Will PHIL THE SEEKER take BLARNEY’S GIFT?
The TIMELESS RULE Cap Stakes
A mile and three eighths on Fast Dirt
$70,000
All Horses, 4 years old and up
It’s actually pretty warm for this time of year in Saratoga New York so the horses in the TIMELESS RULE Cap Stakes may have an extra spring in their steps this weekend. Named for Timeless Rule who had 18 wins in a long career. This mile and three eights $70,000 Stakes race for all four year old and up horses will be the highlight of what proves to be a great race day here. We’ve got a very evenly matched field so it should be a super race. Let’s take a look:
1 – PHYL THE SEEKER ODDS OWNER WIN% JOCKEY WIN% TOP SPEED AVG SPEED RANK 5/1 chas 26.4% P.Nation 20% 107.3 103.5 219
(SEEKING THE GOLD x DYNAFORMER x CHEROKEE COLONY) One of three four year olds in the race, this big fellow has won better than a third of his sixteen races and had his best race last outing. That makes three of his last four winners and his 107 SPF while winning the Judge Judge Challenge stakes really made some folks sit up and take notice. He likes to stay near the lead and finish strong and seems to have finally learned how to do that. Trainer Chas and jockey Nation will have him in place and ready to run at the finish of this one.
| 2 – BLARNEY’S GIFT | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/1 | SSutton | 14.9% | D.Nabbinger | 7% | 104.9 | 100.2 | 121 |
(GRAND SLAM x DAYLAMI (IRE) x IRISH RIVER(FR)) Four Year old Blarneys Gift moved back to dirt after a three race foray onto the grass with good results. This grey beauty always seems to finish in the top three but just hasn’t figured out how to get to the winners circle. In 10 Stakes races, he has five seconds and two thirds but can’t quite get it over the hump. A kiss of the Blarney Stone for luck may be necessary to get a break for this colt to finally break that Stakes maiden and keep on winning.
| 3 – YOKO BONE O | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/1 | SirBarton | 12.7% | C.Orza | 26% | 106.1 | 100.8 | 76 |
(YOKOHAMA x DISTANT VIEW x SURE BLADE) In his past seven races, this colt has one every other race, yo-yoing between a winner and a near miss. This week is scheduled to be a near miss and trainer SirBarton and jockey Oraz who is having a nice year so far, want to break that cycle. It’s the first race of the new year for this five year old and he would like to turn over a new leaf and start his year off right. He’s got a chance as he should like this distance a little better than some of his recent outings.
| 4 – ED’S LION’S AZ | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1 | Santanna | 10.2% | D.Brennan | 20% | N/A | N/A | 3228 |
(OCTAGONAL(NZ) x LION CAVERN x ALZAO) Another five year old, but this one has finishing problems. In 23 races, he has only two wins. He won his first last year, an allowance and never found the winners circle again. He would like to start off this year the same way for the first race of 2006. He ran his best race in his only other time at a race this long so he may have found his niche. He has some pretty strong company though so jockey Brennan had better save him up for a strong finish in the stretch.
| 5 – IN THE THEATRE(GB) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/1 | Funnyfello | 11.3% | Z.Ayya | 21% | 108.4 | 102.3 | 58 |
(IN THE WINGS(GB) x THEATRICAL(IRE) x CAERLEON) Our Morning Line favorite is the oldest entry at age six. He had a nice campaign last year with a streak of three stakes wins in the middle and finished in the money in all 11 races. His final three races in 2005 were the first time he hadn’t broken the century speed mark for that long since the end of his two year old season long ago. It may be the indicator that this eleven time winner is starting to feel the age a bit in his bones. This early season Stakes race should point out where his year is headed.
| 6 – HUSTLIN HOOSIER | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/2 | KK1039 | 6.9% | F.Solomon | 0% | 99.2 | 99.2 | 496 |
(FINDER’S GOLD x SLEW THE SURGEON x PROSPECTOR’S GOLD) This fine looking four year old colt capped his year in 2005 with a Bargain Bowl win in the classic. He has always shown great heart in his many Stakes races but not many winners. He will be hard pressed to break that pattern here with the level of competition. It may be time to polish up the Bargain Bowl trophy and move to an allowance level.
Morning Line = 5-3-2-1
Yoss Tipsheet = 1-2-5-3
Paz Picks = 1-2-3-5
This one could go many directions but I think the Morning Line favorite may have lost a step so I like IN THE THEATRE to finish fourth. It is a down week in YOKO BONE O’s Yo-Yo so I figure he finishes third. The beneficiary of those two missing out are PHYL THE SEEKER and BLARNEY’S GIFT . I have to stick with THE SEEKER until BLARNEY can figure out how to get to that winners circle.
Good luck to all runners!
Paz