BBRS Bargie Awards
The 2011 Bargain Bred Racing Series is in the books and it is Bargie time. As we kick off our 2012 Bargain Bred Racing Season we take a look back at what happened in 2011 and honor the top runner’s achievements. We had older runners continue their winning ways and had a special class of three year old fillies. We call our award a “bargie” and bargies are determined by a point system based on how runners place during the year in their respective divisional races. Extra weight is given to our year end celebration the Bargain Bowl.
All of the divisions have at least three races. For older runners the races are spread out through the year where as for two year old and three year old occur over a shorter period of time. In this article we take a look at two year olds, three year olds, long distance dirt runners, dirt milers and turf sprinters.
Bargain Long Dirt Division
The Long Dirt Division will kick off our awards. The division consisted of three races The Stayer in May at a mile and a half, the Hinterland in September at a mile a three quarters and the Bargain Distance Challenge at the Bargain Bowl at a mile and three quarters in November. This year the division was dominated by a five year old mare At the Waxworks. She started the year gaining confidence with four starter allowance wins. She then took the Stayer earning a 104 speed figure by three lengths. She would then win a listed stakes in Dubai. She would come back in September after a dull effort at the graded level to win the Hinterland by four and a half lengths. She would then take the Bargain Distance Challenge at the Bargain Bowl by two lengths. She won comfortably in each of the three divisional races sweeping the division.
Outside of a couple of dull efforts in graded company she had an awesome year. She is now six years old with 19 career wins from 38 starts. She has earned over $400k in her career. Congrats to the Desjet stables on a fine 2011 campaign and the Long Dirt Division Bargie.
Dirt Mile Division
The dirt mile draws some of the best mares and colts running in the series. The Big City Mile run in late May, the Gumball Mile ran in early October and the Sir Bear Mile ran at the Bargain Bowl. The Big City Mile had some major players this year. Slave to Tradition once again stepped up and took down the boys out closing Back in Bodog in the stretch for a one quarter length win with the talented Sullivan’s Rainbow finishing third. The Gumball Mile saw last year’s dirt mile champion Humility assert himself into the picture winning by three quarters of a length over solid three year old South Ridge with Back in Bodog settling for third. The stage was set for a showdown in the Bargain Bowl. The Sir Bear turned into a showdown between Humility and Back in Bodog. These two did not disappoint. At the top of the stretch Humility was pouncing on the fading speed with Back in Bodog three lengths back. Humility was game but it was Bodog’s day as he flashed down the stretch catching Humility to win by two lengths at the wire.
Back in Bodog’s win earned him top honors in the Dirt Mile division. He turned five in 2012 and is lightly raced with just 19 starts. He has an impressive 10 wins in those starts earning $344k so far in his career. In addition to his Sir Bear win he also won at a mile and an eighth in the Summer Classic. Congrats to the Exit12Farm stables on a really nice campaign in 2011 and the Dirt Mile Bargie.
Two Year Old Turf
The filly Misallocation dominated this division last year. The Sandford Park at six furlongs run in September, the Winchester run at a mile in October and the Bargain Bowl Class Ack Juvy run in November at a mile make up the division. The first stakes of the year was an open affair that saw the late running Celestial Reward pick em up and lay them down for a one length victory over the stalking Ruleman. The pace setting Draftnik held third. Many of the same players were running in the Winchester but this time the stalking Ruleman pounced at the top of the stretch and put it on the field winning by three and a half lengths. Celestial Reward had to settle for third.
At the Bargain Bowl in the Class Ack Juvy a new comer was the favorite. Glorious Detail was the favorite over Ruleman but when the gates opened Draftnik did not flash the same speed and long shot Slinging Tradition set the pace under pressure from the favorite Glorious Detail. At the top of the stretch Slinging Tradition shook free with stalking Ruleman picking up the chase. Ruleman would not have enough in the tank and slinging Tradition took them gate to wire for the win in the Class Ack Juvy.
With a win and two seconds Ruleman earns the Two Year Old Turf Bargie. He has five career wins in his young career and if he continues to grow will be a player as a three year old. Congrats to the Gowans stables.
Two Year Old Dirt
The Amity at six furlongs, the Ginger Ale at a mile and the Bargain Bowl Charlie’s Tiger Juvenile make up the races in this division. The Amity was a wide open affair with many unknowns. Wonderbolt was the morning line favorite. He broke his maiden at first asking and ran second in an allowance against open company. He would get beat by his filly stable mate Trip into Cactus. Both runners sat mid pack off the leaders made moves on the turn but the filly had a little more in the stretch winning by a length. Edge of My Seat stalked the early pace and held third. The one mile Ginger Ale was redemption for Wonderbolt who turned the tables on his stable mate winning by a length and a half over Trip Into Cactus. Otara Eye pressed the pace and lasted for third.
Going into the Bargain Bowl the Desparado stables had the top two performers going in. Wonderbolt was the favorite but faced new competition. Otara Castle from the Hawkz stables was stretching out for the first time and showed he can run setting the pace. Desparado though had another good two year old in the barn with Weather Warming who came flying home with Wonderbolt. Weather Warming though had just enough to get by Otara Castle at the wire for a quarter length win. Otara Castle held second and Wonderbolt had to settle for third three quarters of a length behind another stable mate.
This dirt division could produce some really good runners. Otara Castle opened his season with a nice win, Weather Warming ran third in a grade 3 race last out. Three races and three different winners all from the same barn, amazing. Wonderbolt’s competiveness earned him the Bargie hitting the board in all three races. Congrats to Desparado and his fine crop of two year olds.
Three Year Old Colts
The Ozark in April at a mile and a sixteenth, The Bargain Derby in May and a mile and three sixteenths, the 100 Guineas in May at a mile on turf and the Bronx in June at a mile and three eighths make up the three year old colt division. The Ozark was a wide open affair and new comer to the series True New Yorker came in as the heavy favorite. He lived up to the billing winning easily by three lengths over Post Fever and Western Score. So when the Derby rolled around True New Yorker may have been the top colt but two fillies opted for the Derby and would be the top two betting selections. You Me and Them was the top choice and she ran like one. She closed from well back flying through the stretch to win by almost three lengths over Ultimate Betrayal and African Porcupine. You Me and Them became the first filly to win the Bargain Derby.
The 100 Guineas was next up for three year olds on the turf and this race was won by a sharp filly named Misallocation. None of the Derby horses made an impact in this race but Kapichok only lost by a quarter of length with Sharp Quill finishing third. Next up was the Bronx and You Me and Them was heavily favored. She was at the back of the short field early but by the top of the stretch was only three lengths from the top two African Porcupine and Ultimate Betrayal. Ultimate Betrayal could not keep pace but African Porcupine was on his game and gave You Me and Them everything she could handle in the stretch but it was not enough to hold off the filly. You Me and Them became the first filly to win the Bronx taking two of the three colt races. African Porcupine was second and Ultimate Betrayal was third.
The category is three year old colt but a filly was better in three of the four races. You Me and Them earned the most points and would later run second in the Summer Distaff against older mares and won a listed stakes. She has 9 wins in 21 starts now for Teejay congrats on the Bargie.
We are going to also recognize a colt as well. The colt race came down to three colts. Last year’s two year old champ Eagle View, African Porcupine and Ultimate Betrayal. African Porcupine danced the dances but never made it to the winners circle in a BBRS race. He ran a really nice second in the Bargain Bowl Classic and despite not winning really had a fine year. Eagle View stuck with sprinting and while there are not a lot of sprints early in the year he managed a listed stakes win and won the Gold Coyote in May. He was second in the Royal Pawn, third in the Tokyo Sprint and third in the Bargain Bowl Tale of Two Places. It was a fine year for him.
Ultimate Betrayal gets the nod though. He showed versatility with a second in the Bargain Derby at a mile and three sixteenths, third in the Bronx at a mile and an eighth and really turned it on late in the year defeating Eagle View in the Royal Pawn and then again winning the Bargain Bowl Tale of Two Places. Ultimate Betrayal is awarded the Three Year Old Colt Bargie congrats to the blznprize stable.
Three Year Old Filly
The Ozark Diamond ran in April at seven and a half furlongs, the Bargain Oaks in May at a mile and a sixteenth and the Queens run in June at a mile and three sixteenths make up the Three Year Old Filly Division. We had an amazing group of three year old fillies in 2011. The Ozark Diamond produced a fast time and good speed figures. South Ridge flashed her stuff stalking the pace and over powering Slew the Buddha in the stretch for a length and a half win earning a 97 speed figure. Court Nightmares closed from the back of the pack to finish third. The Bargain Oaks was next up and South Ridge was the favorite off her Diamond performance. There was some worry to whether or not she could get the distance and that turned out to be justified as long shot Sweet Talk grabbed the early lead and never looked back. She was never really threatened winning by a length and three quarter over South Ridge. South Ridge just had too much ground to make up closing five lengths in the stretch to get second. Flying Enzee also closed from well back to finish third.
The last race was the Queens which South Ridge opted to skip. That left Oaks winner Sweet Talk and consistent Slew the Buddha to vie for the Queens. Sweet Talk had some pace pressure this time and Slew the Buddha was not far behind. Sweet Talk though was tough again on the lead pulling away in the stretch to win by three lengths over Slew the Buddha. Quit Fronting who put on the early pressure held third in the Queens.
By virtue of her two wins in three races Sweet Talk locked up this division but it was not that simple this year. Misallocation took down all three year olds in their only turf race the 100 Guineas. By August she stretched out to a mile and an eighth and took down older fillies and mares in the Bargain Princess. At the Bargain Bowl she did come up a half-length short against the boys in the Kaif Mile to Nzed Thrill who is a filly as well. Based on her strong performance and two wins all year long Misallocation will also be honored. Also You Me and Them dominated the colts with her Derby and Bronx win earning her a Bargie.
Congrats to Sweet Talk and Desparado stables for the fine year as she is also awarded a Bargie for her Oaks and Queens wins earning top honors in this division.
While there is no official three year old turf Bargie we will recognize Misallocation as the Three Year Old Turf Bargie winner. Congrats to Desparado and his three Bargies so far this evening.
Turf Sprint Division
The Turf Sprint Division is always a contentious division. Their races get kicked off with the Everglades in July at seven furlongs, then the six furlong Tokyo Cup in October and finally the Bargain Bowl in the five and a half furlong Silent Witness. Players Champion was ready to defend his title in this division in the Everglade but it was Silenus Mile winner Rampant Ego that would strike first. When the gates opened front running Rampant Ego grabbed the lead and never looked back surviving a late charge from Concotelli. Players Champion had to settle for third but a nice start to the division series.
The Tokyo sprint had a couple of new comers in three year old Eagle View, and four year old mare Swain’s Jet. Players Champion and Concotelli added to the mix made for a very competitive race. Eagle View took the lead early but at the top of the stretch the mare Swain’s Jet was breathing down his neck with Players Champion a couple of lengths back. It was the mare Swain’s Jet that had the momentum holding off Players Champion for the win, with Eagle View holding third. So the Bargain Bowl Silent Witness would determine this division. More new comers flooded the division like Dagastan, Count Zim Zam and Khaki. Players Champion was the favorite but it was just not his day as he never fired. Swain’s Jet did fire and was closing hard in the stretch but it was newcomer Khaki that took the lead in mid-stretch and held off Swain’s Jet for the win. Long shot Louis Lipps would get third.
Her win in the Japan Sprint and second place finish in the Silent Witness earned Swain’s Jet enough points to earn the Turf Sprint Bargie. Congrats to the knightstc stables.