The Little Rock Stayer
Welcome to the preview for the The Little Rock Stayer Grade I in Arkansas; a race for 3yo and up, fillies and mares to be run over 14 furlongs on a fast dirt course. $500k will be on offer in the prize purse, so a closely contested race is expected.
The assembled field consists of 11 classy mares, several of which have already tasted success in graded company. There is no obvious front runner that stands out amongst the field, and a few of them come here off poor last starts, and will be looking to reverse their fortunes.
PP1 MARIA DE HAACK(IRE) (SADLER’S WELLS x MR. PROSPECTOR x BUCKPASSER) marisol 7/2
Backing up after just 2 weeks rest from a moderate 3rd placing in a 10f open allowance, when she ran an SP 100, and was beaten by almost 7 lengths. It is not the sort of run that would instill too much confidence in the favourite for a Grade I race of this calibre, but it is possible her astute trainer has put her through that run as a warm up for this. She was at her best, at her previous start, when she parked herself off the speed, and then came with a huge run to win by 2 ¾ lengths over this trip in the Grade I The Desert Lady Stayer. Is the class runner of the field, and should be better for her last start run. Is sure to bounce back.
PP2 HENRY THE VIIITH(KY) HENRYTHENAVIGATOR x DYNAFORMER x PRINCE JOHN) nyrangers 9/1
Up and coming staying mare, who had been very competitive on turf, before switching to dirt 3 starts ago and winning them all easily. The first of these was on an off-track over 14f, when she stalked the leader, and cruised by at the last turn before pulling right away to score by 3 ¼ lengths. She backed that up with a 2 ½ length victory in a NW4L allowance, when she saved her sprint for later down the stretch but was still a convincing winner, running an SP 99, with plenty left in the tank. Getting onto a dry track last time out in a restricted allowance, she dominated the field a long way out, leading into the stretch and cruising away to win by 3 ¼ lengths with an SP 108. Massive step up in class, but brings an unbeaten record on dirt and a last start monster speed, so has to be considered a real threat.
PP3 SING FOR MY OATS(KY) (ENGLISH CHANNEL x THUNDER GULCH x SINGSPIEL(IRE)) roscoestc 12/1
After many competitive runs in some big graded races without winning, this 5yo mare finally broke through last start for her debut stakes win in the Rakida’s Road Dirt Mare Memorial over 16f. Settling midfield, she was always in control, romping away in the stretch on the way to a 3 length win, with an SP 98. Before that she was outgunned in the Grade I The Thumb Route, when she was beaten by 18 ¾ lengths, with an SP 94. Was placed in the Grade I The Empire State Stayer and the Grade II The Old Lady, both over 14f, which seems to be her pet distance. Can mix her form, with some disappointing runs earlier in the year, but last start she was at her best, and has to be considered a chance again here.
PP4 TEN FULL(GB) (DUBAI DESTINATION x FRENCH DEPUTY x AFLEET) naracing 10/1
Interesting runner, with a great record, having won 13 from 33 career starts, and placed in a further 16. She comes here fresh from an easy win in the Military Horse Dirt Mare Stakes against a small and modest field, where she treated her rivals with contempt, taking an uncustomary role out in front, opening up a 15 length lead at one stage, before easing down to score by 3 ¾ lengths. Before that she was a little disappointing, when beaten into 2nd place in the Frisco Top Dirt Mare Memorial, when she recorded an SP of just 87, going down by almost 5 lengths. Has a career best SP of 110, and is a winner of the Grade II The Turtle Bridge, so can turn it on when she needs to. Will be better for her last start win, and is capable of pushing some of her more fancied rivals here.
PP5 TRAGIC STORY(GB) (GREEN DESERT x RAISE A NATIVE x STORM BIRD) maxattack 10/1
A step up in class and distance is sure to be a big test for this improving 5yo mare, who earlier in her career went on a 6 win streak, mostly against small, weak fields. 4 starts ago she was given her first try in stakes company for a moderate 6th place in the St Goar Dirt Mare Route, when she was pushed for the early lead, before kicking clear at the top of the stretch, only to be over run late. Sent back to allowance grade, she put together 2 convincing wins, both over 12f and starting unbackable favourite. Last start she was well beaten when 4th in the Hannah’s Boo Boo Dirt Mare Stayer, running an SP 103, going down by over 12 lengths. She prefers to sit up on the pace, and she didn’t have that luxury last start. If she can get settled on the speed this time, she could be in it for a long way.
PP6 NOW BROWN COW(KY) (BIG BROWN x GONE WEST x ELA-MANA-MOU(IRE)) stcfabman3 4/1
A big question mark sits over this classy mare, who is a stakes winner in distances up to 11f, but who has struggled in her 2 runs over more ground. One of those was last time out when she finished 8th of 14 in the Grade I The Thumb route over 16f, where she ran an SP 93 when beaten by almost 20 lengths. This was nowhere near the sort of form she showed at her previous outing, when demolishing a solid field, coming from the tail at the top of the stretch to over power her rivals by 3 lengths, and recording an SP 109 over 9.5f. 3 starts back, she finished 9 lengths off the winner in the Grade II The Pittsburgh Stayer over 16f, when she did her best work at the finish, but never looked a winning chance. Has had over 3 months rest, and the drop back to 14f is in her favour. Should be flying home over the top.
PP7 COSMIC CONNECTION(KY) (GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (IRE) x GONE WEST x BLUSHING GROOM(FR)) sportnwood 6/1
Classy backmarker, who had a rare disappointment last time out, when she finished down the track, beating just one home in the Grade II The Baltimore Special over 16f, recording an SP 95. Before that she was at her best, when rattling home from last to score an emphatic victory in the Princess Ginny Dirt Mare Memorial, over 13f with an SP 106. 3 starts back she again failed to fire when beaten by 13 lengths in the Ran Away Dirt Mare Stayer, but was on song before that, scoring by nearly 5 lengths in a moderate allowance over 16f. Her topsy turvy recent form trend is in contrast to last season, when she scored 6 times from 7 starts, culminating in victory in the Grade II Big Dessert Stakes. Will be looking to bounce back from her last start effort, and is one of the top chances.
PP8 RUN FOR SUMMER(KY) (BLUEGRASS CAT x NORTHERN DANCER x ROBERTO) pmjstable 15/1
Veteran staying mare who has won almost $1.5mil in prize money to date, and has winner’s trophies in the Grade III Ladies Classic Stayer from 2010, and the Grade I The Desert Lady Stayer, both on dirt over 14f. Since tasting success in those top class races, her winning record has dried up somewhat, with just 1 win in her last 15 starts, that being a 6 ½ length victory in the Frostfang Dirt Mare Stayer. Her recent form has been thereabouts, with a 3rd placing behind TEN FULL last start in the Military Horse Dirt Mare Stakes, beaten by almost 7 lengths. Before that, she was beaten by 15, 20 and 28 lengths at her previous 3 starts in races of similar standard to this. Has the ability to win, but her recent form suggests she will need a big turnaround to be more than a place chance.
PP9 TWENTY MOONS(KY) (MALIBU MOON x AWESOME AGAIN x UNBRIDLED) chops27 10/1
Disappointing last time out when made little impression throughout, finishing 3rd in the Sister Dandy Dirt Mare Stayer over 14f, beaten by PREPARE TO FIGHT by 8 ½ lenghs, and running an SP 90. Before that was an easy win, when she stalked the lead, and sprinted clear a long way from home, powering on to score by over 4 lengths in an open allowance over 12f. Got too far out of her ground 3 starts back when she never threatened in the Grade II The Old Lady, finishing a 17 ¼ length 9th of 12 runners. Was a stakes winner over this distance 4 starts ago, and has a graded victory to her name, in the Victory Marathon, also over this distance. Can mix form, but if she is on song here, she will go close.
PP10 PREPARE TO FIGHT(KY) (MEDAGLIA D’ORO x STORM CAT x GONE WEST) icbomber5 7/1
Started short priced favourite last time out when she did all that was asked of her in winning the Sister Dandy Dirt Mare Stayer over 14f by a length, the first stakes win of her career. Made little impression prior to that in an open allowance race, finished over 7 lengths behind the winner in 4th place. Had an easier time before that in a restricted allowance, when she was eased to the back of the field, before sprinting home to score a dominant win by almost 5 lengths, and going an SP 98 on an off-track. Has shown plenty of ability, and after her breakthrough win last start, she could keep it going here, albeit, against much tougher opposition.
PP11 DEE PEN TABLE(NZ) (PENTIRE(GB) x COZZENE x KING OF KINGS (IRE)) tao 16/1
After a troubled run in her debut attempt at a graded stakes, she was entered into a restricted allowance last time out, which she comprehensively won on turf against a soft field. In the Grade II The Turtle Bridge, she was placed midfield early, but failed to fire when called on, weakening throughout to finish in 7th place. She was an easy winner before, that in a restricted allowance over 16f, when sat up on the speed, and then burst clear, opening up a lead of more than 8 lengths, before easing down to score by 3 ½ lengths, and recording an SP 101. Has raced over this distance 3 times, for 2 wins, but has been well beaten at her only 2 runs at stakes level. Promising type from a graded winning he-mare, but will need to be at her best to figure in this.