The Epiphany Too

Welcome to New Jersey and I hope you are ready for a great day of racing as it is DelPenn Champions Day.  The 15^th race on the card today is the Epiphany Too Handicap for 2year olds going 8.5fl on the Firm Turf course.  We have a full, and talented, field of runners today, even had a couple BB runners show up, so let’s see who we have here today…

Breaking from PP1, is #61893 Creepshow(IRE).  This brown son of Rock of Gibralter(IRE) out of Deputy Flanders(Deputy Minister x Seeking the Gold) is from the lenny28 barn.  This colt has been very lightly raced this year, but has had good success thus far, as he is 2-for-2, including a win in a stakes last time out at a mile.  He has had nice speeds so far in his career, but the jump from open stakes to G1 stakes is a big one and this fellow has his work cut out for him.  He is off at odds of 7/1 and has jockey Z. Dundey in the saddle today.

Next, from PP2, is #30404 Geometry Of Rage.  The brown son of Sadler’s Wells and a Kingmambo mare is trained by the kaif021 stable and is 5/4-0-0 lifetime.  Here is another talented runner who has won every stakes attempt, but yet again, they were only open stakes races, both at this race’s distance of 8.5fl.  His speeds haven’t been as good as some of the other colts in this race, so he might be in for a long day.  He is at odds of 13/1 and is ridden by B. Chill.

Breaking from PP3, we have #98658 Kody Baby(IRE).  This Verona trained dark grey colt is the son of El Prado(IRE) out of a Nijinksy II mare.  He is 7/2-1-4 lifetime and has won one stakes event and done well in the other attempts.  His speeds have been ok, but are not stellar compared to a few of the other runners today.  He is off at odds of 10/1 and is ridden by P. Perabo.

Next, in PP4, is #24812 Very Silver.  This acote trainee is a light grey son of Silver Ghost out of a Secretariat mare.  This colt has done very well in his career, being 5/2-2-0, and is already a graded winner, winning the GSR Diamond two races back and coming in second in the BB Juvie Turf LTO.  This one’s speeds have been very good and seems to have a shot taking this one here today.  He is off at 10/1 today and has jock J. Lowich in the irons. 

Starting from PP5, we have #101310 Blessed Road. This lasthope trained chestnut colt is a son of Kingmambo out of Kristeene S.(Kris S. x Seattle Slew) and is 3/2-0-1 lifetime.  This is another colt who is doing well so far in his career, he can definitely make this race’s distance and has run in graded company before, running 3^rd LTO in a G1 stakes.  His speeds have not been too good compared to some of the other colts here today so he will need to pick up the pace a lot to hit the board here today.  He is off at 11/1 and has jockey Q. Oliver in the saddle today.

In PP6, is #103072 Omerta Code, a gradetwo trainee and a chestnut colt by Sadler’s Wells out of Mother Virtuous(Gone West x Mill Reef) and is 3/2-0-0 lifetime.  Here is another colt who started in the BB Juvie Turf, but he did not have a very good day, finishing 10^th.  He won a G3 race before that fateful day, but he will be facing a horse that beat him LTO.  He is going to have a difficult time with some of them here today, but has a shot if he can pick up the pace a bit.  He is at odds of 8/1 and is being ridden by M. Harrison.

Breaking in the middle of the fray, in PP7, we have #97996 Silver Court, a dark grey colt trained by ts1442 and is by Silver Ghost out of Fountain Court(Danehill x Gilded Time) and is 4/3-0-0 lifetime.  This colt has been undefeated since his switch to the grass and has won a stakes event LTO with a 91sp.  He has not been out and about in stakes as much as some of the others in here and is another who is making the big jump in stakes class.  He is going to have to rev the engines to win here today.  He is off at odds of 13/1 and has jock C. Stams in the irons. 

Next up, in PP8, is #48640 Hail Cesario, a Catahoula trained chestnut colt by Seeking the Gold out of a Northern Dancer mare and is 4 for 4 in his career.  This big colt is barely the favorite in this race and has been running in stakes ever since breaking his maiden FTO.  This colt can definitely make the distance, but is another jumping up from open stakes events.  His speeds have been decent, but he is going to have to watch himself against those BB runners here today.  He is off at 6/1 and has jock M. Goldyn in the saddle today.

Then, from PP9, comes #60303 Wilderness Rules.  This rlogans trained roan colt is a son of Canadian Frontier out of Ali’s Door(Ile de Justice x Singing Telegram) and is 8/2-2-1 for his career.  This colt has done far better in his allowance runs than in his stakes races, as he’s never won a stakes so far in his career.  His speeds have not been very good compared to most of the other runners here today.  I am not seeing him being able to take the class jump.  He is the outsider today with odds of 24/1 and has jockey D. Wuerful up today.

Breaking from PP10, is #98461 Hopes And Fears, a bobmarley trained chestnut colt sired by Grand Slam out of Unukalhai(GB)(In The Wings(GB) x Polar Falcon) and is 7/1-1-2 lifetime.  He is another one of the BB Juvie Turf runners here today, but he did not do very well at all, finishing dead last.  His speeds have not been good enough to merit doing very well here today, so he’s not my pick.  He is off at 23/1 today and is being ridden by M. Squitieri.

Next up, from PP11, we have #79224 Andy’s Choice.  This gunsynd trained brown colt is a son of Rainbow Quest based on All Star Steel(Gone West x Lyphaness) and is 5/4-0-0 lifetime.  This colt is another BB runner who’s connections decided to run him here today.  He finished 4^th in the BB, and has been running well in graded races so far in his career.  He will need to pick it up a little to hit the board, but he has a shot at it. He is off at odds of 10/1 and has New Jersey’s top jockey J. Benisz in the irons today. 

Breaking from PP12, is #99438 Skills In Magic.  This peeps9 trainee is a brown colt by Denon out of Queen Pedal(Sadler’s Wells x Key To The Mint) and is 7/4-2-0 for his career.  This colt was the 5^th place finisher in the GSR Diamond and has done well in regular stakes races, but his graded try has not been very awe inspiring.  To have a shot here, he is going to have to really pick up the pace a bit to keep up w/ some of the other boys in this race.  He is off at 8/1 and has jock J.G. Piotrowski in the saddle.

Next, starting in PP13, is #102235 Seven Lives, is a putitback trained brown colt by Tale Of The Cat out of Seven Manta(Danzig x Harvard Man) and is 6/4-2-0 lifetime.  Here is a big colt with a shot at this race, if he can make the distance that is, as he’s never gone past 7fl in hid career.  If he can make the distance, he has a real chance at taking this one, or at least hitting the board.  He is off at 7/1 and has V. Schreiber up.

Last, but certainly not least, in PP14, we have #11992 Fantastic Muse.  This borden trained brown colt is 5/3-0-0 lifetime and is sired by Fantastic Light out of Muse(Danzig x Rainbow Quest).  Here is the last of the BB participants running in this race.  He ran 7^th in the BB behind Very Silver and Andy’s Choice, who are also in this race.  He is going to have to give a huge effort to get past those boys, and others in this race, as his speeds haven’t been as high as some of the others here today.  He is off at odds of 9/1 and is being ridden by R. Case.

            This race is wide open in my opinion, as anything can happen with 2 year olds.  But there are many stand out runners that should make for a very competitive race, and because of this I am keeping my picks close to the vest.  Good luck to all the horses and trainers here today and Good Racing!