14 TO DUEL IN GRADE 2 PAT O’RYAN

The Pat O’Ryan Handicap
Grade II
Seven furlongs
Fast Dirt
$300,000
All horses, 3 years old and up

14 go postward to contest the Grade 2 Pat O’Ryan Handicap. The solid 4/1 favorite is 4stardave’s GEORGIE THE MOOCH. Based on Georgie’s past performances it looks like it will take a 114+ to take this race which will likely eliminate most of today’s challengers. Let’s take a look at the field.

1 171123
HUNKA BURNING LOVE(KY) mcsheen
M Staples
10/1
6 year old Distorted Humor horse is fresh off a solid runner up finish in the Grade 2 Vanderbilt recording a 110sp. He is razor sharp and has good speed. He recorded a lifetime best of a 112sp in a Grade 2 at a mile and sixteenth but that was way back in October of 2009. This might just be a tad more than he can chew these days.

2 74273
FUNNY TAPPER(KY) skunkmaste
GV Vincent
7/1
4 year old Tapit colt is red hot at the moment. He more than fits the bill here as he recorded a lifetime best of a 117sp at today’s distance just four races back. He can take advantage of a slower pace by setting the early fractions himself or he is versatile enough to track just off the leader too. He has done everything right thus far winning 8 of 12. Definite contender.

3 156549
EIGHTH DEADLY SIN(KY) jinxem
G McGuire
10/1
6 year old Pulpit horse is traveling in the best form of his career. He has a career best run of 112sp over seven and a half furlongs. While he definitely has found a new lease on life racing at these elongated sprints he is likely in a bit above his head here.

4 114862
SUB PRIMAL(KY) zenyatta09
F Griffen
13/1
5 year old Bernardini horse has a career best 108sp which occurred on the grass. He had a couple of 107’s earlier this year one of which was over today’s distance but I just don’t feel he is good enough to win this. Will need a career best run just to get a minor award in my opinion.

5 112726
BORN INDY USA(KY) desimster3
S Quirrel
12/1
4 year old A.P. Indy colt has won 6 of 17. He just finished a respectable fourth in the Grade 2 Foolish Tom at today’s distance of seven furlongs. His career best of 112sp was at today’s distance and as a 3 year old so he is likely capable of something better in this spot. He likes the lead and he will need a fairly uncontested lead in this race and get very brave late to take this.

6 77490
CODE OF THE STREET(KY) lenny8
M Billig
9/1
4 year old Fusaichi Pegasus colt recorded a career best 113 sp just four races back covering seven and a half furlongs. Some horses for whatever reason just seem to run their best at a certain exact distance. For this guy, it’s seven furlongs. He has won 6 of 8 at that distance. He hasn’t had any success in his two tries against graded competition. He will likely run mid pack and try to make a run. Outside chance.

7 76357
RING AND RUN(NY) seekgold99
A Lewis
13/1
4 year old Hook And Ladder colt (who’s that?). Modestly bred colt has had good success thus far. He struggled home 14th in his most recent in a restricted Grade 1. However is prior race was a real nice fast closing second in the Grade 2 Due North Stakes. His career best is 107 and it was at today’s distance. Love seeing his success but I prefer others.

8 14570
BONIELLO(CAN) nikkin
M Dorsey
17/1
4 year old Swinging Sammi colt. Wow two in a row I have never heard of! I need to get out more. He recorded a career best 108 over eight and half furlongs against allowance foes race before last. He is 0 for 3 at today’s distance so I am going to have to pass on this one.

9 55209
DANGER CLOSE(GB) fairhaven4
O Brim
9/1
4 year old Dansili colt (who??). Just kidding. This guy has won 10 of 23 starts and banked in excess of a whopping 1.7 million thus far. His career best run of 114 sp has been accomplished twice both of which came at shorter distances. Danger just finished second in the Grade 2 Sooner-Husker Stakes. He can definitely hang at seven furlongs though but he will need an optimal effort to threaten. A Danger for sure.

10 3264
GEORGIE THE MOOCH(KY) 4stardave
F Gossett
4/1
4 year old Distorted Humor colt. Finally we get to the favorite. Where to begin. Has won 8 of 14 and amassed over 1.6 million in earnings already. No mooching here unless it’s us from him. Just recorded a whopping 117 sp closing from 17th position to win going away in a restricted Grade 1 and that’s not even his best effort! His best came at today’s distance in the Grade 1 Malibu this past December running a 118 sp. He finished second that day go figure, must have been the jockey’s fault 8). Lots to like about this guy except for one thing, traffic. He will be flying late and with a clean trip, wins.

11 69454
DUBLIN DAY(KY) dublinlad
J Fraser
10/1
4 year old Any Given Saturday colt. He is consistent on one hand with several runs over 110 sp but inconsistent on the other hand as you just don’t know how he will run and where he wants to be placed. Unfortunately for him the track came up fast (Hey…what do you expect it’s California) as he seems to excel in the goo. He’s been going it at it steady now for quite some time and if he still has gas in the tank he could be a threat.

12 106162
MAKEANEWPLANSTAN(KY) thevillage
T Barn
15/1
5 year old Street Cry horse is currently running at his peak which is always a good thing. Recently recorded a career best 109 sp back in May. However, he has yet to win a stakes race and this sure looks like an awfully tough spot for MAKEANEWPLANSTAN to “drop off the key Lee”! Sorry just couldn’t resist. Have to pass on this one.

13 138196
LOVE CUTS(MD) earthling
K Keyser
18/1
4 year old Not For Love colt has a career best 113 sp that he ran as a 3 year old over six and half furlongs so he is capable of putting up a big number. However he has been beaten up pretty badly in his last four graded attempts running 13th, 10th, 11th and 12th. Hardly a good endorsement. He likely needs some confident building wins before contending in these Graded races. Will look elsewhere for now.

14 111315
YABIGORSE(KY) thepontif
R Simcox
12/1
5 year old Giant’s Causeway horse rounds out the field. Has run a career best of 108 sp on two separate occasions. He will need to improve a bit to win this. He has had multiple tries to win Graded races unsuccessfully. He has just one overall stakes win to his credit. A minor award at best is in the offing today.

Georgie The Mooch just seems like a standout to me in this spot and gets the top rider as an insurance policy (go figure the trainer dumped me as his mount at this track). However, the second choice, Funny Tapper looms a huge huge threat with his tactical speed and one thing I have learned in the sim….if these guys like to win races they usually continue to do so. Out of respect to Georgie, I will leave him on top. The picks:

1) GEORGIE THE MOOCH(KY)
2) FUNNY TAPPER(KY)
3) CODE OF THE STREET(KY)