Short Field For 10 F Gr 1 NY Island Cap

NY Island Cap

Grade I

Distance:   A Mile and One Quarter, Or 10 Furlongs, Or 2,000 Metres

Surface:   Firm Turf

Purse:   $400,000 ($240,000 To The Winner)

Conditions:   All Horses, 3 years old and up

Stakes Record Time:  2:00 2/5

(2002) Firm Idea        Owner: Stillgoing Stables (stillgoing)

(2008) Severe Warning (IRE)      Owner: The Empire (fairhaven5)

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( 1 )  HAACK’S DADDY  (IRE)     3/1        (16  7-4-4 — $294,490)

Owner: Otto Haack (Venezuela)     4 YO Ch. Colt    (Galileo (IRE) x Wrangler (Kingmambo))

Haack’s Daddy has been first second or third in 15 of his 16 starts–a remarkable model of consistency. In fact, the only time he didn’t finish in the top three was last time out in Hong Kong, when he caught a good surface in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Queen’s Spring Cup. This guy from the Otto Haack barn loves a firm turf course, and that’s what he’s going to get here in New York this weekend. He’s a four year old son of Galileo out of the Kingmambo mare Wrangler, and he loves this ten-furlong distance he’ll get in the NY Island Cap this weekend. This is his fourth graded start of his career. He finished third in the Grade 2 Los Angeles Derby back in November of 2011, then he came back to win the Grade 3 National Stakes in New Zealand in February. Both of those starts came at ten furlongs, and he’s popped pretty nice speed figures in both of those starts (107, 113). In his last four starts, in fact, he’s got speed numbers of 113, 112, 113, and 99. That 99 came on that off surface in Hong Kong in his last start. Draw a line through that start. He’s back on the firm turf now in New York, and he’ll love this spot. Look for him to return to the kind of numbers he was running before that last start. Figures to do some damage here.

( 2 )  THETALKOFTHETIME   (KY)       7/1      (14  6-1-1 — $213,200)

Owner: Willyam13 Stables     4 YO Br. Colt    (Giant’s Causeway (IRE) x Sheza Maniac (Medaglia D’oro))

Thetalkofthetime is a 4 year old son of Giant’s Causeway, and he’s 7/1 in this spot. He doesn’t have quite the speed numbers that Haack’s Daddy does coming in here, but he’s really just getting started in graded company. Last time out, like Haack’s Daddy, he caught a yielding surface he really didn’t like, and he finished sixth in his first graded start of his career–the 10.5 furlong Grade 1 Good Day Stakes in Paris. You can probably toss that race for the entry from Willyam13 Stables. He will appreciate this firm course this weekend much better. He’s won four of his last five coming in here, and he’s really been smoking them in allowance company from 10-12 furlongs. Can he produce the kinds of speed numbers that Haack’s Daddy can? That’s the big question for Thetalkofthetime here. He’s won nearly half (6) of his 14 career starts, and he definitely likes this distance. He might be a notch below most of these in the speed figure department, but that’s okay. This is a light field, and Thetalkofthetime could just be ready to bust out with a big one. Two starts back, he threw a career-high 109 speed figure in a listed stakes win, and I would look for him to improve in this spot.

( 3 )  STORIE TROO  (KY)      ***2/1***     (19  8-4-1 — $399,606)

Owner: ONEWORLD Stables     4 YO Br. Colt    (Tale Of The Cat x Affirmed x Shadeed)

Storie Troo is your 2/1 morning line favorite here in the NY Island Cap this weekend, and he’s got some really nice speed numbers coming in here–all on the dirt. In fact, the colt from ONEWORLD Stables has raced on the turf only twice in his 19 career starts. He’s a four year old son of Tale Of The Cat, and he’s got Affirmed and Shadeed back there in his scratch-breeding. He’s been top three in 13 of his 19 career starts, and he’s just shy of $400,000 in career earnings. But he’s a shaky favorite in this spot. His first turf start came as a two year old, and his only other one was back on Christmas Eve of 2011 in the Grade 9 Sanders Stakes in California. He finished ninth in that spot. After that, his connections threw him back on the dirt, and he’s been shining there. His speed numbers are sizzling, and he’s never finished lower than top three this year. But again, all those 2012 starts came on the dirt. He can get this distance. No doubt about that. But can he get this surface? That’s the big question for Storie Troo here. He’s really not proven his ability on turf yet, and this will go a long way toward determining what his future will be–dirt or turf. It looks like his connections are willing to give him another try on turf in this big money six-horse field here in New York this weekend, but he really looks more comfortable running on the dirt.

( 4 ) MORE THAN LIFE(FR)     5/1    (19  8-6-2 — $150,569)

Owner: Astins Place     4 YO Br. Colt     (Mr. Sidney x Northern Dancer x Bold Ruler)

More Than Life is a 4 year old French-bred son of Mr. Sidney, and he comes in here for Astins Place Stables. He was doing pretty well on the dirt early in his career really. He was popping triple digit speed figures, but he wasn’t quite getting to the winner’s circle in listed stakes company. So his connections wisely switched him to the turf in his last five starts, where he won three of the five. He’s been popping some pretty nice numbers, too, on the turf. Two starts back, More Than Life threw a 111 speed ball in a 9.5 furlong allowance win in Vermont. Last time out in Maine he hit listed stakes company for the first time in the 9.5 furlong Captain Dibble Turf Route, where he cruised to an easy victory. He’s catching an extra half furlong in distance here in New York this weekend, but that shouldn’t be a problem at all for this colt who’s also got Northern Dancer and Bold Ruler back there in his scratch-breeding. He lays back early, not a whole lot of early speed here, but he loves to come on with a late rush. Look for him to do exactly that here this weekend. He’s 5/1 in this spot, and he should relish this extra distance this weekend. This is his first graded start on the turf, but it’s only a six-horse field, and if More Than Life can stay in touch with this field early, there’s little doubt he’s got the staying power to come on strong late.

( 5 )  ESCAPING JUSTICE  (GER)    7/1    (16  5-3-4 — $272,549)

Owner: Shamrock Stables     4 YO Br. Colt    (Monsun(GER) x Pleasant Colony x Roberto)

The German-bred son of Monsun from Shamrock Stables makes a return to the turf after his connections tried him on the dirt in his last three starts. The four year old who has Pleasant Colony and Roberto back there in his scratch-breeding is full of stamina, if you go according to his pedigree. He was in some pretty heady turf company early on. His first graded start came in the Grade 1 Sydney Derby last season, where he finished sixth, but he came on later in the season to win the Grade 2 Guillaume at 10 furlongs, and he threw a career-high 110 speed figure there. In his final two starts of 2011 as a three year old, he went up against older colts in the Grade 1 Coxless and the Grade 1 King Kong Vase. Escaping Justice wasn’t quite ready for that bunch, and he took some time off from the races after that. When he returned his connections switched him to the turf in his last three starts, and he did well enough there. But it looks like Escaping Justice really is much more comfortable on the turf. And this just might be a really good spot for him to return to the grass, here in the NY Island Cap this weekend. It’s a short field, and he’ll get to stretch his legs and run against colts his age for the most part. He’s 7/1 in this spot, but you can throw out his 2012 form. It’s all been on the dirt. This colt is back where he belongs, he’s well rested, and he might be ready to throw a big race here.

( 6 )  ARCHIE BUNKER  (KY)      5/2    (32  5-7-4 — $286,525)

Owner: Shamrock Stables    5 YO Br. Horse   (Arch X Sleeping Beauty (Empire Maker))

Archie Bunker is the only five year old here in the NY Island Cap this weekend. Shamrock Stables’ second entry in this race is by Arch, and he’s out of the Empire Maker mare Sleeping Beauty, so he should love this race. This is 33rd career start, which is just about double anyone else in this race has won. He’s 5/2 in this spot, and he looks like he’s ready to roll. Since last August, he’s been running mostly in 8-9 furlong races, so he’s taking a step up in distance here this weekend. He hasn’t run ten furlongs since August of last year. In fact, he’s only run ten furlongs three times in his career. Distance might be a bit of a question mark for Archie Bunker here in New York this weekend. Last time out, he ran a pretty nice race in the Grade 3 Aught Conn Cup in Ontario, where he was coming on strong late. He popped 113 speed figure there, the best of his career to date. But, remember, that was an 8.5 furlong race. Lots of graded experience here, but most of it has been at distances shorter than he’ll see here. That distance question is a big one to answer this weekend. At 5/2, the morning line odds makers might be a little generous here. He is running against younger colts here, so Shamrock Stables is probably hoping that makes the difference for him in this spot.