K’s Joan Bach, Uninhabitable lead South Carolina special
South Carolina– The $50,000 Peintre Hunter Special attracts nine fillies and mares, four years old and upwards. Over a main track 8.5 furlongs, the race has more than its share of talent.
Verdugote’s K’s Joan Bach (3/1) leads the way as the slight favorite at 3/1. The 4YO Forestry filly exhausted her ALW conditions recently and comes into this event after losing the photo in her initial stakes bow. She only makes her 11th lifetime start and appears pretty effective in short routes. Will hopefully test 10f one day too. Very talented individual and one to watch. Can versatily run from off pace or sit about midpack. The winner’s circle is hers if she’s game.
Phartlap1’s Uninhabitable (7/2) is pretty much in the same boat. The Capote 4YO is honest in the srpint ranks and makes her route debut here. The filly switched tactics LTO, coming from off pace rather than her normal frontrunner style. No reason to suspect that she won’t take to the short route, but, still, it’s a litmus test. We’ll see if she has a two-turns future Saturday. Expect her to join the pace fray.
If you like interesting entries at great odds, then keep an eye on silverazor’s Charlotte (8/1). The Charismatic 4YO was a Grade 3 winner last year over 7f and reeks of talent. The speedster was good enough to finish a close up 5th in the time-honored Exam Stakes(G1-7fD) too. Since the Exam, she reeled off two impressive ALW miles, but coughed it up in the GSR Oaks(G1-10fD) afterwards. Extremely interesting — Charlotte’s just as good as the two faves. Might hook up in a duel with Uninhabitable though…. leaving all the cards for closer K’s Joan Bach. If Unhabitable doesn’t go with Charlotte though, then watch out. The filly could smoke the field.
Stalker Jarabe Tapatio(IRE) (6/1) factors right into this mix too. El Prado(IRE) daughter really appreciated return to flat mile, winning 2 of last 3 at ALW level. Totally in form for cooldude stable and has numbers to match the faves. Well spotted and could benefit from tired pacesetters and if closer K’s Joan Bach runs out of yardage. The 4YO filly is not without a shot.
The rest of the field:
- Barb’s Freckles(GB) (5/1) enjoyed return to dirt last sutumn, winning a par of miler ALWs in good time and even picked up a cheque at stakes level. Kind of yinned and yanged on DPCD day and subsequent stakes outing. In the Wings(GB) 5YO hopefully regrouped. 35th start though — these younger fillies are pretty tough competition again this time around. Minor share possibly. Races for barbstable.
- Storm Cat royal bred Rain Dancing (5/1) is an honest ALW earner for phillipj3. Nice wins in 2 of last 3, but she just looks overmatched versus the younger fillies. Minor share for the closer at best.
- Veteran Broad Brush mare Noble Brush (8/1) stretches out again. Her speed figures really point to possible wear and tear at 39 starts. She just looks overmatched here. Tie for breeding shed or earn as much BP as you can in ALW ranks.
- New stable forbes got an excellent draw in Six Tater (11/1). Devil’s Bag 6YO mare wasn’t much as a youngster, but, boy, she’s fleet of foot as an elder gal. Won 3 of 5 ALWs for her new owner, all at a flat mile. Needs to pass the extra sixteenth test and sometimes that makes all the difference (so don’t be discouraged if she weakens down the lane). Joins pace fray. Interesting live longshot. Possible if she can handle class leap and extra sixteenth.
- Finally, Answer Back T (34/1) from graceful stable is the dark horse of the bunch. Obscurely bred filly broke maiden precociously enough late last year as a $100+ longshot and even added a NW2L two starts later over a mile. It was a good stalking victory with a 93 SP#. I just don’t agree with leaping a horse up so fast to stakes level — it pays to find out what kind of horse you have in proper conditions. Risky, can go south in hurry. Odds are, regroup afterwards.
Snowchief’s Picks:
I like speedster Charlotte a lot here to old off Unhabitable and especailly K’s Joan Bach. The latter though is one to watch. Jarabe Tapatio(IRE) might mix up my trifecta though! Six Tater’s a wild card and I don’t see the others making much of a dent.
Win: Charlotte
Place: K’s Joan Bach
Show: Uninhabitable or Jarabe Tapatio(IRE)
Good luck to all.