Sword Swallower Stakes

The feature race this weekend in New York is The Sword Swallower (G1), which will be held over a mile and a half on the turf. The race, offering up a total purse of $750,000 is open to three-year-olds and up. We should have clear skies for this weekend’s racing, leaving us with a firm track at post time on Saturday. The race is set to go off at a post time of 3:00 PM EST. The Grade I race has attracted a total of twelve runners. Let’s take a look through this year’s field. 

1. A Vanishing Act (IRE) – upinflames – O. Ridenour – 6/1 

Drawing the inside rail and the first horse in our field to be sired by the great Galileo (IRE), this five-year-old horse is coming into this race off of two consecutive wins. The bay horse most recently started in June during The Stars And Bars (G3) at a mile and a half in Illinois. He settled just off the pace after coming out of the gate, cruising along in fourth early. He would advance on the rest of the field early, taking over the lead by the midway point of the race. The horse would go on to win the race by two lengths while equaling a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred sixteen. Prior to this the horse would also win a race against allowance company over the same distance in Florida. Winner of last year’s The Coronation Pilsner (G1), the horse most recently started with Grade I company in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf (G1) last year where he finished ninth.  

2. Influential King – dpcd4 – H. Desitter – 7/1 

The first gelding to go to the starting gate, this chestnut five-year-old is coming out of the Equinics – Northern Dancer Stakes (G1) at a mile and a half last June. The gelding came out of the gate and settled well off the pace early, thirteenth out of the gate. The gelding held back towards the rear of the field until asked late in the stretch, but the gelding would make his move too late as he crossed the wire in seventh, setting a speed figure of one hundred ten. The most recent win for the gelding was in September of last year during The Osmonds Memorial (G1) at a mile and a quarter in New Zealand.  Eighth out of the gate in the ten-horse field, the gelding would start to make his move much earlier in the race and would win by a quarter length after putting in a nice drive down the stretch. This secured the gelding a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred seventeen.  

3. Sadal’s Empire (IRE) – zarkova2 – I. Torres – 19/1 

The longshot of Saturday’s race, this Irish-bred gelding is seeking out his first graded win. Sired by Workforce and out of a graded placed broodmare, the five-year-old bay gelding most recently started in Japan during the Kakrarazuka Kinen Cup (G1) at a mile and three-eighths. Held back towards the middle of the pack in the race, the gelding gained sixth and seemed to be starting to pick up the pace before being shuffled back by other runners and ultimately crossing the wire in eighth, setting a speed figure of one hundred seven. His most recent win was in August of last year against allowance company at ten and a half furlongs in his native Ireland. The gelding was more forwardly placed in this race, third out of the gate, and steadily picked up steam throughout the race before winning by two and a half lengths.  

4. Fboy Etiquette – mtk76 – M. Kelly – 11/1 

Earning just over two million in career earnings, the five-year-old son of Curlin will be making his twentieth career start this Saturday. His most recent start was in late May during The Coronation Pilsner (G1) across the pond in England over a mile and a half. While facing a smaller field of eight horses, the horse broke towards the middle of the pack out of the gate and didn’t start to make his move until late in the race. He would win going away by two and a half lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. Before this, his most recent start was in March across the country in California for The Sandy Ray Handicap (G2) over the same distance in which he would finish fourth. 

5. Devon And Cornwall (IRE) – given17 – O. A. Haack – 6/1 

Looking to get back into the winner’s circle from the fifth post, this son of Camelot (GB) will be making his fourteenth career start this weekend. The four-year-old gelding most recently started here in New York during the NY Island Cup (G1) in June over a mile and one quarter. The gelding was well off the pace at the start of the race, back in twelfth early. At the midway point of the race the gelding was asked to make his move. Despite showing a good turn of foot coming down the stretch, the gelding would finish off the board with a fourth-place finish and a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. The gelding most recently won a race last December during the Itch Tribute (G1) at a mile and a quarter in West Virginia. The gelding was held well off the pace in the race named after the late sim trainer, made his move at the midway point of the race, and ultimately won by a length and a quarter.  

6. Weird Impersonator (GB) – foxon2 – F. Oxon – 10/1 

Towards the middle of Saturday’s field, this four-year-old colt is coming out of the Equinics – Nothern Dancer Stakes (G1) at a mile and a half. Sent out of the gate to settle towards the middle of the pack early, the bay colt had moved up to third by the time the field reached the midway point of the race. He would come up short in the stretch, three lengths off the pace in second, while equaling a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred sixteen.  His most recent win came in June of last year during The Irish Derby (G1) over the same distance. Once again, the colt was sent out towards the middle of the pack at the start, though went on to win by an impressive daylight margin of five lengths.  

7. O Northern Halo – teatime3 – J. Migliore – 12/1 

Returning to graded company for the first time this year, this five-year-old bay gelding is by the late Kitten’s Joy. His most recent start came here in New York over fourteen furlongs in a listed stakes race. Out of the gate in sixth, he would be asked to make his move midway through the race. The bay gelding was able to get up for second, off the pace by three and a half lengths, while setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen, which is a lifetime best for the gelding. He would win his prior start, which was also in a listed stakes race, this time at sixteen furlongs in Vermont. The gelding has made only one previous graded start, which came in October of last year. The gelding would place fifth in the Carlton Fisk Handicap (G2) at a mile and a half in Delaware.  

8. Fifth Ts (IRE) – db3 – E. Sharp – 14/1 

Making his graded stakes debut, this four-year-old is by the young sire Sottsass (FR). The connections of the young colt are hopeful that he may be able to pull out a surprise upset in the race as he goes into this start off of six consecutive wins. The most recent start for the bay colt came during a listed stakes race overseas in Italy over eleven and a half furlongs. Well off the pace at the start of this race, he was asked to make his move midway through the race. The colt responded willingly and went on to win in his second listed stakes start of his career by two and a half lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. Prior to this he won two allowance races and three consecutive races in claiming company.  

9. Fastnet Franzie (IRE) – rubber11 – J. Harty – 8/1 

Returning to Grade I company for his twentieth career start, the four-year-old bay gelding is a Grade II winner who will be making his third attempt at Grade I company this weekend. The most recent start for the gelding was early last month during the King Kam Sepoy Stakes (G2) at a mile and three-eighths here in New York.  Out of the gate fifth in the seven-horse field, the bay gelding wouldn’t make a move in the race until the field came into the stretch. Though moving with an impressive turn of foot down the stretch, he would come up short to cross the wire in third with a speed figure of one hundred seven. His last attempt at a Grade I start was his start prior to this, which was in The Aussie Queen (G1) at a mile and a quarter. Running in the same fashion, he would come up short here too, missing a Grade I victory by just two and a half lengths as he crossed the wire in second. January saw the gelding’s most recent win in the Buck Dharma Handicap (G2) at a mile and three-eighths.  He started his move a little earlier in his race, winning by two and a quarter lengths. 

10. Marchelliere (FR) – alibilane30 – T. Ace – 14/1 

Nearing the end of our field for Saturday, this five-year-old horse will be going into the tenth post.  The son of Cloth Of Stars is graded placed but is still seeking his first graded win with his nineteenth career start this weekend. The most recent start for the bay horse was in June during The Irish Cup (G3) at a mile and three quarters. Out of the gate in seventh, he would maintain this position for most of the race, but would fade back in the stretch to cross the wire in tenth while setting a speed figure of one hundred four. His best graded performance was his start prior to this, coming in May during The Carlsbad Lessons (G2) at a mile and a half where he finished second. His most recent win was during a listed stakes race in Japan over twelve furlongs last November.  

11. Franks Star Forty (GB) – dkstables29 – F. Gossett – 8/1 

Coming off of a win in the Kakrarazuka Tinen Cup (G2) at a mile and a quarter, this son of top sire Frankel (GB) won his first graded start with the race. Out of the gate and settled back into the middle of the field he was let go to pursue the front at the midway point of Japan’s prestigious race. By the time the field came into the stretch he had gained the lead and went on to win the race by two and a quarter lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred nineteen, a lifetime best speed figure for the bay colt. His only other graded start came in the Great Beer Cup (G3) at a mile and three-eighths in New Zealand in which he finished fourth.  

12. Texileo (IRE) – texasace – A. Jolly – 3/1 

Certainly, the most famous entry in Saturday’s race is this horse, a former EOY winner and winner of the Horse Of The Year honors. The six-year-old son of the late Galileo (IRE), the bay horse most recently raced this past June overseas in Japan for the Kakarazuka Kinen Cup (G1) at a mile and three-eighths. The bay horse came out of the gate and went straight to the lead in the famed race. At the midway point of the race he had opened up his lead to over five lengths over the rest of the field. And while other contenders would draw close at the wire, the horse would not be denied the victory and went on to win by three-quarters of a length with a speed figure of one hundred sixteen. This was the horse’s second back to back win of the race. Prior to this race he would start in his native Ireland during the Tattersalls Gold (G1) at a mile and five-sixteenths in which he would finish third. 

Flrancho’s Picks: 

Win: Devon And Cornwall (IRE) 

Place: Weird Impersonator (GB) 

Show:  Texileo (IRE)