Right Here Right Now
The feature race for this weekend in California is the Right Here Right Now (G2), which will be held this Sunday with a post time of 11:55 am EST. Despite a significant threat of rain for the race, the mile and one sixteenth race over the turf has drawn a field of ten four-year-olds and up. The weather has also moved on, so it looks like the track will be firm at post time. With a total of $250 up for grabs in the race, we will have a close field vying for the purse. Let’s take a look through the contenders.
- Roaring Exposed (ENG) – harrylan25 – O. Brooks – 5/1
First into the starting gate, this six-year-old roan is one of the few offspring of Roaring Lion, who stood only two years at stud. Bred in England, the horse most recently raced across the country in New Jersey during The Next Episode (G3) at a mile and one sixteenth over a yielding course. Despite breaking towards the rear of the field in the race, he showed his turn of foot midway through the race while going on to win by two lengths with a speed figure of one hundred sixteen. This was the horse’s first graded win.
2. Napa Valley Icon – megabps – MJ Kelly – 9/2
The only horse entered in Sunday’s field to win more than a Grade III race, this seven-year-old horse will be the oldest in the field for this weekend and is sired by Curlin and out of a mare by Sadler’s Wells. The bay horse most recently started last September in Kentucky during The Snowball Mile (G1). Out of the gate and held back towards the middle of the field early, the horse backed up as the rest of the field hit the gas in the stretch, with the seven-year-old crossing the wire in seventh, setting a speed figure of one hundred twelve. The horse would win his prior start, which came in August here in California over a yielding course in the Dell Web Mile (G2). The horse was placed up close to the pace early in second and overtook the front runner in the stretch to win by a length and three-quarters.
3. Mucho Bernie – jastables15 – P. Appolonia – 7/1
Making his debut race over the turf this weekend, the four-year-old colt by Mucho Macho Man is a Grade III winner on the dirt whose dam had run on both surfaces throughout her career, though she never won over the turf. Last started in September in The Hoffa Cup (G2) at a mile and one-eighth in New Jersey over the dirt, the colt would settle for eighth out of the gate and start to make his bid down the stretch to cross the wire in fourth with a speed figure of one hundred nine. The most recent win for the colt was this past July during The Cultural Centre Cup (G3) at a mile and one-sixteenth, also on the dirt. Further off the pace in this race, eleventh out of the gate, he would start his late closing bid midway through the race and go on to win by a quarter of a length.
4. Dubawi’s Cool (ENG) – harrylanlow36 – O. Ridenour – 41/1
The longest shot on the board for Sunday, the English-bred colt will be making his first graded start this weekend after racing exclusively in allowance races after breaking his maiden. The most recent start for the five-year-old bay horse was across the country in New York during an allowance race over nine furlongs on a yielding track. The hose leapt from the gate into an early third place. He quickly overtook the horses in front of him and led the field up to the stretch where he was overtaken to cross the wire in third where he set a speed figure of one hundred five, which is a lifetime best speed figure for the horse. The most recent win for the horse was here in California this past May during an allowance race at six and a half furlongs and on a firm track. He took the field gate to wire, winning by two.
5. D H Lawrence (ENG) – xpansion92 – V. Gardner – 9/1
Making just the second graded start of his career in this race, the son of top sire Frankel (GB) will be making his twenty-third start in the race. The most recent race, and only graded start for the four-year-old was this past October in New York during The Patrick Ewing (G3) at a mile and one eighth. Last out of the gate at the start, the colt made a late bid in the stretch but only managed to cross the wire in tenth, setting a speed figure of one hundred six in his first graded outing. His most recent win was in England the month prior during a local championship listed stakes race over the same distance over a yielding course. Again, at the back of the field at the start, he would make his bid late and win by two.
6. Atlantic Dootsin – zcutty – R. Poulin – 5/1
In the sixth slot we will have another colt that will be making his first appearance over the turf. The four-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic is out of a graded placed dam who did race over both surfaces, but never won over the turf. The brown colt most recently raced in October in Florida during the Save A Buck (G3) at a mile and one sixteenth on the dirt. Going straight to the lead out of the gate, the colt was caught in the final furlongs of the race to finish third, setting a speed figure of one hundred eighteen. The most recent win for the colt was in October of last year during The Select Bud (G3) at seven furlongs in Kentucky. In this race, the colt was held off the pace towards the middle of the field, started making his move midway through the sprint, and went on to win by half a length.
7. Quinta Crespo – haack13 – J. Selden – 7/1
Returning to graded company after a step down in class, this Kentucky-bred five-year-old will be making his twenty-third lifetime start. The most recent start for the light grey horse came across the country in New York during an allowance race over eight and a half furlongs on a turf track rated as good at post time. The hose was just off the pace early in fourth, settling behind the front runners. At the midway point of the race, the horse had overtaken the lead and went on to win by two and a quarter lengths with a speed figure of one hundred and fourteen. The most recent graded start for the horse was also in New York at the same distance this past July during the Fivestarmick Handicap (G2). Further off the pace in this race, positioned in eighth early, the horse would lose ground in the stretch as the closers charged forward and would cross the wire in tenth.
8. The Day Is Short (GB) – newastiny – A. Rolling – 6/1
The only gelding to go to the starting gate in Sunday’s race, the four-year-old is coming off of five consecutive wins before coming into the race this weekend. The most recent of these races was this past September in Illinois during The Harry Carey Memorial (G3) at a mile. The bay gelding took the field from gate to wire in the race, winning by two and a half lengths and setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. This was the graded stakes debut for the gelding, his other consecutive wins consisting of two listed stakes races along with two allowance races.
9. Decisive Inferno – thezoo09 – D. Raymond – 7/1
Nearing the end of our field, the four-year-old colt will be making the third graded start of his racing career. Bred in Kentucky and sired by More Than Ready, the brown colt most recently started in New Jersey during The Next Episode (G3) at a mile and one sixteenth. Well off the pace towards the back of the pack at the start, the colt started picking off other runners midway through the race. He would come up just short at the wire, crossing second while setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen over the yielding course. The most recent win for the colt was in June overseas in a listed stakes in New Zealand at eight and a half furlongs. This race was won in a similar fashion, with the colt at the rear of the field early and closing with a tremendous kick in the final furlongs.
10. My Heart To Vinny (JPN) – thethumb19 – E. Banner – 6/1
Last in the field on the far outside post will be this four-year-old Japanese-bred colt who will be making his third graded start of his racing career. By Heart’s Cry (JPN), the colt’s most recent start was in New Jersey during The Next Episode (G3) at a mile and one sixteenth on a yielding course. Sent straight for the lead out of the gate, the colt would fade when the field reached the stretch, and he would cross the wire in eighth to set a speed figure of one hundred seven. His most recent win came in his start prior that during a listed stakes race over the same distance in Pennsylvania where he would manage to take the field from gate to wire to win by two and a half lengths.
Flrancho’s Picks:
Win: Napa Valley Icon
Place: Roaring Exposed (ENG)
Show: The Day Is Short (GB)