven furlongs and also in Pennsylvania.
6. Prima Ficia (IRE) – valesa – N. Linville – 13/1
Lightly raced with eight lifetime starts, the four-year-old filly by top sire Galileo (IRE) will also be making her graded stakes debut on Saturday. Winning half of her eight career starts, the bay filly most recently raced during a listed stakes race over seven furlongs in Arizona. Off the pace at the break in fifth, the filly began to make her move midway through the sprint, going on to win her listed stakes debut by half a length, while setting a speed figure of one hundred ten. She also won her two previoius starts, both allowance races at seven and a half and seven furlongs respectively.
7. ‘O Solomini – tenderfoot – J. Caves – 5/1
This five-year-old mare will be making a second attempt with graded company after taking a year to run in allowance and listed stakes races. Most recently, the mare started in a listed stakes over seven furlongs in her native New York, where the mare has started in most of her races. The mare, held back early on out of the gate in fifth, went on to win the race by a length and a half while setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred thirteen. Her only graded start came in 2021 during the Gowader Stakes (G2) at a mile in Idaho where she would finish tenth.
8. Speights Fight – ianwhipkey12 – F. Oxon – 9/2
In the eight slot, we have and EOY winner and million-dollar earner in this five-year-old bay mare, who will be taking a step down in class into Grade II company for this weekend’s race. The mare will be making her twentieth career start this weekend. Her most recent start was last November during the Breeders’ Bowl F and M Sprint (G1), also at seven furlongs. The mare broke out of the gate in fifth, ultimately crossing the wire in eighth while setting a speed figure of one hundred eight. Her most recent win was in August of last year in New York, also over seven furlongs, in The Nutcracker (G1), which the mare won by three-quarters of a length.
9. La Zarrapastrosa (IRE) – eldehaack – G. Giant – 4/1
The second of just two horses to go to the gate this weekend already having won a graded stakes, this six-year-old mare is returning to graded company after a brief step down in class. The most recent start for the Irish-bred mare was in a seven furlong allowance race in Colorado in which the mare finished second after being held well off the pace a the break. The mare set a speed figure of one hundred five for the race. Her most recent graded start was in the Breeders’ Bowl F and M Spint (G1) last year, where she crossed the wire seventh. March of last year was the mare’s most recent win, this coming in Florida during The Davey Jones Handicap (G2), at seven furlongs. Still well off the pace at the start, the mare flew down the stretch to win the race by a length and a half.
10. Very Cherry – buffy6 – D. Fendlay Jr. – 23/1
Last up in the field for this weekend and the morning line longshot going into the post, this four-year-old chestnut by Munnings, like much of this weekends field, will be making her graded stakes debut. The chestnut filly most recently started during a listed stakes at six furlongs in Michigan. The filly, held well off the pace in ninth out of the gate, went on to win by a length and a quarter, while setting a speed figure of one hundred six, which is a lifetime best for the filly. Prior to this the filly also won two consecutive allowance starts, both also over six furlongs. The filly has stretched out to seven furlongs in the past, which is the distance in which she broke her maiden last year.
Flrancho’s Picks
Win: Speights Fight
Place: Speightful Gal
Show: Mamba Forever