KRISHNA SQUARES OFF AGAINST LA PATA DAISY IN TURF DISTAFF

New York–The best long distance turf fillies and mares in the game will race eleven furlongs to decide who is this year’s best turf filly or mare.  This race has it all, storyline’s galore.  Here are just some of the themes in this race.  The number one ranked older female faces off against the number ranked one filly as Krishna goes against La Pata Daisy.  The winner of last year’ Distaff, Turning Japanese, and the third place finisher, Grand Caffreys(Ire), of that race compete in this race for the second consecutive year.  A win by Turning Japanese would be a tremendous accomplishment and she might be peaking at the right time to do so.  Bring Me Joy has compiled a terrific year by winning ten races in the past year while competing, for the most part, in regular stakes.  She now makes a big step up and could surprise.  Rage More Piper is the second ranked older filly and wants some respect and the number one ranking.  Devil’s Slide could be an emerging star.  And A Gold City could be the lone early speed and may steal the race.

Helping to sort out this race is my erstwhile colleague, Official Hong Kong Handicapper, Pete ‘The Hatchet’ Wang.  All this last week he has tirelessly studied the entrant’s past performances, watched their video’s and caught up to some of the trainer’s for their comments.  He will present each entrant’s credentials and examine their potential performance, so without further ado, the field for the Distaff:

PP1, Alluvial’s Mockingbird (20-1, Lawton).  “Mockingbird is a three year old daughter of Atticus out of a Kingmambo mare.  She is a winner of three of sixteen, has earned over $767,000 in her career and is currently third in the three year old division.  For most of her three year old season she has been competing head to head against La Pata Daisy and has hung tough with her all year.  She was third to her in both the Oaks De English and the Sim Sports Irish Oaks.  In the Dahlia Cup she was second to her while in the Ayla Cup she was fifth while La Pata Daisy was second.  All in all, not too bad of a season considering how dominant La Pata Daisy has been in her division.  Mockingbird is a closer who last won a race in week 2454 when she won the eleven furlong G1 DUR AJC Oaks.   Coincidently, eleven furlongs is the distance of this race.  I caught up with her owner in the barn area and she had this to say about her accomplished filly.  ‘She cost 332 credits to breed last year, and her name is a play on her sire – Atticus (Atticus Finch is the lawyer in To Kill A Mockingbird).  There’s a bunch of nice fillies in here, and I think she’ll need to put up a career-best speed figure to win against this group.  While Mockingbird’s Grade 1 win came at this distance, 11 furlongs is probably on the shorter end of her distance range, so I suspect she’ll be closing late again.  I ran her on the dirt last time out against males, partly to try a dirt to turf angle, but partly to see how she’d handle the dirt, since she ran a nice race in her only previous dirt outing. Based on her flying finish against the boys, and her speed figure, I’m guessing she may ultimately be better on the dirt, but she’s no slouch on the lawn.  I’m pleased to get the local rider, Lawton, aboard (who gave her a good ride the only other time the two were paired, finishing second in the Dahlia Cup) – she was my second choice behind P. Bangs – and we’ll see how it goes.  Alluvial is a resident of DelPenn.’  Now I’m going to disagree a bit with her trainer as to her chances in this race.  Since her last win was at this distance, I’m going to consider this distance as her potentially her best distance.  Based on when she ran in the DUR AJC Oaks and her further maturity since then, I think she can run a low 100’s speed rating for this distance.  That type of a number will put her in the mix late in the race.  Further, I think the fact that she raced on the dirt against the boys will toughen her up for this race.  I think she has a real good shot to hit the board, so I will use her under in my wagers.”

PP2, Stalpipo’s Big Farcough Horse (31-1, McClendon).  “Tenth ranked older female is the longest shot in the race.  This daughter of Krisinsky brings some early speed to the race, however I do not think she is as fast as the other early speed horse, A Gold City.  Big Farcough Horse has had a very nice career, winning 17 times in 45 starts and earning over $673,000.  In the last year she has won six of her starts, all stakes, including an eleven furlong stake win in week 2710.  Her recent best speed rating also came at the eleven furlong distance, a 96 she put up when finishing third in a Grade III.  In an oddity, Big Farcough Horse has never won a graded race.  They say there is a first time for everything, but I don’t think she will prevail today.”

PP3, Kyclocker4’s Stage Coach Slew(Ire) (17-1, Gardner).  “Stage Coach Slew is a daughter of Theatrical out of a Gone West mare.  Seventh ranked in the three year old division, she has started the least amount of races of any of the competitors.  That is not to say, however, that she lacks experience as she’s hit the board in one G2 and in two G1’s in her last four starts.  She does have eleven furlong experience, finishing third in the G1 Go Deep Handicap with a 97 speed rating and a second in the G2 Girl’s Of Summer in which she just missed at the wire.  Her last race was a 13 furlong effort so she should have a deep base for this race that see’s her cut back in distance.  I caught up with her trainer and the trainer had this to say about Stage Coach Slew and her chances: ‘I had the last filly that drew into the race, Stage Coach Slew(IRE). I didn’t really think she had a shot to get in, but somehow she squeaked in. She’s still only an ALN1X winner, so I debated if I should even try her against this field, as there are some big name fillies in this race.  But she’s had some big runs this year, especially back in the SIM Sports Irish Oaks–G1 , were she beat a couple fillies that are in this race, and in my opinion was closing in on LA PATA DAISY.  She didn’t care too much for the off track when she faced DEVIL’S SLIDE in the Go Deep Handicap-G1, but she ran a decent race. And her last two she’s had a little trouble in training (only coming up RTG). But she’s sharp this week, and I think she could surprise a few people. I realize she’s only won twice, but she also has yet to finish off the board on turf. So something’s gotta give.  Something indeed has got to give.  I think she is better then 17-1, but I only foresee her winning a minor share of the purse.  If she had that one big graded win then she could sway me to use her, but the amount of class in this field makes it impossible for me to use her.  I’ll bet her in next year’s edition when she is the class of the field.”

PP4, Corka’s Grand Caffery(Ire) (10-1, Givins).  “Four year old daughter of Desert King is making the 40^th start of her illustrious career.  She has won nine of her prior starts and of those nine wins, six were grade I’s.  Her career earnings are over $2.8 million dollars.  So much for ducking tough competition.  Currently ranked fifth, this closer ran in this race last year and was third.  In week 2580 she won the G1 Yolkshire Oaks, so she is still capable of winning a G1.  Lately Grand Caffery has been racing mostly ten furlongs and in those races she’s had mid 90’s speed ratings.  I think her speed rating will increase as she adds a furlong and she should be in the upper 90’s for this race.  I don’t know if that figure will be good enough to win, but she’s always been a money horse so it is possible for her to pull off the upset.”

PP5 Fernando’s Five Littleindians(Ire) (19-1, Child).  “Ninth ranked older female is a five year old daughter Adieu Au Roi who was an auction purchase from a nextbonus affiliated stable.  For the past few months she has done really well when racing in ordinary stakes and her year and auction price was really magnified when she won the G3 Canary Stakes in her most recent start.  The mare has some back class as she won the G1 Adeline Oaks in week 1747 when she was three.  I caught up with Fernando and he explained that he ‘bought this mare last week in the auction for $5.5 million to run in this race.  I have always runners in the Breeders Bowl but not this year so I bought to have one.  I don’t know much about her, but who knows, perhaps she can win.’   Shades of Bob and Beverly Lewis, however Five Littleindians should run better then the Lewis’ horses do.”

PP6, Palmisland’s Lacrima (19-1, Gunn).  “This three year old is a daughter of Forty Niner out of a Storm Bird mare.  She has won six of sixteen starts, has earned over $588,000 and is ranked fifth in the Division.  Her connections also own La Pata Daisy.  In talking with Rafa, I found out that she is named after a Spanish wine.  If she wins I’ll have to go out and find a bottle (I probably will do so even if she loses.  Those Spanish wines are good!).  She faced La Pata Daisy in the Dahlia and was 7^th, but I think that race (14 furlongs) was too long for her.  It seems to me that she does her best running when the races are between nine and twelve furlongs.  She did win the twelve furlong G2 Rippleschip Stakes in week 2524.  She comes into this race off a win in a nine furlong stake that saw her post her best ever speed rating, a 97.  If this stalker runs back to that figure, she will be a factor.  Rafa assured me that Lacrima is ready for this race and he thinks it will be the best effort of her career.”

PP7, Redturkey’s Hail To The King (21-1, Rolling).  “Hail To The King is the second ranked three year old filly.  This daughter of Kingmambo beat La Pata Daisy in the fourteen furlong Ayla Cup.   Prior to that week 2552 Hail To The King faced off against La Pata Daisy in the twelve furlong G1 Sim Sports Irish Oaks and was fourth.  Overall Hail To The King is six of sixteen in her career and has earned over $835,000.  She is very talented and classy, however I believe that this accomplished closer is at a disadvantage in this race because the race is just too short for her.  She would be my upset special horse if this race was longer.”

PP8, Foxon4’s Bring Me Joy (15-1, P Harzheim).  “This filly could be the real sleeper of the race.  A daughter of Forty Niner, Bring Me Joy has won ten times in the past year.  Overall she is fifteen of thirty and has earned over $523,000.  She flies beneath the sim radar because she runs almost exclusively in ordinary stake races.   She has completely dominated those races.  In her last nine races, all stakes, she has won seven times.  She did try a Grade II in that stretch and her graded debut was a success as she won the G2 That Goat That Just Fainted Cup with a 98 speed rating.  Odds are a little higher then they should be because she had an 87 two starts ago when racing 13 furlongs.  Generally her speed ratings are in the upper 90’s.  Has yet to have a 100 speed rating, but she’s been winning her races so easily she hasn’t had to.  I’ll make this stalker my Tsing Tao longshot selection and use her top and bottom in my exotics.”

PP9, Pm2’s Rage More Piper (18-1, Darling).  “She is second ranked in the older division even though she has the same amount of stake points as Krishna.  Must be a start money thing to determine who is rated first.  Obviously if she outfinishes Krishna she’ll be to ranked and have the inside track to those end of the year awards.  Overall in her career, this daughter of Sadler’s Wells is nine for twenty in her career and has earned over $874,000.  Her best recent race and triumph came in week 2580 when she won the twelve furlong G1 Brisbane Distaff with a 102 speed rating.  After that race, in her most recent race, she raced in the thirteen furlong Time Traveler Bonanza and had an uncharacteristically poor effort.  Rage More Piper’s trainer had this to say about the filly:  ‘Rage More Piper is in good order for her big day on Saturday.  Everything so far has gone well for her and now please god on the day she can run up to her best of her ability.  She got her name from my favorite actress Piper Perabo who was in Coyote Ugly, but the term “rage more” came from one of her lesser films called Lost and Delirious.  She is a dream to train and has won from 7 furlongs up to 2 miles where she beat the boys in a grade 1 race, also she can lead all the way or come from last to first, she really is a trainer’s dream.’  I also think she has a realistic shot of winning this race as her best speed ratings are comparable to the other major contenders.  I’ll use her top and bottom in my exotics wager.”

PP10, Afc’s Devil’s Slide (7-1, Ledwith).  “Fourth ranked three year old filly is on fire and is making a strong bid to be filly of the year.  This daughter of Kingmambo out Seattle Slew mare has been virtually unbeatable since she began racing on the turf in week 2496.  She has made eight turf starts and has won six of those with her only losses being second place finishes.  During that period she has earned over $1.2 million on the lawn.  Overall she is ten of nineteen and has earned over $1.4 million so you can see just how good she became when she made the surface switch.  In her last seven races she has not put up a speed figure of under 100.  She has two Grade I wins during this streak and both her seconds came in Grade I races.  She has a G1 win at the eleven furlong distance.  If she finishes ahead of La Pata Daisy in this race it will put a lot of pressure on the voter’s to decide who the better filly is.  La Pata Daisy has been dominant at twelve furlongs and Devil’s Slide has been really good going ten furlongs.  I’ll use her top and bottom in my exotics.”

PP11, Dkyoung7’s Turning Japanese (5-1, Bangs).  “Another mare who ducks no one.  This daughter of Sunday Silence races almost exclusively in Grade I races.  In her career she has won twelve of twenty-five races and has earned over $2.9 million dollars.  Of her twelve wins, four wins have been Grade 1’s and they include last year’s edition of the BB Turf Distaff.  Was a closing third in the Flower Pot and in the race prior to that she won the G1 Demona Handicap.  Last year she won the Flower Pot before she won the Distaff.  She’s also a must use in the exotics.”

PP12, Stevemunoz’s A Gold City (H Harzheim).  “This four year old filly is the speed of the early speed.  Fourth ranked daughter of Seeking The Gold is definitely the one to catch.  Has a pair of stake wins at the eleven furlong distance, putting up speeds of  104 and 102.  In her career, A Gold City has won eleven of twenty-five and has earned over $1.5 million dollars.  She has two career G1’s, a nine furlong win in the Princess Di at this track and in the 10.5 furlong Flounder Turf.  I caught up with her trainer and her trainer had this to say: ‘While she did just run second last week in the Grade 2 “Milky Way” in New Mexico, that was off of a six week break and think she’ll be’ Razor Sharp’ for the BB. As you can see in her PP’s, it took me a while to respect the fact that she is “all that” and I’ve had her on a “Horse of  the Year” path since the end of February. With that said, I feel she must win this to keep in the running for that honor. She got more gas than SHELL & CHEVRON combined… so it appears she’ll be the one to catch.  But, honestly, I’ve always been able to land capable jockeys and have never set the mandatory instructions for any race in here entire career. All her races were controlled by the jockeys. But my favorite race was the “Adrian Adonis” where she stayed back a little
and pounced for an easy win. That is what I am hoping for here.’  A win here and she might have a solid claim against Krishna and the other major players.  Has the talent to win so you must use in the exotics.”

PP13, Paceman2’s Krishna (9-2, R Harzheim).  “I think a win in this race could establish Krishna as one of the legends of the game, especially since wear and tear has been introduced.  This four year old daughter of Theatrical has a tremendous career.  She’s won fourteen of thirty-two races and has earned over $3.5 million dollars.  She has five career Grade I wins and two of those wins came on the dirt.  She is a consistent 100+ speed rating performer.  Last year she went up against the boys in the BB Turf and was a respectable sixth.  The favorite has two eleven furlong races in her past eight starts and she paired 101 speed ratings in those efforts.  It sort of peculiar that both number one ranked fillies are next to each other on the outside.  The respective can keep an eye out for each when each makes their patented late move.  Obvious exotics inclusion.”

PP14, Usoz’s  La Pata Daisy (12-1, Foster).  “I’ve been following this filly all year so I have difficulty remaining neutral about her.  I think she is fabulous.  She’s won eight of fifteen and has earned over $2.1 million dollars.  She has five Grade 1 and a Grade 2 win this year.  Her speed ratings are not as good as the older horses or Devil’s Slide, but she hasn’t had to race to that level prior to this race.  In her last start she easily won the ten furlong St John’s, a race that I thought was too short for her.  A win tops off a storybook season.  I ran into Rafa and he told me this about his filly, ‘La Pata Daisy is my great star. This will be the most difficult race she faces. Her name comes from her “mother , and in English is Daisy Duck . Her “mother” was a very good original (not homebred) horse, which won a Grade II and could go 10 furlongs on turf.  La Pata comes Sharp to the race, and think Krishna will be her main rival.  It is the first time she faces older, and I think she can improve her speeds.’  I obviously agree with that and will use her in all my wagers.”

It has been a thrill to preview what is sure to be a great race.  I want to thank all who responded with quotes as you are what this game is all about.  Good luck to all.  No matter how your fillies and mares perform, you are all winners in my book.  Until next time, may the racing Gods favor you.