Full Field for New York’s Suitably Named Grade 1 ‘Fair Warning’
Owner/Trainer sdmf2 provided ‘Fair Warning’ to the rest of the filly/mare division by entering the number 1 ranked classic distance filly/mare, Swift Kick, early for the Grade 1 Fair Warning. However, sdmf2 didn’t stop there. Also entered is talented stablemate, and 17th ranked, Cupid’s Dead. Against that backdrop, here is how the full field of fourteen, in post position order, look for this week’s Grade 1 Fair Warning (horse name, owner/trainer, jockey, and odds in parentheses):
Suicide Solution, zwango1, A Roberts, 13-1: Suicide Solution seems to have a seconditis issue. In her 20 career starts she has finished second seven times while winning four of those starts. Certainly not a bad record, however, she will face a tough battle this week. In her lone race over 8 furlongs, the 9 furlong Rose Garden Handicap in week 2594, she finished 9th beaten eleven lengths. O/T zwango1 has chosen a tough spot, a Grade 1 race against the number one ranked filly, for Suicide Solution to prove her propensity for long races.
Berenguela, Fernando, N Painter, 10-1: Fernando sends out multiple stakes winner Berenguela. She will be trying to ride the wave of her first graded stakes win in her last race, the Annie Oakly Stakes at Maryland in week 2685. In that race she posted a career high speed figure of 108. Her first try on the New York strip could prove successful if she is able to keep up the momentum of her previous race.
Granny’s Girl, carolover, B Williams, 14-1: Granny would be proud of this grand daughter! A winner of 7 races in 17 career starts, she won in her last race, the Wedding Wells Special in week 2720. She comes from a very successful family as game dam, Granny Exalted, won 16 of 48 races. This grade A game dam won 3 Grade 1 races, 14 total stakes races, and the Grade 1 Denny Tario Oaks (an anecdote for all you Dance Fever fans). Granny’s Girl is lightly raced as a six year old. She ran just four times in 2003, once in 2004, and had a full racing calendar in 2005. That race in 2004 was an allowance win with a career best 117 SP.
Smokey’s Chant, kody, R Haffner, 7-1: This five year old mare has won 13 career races, including a Grade 3 win in the County BB Handicap in week 2636. That win occurred during a four race winning streak. The winning streak was snapped in her last race, coming in fourth in the DelPenn Championship Day Delaware Distaff, a race that included several of her rivals in today’s race. She figures to come from behind in this race, but due to the lack of speed in today’s race, she will need to not fall too far back so she can make a big run at the end.
Back Flips(IRE), corza3, G Rolling, 25-1: Corza3 sends out the that stable’s star, Back Flips. The recent form of Back Flips shows that she will need to improve dramatically to make noise in today’s race. Though she is one of the few speed horses in the race, she will need to carry that speed to hold off her more accomplished foes. She has been running in longer races recently so that experience may help in staying at the lead.
Daylight(IRE), highbreed, A Pritchard, 13-1: This two time stakes winner will once again try to conquer the graded race scene. She has been graded stakes placed in the past. However, she must overcome a poor showing in her last race, a seventh place finish against one of her foes today, Cupid’s Dead.
Squall is a Storm, meguire4th, P Davis, 6-1: It could be said that this classy five year old mare has a seconditis problem. After all, she does have 10 second place finishes in 30 career starts. But that would not be a fair characterization. She has also won 9 races, including the 2004 Breeders Bowl Distaff. Though she failed in that race in 2005, she still has enough back class to overcome her recent sub par outings in today’s race. Actually, the fifth ranked classic distance in the filly/mare division mare has a very good shot at bringing home the big check in today’s Fair Warning.
Meadow Breeze, lenny2, T Johnson, 11-1: Though she hasn’t won since the Grade 3 Maryland Distaff at 9 furlongs in week 2496, this daughter of Pine Bluff, has been in pretty good form lately. She finished third last time out in the Grade 3 Girls Cap. She also has a second and fourth place finish in her two races prior to the Girls Cap. Though she has just 4 wins in 22 career races, her recent form shows that she may be in the mix at the end, though winning will require a huge effort.
Matroni Et Moi, frosty, E Cunningham, 11-1: After wins in the last two of three races, owner/trainer frosty looks for Matroni Et Moi to move up the ladder into graded competition for the first time in her career. Her last three races were stakes races, and also the first three stakes races of her career. Look for Matroni to go to the front and try to hold off her late rushing rivals.
The Divorce, jarrod2, Er Anderson, 14-1: To win this race, The Divorce will need to shed her second place finisher tendency. She has finished second five times in her 20 race career. That career includes one win. In her last race on DelPenn Championship Day she finished third in the Grade 1 Winterthur Oaks. That was a more than admirable effort, and it puts her in contention for a piece of the Fair Warning.
Seeking Perfection(IRE), galileo, R Foster, 12-1: There are three possible inspiration for Seeking Perfection’s owner/trainer’s name. First, it could be a tribute to the great Italian mathematician Galileo. Or the name could come from the name of the new satellite navigation system (think GPS) being developed by the European Union. Finally, the name could be inspired by Epsom Derby winner Galileo. Since this is a horse racing game, I am guessing the last choice. Regardless of the origin of the name, that won’t help or hurt the chances of Seeking Perfection in the Fair Warning. This four year old filly has won seven of her fourteen lifetime races, including seven of twelve on the dirt. Though she did not race well in her last race, the Grade 3 Gravestone Cap, don’t put too much stock in that performance since it was her first race in eight weeks. Instead her performance in the previous races is more like her form. For example, she was a Grade 1 winner in the Grace Kelly Memorial in Delaware in week 2594. She definitely has a shot to take it all this week. And I just thought of one more option for the reason for the owner/trainer’s name, maybe that’s the owner’s REAL name…
Nurey’s Wood, burnin, R Michaels, 32-1: The longest shot in today’s race will definitely need to run the best race of her life to make some noise. She has yet to break the 100 mark in speed figures. However, she does have some pedigree help in her corner. Her game dam, Nurey Evermore, is a multiple graded stakes winner (including a Grade 1 win). Regardless, Nurey’s Wood most accomplished win has been in allowance company. She did try graded stakes competition in the Grade 2 Denny Tario Oaks (more Dance Fever!!) but finished seventh in that race. She only has eleven career starts (with four wins) so she certainly could continue to improve as she gets more races under her belt.
Swift Kick, sdmf2, N Lawton, 3-1: Enough good things cannot be said about the favorite in today’s Fair Warning. Swift Kick has been a big time prime time player. In the biggest races of her career she came up huge. In the Bluegrass Oaks she ran a then career best 110 speed figure and in the Breeders Bowl Distaff she ran a new career best 118 speed figure. How does that history help her in today’s race? Since those races she has continued to shine. In her last race she raced against the colts and finished second, beaten only 1.5 lengths, in the DelPenn Championship Day Delaware Mile. Another big effort is expected this week with top jockey N Lawton in the irons.
Cupid’s Dead, sdmf2, B Child, 12-1: Swift Kick’s stablemate provides a potent 1-2 punch for the sdmf2 stable. She returned last time out to win the DelPenn Championship Day Distaff after a 7 week absence. She also has success in Grade 1 company in winning the Could Be History in the Making at Maryland in week 2636. Expect Cupid’s Dead to be slow in the early going, but then coming on fast at the end.
The Fair Warning will be run as the 16th race of the New York Week 2734 card.
What to look for:
On ESPN Classic there is a show call Cheap Seats. This show has two comedian brothers watching old sports TV shows (like Superstars, or pro wrestling, or spelling bees, etc) and making fun of the show. One of the bits they do is a segment called “What to look for” where they preview humorous aspects of the show they are about to show. For the purposes of this article, this section is a preview of interesting races or horses running in the non-stakes races this week in New York. I don’t promise any humor…
The fourth race, an allowance event for 3 year olds going 8 furlongs includes tombstone’s Oingo Boingo. This Awesome Again colt has raced exclusively in Florida in his five lifetime starts but was very impressive in his maiden win last time out posting an 88 speed figure. Expect another big effort in this race. Also in the race is Melek Ha Cavode. This colt, owned and trained by genesis66, won his only start here in New York with an 88 speed figure. Rider N Painter is in the saddle again for this start.
5heffsbarn sends out recent maiden winner Barb’s Officer in the 9th race. This is a NW2L allowance race on the turf. His last race, a win, was impressive on the New York turf track. He looks to continue his winning ways on the turf today.
Wolverine’s impressive three year old colt Barb’s Liesure is the 3-5 favorite in the 13th race. This son of Tomahawk has won 3 of 5 starts including a stakes win in the What a Crock Challenge Stakes at Delaware. Last time out he just missed in the DelPenn Juvenile stakes. The computer’s Four Impala’s is not expected to challenge too much in this race.
Lots of turf racing on the card this week, with half of the 16 races being contested on the grass.