Ackland Cup
Fourteen horses line up in New Zealand this week for the Grade One Ackland Cup. Worth $750,000, the race will be run over two miles on firm turf for a purse of $750,000. Five horses are coming out of the Grade Two Fitness Cup, making it a key prep for this race. The winner, Magniforma turned in one of the most impressive races run in the sim so far this year, opening up an insurmountable early lead before cruising home over a field loaded with graded winners. In all the top three finishers that day are represented here and will likely have a strong say in the outcome. Let’s take a look at the field.
#1 Myth or Magic is a five year old exiting the key Fitness Cup. He was sixth that day, beaten 13 ½ lengths by Magniforma. Previously he had won two straight races at the two mile distance, the Caustic Ant Turf Special and the Grade Three Royal Oak with a career best 110sp. Myth or Magic’s last seven starts have all come at two miles and include a third victory in the Grade Three BBR Special, as well as two third place finishes. Myth or Magic, by Dynaformer, is the only stakes winning foal for a-grade Giant’s Causeway x Sadler’s Wells mare Magical Mia.
#2 Tizmambo is a five year old with only two starts at two miles. He was second, beaten only ¼ length in the Grade Three Gladiator in September and thirteenth in the Grade One Penn Endurance in December. His only stakes win came in the mile and five sixteenths Tete The Undead Turf Memorial last August. He earned a career best sp of 114 going a mile and one half in the Grade One King Kong Vase. Tizmambo is a son of Tiznow out of the f-grade Kingmambo x Alysheba mare Vice Mambo.
#3 Magniforma is the five year old mare who blew apart the Fitness Cup. It was her first start at two miles and she used her considerable speed to open up a seventeen length lead on her way to a 5 ¼ length romp with a 110sp. That was Magniforma’s second victory against males, she had taken the Grade One Europe Classic at a mile and one half in September. In between she ran two disappointing races in the Breeders’ Bowl and on DelPenn Champions Day. Trainers in today’s race may not want to let her get such a large lead early on but this impressive mare’s speed may be impossible to match. Magniforma is a scratch-bred daughter of Galileo x Dynaformer x Mr. Prospector.
#4 Dylan Tom N Jerry is the six year old returning champion in this race. He has earned over $5,000,000 in his career which includes three grade one wins at two miles. He only has one victory since last year’s race; he took an allowance at two miles two starts back with a 100sp. Most recently he was eleventh in the Grade Three Diamond Stakes. Dylan Tom N Jerry is one of three stakes winners, two graded for the f-grade Montjeu x Rainbow Quest mare Tete Morningrise. He is by Dylan Thomas.
#5 Shutdown Corner is a four year old who has never run beyond a mile and one half. He is a stakes winner at that distance, having taken the Slew J. Turf Challenge two starts back with a 112sp. It was his third win in a row, all at the same distance. He dropped back to a mile and three eighths last out and finished eighth in a listed stakes run. Shutdown Corner is a scratch-bred son of Distorted Humor x Sadler’s Wells x Alydar.
#6 Rapaz is an improving four year old who was second in the Fitness Cup. He closed from over twenty lengths back to take the runner up spot behind Magniforma. He outclosed the highly regarded Jukebox Kid in that spot, his first at two miles. Last year Rapaz won the Grade Two Great Volt at a mile and one half and was second in the Grade Two Saint Legend Stakes at a mile and three quarters, both against fellow three year olds. Rapaz is a son of Duke of Marmalade out of the f-grade Speightstown x Kris S. mare Murua.
#7 Balance Act, a four year old, is the only horse in today’s field who had a race after exiting the Fitness Cup. He was tenth in the Fitness and returned to finish fifth in the mile and three eighths Shore Lunch Turf Challenge. The Fitness Cup was only his second start at two miles; he finished fifth in the Grade One Penn Endurance prior. Balance Act is won the Grade One Classic Turf Stakes at a mile and one half in 2011. He is a son of Giant’s Causeway out of the f-grade Kingmambo x A.P. Indy mare Lava Lil.
#8 Jukebox Kid is a five year old who went on quite a tear in 2011. He won his first ten starts of the year, nine of those at two miles, two of them grade ones. He faltered in his final start of the year, running third in the Grade One Penn Endurance before running third last out in the Fitness Cup. The earner of over $3,000,000 has some of the most consistent sps in the field; he hasn’t run below a 100 in over a year. Jukebox Kid is a scratch-bred son of Raven’s Pass x Street Cry x Dynaformer.
#9 Major Irish is a five year old who exits off a victory in the Bly Me Too Turf Stayer at two miles. He romped in that race, going wire to wire to win by 4 ½ lengths. He is the only likely challenger to Magniforma for the early lead. Prior to that win he was second in both the Grade One Penn Endurance and the Grade Three Royal Oak at the same distance. Major Irish is a son of Daiwa Major out of the c-grade Kris S. x Irish River mare Starling Road. She has already produced two graded winners.
#10 Blakely is a five year old making his first start at two miles. He exits a win in the mile and three eighth Grade Two Buck Dharma Handicap. Last season he won the Grade Three Weld Stakes and the Grade One Champion Stakes, both at a mile and one quarter. The longest he’s ever raced is a mile and three quarters and he was second when going that distance in an allowance race. Blakely is a scratch-bred son of Montjeu x Smart Strike x His Majesty.
#11 Shine On Through is a seven year old with just under $4,000,000 in the bank. Shine On Through has not had good luck in this race, he finished seventh in 2011 and fifth in 2010. He does have two grade one wins, both coming at one mile. The most recent came last April in the Spring Cup. He only has four starts since that race with his best finish coming when third in the Grade One Longchamp Marathon. Shine on Through is a son of Bel Esprit out of the g-grade Swain x Cozzene mare Surface Power.
#12 Rockafella Skank is a seven year old and the other mare in the field. A millionaire, Rockafella Skank has made only two starts at two miles. She won the Storm Force Turf Mare Endurance and was second by only ¼ length in the Grade One Millwood Cup against the males. She has two starts since the Millwood, a thirteenth place finish in the Grade One Japan Classic and a third in a mile and one half allowance. Rockafella Skank is a scratch-bred daughter of Rock of Gibraltar x Machiavellian x Caerleon.
#13 Vertical Impact is a four year old who won his first stakes in his first start at two miles in his most recent start. He gave a five length drubbing to the field of the Drop In The Fields Turf Stayer with a 103sp. Previously he was second in the mile and three eighths Enter Late and Often Special against three year olds and sixth in the Grade One Allied Assault against his elders. Vertical Impact is a son of Deep Impact out of the g-grade Forty Niner x Lear Fan mare Learing Into Time.
#14 Dylan Monte is a five year old who enters off a three race win streak. All three of those races came at a mile and one half and included a win in the Grade Three Gary Trent Stakes. Dylan Monte has made two starts at two miles. He was second in an allowance in January of 2011 and fifth in the Ale N’ Skittles Turf Stayer last July. Dylan Monte is a scratch-bred son of Dylan Thomas x Kingmambo x Dynaformer.
Good luck to all!