Big Race Preview 2678
Five grade I races on tap this week. The most exciting race is probably the turf sprint. There is an extremely competitive field for that race. Three year old fillies, older turf route horses and two year old sprinters also have race.
Race: 2678.4914 Eclipse Stakes – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Turf
I Am Scheming is fresh off a second place run in the Breeder’s Bowl mile and will be the favorite. He has run well at this distance on several occasions but one of the more important things about the race for I Am Scheming is that this race will be run on an off surface where I Am Scheming has four wins and a place from five starts.
Preferred Power is the second choice on the morning line. Throw out his last race. It was the first race off a bit of a layoff and he needed that race. Preferred Power won the Judgemont International and ran second in the Man Of War prior to that. With a race under his belt now he should be ready to run back to a level capable of winning this. A.P. Poll is an interesting runner. He has run some big speed figures at distances just below this distance. Big enough to make you think he is a serious threat. His last two races though were not all that good for this level but they were at shorter distances.
There is a filly that looks to have a real good shot at beating the boys. Otto You Do It rolled in a restricted stakes last time out with a very nice speed figure. She ran a solid race against the boys in the Eddie O Cap and looks in good enough form to make some noise here.
Race: 2678.6516 GSR Turf Oaks – Grade I – $500,000
Track:
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Turf
A full field seeking there first grade I win. Before even looking into the race a betting man, or woman, would probably be smart to throw out the favorites. With that the favorite here is Krazy Momma (IRE). She has more recently been running in long sprints, with three tries at a mile. Her mile runs were all pretty good so nothing really to suggest the distance will be an issue. She has stamina in the pedigree and could excel here in a longer distance. She has seconditis bad with 8 second place finishes in fourteen starts.
Tete Montsegur(IRE) is the second favorite. She has the pedigree to excel at this distance and has run solid races at a mile and an eighth. The pace will not get away from her early so she is bound to be a factor in the race. Greek Ransom is another runner here untested at this distance. She will likely have problems with this distance. Alychant is coming off an allowance win at this distance in gate to wire fashion. A repeat of that race puts her in the thick of things here and could be good enough to win this race.
A couple of long shots to watch are No More Options (GB) and Tete High Moon (IRE). No More Options is a grade II winner at a little longer distance and Tete High Moon (IRE) has enough experience at the long distances to be dangerous.
Race: 2678.7016 GSR Dirt Oaks – Grade I – $500,000
Track:
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Dirt
A pretty good field of three year old fillies are assembled for this race. Favoritism falls to Termantia. She has been runner up in two grade I races this year and is fresh off a solid fourth place run in the Breeder’s Bowl Distaff. She likes to be close to the pace and usually puts up a pretty good fight on the front end. She could break through and get that illusive grade I win.
Donner is one of the second favorites here. She is already a grade I winner at this distance this year. She too is coming out of the Breeder’s Bowl Distaff although her run was not as good as Termantia’s. Corzaffair (IRE) was a grade I winner at two but has seemed to struggle a bit as a three year old. She has placed in several stakes and was third in the Bluegrass Oaks. She probably needs the lead to do her best.
Bucking Bronco might be the hot horse to watch. She has been coming into her own here lately and has ten wins from nineteen starts. Her last race was in a grade III at this distance where she finished second but that speed figure was top notch. Hannah’s Boo Boo beat Bucking Bronco last time out. She is pretty well experience at the distance and should be there with Bucking Bronco in the end.
Chopping Hill is the long shot to watch here. I said the same thing about her in her last race, which she won, so I have to say the same thing here. She steps up in class but she faces a field that has a lot of speed and stalkers so her deep closing style could be the difference for her.
Race: 2678.3415 Because I Said So Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Epsom
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: Six furlongs on the Turf
A rematch of a Breeder’s Bowl under card grade I stokes the fires for this turf sprint. The best three year old turf sprinter and really probably one the top turf sprinter going General’s Chariot is the favorite. The General is riding a four race win streak but was pushed all the way to the wire last time out. He took on top older runners and beat them handily. If the General runs his race victory is imminent.
It was not the older runners that pushed General’s Chariot last time out but a fellow three year old. In the Evening was a head short of scoring a big upset on Breeder’s Bowl day. He finished behind the General two races back. He appears capable of taking down the favorite but in order for this to become a rivalry he needs to win one.
Digging the Grave is the number two ranked older turf sprinter. He was not far back in that Breeder’s Bowl under card race finishing third to the two favorites here. This front runner could wire the field and again add to the potential brewing of rivalries in this division. Fusaichi Magpie has been running in miles lately but he is a perfect three for three in turf sprints. He has also put up some very impressive speed figures in those three turf sprints and could easily upset the apple cart here.
This race in fact is full of runners capable of winning this race. Ziklag, Dunai Destroyer, Otto O, and Tete Not Galileo (IRE) to name a few. What a field!!
Race: 2678.4915 Duetoburst Stakes – Grade I – $750,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 2 years old
Distance: Seven furlongs on the Turf
Undefeated Sky Hero leads this field. In two starts at this distance Sky Hero won his maiden in impressive fashion and won a listed stakes last time out. A little improvement will make him very difficult to beat. Testing (IRE) is a grade III winner. He has a couple of solid tries at this level but has not really improved much in his last few races.
Seven Lies is a quick front runner that steps up to this level for the very first time. He has gone gate to wire three times and just got caught last time out. Wonder Lawn is a bargain bred that has been pretty good as a two year old. He just missed in a grade III before trying a route two back. He dropped back to a sprint last time and went gate to wire with a top speed figure.