The Psycho Clown Stakes
An erie silence knifes through the serenity of this majestic sea-side track. The thick sea fog which rolled in up Narragansett Bay on Wednesday has refused to yeild to the daily passing of the sun, it has enshrouded this place, limiting visability to under 20 feet. Nervous trainers cautiously move about with cat like jitters, unsure if the next shadow breaking through the dense mist is friend or foe. The horses seem to sense that something unusual is in the air. They’ve been hard to handle and resistive since this god forsaken soup rolled in. They’ve been nipping at trainers and grooms, prancing about thier stalls kicking at the walls as if they wern’t alone.
“This race should be run in September!” moans one nervous man, “it’s to close to Haloween and daylight savings time wouldn’t be upon us, the days are to damn short.” “Yass’r” replies his friend, “and their ain’t no fog in September and it’s darn near dark when they run that race.” “The horses know..they know when somethin’s up..for sure” replies another. “Damn Psycho Clown!” moans one, “he terrorized 50 hores last year..alomost got two trainers killed in the stampeed!”..”Damn Fog”
No one quite knows when the myth started..no one knows why he returns every year at this time. But the superstitious folks of this New England town offer up this race with hopes to appease the twisted soul of The Psych Clown.
On Saturday, as the sun drops below the horizon, 8 equine athletes will vie for the winners share of a $70K purse in The Psycho Clown Stakes. Dispite a weeks worth of heavy fog track officials have declared the main track surface as fast. At 8.5f, this race should run quick enough to allow the feint hearted to depart the track before night time darkness has fallen. SSooooooooooo! without further delay..”Let’s Roll”
The favorite set to run at 5/2, is Best of The Sun(IRE). sunline stables has entered the 4yr old son of the solid Irish stud Best Of The Best(IRE). This 4yr old’s last two races have been a bit eratic but his 110 speed figure 3 races back tells you what he’s capable of. He has a win at the distance and produced a 1:41 1/5 time in the effort. He’s graded stakes tested and has attracted the services of a top rated jockey in B. Scott. Expect him to run on or just off the pace.
Second choice at 7/2, breaking from PP#6 is the calmriver2 stables entry Golden Dreams II. This 4yr old will represent Louis Quatorze bloodlines and get’s the services of an excellent jock in G. Skaggs. The big fella is a closer! He made up 10.5 lengths from the top of the stretch, at this distance, to take a place position in his last. He was 14 lengths out when he made his move rounding the far turn. He’s in form turning 105/106 speed figures.
Knightmare stables Grimnosh, at 9/2, hopes to break a 9 month winless streak. The 4yr old Gold Legend prodegy returns to the main track for only the fourth time in his 30 race career. With nearly a half million in earnings this fella should never be taken lightly. He’s got Gr.II stakes experienced where he earned a paycheck on several occasions. Expect a game effort here as he always produces solid times and speed numbers. He likes to run up close.
We have two athletes tabbed at 5/1..the first being mrvoice stable’s Call Of The Canyon. The three year old has run successfully at this level before. His last two races were in 3+ company and he won them both. The son of Aldebain is hot hot hot..the 110 speed figure he produced in his last outing was at the distance and his 1:41 1/5 time in that race is the best of this field. He can rate or stalk a pace and his rider, V.P. Davis, is an excellent jock who knows this track well. Will he bounce from his career high numbers or is there something left in the tank to deal with this mob??..
The second 5/1 selection is Allen N. Iverson. Sent forward by colonelbr2 stables, the 4yr old son of Allen’s Prospect is another closer. With an impressive route record, this gentleman knows how to carry speed over distance and produces 104 + speed figures. He’s run mostl;y allowance races but when a horse turns a 107 spd # for a 7.5f stakes, he shouldn’t be overlooked. R. Heuback up.
Off In A Nightmare, at 8/1, will represent forli stables and Comedy Tonight in this one. M. Nad, a solid performer, will be in the irons when this 7yr old tangles with his younger rivals. He has a versatile running stlye with his best efforts comming when he runs up close to the pace. He’ll have to step it up a notch as his low 100′ s speed figures may not best some here.
At 12/1, an interesting play is mysterycat stable’s Jivango. The A.P.Indy sired 3yr old faces his first test in open company. His connections know how to prepare a runner. Their 25% win percentage is no fluke and they feel that nows the time to turn him loose and I agree. His 5/5 itm main track record is back up by 3 consecutive photo opps, including a $46k allowance victory at the distance. He took show in his stakes debut while producing a 98 speed number. He has the breeding and the heart..but I don’t like the under performances of rider A. Ringler.
another 3ry old and 12/1 entry is medusa stable’s Cat Thief colt Thundering Thief G. The colt is dropping back to a more reasonable distance after several tries at long distance route stakes runs. He’s a closer who’s times a just slightly slower than some here, but with 18 year veteran jockey W. Abner in the irons he get’s the benefit of aged wisdom. He’ll run mid-pack and hopes for a hot pace.
This has been A View From The Rail..by 4agoodtime.