The Phone Call
One of the highlight races this weekend in California is The Phone Call, a Grade I race over the turf at a distance of five and a half furlongs. The race, open to three-year-olds only will offer up a total purse of $500,000. It is set for a post time of 11:15 am EST and will have a full field of fourteen horses going into the starting gate.
- Ole Vostro (AUS) – gotuna – W. Kewmwa – 16/1
First into the starting gate, this gelding is the first of several horses bred in Australia to go to the starting gate for the race. The brown gelding is lightly raced at five lifetime starts, which most recently came in Turkey during a listed stakes race over five furlongs. The gelding, sired by Ole Kirk (AUS), crossed the wire third in the race after having the lead early on out of the gate. The gelding has not won since his racing debut, which came in Tasmania over five and a half furlongs in his two –year-old season.
2. Vyzi Bukbarr (NZ) – cancun10 – F. Oxon – 7/1
Second into the gates we will have another gelding going into the gates who will be returning to graded stakes this Saturday after stepping down in class for his past few races. The most recent start for the brown gelding came in China during a listed stakes race at six and a half furlongs. He settled just off the pace early on in third and took command of the pace midway through the sprint, going on to win by two lengths while setting a speed figure of ninety-eight. This was the gelding’s third consecutive win, following wins in two other listed stakes races. He has made just one start in graded company, the Premie Champion Stakes (G3) last July in South Africa where he finished twelfth.
3. Dr. Tuna (AUS) – napaspirit – J. Drozd – 17/1
The longest shot on the board for this weekend, we will have our second Australian-bred colt going into the race. Sired by Tiger Of Many (AUS), the chestnut colt has lost only once in his career to date. This loss came in his most recent start, which was right here in California for last years’ Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at five furlongs. The colt settled off the pace in third and gained enough ground later on to achieve second, which is where he crossed the wire in what would be the colt’s only blemish in his near perfect racing record. His prior start came overseas in England during The Nonethorpe (G1), also at five furlongs. The colt was slightly closer to the pace in this race, second out of the gate. He gained the lead midway through the race to win by a head with a speed figure of eighty-seven.
4. Frank Endorsement (GB) – fdllodgeb – J. Dawg – 9/1
Another colt coming out of the Breeders’ Bowl and into this race, the bay colt by Frankel (GB) will be making his eighth lifetime start this weekend. His most recent start was in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) where he settled in eighth early on out of the gate but was lost in the shuffle later on as he went to cross the wire in twelfth, setting a speed figure of eighty-four. The colt’s most recent win was in June in Ireland during The Railway (G3), which he took in wire-to-wire fashion.
5. Rock Force Lethal (FR) – danmancan – J. Sands – 11/1
Coming out of the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf (G3), this light grey colt will be cutting back in distance for this start. His most recent start in the Breeders’ Bowl brought in a twelfth-place finish for the mile long race with a recorded speed figure of eighty-nine. The most recent win for the colt was this past August during The A Bomb (G3) in England. He set out of the gate in this race in third, took over the pace midway through the race, and went on to win by one length.
6. BK Hellbent (AUS) – cocabella2 – B. Anderson – 6/1
Making his tenth career start with this race, the Australian-bred gelding is returning to graded company after a brief step down in class. The dark gray gelding is by Hellbent (AUS) and started most recently in early December during a listed stakes race overseas in Turkey at eight and a half furlongs. The gelding was positioned well back at the start in sixth. He showed an impressive turn of foot as he moved into second midway through the race, and eventually first down the stretch to win by a length with a speed figure of ninety-eight. The most recent graded start for the colt was in November during The Saint Cloud (G1) in France where he would cross the wire in third.
7. Victory Artist (TUR) – checkmate14 – E. Cerda – 12/1
Working our way towards the middle of the field going into the gate, this chestnut will be making his tenth start as well with his start this weekend. The Turkish-bred colt most recently started in Kansas during a listed stakes race over five and a half furlongs. Sixth out of the gate in the moderately sized field, the colt would only gain enough ground on the field to cross the wire in fifth, though he was only three lengths off the pace of the winner, setting a speed figure of eighty-six. July saw the most recent win for the colt, which was in a listed stakes at five furlongs in Ireland.
8. I Am In Deep (AUS) – 69away – L. Hodges – 11/1
Yet another Australian-bred will be going into the gates in the eighth slot. This bay son of I Am Invincible (AUS) will be making his seventh career start. The most recent start for the colt came overseas in Belgium during the Euro Future Colt Final (G1) at eight and a half furlongs in November. The colt set out of the gate towards the rear of the field in this race and only managed to make up enough ground to cross the wire in tenth while setting a speed figure of eighty-eight. His most recent victory came in Australia last August during the Blue Diamond Road (G1) at six furlongs. Again, the colt was well off the pace towards the rear of the field at the start but made up a lot of ground in the stretch to win by a length.
9. Personality Cult (IRE) – asrstar11 – D. Givins – 8/1
The only colt in the race to have already earned over one million in career earnings, this Irish-bred colt by No Nay Never will be making his eighth career start and his first start after running in last years’ Breeders’ Bowl. This start was in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) where he would cross the wire in third after being well off the pace at the start. The brown colt set a speed figure of eighty-nine for the race. His most recent win was in his prior start which was in Australia during The Golden Shoe (G1) at six furlongs. He won the race by a length after settling off the pace towards the middle of the pack out of the gate.
10. I Am Singularity (AUS) – givenhot6 –Z. Edwards – 11/1
The second colt in the race this weekend to be sired by I Am Invincible (AUS) and also the last Australian-bred colt to go into the gate on Saturday, the bay colt will be seeking his first Grade I win after coming up short in last years’ Breeders’ Bowl. The colt is coming out of the mile long Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf (G1) where he was one of the last out of the gate and ultimately finished the race in thirteenth, setting a speed figure of eighty-seven. His most recent win was in England this past July during The Vintage (G2). He was up closer to the pace in this race, with the colt trailing the front runners in fourth out of the gate, not making his move until the stretch of the seven furlong race, and winning by a half length.
11. Oswald Mosley (IRE) – gowans2014 – F. Duffy – 10/1
In the eleventh slot, this brown colt by Kodiac (GB) will be making his nineth lifetime start this weekend and returning to graded company after taking a step down in class recently. The most recent start for the Irish-bred colt was in a listed stakes race in Colorado over five and a half furlongs. The colt quickly took over the pace after breaking in second. He would lead the field the rest of the way through the sprint to win by one and a half lengths with a speed figure of ninety-two. His only graded start to date was this past September during the Flying Children Stakes (G2) at five furlongs in England. The colt settled into third out of the gate and he rallied in the final furlongs to cross the wire in second.
12. Challaway – abbyrose – I. Selby – 7/1
The only colt to draw into the race this weekend not having been bred overseas will be this chestnut who will be making his ninth career start. His most recent start came in Oklahoma during a listed stakes race over seven furlongs. The chestnut settled just off the pace in third out of the gate and by the midway point of the race was starting to gradually make his move. By the stretch he’d made it to the front and went on to win the race by one and three-quarter lengths. His most recent graded start was overseas in Sweden during The Future Colt (G3) at a mile and one sixteenth where he would finish ninth.
13. Dark Angel Rock (IRE) – ddkstables4 – L. Radzinski – 13/1
Nearing the end of our field for Saturday, this Irish-bred colt will be making his sixth career start and the connections hope the light gray will be able to get back to his winning ways with the start of his three-year-old season. He most recently started here in California during the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at five furlongs. He came out of the gate and was held back towards the middle of the pack early on in sixth and was asked to make his move midway through the race. The colt did not seem to respond when asked and crossed the wire in fifth with a speed figure of eighty-eight. His most recent win came in France last July in The Cyborg (G3) at six furlongs. The colt was closer to the pace in this race, third out of the gate. He started to move forward midway through the race and went on to win by one and a quarter lengths.
14. Irishcolada (ENG) – irishflyer – F. Gossett – 13/1
Last into the gate for Saturday, this English-bred colt has the most experience of the field going into the gate with a total of thirteen career starts prior to post time this weekend. He most recently raced here during the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at five furlongs. He settled into the front half of the middle of the field in fifth and quickly moved up into fourth but wasn’t able to get past the wall of horses in front as he would cross the wire fourth with a speed figure of eighty-eight. His most recent win was in his prior start which came in England during the Cornwall Stakes (G3), also at five furlongs. He took the field wire to wire in that race, winning by a neck.
Flrancho’s Picks:
Win: Dr. Tuna (AUS)
Place: Personality Cult (IRE)
Show: BK Hellbent (AUS)