Grade 3 CBC Sprint Draws 9
This week’s Saturday feature at Japan is the Grade 3 $800,000 CBC Sprint, a 6-furlong dash for all horses 3 years and older. Nine are entered, featuring the #17-ranked turf sprinter, HAGUENAU.
SOLEDUCK RIVER is a 5yo by Fusaichi Pegasus trained by cocoabeach. He has a solid performance a few races back in a graded stakes at this course, but seems to have regressed some since and will need to turn his form around to compete with this bunch; this is reflected in his 16/1 win price as set by the CPU handicapper.
NEIDERREITER is a seeming dirt-bred by Hard Spun who has found a home in turf sprints. Has been on fire lately, going 2 of 3 in turf stakes. However, the nywinger trainee takes his first crack at graded-stakes company. The shorter distance should help, but he’ll have to be at his best to make a dent at 6/1.
HOPE AND SPEIGHT has a nice record on dirt, but has found a new racing life on the sod. The 5yo son of Speightstown has yet to miss the podium in a grass race, and he barely missed in a grade 2 7-furlong affair a few races ago. The fireslam trainee also was 2nd to S R GIANTS at Japan in a February allowance dash. Gets respect as a 9/2 2nd choice in the betting.
SHEIK DJIBOUTI was tried in stakes company early in his career and bombed badly. Trainer rackme32 was smart enough then to back off from the stakes crowd with his Rock Of Gibraltar colt, but that trainer has caught a “case of the stupids” since his runner got hot at age 5, and sends him across the globe for this effort. Of course, I can say these things about this trainer, because he is in fact… me. That 118 speed figure from a few races back has black-type dancing in my head… 🙂 Apparently, the same thing is obscuring the CPU’s judgment as he gets ridiculous 7/2 favoritism.
SCOTCH MIST is the only stakes-winner to come from little-used New Zealand sire Falkirk. The 4yo colt is trained by looseones and goes off at 9/1 here. He won last time out on his favored “good” course, but doesn’t get that benefit today and will need a big effort in this spot.
S R GIANTS is a 4yo trained by lordpye3 going off at 7/1. The Key Of Luck colt nabbed his first graded-stakes trophy last time out when he got up in the very last jump to eke out a nose victory in a grade 2 at Berkshire. He’s been running well overall lately, and has an allowance win over HOPE AND SPEIGHT on this racecourse.
HAGUENAU has won a pair of graded stakes races and is ranked #17 in the older-horses turf sprint division. The 5/1 shot has also been close-up in his three other graded tries, and has also amassed five non-graded stakes wins while earning $927k under the watchful eye of leesnyder. The 4yo Deep Impact colt usually stays well back then unleashes a strong stretch drive.
SHATTER ZONE, co-2nd choice at 9/2, is a 5yo son of Encosta De Lago with a pair of graded 3 titles in his holster along with a $701k bankroll. Comes into this sharp with his last being a grade 3 win. The gipper9 trainee has a huge 116 speed figure at this course, in a November grade 3 win. Looks to be holding all the aces, will be tough to beat.
ARNOLDTOWN has 8 wins and a pair of 2nd’s in his last 10 starts with one stakes win. A 4yo colt by lightly-used Kentucky sire U S Ranger out a Fantastic Light mare, the sprinter3 trainee is certainly at the top of his game with 4 straight wins, and travels halfway around the globe to make this spot. This is quite a class climb, but the colt is very talented. Your guess is as good as mine… Gets juicy 8/1 odds.
Okay, time to handicap this wide-open affair…
I’ll take SHATTER ZONE on top; has the stalking style that seems to fit this, and loves the course.
HAGUENAU will be charging up there late.
S R GIANTS and HOPE AND SPEIGHT should be battling for the 3rd spot.
Good luck all!