Missouri Doctor Abdul Bonanza

Trainer Triscay’s Koorawatha, rated 5^th best in the Sim’s three year old dirt Classic Rankings, will take on nine fellow three year old colt challengers in Missouri’s featured race. The Doctor Abdul Bonanza’s Stake to be contested at a mile and a sixteenth over the lightning fast Missouri dirt course, will be no cakewalk for Koorawatha as ( 3 ) of the other nine challengers are also in the top ( 100 ) rankings led by Gradetwo’s Breeding Empire. A capsule look at the entries:

Punta2’s ONLYTIMEWILLSELL looks to be in over his head here, the three year old colt by MARINO MARINI x MONONGAHELA has only amassed $10,000 in earnings in nine career starts and was a well-beaten 10^th in his only Stakes try. With speed figures consistently in the mid-upper 70’s, he’ll need to improve by about 15 – 20 points to challenge these.

TAPIT FROM BEHIND trainer Stormchase’s 3 year colt by TAPIT x EL PRADO(IRE) is one of the more interesting longshots in this field. Ranked 169^th in the 3-year old dirt Classic Rankings, TAPIT FROM BEHIND already has a Stake win to his credit, and also a nice 3^rd place effort in the Viking Don Stake. He likes to come flying in the stretch from well off the pace, and a nice 3^rd – 4^th place finish here would come as no major surprise.

Another interesting challenger will be Alphabetso’s SHIFT INTO SLEW, who’s stalking running style should have him prominent in the early pace duel. This 3-year old son of  NIGHT SHIFT x SEATTLE SLEW, has a pair of solid second place Stake finishes and an IMPRESSIVE 3^rd place effort in the Grade-3 Closest Friend Stake. This is a colt that shouldn’t be taken likely, the only question that needs to be answered is whether he can

handle the mile and a sixteenth distance in this caliber of company.

Trainer Graywolf13 certainly can’t be accused of giving his 3-year old colt GOOSE STORM, MONGOOSE x STORM CAT a steady diet of easy races, GOOSE STORM has already tried Grade-1 and Grade-2 competition and has had six Stakes races in his ten lifetime starts. His off-pace style is well suited for Classical Distances, and if he can run back to his 88 speed figure in week 2685, he may well get a slice of this purse.

Cardinal10’s PACKIN GLACKIN, an improving  3-year old colt out of SMOKE GLACKEN x D’ACCORD, just looks to be overmatched in this field. Although he does possess good early speed and should be close to the front the first half of the race, I have a hard time believing he will be up to the task when challenged by the High Class contenders he faces here. Looks to be a nice allowance class runner, and should gain valuable experience here.

Trainer Dave0’s BIBLICAL ROAD is an intriguing entry, even though he has a lot of intangibles going against him, first Stake try, first Route try, this 3-year old son of ANCIENT TIMES x MEADOWLAKE has the look of a good potential Stakes horse.BIBLICAL ROAD is definitely an improving colt and it will be interesting to see if his “BLAZING” stretch rally can challenge this “classy” field, a definite solid longshot play for the “Sim” betting crowd !

There’s certainly no arguing the Stake credential’s for trainer Gradetwo’s BREEDING EMPIRE, this regally bred son of EMPIRE MAKER x SEATTLE SLEW, already has a Stake win and place in his two un-graded efforts and a solid 5^th place effort in the Grade-2 Club Stake in his last race. Throw in  a pair of impressive 91 and 89 speed figures at this mile and a sixteenth distance and a nice versatile stalking – mid-pack racing style and you can see why he’s ranked 54^th in the 3-year old Classic Ratings.

Another trainer that likes to challenge his horses hard early, trainer Oneworld’s WOODYNA, WOODMAN x DYNAFORMER, has already earned a 73^rd Classical Ranking in just a short four race career. He’s already won a Stake, Placed in a Stake and run a very creditable 5^th in the Grade-2 End of The Line Stake, not to mention a steady vastly improving Speed Rating pattern of  76 – 82 – 85 – 90 . My gut feeling is that WOODYNA is the “Wild Card” in this field, a win here wouldn’t greatly surprise me, but a bounce in speed figures and a disappointing out of the top four finish wouldn’t overly surprise me ether.

It’s hard to imagine that a Grade-1 winner, who’s 5^th ranked in the 3-year old Classical Ratings would have anything to prove, but in a weird sense trainer Triscay’s KOORAWATHA does! Even though the beautifully bred Koorawatha, FUSAICHI PEGASUS x UNBRIDLED has a Grade-1 Stake and an un-graded Stake win and a trip to the Breeders Bowl Juvenile already in the bag in just five starts, his one dimensional front running style and tendency to fade in the stretch are holes in his game and are probably the reason behind the luke-warm 3/1 favorite odds. Don’t misunderstand me, KOORAWATHA is the legitimate favorite, and will more than likely have the lead at the half-mile pole, still this should be a good test for his distance running abilities and a good barometer whether he will be able to compete at the upper level as the distances increase.

This is my horse and I’ll give you my perspective on him and the entry here. WORLDS IN MOTION, a 3-year old out of LEMON DROP KID x MISWAKI has the look of a nice consistent runner, he’s ranked 74^th in the Classical Ratings, and has been first or second in six of his seven starts and has never been beaten by 2 or more lengths. Fortunately or unfortunately, he’s a plodding sort of late runner who seems to grind his way to the top, rather than a flashy stretch move, even though the results and speed figures  have been consistant and decent, he’s going to have to improve on the 83 – 87 figures if he’s going to take the next step up to the Graded Level. I could’ve found a much easier allowance spot today, but I’m using this race as a barometer for his future. I’m hoping he’ll be even better as the distances increase.

PREDICTION:  I like Breeding Empire here, I think his running style, the ability to stalk just off the pace will allow him to be close early and catch a late fading Koorawatha in deep stretch. I like my colt Worlds In Motion and the longshot Biblical Road to rally late for the 3^rd & 4^th spot.