NY Island Cap
One of the highlight races leading up to the final jewel in the Triple Crown on Saturday, will be the NY Island Cap. The Grade I race will be run over a mile and a quarter over the turf, which looks like it set to be firm for this Friday’s race. The race is open to three-year-olds and up, though all horses in the field for this year’s race are four years of age or older. The race has attracted a total of ten horses for this year’s running, so let’s take a look at the contenders.
- Charitable Gesture (IRE) – ozzybred1 – T. Ace – 7/1
Drawing the inside rail for Friday’s race, the five-year-old horse is out of the Grade I winning broodmare Run Through Fire, who also earned over one million in lifetime career earnings. The Irish-bred bay horse is the only offspring to date for the broodmare. The most recent start for the horse came overseas in Hong Kong during The Queen’s Spring Cup (G1) at a mile and a quarter on the turf. The horse broke out of the gate towards the middle of the field and tried to make a run in the late stretch, though it was only enough to get him up for fifth at the wire, setting a speed figure of one hundred and twelve. The most recent win for the horse was across the country in California during the Marcos Footwear Handicap (G2), also at a mile and a quarter. Again, sent out of the gate towards the middle of the field, the horse was able to close the gap in the stretch and went on to win by two and a quarter lengths.
2. Montfaucon (IRE) – waterloo – R. Bokie – 16/1
Next up in the line up, this four-year-old colt will be making his first start against graded company in the Island Cap this Friday. The bay colt, by Lope De Vega is a listed stakes winner and is out of a dam who was graded placed. The most recent start for the Irish-bred colt was in an allowance race over nine and a half furlongs in Ireland. Settling into the middle of the pack out of the gate, the colt started to make a move midway through the race and went on to win by two and a half at the wire, while setting a speed figure of one hundred and fifteen, which was a lifetime best for the colt. The most recent listed stakes for the colt was in the start prior to this allowance win, which was held in Dubai over twelve furlongs where the colt finished fifth
3. Labor And Beer (JPN) – fremontst – N. Lawton – 51/1
The longshot of Friday’s field will be going into the third slot in the race. The Japanese-bred four-year-old is the only horse in the race to go to the post that has not first won a listed or graded stakes. The brown colt by Bricks And Mortar is out of an allowance winning broodmare and most recently started in a listed stakes race in Vermont over nine and a half furlongs. This was the first and only listed start for the colt in his racing career. The colt broke towards the back of the field, settling into thirteenth out of the gate. The colt would cross the wire where he started in thirteenth, setting a speed figure of one hundred two. Prior to this the colt set up a string of four consecutive wins including two allowance races and two claiming races. This string of races were all over ten furlongs.
4. Trump’s War On USA – pointblank4 – L. Colucci – 8/1
The first of only three US-bred horses to draw into the race on Friday, he will be returning to graded stakes company after taking a step down in class and switching surfaces over to the turf from a career that has been mostly on the dirt in the past. The most recent start for the colt was during a listed stakes race in Kentucky over ten furlongs. Well off the pace at the start, the colt made a late move in the stretch to win by two and a quarter lengths with a speed figure of one hundred sixteen. His only other start on the turf came in another listed stakes over nine and a half furlongs, where he finished second, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred seventeen. July of last year saw the colt’s most recent graded start, which was here in New York during the Shiny Gem Stakes (G2) at a mile and one eighth. The colt would finish eleventh in that race, but the connections are hopeful that he will handle the step up in class well over the turf.
5. All Roads (AUS) – eminc8 – R. Harzheim – 5/1
Midway through our field, we have this five-year-old horse who is approaching the six-million-dollar mark in career earnings and EOY winner. The Australian-bred horse is out of the Hall of Fame broodmare My Role Model, who also was a million-dollar earner and EOY winner, producing two graded winners to date. The most recent start for the bay horse came across the country in the Movieland Turf Cup (G1) in California over a mile and a quarter. Settling back towards the middle of the field at the start, the horse wasn’t able to make up much ground later and crossed the wire fifth, setting a speed figure of one hundred and nine. He would wow the spectators in his prior start in South Africa during the Manha Manha Challenge (G1), also at a mile and a quarter, where the horse, again settling back into the middle of the field early on, began slowly picking off other runners early on in the race. He would go on to win the race by a neck, though setting an impressive lifetime best speed figure of one hundred and twenty-one.
6. I Burnt The Toast – mtkgrs – M. Kelly – 7/1
In the sixth slot, the five-year-old horse is by English Channel and out of the Grade II winning and million-dollar earning broodmare Guineas Blonde. The bay horse will be making just his second start against graded company this weekend. The most recent start for the horse was overseas in a listed stakes race in South Korea over nine and a half furlongs. Settling mid-pack out of the gate, the horse would finish seventh at the wire, setting a speed figure of one hundred nine. The only graded stakes for the horse was in his prior start, this in The Second Coming (G2) in New Zealand, where again settling off the pace towards the middle of the pack, he would fade in the final stages of the race to finish eleventh over the mile and a quarter race. His race prior to these two brought him his most recent win, also over ten furlongs in a listed stakes race in Australia.
7. Heart’s Rage (JPN) – given2ndchances – R. Sailor – 9/1
The first of the geldings into the starting gate on Friday will be this Japanese four-year-old, who will be returning to graded company after a step down in class. The most recent start for the Grade I winner was during a listed stakes in Minnesota over ten furlongs. Held just off the pace of the front runners in fourth, the gelding took over in the stretch to win the race by three and a quarter lengths, setting a speed figure for the race of one hundred eighteen, which was a lifetime best for the horse. Prior to this he had also won two consecutive allowance races. The most recent graded start for the gelding was in October of last year during The Usain Bolt (G2) over a mile and one-eighth, where he would cross the wire eighth.
8. Pierro Cry (AUS) – chops271 – E. Cerda – 3/1
The second Australian-bred as well as the second gelding in the field, will be going off in the eighth slot as the morning line favorite for the race. The gelding is ranked as seven in turf routers and has earned over three million in lifetime earnings to date. The most recent start for the gelding came in the Manha Manha Challenge (G1) in South Africa where he finished second by the margin of a neck, though setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred twenty-one. August of last year was the gelding’s most recent win, which came in the Windy City Turf Classic (G1), also at a mile and a quarter. Settling into ninth out of the gate, the gelding was urged forward to make his move midway through the race and went on to win by two and a half lengths.
9. Long Gone Slew – zpyeholding3 – D. Viz – 4/1
The last of the US-bred horses will go into gate nine as we near the end of the field for this Friday. The five-year-old gelding is a local champion in his native Florida and is graded placed. The most recent start for the gelding came in Maryland during the Confederate Stakes (G2) at a mile and one-eighth. The gelding, held back in the middle of the pack early on, crossed the wire second in the race, setting a speed figure of one hundred nineteen. The most recent win for the horse, was in his prior start, during a listed stakes over the same distance in his native Florida. He was more forwardly placed in this race, held back off the pace in third before winning by half a length.
10. War Of The Kings (ENG) – adrian14 – M. Scott – 8/1
Last into the starting gate on Friday will be this English-bred gelding by top sire Frankel (GB). Making his twenty-fourth lifetime start this weekend, the gelding most recently started in a listed stakes race over ten furlongs in Colorado. The bay horse, after breaking second, quickly took the lead and went on to win the race by two and a quarter lengths. This was preceded by two consecutive allowance wins, both over ten furlongs. This will be the geldings first start against graded company, coming on the heels of winning on his first attempt with listed company.
Flrancho’s Picks
Win: Pierro Cry (AUS)
Place: All Roads (AUS)
Show: Long Gone Slew