The Stayer’s Dash
Preview The Stayer’s Dash Grade Two
Post Time Saturday 2:30:00 OGT
Long distance runners take over Japan this weekend for theGrade Two Stayer’s Dash. Run at a mileand three quarters over a firm turf course the race carries a $750,000purse. Ten runners line up for this testincluding three grade one winners and three additional graded winners. Let’s take a look at the field.
#1 Torn Away is a six year old millionaire who scored hisonly graded victory in 2011. Somethingof a specialist at this distance, he has run it four times in his last sixstarts and won all four including a listed stakes. During that time he also won another listedgoing a furlong shorter. His speeds inall those races were triple digits, but that streak ended in his most recentrace. That start came in a two mileGrade Three run over a good surface (his first time on an off track) and hefailed to stay the distance, finishing seventh. A return to his preferred could result in a return to his better form.
#2 Burning Empire is a blue-blooded five year old son of Bernardini, out of agrade one winning Empire Maker mare. Something of a disappointment thus far in his career, Burning Empire isonly a stakes placed runner. He wasclaimed by current owner mklove for only $3500 and has scored six of his sevenlifetime victories for the new connections. Burning Empire has had much success running in two mile races on bothdirt and turf. He did drop down to amile and three quarters in his most recent run, finishing second in a listedstakes on turf with a 106 speed.
#3 Whatchoicedoihave is a six year old making his first startbeyond a mile and one half. Last yearwas his best so far. It saw him win agrade two at a mile and five sixteenths and finish second in a grade one at amile and one half. He was given abouttwo months off after that second place run and returned in February to runthird in a listed at a mile and one half. He’s run triple digit speeds in his last nine runs but he’s never hit a110, which a number of his competitors have done already.
#4 Lemon Drop Mini Moo has earned over three million dollarsin his three year career. He enters offa grade three win here in Japan going a mile and one half. He was third in this race last year after alsowinning a grade three prep over the track in his previous start. Indeed he has had great success inJapan. It is where he scored his biggestvictory, a grade one at a mile and three quarters. If there is one knock against this runner itis that he probably would prefer going two miles but he is obviously capable ofshortening up successfully.
#5 You Rotten Kid is one of two five year old mares in thefield and she is the favorite in this race. A winner of half of her twenty starts, You Rotten Kid is also making herdebut beyond a mile and one half. She isa grade three winner at that distance and is by Deep Impact so the pedigreesays the extra distance shouldn’t hurt her. She’s also making her debut against males but she has a tremendousclosing kick. She won her most recentstart, a listed at a mile and one half, with a 113 speed so there is no doubtshe is tight and ready for this demanding challenge.
#6 What a Trickster is a four year old graded placedrunner. Versus his own age group he hashit the board in six graded runs. Fromfour starts against his elders he has one win on the dirt but been well-beatenin three runs on the grass. This isanother runner who is going past a mile and one half for the first time in hiscareer. For a horse with only twovictories What a Trickster has certainly amassed a tidy bankroll with justunder three quarters of a million dollars in the bank.
#7 Seeyouinparadise is the second five year old mare in thefield. She’s got a regal pedigree, beingby Sea the Stars and based on a grade one winning hemare. Seeyouinparadise is a veteran of open races,having run in eleven of them during her eighteen start career including severalvictories. She’s finished third andsecond in her two most recent starts, both grade threes at two miles. She’s not the fastest in the field as sherarely hits triple digits but she’s tough and tries hard in all of her starts.
#8 Zamin Zayraba is a five year old ex-claimer byZamindar. He was claimed by owner Belafontefor $13,500 in 2011 and has won ten of his twelve career victories for theseconnections. That includes a grade onevictory last fall at a mile and one half. He made his first start further than a mile and one half in his mostrecent race when he tried a mile and three quarters for the first time. He passed that test with ease, taking alisted race with a 103 speed.
#9 Opera Camazotz is a four year old and perhaps the mostmercurial runner in the race. He’s anall or nothing kind of horse, winning six of his thirteen races but neverfinishing second or third. Last summerhe looked like a monster against his own age group, winning five of sixconsecutive starts, including two grade one wins. A speedy colt who lives and dies on the lead,Opera Camazotz came back to earth when facing his elders for the first time,finishing seventh in a grade one. Hefollowed that up with a fifth place finish in a race at the end of January andhas been on holiday since.
#10 Cried Over Malibu is a four year old stakes placedrunner. He’s had the bulk of his successsince running a mile and three eighths or longer. In six starts at that distance or beyond hehas hit the board five times. That saidhe’s never gone a mile and three quarters before. He does have a stakes placing at a mile andfive sixteenths and has run a 111 speed going a mile and one half. Certainly an up and coming colt this willstill be a difficult spot.
Good luck to all!