Kid Fabulous, Stormy City lead Victoria turf sprinters
Victoria– Led by co-faves Kid Fabulous and Stormy City, a full field vies for the $95,000 Smooth With Cuvee(GB) Challenge for three year olds and up. We’ll go seven furlongs on a firm turf course………
Post 1: 10/1 – Fortune Cookie (vrcomp): 4YO bargain baby sure has proven quite the value. speedster versaitle in sprints to short routes and even hung on for a good runner-up spot at the stakes level LTO. Loves to battle on the front end. Might be in the hunt for minor share and could even surprise for the board again.
Post 2: 17/1 – Unbridled View (squirrel2): Sophomore speedster by Distant View spit out the bit in a dirt experiment LTO. Adores one-turn and is honest a they come, picking up cheques left and right versus his own age group. Needs to break on through with a flashy 100 SP# soon. Better than his odds suggest and could make a big leap forward after ol’ dirt-to-turf “wake up” call. One to keep an eye on.
Post 3: 22/1 – Check Swing Foul(IRE) (stacydu): Slim to none chance for this Theatrical(IRE) son. 4YO has coughed it up in 4 straight stakes and ALW sprints. Yick. I don’t see him turning it around all of a sudden in this full field spot. Overmatched.
Post 4: 6/1 – Kid Fabulous (socko): He’s earned over three-qaurters of a million dollars from 36 outings….. but hasn’t won a in long time. Awesome Again 5YO sandwiched a couple of stinkers in between 2 competitve stakes sprints. In his last, he ran a decent 100 SP# closing as usual from way off pace. Slowing down a bit? Vulnerable chalk.
Post 5: 21/1 – Medieval Jinx (peregrine): Sophomore Machiavellian grandson has only been to the post times this year. Was a dual stakes winner at age 2 over lawn. Closed well to just miss by a couple lengths LTO over seven panels. I think he should pursue routes though. Better than his odds suggest, but still an outsider who will need to pull off another upper 90 SP# at least for some money. Interesting, but, again, I like this colt’s 9f effort much better.
Post 6: 12/1 – Band Palace (tbonefarms): Veteran Hoist The Flag grandson wired a 7f field two back with a 103 SP#. Goes off at longer odds today though. Should vie for lead for a while if he can rebound from his last.
Post 7: 9/1 – Magic Number (mattbumba): Wow! It took 30 starts before this 4YO Polish Numbers grandson finally tried the grass and presto! Two ALW win streak into his 33rd career outing over 6f & 6.5f, posting 97 and 103 SP#s respectively. The big guy had previously posted a respectable ALW career in dirt sprints. How far can he go? worthy entry for a shot at the bigtime. Must overcome lousy jockey from right behind the pace.
Post 8: 6/1 – Stormy City (kev): Carson City son chases the half-million earnings benchmark. The 5YO makes his 40th career call to the post after winning a CPU-restricted ALW. Sort of looks like he’s slowing down, but you never know. Maybe he just needed to get back into the winner’s circle. Additionally, he’s much better suited to prints and recently tried to stretch to a mile without a win. The one to beat, but has honest question marks as a “soft” co-fave.
Post 9: 11/1 – Trillium Hollandia (mgfarms): Sophomore Cozzene son promising since he took the Frio Frio Mile(G3) in springtime. Unfortunately, he spit out the bit in May’s 2,000 Guineas(G1) and has since only made 3 starts. The speedster recently pocketed a track-restricted 7f ALW. Still learning the ropes and hasn’t pinpointed best distance. Wouldn’t be a big surprise though to see him wire this group. He’s a classy individual. Good spot to regain stakes winner’s circle versus soft faves.
Post 10: 8/1 – Canis Dirus (tigerman1): The lone filly in the field ambitiously placed. She hails from leading sophomore turf miler Manifest Destiny’s home stable (Hi, ‘Bonus!! Ha!) 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 The Capote sophomore extremely promising, hitting the board in 10 of 15 outings. She scored a 106 SP# in a runner-up effort versus older turf sprint distaffers LTO. Improving and enjoys seven panels. The closer’s a legit threat for piece of purse and could win if she duplicates her last and the faves and Trillum Hollandia fall. Keep an eye on her.
Post 11: 13/1 – Colonel Earl(NZ) (pigeon1): Another old boy making his 40th trip to pot. By Zabeel(NZ), the 7YO rides two-race win streak with 90 SP#s. Both were in time-restricted ALWs. Maybe one last hoorah before the breeding shed? Odds are, he won’t be able to scale the class leap. Never know though with the win streakers — look for him midpackish or thereabouts.
Post 12: 7/1 – Immobilizer(IRE) (plunk5): Here’s your guy to win, place or show. A winner of two straight ALW turf sprints, going 104 and 101 SP#s respectively. Stalker by Desert King(IRE) should sit right behind Trillium Hollandia’s and other longshots lead. Not much luck transcending to stakes level recently, but he’s much better prepared this time around. Weak spot so he should get the job done if he can overcome the classy 3YO. Hard to seperate him from ‘Trillium.
Post 13: 12/1 – Taraquest (rarerug): Anotehr confidence-high sophomore. This one rides 3 ALW win streak and scored a smashing 104 SP# from midpack LTO. By Rainbow Quest, the colt’s tested the ranks before without success — he’s just a far better fit for Saturday to break on through. Hmm….. top jockey in the irons an added plus. If Trillium Hollandia and Immobilizer hook up in a speed duel of sorts, then maybe Taraquest can pick up the pieces, hodling off filly Canis Dirus or one of the favored older horses for the win. Well spotted.
Post 14: 9/1 – Nocreek (michap): Noverre(IRE) speedster should vie for lead. 4YO picks up the money, but not many winner’s circle photos of late. I’d say factor again for minor piece of purse. He seems to fold if pressed early.
Snowchief’s Picks:
Well, I’ll go with the classy 3YO frontrunner despite a prospective speed duel. Stalker Immobilizer could go with him early, but I’d imagine he’d settle back instead. A fight down the lane with Taraquest gaining ground for the show. Followed by filly Canis Diris.
Win: Trillum Hollandia
Place: Immobilizer(IRE)
Show: Taraquest
Good luck to all.