The Roberto Clemente
There are several graded stakes for this week’s of racing in California. Here we will take a look at The Roberto Clemente (G1) which will be run over a mile and a quarter on the turf. The hallmark Grade I race is offering up a total purse of $750,000. There won’t be a cloud in the sky at post time on Saturday, which is scheduled for 3:00 PM EST, leaving us with a track listed as firm. The race will be open to three-year-olds and up. The race this year has drawn a total of nine horses into the field. Let’s take a look through the contenders.
- Sliabh Liag – pye – J. Dizzle – 7/1
The only US bred in the field has drawn the rail for our race on Saturday. Sired by Tonalist, the five-year-old light grey gelding will be making just his second start against graded company. His most recent start, and only graded start was last month in Oklahoma during the Winchester Park Cup (G3) at a mile and three-eighths. The gelding went straight out to the lead out of the gate and maintained the front running pace right up until the final furlongs where he was caught by a late closer and shuffled back to second, setting a speed figure of one hundred seven. His most recent win was in May during an allowance race in Kentucky over ten and a half furlongs. He sat just off the pace early in second and took command of the lead midway through the race, winning by a head at the wire.
2. Bad Lyrics (JPN) – redhill20 – V. Jef – 4/1
Making his last couple of starts over off tracks, the Japanese-bred is shipping in from England for this race. The son of Heart’s Cry (JPN) will be making his twenty-fourth race with this start. His most recent race was last month in England in the Judgemont International (G1) at a mile and five-sixteenths, which was this year held over good ground. Coming out of the gate in seventh, the five-year-old gelding never seemed to find his footing in the race and fell back to eighth at the wire, setting a speed figure of one hundred nine. His most recent win was in his prior start, this held over a yielding course in the His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf Cup (G3) at a mile and a quarter in Sweden. Midpack out of the gate, he quickly started picking off other runners before going on to win the race convincingly by two and a quarter lengths.
3. Vulture King (IRE) – redvipers – B. Bennington – 5/1
Sired by the late Galileo (IRE), the five-year-old bay horse made his most recent start last month in the Windy City Turf Classic (G1) at a mile and a quarter. He shot out of the gate and settled into second, about a length and a half off the pace early. He maintained his chasing position behind the leader right up until the final furlongs where he was caught up by a late closer and shuffled back to finish in third, setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. His most recent win was in September of last year over ten furlongs in the listed DUR Spring Carnival. With a very similar running style setting off the pace just behind the front runners, he would go on to win two and a quarter lengths.
4. Mastercraftvidar (IRE) – daniel2 – J. Drozd – 9/2
This five=-year-old gray horse is returning to graded company with this start. His most recent race was a step down in class to allowance company in a ten furlong race overseas in Denmark. The colt came out of the gate towards the middle of the pack in the eight-horse field and was asked to make his move midway through the race. He would go on to win the allowance contest by one and three-quarter lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. The horse last raced in graded company this past July during the Her Majesty Margrethe II Cup (G3) at a mile and five-sixteenths, also in Denmark, where he would finish sixth.
5. Cruzy Vee (BRZ) – tommyvee – V. Jennings – 9/1
Hailing from Brazil, the four-year-old brown gelding is looking for his first graded win. His most recent start came across the country in New York during The Bernie Baruch (G2) at a mile and one-eighth. Last out of the gate at the start, the gelding starting to make his move midway through the race. At the wire he got up to cross in seventh, setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. His most recent win came this past May during an allowance race over nine and a half furlongs in Florida. The broke mid pack out of the gate here, making his move midway through the race before going on to win by half a length. His best finish to date in a graded race was last year during The Great Volt (G2) at a mile and a half where he would finish second.
6. Cracking Quest (GB) – amir1680 – B. Gulch – 6/1
Foaled in Great Britian, this four-year-old bay colt will be making his twentieth career start this Saturday. The son of Cracksman most recently started last month in Illinois during the Windy City Turf Classic (G1) over a mile and a quarter. The bay colt was sent out to the lead early and looked to be making a wire to wire run of the race before being caught up in the stretch and shuffled back to sixth at the wire. The colt set a speed figure of one hundred and eleven for this race. His most recent win was in October of last year during The Cracking Quest (G1) over the same distance. He did manage to win his namesake race in gate to wire fashion by half a length with a speed figure of one hundred fourteen.
7. Stories Not Told (GB) – frontwell – V. Gardner – 9/1
Looking for his first group win, the connections of the five-year-old bay horse are hoping he can turn things around with this race. His most recent start came last month across the country in New York during The Bernie Baruch (G2) at a mile and one-eighth. Out of the gate and into fourth trailing the leaders early, the horse kept up this position until the final furlongs where he fell back to finish tenth, setting a speed figure of one hundred six. His most recent win was in November of last year during an allowance race in Canada over ten furlongs. The son of Territories (IRE) won the allowance contest going away by three lengths.
8. Blood Stains (GB) – stormrun – W. Kewmwa – 7/1
Almost at the end of our field, this four-year-old bay gelding will be making his first start against graded company this Saturday. His most recent start came in South Korea over eight and a half furlongs in a listed stakes race. He came out of the gate in eighth and gradually started picking up places early on in the race. Eventually he would go on to finish fourth in the race. His most recent win was in May overseas in India during a $150,000 tag claiming race in India. Facing a short field, he would be out of the gate in third early before going on to win the race by one and a quarter lengths.
9. Better Like Him (IRE) – moreready7 – R. Wisniewski – 6/1
Bred in Ireland, the five-year-old bay horse is sired by Australia and is out of a graded placed dam. The most recent start for the horse came in late July during the Eddie O Cap (G1) here in California over a mile and one-eighth. He was positioned towards the rear of the field early, ninth out of the gate. Midway through the race he began to pick up position in the race, coming home sixth at the wire and setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. His most recent win was just in his start prior, which also came here in California. The race came in late May over a mile and a quarter in the Movieland Turf Cup (G1). Positioned closer to the front in this race, out of the gate third early, the horse was sent to make his move midway through the race and did go on to win by a quarter of a length.
Flrancho’s Picks:
Win: Better Like Him (IRE)
Place: Vulture King (IRE)
Show: Cracking Quest (GB)