Taylor’s Town Narrow Choice in Deep Juvy Sprint

Midsoil Stakes
Grade II
Six furlongs
Fast Dirt
$100,000
All horses, 2 years old

 

PP    Horse                  Owner    Jockey    Odds 
1  COMMAND JACK(AUS)  themole  D Kosar  23/1 
2  FAPPIANO’S TALE(KY)  zenyatta  C Puschel  5/1 
3  FLEET COLONEL(KY)  checkers  P Coryatt  10/1 
4  HYPNOTIC SPECTRE(KY)  spinecho  I Anderson  9/1 
5  ROCK IT HARD(KY)  aguadeep2  B Bolton  5/1 
6  THUNACER(NY)  wyndaway1  H McKellar  24/1 
7  MO BANDY(KY)  wess  T Dent  22/1 
8  BLANKCHECKERS(NY)  lostkey10  G McNabb  12/1 
9  SEEKERMILL(OH)  wyndaway18  N Ashton  24/1 
10  HOLIDAY BUDA(ENG)  lacostra  C West  5/1 
11  TAYLOR’S TOWN(KY)  brightvalr  M Zeus  4/1 
12  GRAVITE LANMOUR(KY)  caracol  G Carter  15/1 
13  WALLY’S WARRIOR(FL)  doa  T Monk  9/1  

 

 

Thirteen youngsters go postward Saturday in this grade II dirt sprint.  Don’t be fooled by the odds.  Barcelona Race Course’s tequila loving trackman, Miguel Battaglia, is infamous for his questionable morning lines.  Let’s look at the juvies in post position order.

 

 

Themole’s Command Jack drew the fence with solid journeyman Doug Kosar in the irons.  The big Commands colt is the first foal of a mare who broke her maiden in 2007 and hasn’t won since.  But her son has already doubled mom’s lifetime wins in only four starts.  His speed figs have improved each time and he arrives fresh off an impressive allowance score in Denmark when he tried dirt for the first time.  Decent shot at big odds if he steps up again.  

 

 

Fappiano’s Tale is one of a trio tabbed by Miguel at 5-1 after another night of heavy drinking .  Metallinut’s flashy chestnut broke his maiden three back and has been stakes placed twice since.  That 83 speed figure earned last time out when finishing second in South Dakota is just a point short of the biggest in the field.  Very well bred (Tale of Ekati X Fappiano X Damacus) and lightning quick from the gate.  May prove tough to catch.

 

 

Fleet Colonel is trained by Mr. New York tip sheet himself, Checkers.  Right from the horses mouth I hear that Fleet Colonel is extremely well intended this week and will be getting a little extra “help” from Checkers’ long time BFF, Rick Dutrow.  Nothing illegal, mind you.  Just a jug containing herbal enhancements and family remedies that have been passed down over the years.  As if the Colonel John colt needed any help.  He has burned up the track in both of his races and gone faster each time.  Looking to go a perfect three for three.  10-1 may be the steal of the week.   

 

 

The saga of nondescript broodmares continues with the dam of Spinecho’s Hypnotic Spectre.  Victoria Regina was haltered from a winning effort in a  $20,000 maiden claimer in 2005.  It would be her only career win (sound familiar?).  She raced unsuccessfully for her new connections through 2006.  She was retired, bred, and produced an awful colt who earned only $3000 in twenty one career starts.  Then the Storm Cat mare was exported to Upper Volta as a potential broodmare prospect.  Unfortunately, the only registered stallion in Upper Volta was horsenapped by rebel forces in early 2008.  So Vicki became a riding horse for a local school teacher.  As luck would have it, Spinecho was on safari when she spotted her long lost mare.  A deal was struck and Vicki returned to the good old U. S. of A.  Hypnotic Spectre is her second foal and what an improvement!  The Fu Peg colt finished second in his debut.  Next time out he went wire to wire with a big 80 speed number.  Should be in the hunt from flag fall to finish. 

 

 

In post five we find the first of a four ply Deep Rock Stable grouping, the speedy but lightly raced Rock It Hard.  Second in his only try at BF Hollywood, the son of Corinthian and In Plain Sight (Seeking The Gold) has impressed line maker Miguel B to the point that he is co second choice at 5-1.  And understandably so.  The colt is flawlessly conformed, has been working like a demon in the morning and is a half to stakes winner No Surprise.  Small step forward is all that’s needed to find Deep Rock’s familiar all black colors in the winners circle. 

 

 

The second Deep Rock entry is Thunacer, a son of the freshman Tapit stallion, Make Reservations, and a broodmare who makes the previous two I profiled look like Ruffian.  Startracer (Thunder Gulch) raced (if you want to call it that) eighteen times and hit the board once, a third place finish.  Her fastest speed rating was 63 which she posted while finishing seventh in a $3500 maiden claimer.  Her first foal never earned a dime.  So the fact that Thunacer has actually won a race is pretty amazing.  Not likely to get much other than hot and tired on Saturday, though. 

 

 

Mo Bandy is by Uncle Mo from the solid Cat Thief race mare, Scaredicat.  Trainer Wess is stepping him up off a maiden victory in Montana.  Unlike many of his foes, Mo has been a deep closer in all three starts.  Speed figures are a bit short of his rivals so far.  But he is in good form and his numbers are getting bigger.  If the race collapses, this one may pick up the pieces.

 

 

Blankcheckers (Dublin X Dream Well X Charismatic) is the third of four from Deep Rock Stables.  His speed figures are very good.  And his three non stakes races are excellent (3 2-1-0).  But both stakes tries were middle of the road.  That won’t cut it in this field.  Upper level allowance races may be his ceiling.  Weak rider does not help matters.   

 

 

Deep Rock’s final starter is Seekermill.  The rangy son of Mercer and Heatseeker Missile (Heatseeker) has caught off tracks in two of his three career assignments.  Only start over dry going was a so so try at 40-1 (11th of 14) in graded company.  Looks like Miguel got this one right at 24-1.

 

 

Bush League Stables switches to dirt with the impeccably bred Holiday Buda.  The Pivotal colt from stakes winning Christmas Buda (Montjeu) has done nothing wrong on grass.  But Laura generally likes to test her stock on both surfaces early.  Holiday Buda won his debut on grass and followed that up with a very impressive third in stakes company.  In both races he showed exceptional speed.  I have a feeling this one may race from off the pace this week.  Can be the one if he takes to dirt.

 

 

Gee, Dixiedotco has the favorite in a graded stake.  What a surprise!  Taylor’s Town is by More Than Ready from the grade II winning Blue Panther (Unbridled’s Song).  He’s a stakes winner and graded placed already in only three starts.  Last time out Taylor’s Town posted an 84 speed rating when he finished a very good second to the red hot Stay In Orbit in a Nevada grade II.   World class reinsman Martin Zeus gets the assignment and has many options.  Can probably be the speed of the speed if he chooses.  Stalking tactics may be explored.  THE one to beat either way. 

 

 

Gravite Lanmour hails from the powerful Platero barn.  The Street Boss colt from Gata Kamsky (Lewis Michael) broke his maiden impressively at first asking.  He stalked a rapid pace, put away a pair of dueling leaders, and held a big closer, Ro Bono, safe.  The 81 speed figure he received for that win stacks up nicely with the rest of the field.  Breezed well Wednesday (half in :48.3).  Locked, cocked and ready to rock. 

 

 

Last but not least is Wally’s Warrior (A. P. Warrior).  This colt has a lot going for him.  His trainer is the lovely and talented Ace.  His mom won over $900,000 and a pair of graded stakes.  The presence of top jock Thelonius Monk in the saddle can’t hurt, either.  And Warrior has been an absolute beast so far.  Two starts two wins.  Second one a listed stake.  And most importantly, both wins were EFFORTLESS.  This colt has a huge stride and is completely untested.  No telling where his bottom is.  Guessing we might find out this week.  Big shot at a nice price.