Thrilling Race Set Up in Dubai
The A.P. STAR TRACE Special Stakes
Seven and half furlongs on Fast Dirt
$95,000
All Horses, 4 years old and up
We are in one of the hotbeds of horse racing this week in Dubai and we are getting set to run down The A.P. STAR TRACE Special Stakes race named for multiple stakes winner A.P. Star Trace. This seven and a half furlong sprint $95,000 Stakes race for all horses four years and up should be on a lightning track as the weather is cooperating for this weekend. We’ve got an interesting field with horses from four to ten years old. Let’s take a look:
1 – FREEDOM OVERSPILL ODDS OWNER WIN% JOCKEY WIN% TOP SPEED AVG SPEED RANK 34/1 Ibear 7.5% D.Lakencher 25% 90.2 89.6 N/A
(AMERICAN CHANCE x FIT TO FIGHT x GREAT ABOVE) Very lightly raced for a four year old, this chestnut colt appears to be overmatched at first glance but with only two races under his belt, it is certainly hard to say. He ran very well in his two outings in his three year old campaign but this is his first stakes race and he is up against some tough company. He may need a couple of more races under his belt at this level before he can compete but he may be able to break out as well. Jockey Lakencher has his hands full here.
| 2 – BEST AUROR | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/2 | Auror | 19.3% | C.Kato | 14% | 97.2 | 93.6 | 1673 |
(BESTYOUCANBE x SEEKING THE GOLD x HERAT) Even after 21 races, it seems that this four year old colt out of Colorines can’t seem to find his niche. Three back he won and ran a great race at a mile, then threw in a lackluster sprint and and stumbling 8 ½ furlongs after that. He’s run five of his last six in China and the move to Dubai may do him good. Trainer Auror is still trying to guide this colt to the promised land and his speed may carry him well in this race.
| INTERNAL FIRE | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/2 | GDog | 17.6% | Q.Cassell | 16% | 105.7 | 94.5 | 992 |
(MUTAKDDIM x DESERT WINE x KNIGHTLY DAWN) This pretty brown colt finished up last year with two very strong races and is ready to flourish as a four year old. His speeds were over the century mark and he is on a two race win streak. They were both allowance races but the step up shouldn’t be a problem and Cassell is up in the saddle to guide him. Trainer GDog has a nice win percentage and knows how to handle these little bumps in the road. He should be somewhere on the board at the end.
| 3 – ROYAL PORTRUSH | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/1 | Jasong | 25.0% | B.Addison | 11% | 104.7 | 100.6 | 407 |
(DANCE BRIGHTLY x NOTEBOOK x UNBRIDLED) The hottest horse coming into this race is this six year old out of mare Unabridged. He should have a two race streak coming in but just got nosed out in the Art Until Wishes Stakes in his last foray on the Stakes circuit. Trainer Onyourmark has the best win percentage in the race and wants to keep that going. His horse loves the lead and should be close enough to the rail at the gate to get there ahead of the field. At this point I don’t see anyone who should run him down.
| 5 – FOO POET | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/2 | Onyourmark | 9.4% | H.Harzheim | 24% | 105.3 | 94.6 | 559 |
(TEMPERENCE HILL x HIGHLAND BLADE x VALID APPEAL) At a time when most horses his age are thinking about nothing more than covering his next mare, this 10 year old is still picking them up and putting them down. He may be finally slowing down some but still had four wins last year and was able to throw some nice SPFs. He has one of the best jockeys in the business in the stirrups in Harzheim and may have another nice race or two in him. It gets a lot tougher at this age though.
| 6 – IRISH CHARISMA | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/2 | Bigal50 | 24.5% | S.L.Ledwith | 28% | 103.9 | 94.4 | 667 |
(CHARISMATIC x IRISH RIVER(FR) x DEPUTY MINISTER) Another four year old, and this one should be there at the finish. His last race was in the slop and he just missed the winners circle. That would have made four in a row and trainer Bigal50 wants him back on track. Ledwith is willing and able in the saddle and it appears that this chocolate thunder will be an entry to be reckoned with.
Morning Line = 4-3-6-2-5
Yoss Tipsheet = 4-6-3-2
Paz Picks = 4-6-3-2
A fairly even race with several good possiblities, I like BEST AUROR to finish fourth. I’m tempted to put INTERNAL FIRE in my top two but think he will just miss the win. The final twosome should have a thrilling stretch drive with the horse with the biggest heart finishing in front. IRISH CHARISMA may be that horse but I’m picking ROYAL PORTRUSH to hold to the lead by a neck.
Good luck to all runners!
Paz