G2 San Juan Invitational
The $250,000 San Juan Invitational, a G2 event, is set to go under clear and sunny skies in California on Saturday. A field of 10 have entered the 14 furlong grass event that is restricted to horses age four and older. The runners in this race have a combined 84 wins amongst the group and there are three entered that exceed $1 million in earnings.
Two of the top twenty turf route runners make an appearance in this event which includes See The Wand and You Rotten Kid, the only female in the bunch.
1. Hard Hats Required 18-1
This son of Rock Hard Ten has recently journeyed back to the turf and has had success by winning a pair of allowance races and a hard closing near miss second in his three starts since converting back. The last two wins came with speeds of 101 which are the best of his career. Hard Hats Required has $177k in earnings, one of the lightest in the field. He’s ranked 766th within the division and has a very impressive late kick. The graded level has been difficult as he has tried three times at this level and failed to hit the board.
2. Myth or Magic 13-1
Myth or Magic is a two-time G3 winner with the first coming in May, 2011 in the BBR Special and the second in the Royal Oak in October of the same year. It’s been a while for this winner of $799k since he found a victory but he came close with a pair of seconds last summer in the Dancing North Cup (SP 102) and Polish Damsire (SP 106). His last three starts have been in lower stake races where he’s been all over the board picking up a win and finishing well back in the other two. His last start was on an off-track, not his preference. This Dynaformer son is ranked 76th and comes into this race with two months rest and could be ready to roar.
3. See The Wand 6-1
A winner of $1.3 million, See the Wand has a G1 trophy that came last June in the 12f New Yorker where he scored a 110 on the dirt, his career best. But this Sea The Stars sired colt can run well on the turf too. He scored a win last October in the G3 Dutch St. Leger (13f) by a mere head and a speed of 106 which is his best on the turf. He equaled this speed in the non-grade Mambo Wildcat Turf, his last start at the end of March winning easily by six strides. Currently ranked eighth in the class, See the Wand has scored 10 wins in 21 career starts.
4. Mono Lyphic 8-1
In four graded starts, Mono Lyphic has a G3 win which came in his first shot at the graded level, winning as a two-year old in the Finnish Line Stakes in August, 2011. Ranked 519th in the long route class for turf, he makes his first grade level start in nearly a year and the timing looks good. Sired by Lonhro, Mono Lyphic kicked off 2013 with a career best speed of 116 in a 12f allowance race in January. In February, on an off track, he was second in the non-grade Bly Me Too Turf Stayer, with a lower 99 speed which was impacted by weather conditions. Last month he squandered a sizeable 9 stride lead at the three-quarter pole to finish second with a strong 109. Form looks solid and 2013 could be shaping into a real fine year which could significantly grow his bankroll of $319k.
5. Chasing Saldana 5-1
Over his last six starts, Chasing Saldana failed to chart a speed of 100 or higher only once. He’s been in the money 17 of 22 times, a high level of consistency however, only has earned $242k. Only two career grade starts for the horse out of Dalakhani and a win was derived from the Carlton Fisk Handicap in November of last year. After a pair of seconds in the early stages of 2013 in non-grade stakes, Chasing Saldana won the Z Dancer Turf Stayer last month with a career best speed of 111. A good showing in this race could bounce the horse up from his current ranking of 51st.
6. Balance Act 9-2
In October, 2011, Balance Act made his first start in a graded race, the G1 Classic Turf. He stormed to the winner’s circle with a career best speed of 110 (which he equaled twice thereafter). Since this win, he has had 12 starts with only one win which came in an allowance start last December. It should be pointed out that this Giant’s Causeway bred horse has had 10 of these starts with graded company and he’s amassed $2.1 million in career earnings. Speeds have been at 108 in each of his last three starts, which looks good enough to get this 53rd ranked horse a shot to bankroll some more dough.
7. Forza 7-1
Forza’s has one grade level start that came in November racing in the Narrow Land where he closed 10 strides in the final quarter to get second with a career best 110. Since then, he’s been in a mix of lowere end stakes and allowance races, finishing first or second each time. In fact, this Pulpit sired colt has been first or second in eight straight races. The $232k in career earnings and ranking of 174th can both be boostered with a big effort here. Averaging a speed of 108 over his last four starts and displaying an amazing late charge, Forza may be underrated.
8. You Rotten Kid 3-1
The only mare in the race, You Rotten Kid has $628k in earnings and won 10 of 21 starts. She’s ranked 13th and this top rating is easily understood when looking at her 1-1-3 record in six grade level starts. Her best speed of 114 came with a win in the G3 Giving Thanks last August. This Deep Impact’s daughter comes in as the favorite and has averaged a speed of 109 in her last three starts. Her last start was a second in the Stayer’s Dash where she charted her lowest speed of 107 for the 2013 season. Still, the speed is strong enough to wreak havoc with the boys.
9. Spin the Stars 35-1
This Medicean bred horse will be making his debut in graded competition. He has won 11 of 27 races which has earned this guy $155k in earnings. Spin The Stars finished second in a pair of non-grade stake races the Pete Around Steel Turf Endurance and Leven Seventy Won Turf Stayer with career best speeds of 100 and 101. The speed tailed off in his last start to a mediocre 76 in the Goldquester Turf Endurance. Hard to tell if the off-track was the cause of this, however, the last time his speed was this low was just before he hit those career best numbers. He needs to do that again to pull this one in.
10. Ups and Downsize 6-1
It’s a bit odd to find a horse with $3.3 million in earnings (the highest in this field) being ranked 270th in his class, especially with 10 wins in 21 starts on the turf. He has two grade wins to his credit, the Queen Izzy Cap (G3, SP=117) in December, 2011 and Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic (G1,SP=115) in March, 2012 with his top two career speeds coming in these events. His last four starts have been in allowance and low stake races where he’s gained three wins with a second. His top speed was 104 during this stint and Ups and Downsize, who is sired by Kingmambo, needs to notch the numbers up slightly to get the edge on his foes.
Forza gets my top pick as I think this one can surprise in this race. His form looks great and he flies like a rocket at the end of the race.
You Rotten Kid can handle the boys in this one.
Ups and Downsize gets third spot as I think he’s been holding back some and could spark things here.