Ferry Dust Handicap
Ferry Dust Handicap
3 yr old+, F+M, 6f Dirt
Small, but distinguished group of veteran mares will be featured at Iowa Downs on Middle Jewel day.
The class of the field is mutliple grade one winner coolk’s #5 Lucky Destiny. 6 yr old Mare by War Chant hasn’t won anymore more than an allowance event since August of 2010, but does boast over 1.5 million in SIM earnings and seems to be on her game averaging 107.5 SP fig in her last too.
Second chance money is going to be placed on the top rated mare in this field Cross to Bear. This 4 yr old filly is by Cape Cross and major knock is a lack of a graded win this far, but she did finally beat older mares last time out. ‘Bear should be sitting right off the lead and will get first jump heading into the stretch, she has the look for a graded mare and one of these days will prove to be too muh down the lane, is this Saturday THAT day?
The eldest mare will break directly to her inside. Cadet’s Home Crowd is a 8 yr old by Came Home. A grade 3 winner at 2 (back in 2006) has had limited success since, but did post a 107 two back and one of the few with a stakes win in the last 12 months. After a horrible bounce last time where she finished more than 7 lengths behind the favorite, she will need to run close to a lifetime best.
Woette4 will send out the hottest horse in the field, 6 yr old Woette’s Fleet (Afleet Alex). This mare has won her last two and made a BOLD move last time closing from dead last at the half way point to rally home first by a length. This is going to be a major class test as she hasn’t won a stakes race since January of her 3 yr old campaign. A seriously lack of pace involved will hurt her winning chances. ITM 23 of 29 sprints prevents her from being a total throwout though.
Smokey Wells from jarid’s barn will break from the outside at 5/1. 5 yr old stakes winner by Smoke Glacken lacks the top speed figs that other boast, but has shown the ability for consistency running 4 straight triple digit speed fig. Another one that does her best running from off the pace. Not coming into this event in top form, but in this small compact field everyone has a shot.
Rounding out the field is patluc4’s Marioneta, only one in the field with double digits odds. This 4 yr old mare lacks a stakes win and was demolished in her only graded try as a 2 yr old . Patluc did find a very good spot to try and steal a win, as lone speed I’d expect a big run and think she will out run her odds.
Cadet’s Picks:
Cross to Bear should enjoy the small field and first jump. Lucky Destiny just has too much class to not hit the board, and I expect longshot lone speed Marioneta to surprise and close out the trifecta
4-5-2