Caddilac Moon, Waki Notion Head Shoe
Named in honor of one of the greatest jockeys of all time, The Willie “Bill” Shoemaker drew a field The Shoe would be very proud of. Here are the ladies from the rail out:
DelPenn’s hopes are pinned on the radically improved Barb’s Petit Marron. Snagged from a $7,500 claimer by the astute Super14 outfit, the daughter of Green Desert and the A.P. Indy mare Broto Again reeled off five straight victories. In her most recent outing, Barb chased Donner home in the Disco Inferno. Rags to riches filly appears to be in a very tough spot. But you can never count out the crafty DelPenn crew.
The GR Simsters will be well represented by the afore mentioned Donner, a four year old daughter of the brilliant grade one winning speedster, Project Matter (Deputy Minister x Mr. Prospector). Donner has all of Mom’s speed and then some. In fact, the daughter of Thunder Gulch has outdone Mom by winning three Grade Ones and doubling Mom’s career bankroll already. She’s coming off a very impressive tally in Japan’s Grade II Disco Inferno Stakes. In that event, Sam812218’s pride and joy stalked pacesetting Daylight Dreamer to midstretch before sprinting past her game but outclassed rival en route to her sixth graded decision in a quick 2:15 3/5 (107 speed figure). Big shot to take it all.
Corzaffair(IRE) will race for long time powerhouse Nexis. Corzak’s precocious millionaire won the Grade I Fricazee in only her third lifetime start and has done little wrong since. The daughter of Black Tie Affair(IRE) and Cake Jason (Nureyev x Ela-Mana-Mou) is bred to run fast all day long. And she does. Last time out she won the ten furlong Grade I I’m Still a Sophomore Classic in typical wire-to-wire fashion. Look for her to be up front for a very long time on Saturday.
Termantia carries the hopes and dreams of NorthWest Racing Circuit postward under red hot Willie “The Shoe” McClendon. Willie got his nickname because his riding style is so similar to the great one. “They started calling me “Shoe” when I was a bug boy. It’s an honor to ride in this race named for the real Shoe.” Zatopek’s Pulpit filly has proven herself in graded company by virtue of seconds in both the Grade I Oak Grove and Grade II Denny Tario. She prepped with an easy win in a ten furlong allowance and looms a solid threat.
Coon’s Dog(IRE) enters The Shoemaker off a very sharp effort. The big Theatrical(IRE) mare prepped for Equinics with a rousing, drop from the clouds victory in Florida’s North Bluegrass Special. Trainer Tigereyes purchased Coon’s Dog at the end of her two year old campaign primarily as a broodmare prospect. She didn’t really come into her own as a racehorse until half way through her sophomore season. But with stakes wins in two of her last four starts, it looks as if the Queensland standard-bearer may be able to hold her own in here. Outside shot to medal.
Icebird’s veteran chestnut Nurse Fager will carry Ireland’s banner postward. The six year old daughter of Prosper Fager is a multiple stakes winner and pops a big speed figure on occasion. But losing an allowance race in Oklahoma is hardly the ideal Equinics prep. Longshot at best against these monster mares
They aren’t the biggest residency nor do they have the most powerful team, but Great Plains has a great bunch of trainers who have given their all to stay afloat through some very trying times. Their rep in here, Possible Star(IRE), epitomizes the spirit of Great Plains. She’s neither the fastest filly in the field nor the best bred. But the diminutive daughter of Not Impossible(IRE) runs her heart out every time and she never beats herself. She has won a stake and her trainer, Ajr13, is a sharp cookie. And anything can happen in a horse race.
Next comes a filly that truly has it all. Cadillac Moon is her name And The Kentucky Horsemen are thrilled to present her as their delegate to The Shoemaker. Blackswan’s fleet homebred absolutely crushed a tremendous field of graded winners last time out in the DelPenn Champions Day Grade I Delaware Distaff. The silky smooth gray with the big engine was on cruise control to midstretch when jockey Bill Dillin said “Go!” At that point the lovely daughter of Unbridled’s Song flattened out nicely and sprinted home to win by an ever widening two and a half lengths in the brilliant time of 1:47 4/5. The only question left to be answered is how she’ll handle going beyond nine furlongs for the first time. Tune in Saturday to find out.
Representing Vermont is Mano’s Deputy Minister x Southern Halo homebred, Robinson. The Pastures’ representative will have “home field advantage” having trained here since she was a baby. Besides that, her last three races have been in Vermont. The five year old has been a remarkably consistent performer throughout her fifteen race career. She’s finished first or second in thirteen of those starts. Unfortunately, the two times she missed the board were her only two stakes attempts. Did manage one decent fourth in Grade I competition but needs to step forward in here for any chance at a medal.
The CR Racers are awfully proud of their entrant in The Shoemaker. Waki Notion (Miswaki x NijinskyII x Dr. Fager) is a millionaire, a multiple graded winner, and was a bronze medalist for the Chat Room Crew in the last Equinics competition. Trainer Looney1 has assiduously prepared the five year old homebred for this test and she is looking for gold this time around. Waki could be no sharper so the main concern is the bulky field and her habit of dropping well off the pace before launching her ferocious late rush. Traffic problems are the main thing that could keep her off the board.
Tete For Storm will represent Viking Racing. The powerfully built five year old owns ten of trainer Sabbath’s 292 career victories. Tete For Storm is a multiple graded winner and has posted eye popping speed figures at times. The flashy chestnut ran a 114 while taking last year’s Grade III Sabian and a 118 earlier this season in the Roo Jesse. Rider Paul Cadigan will have the daughter of Royal Academy on or near the lead throughout. Tends to run hot and cold but has a pretty good shot to medal if she fires.
Final Notice is the type of mare every trainer would love to have. Good looking, well bred (Woodman x Theatrical(IRE) x Green Dancer) and versatile. She has been a useful allowance type thus far and looks like she may have some stakes potential down the road. Trainer Punta is very proud and happy that his charge has been selected to run in The Shoe. But the Alpine Turf Club representative is pretty much buried among these proven graded winners. Another time. Another place
Illinois based star Paul Munoz rides Hot Mop Darbyy for trainer Wonder3 and Benelux. The four year old Arazi filly has been steadily improving and posted a 102 speed number, her fastest yet, while finishing third in an Arkansas stake last time out. Needs a major step forward to compete here.
Trainer togasarasa’s Debs Way To Work calls Epsom Downs Residency home. The four year old Bernstein filly has hit the board in twelve of nineteen starts and shows a win at this distance in a starter allowance. She is certainly a useful sort but this field is just too deep for her to have much chance.
Ohio Thoroughbred Racing presents Leechy’s Final Episode as their entrant. This well bred (Woodman x Summer Squall x Storm Bird) lass has eked out a decent living in claimers and starter allowances. She’s hit the board in her last three starts and will be placed forwardly by rider Matthews who has yet to win in 2006. That’s not likely to change this week.
Looking for a horse with a good shot to win at a generous price? Look no further. Bucking Bronco (14-1) is your gal. This fleet filly arrives in peak form. Her victory in New York’s Grade III Girls Cap was visually impressive. In that event Coolk2’s dappled gray homebred stalked a moderate pace to head stretch before exploding past her stunned rivals. Her 102 speed rating, coupled with the 106 she posted three back while placing in the Grade III King Ranch Special, put her squarely in the picture at a nice price for EAAA Racing.
At first glance Classic Mambo (40-1) may not look like a serious contender. And, indeed, she may not be. She’s been off for eight weeks, never run in a stake and never broken 100 speed rating. Those are all “red flags.” But if you read between the lines, the Down Under Racing rep just might have a crazy chance. Consider this. She’s absolutely perfectly bred to run this distance being by Sky Classic from the lightly raced Mambo Slew (Kingmambo x Seattle Slew). Trainer Mrblacktie has prepared Classic Mambo perfectly for this event by gradually stretching her out until she destroyed a decent allowance field at this exact distance. Finally, one of the horses she dusted LTO, Miswaki Approval, came back to win a 9.5f stake with a speed rating of 103. Hmmmmmmmmmm…
Minnesota pins it’s medal hopes on the multiple stakes winning, graded placed Spanish Sunset (Rainbow Quest x El Gran Senor). Grayhorse’s homebred exits a pair of stakes run on off tracks in which she finished third and fourth respectively. Prior to that, over a fast track, Spanish Sunset won the Doctor S Stakes in 1:56 1/5 over this very surface. Has some real talent and needs it all to contend here.
K’s Eskape will represent the 2004 Equinics titleists, Global Simulated Racing. Once again GSR has assembled a formidable team and this mare is a prime example. All she’s done is win eleven of her thirteen career starts including the Grade II Yanta Snez. Most recently trainer Pompeya’s impeccably bred filly (Mineshaft x Bad Blood (Danzig x Mr. Prospector)won her 9.5 furlong prep in Indiana under wraps in 1:54 and change while posting a speed figure of 107. Looks like a major player for a major residency.
Last but not least, Lilthunder sends out the oddly bred but well performed six year old, Master Wong(IRE) for Fun And Friends Stable Club. The pretty chestnut is one of only two stakes winners sired by Observatory(IRE). And her extremely obscure DDS, Electric(GB), stands at Astley Grange Stud in England for a fee of 250 pounds. Nevertheless, Master Wong has outrun her modest pedigree on numerous occasions and comes into The Shoe having won two stakes in her last three outings utilizing her patented stalk and pounce method. This will be her first graded test and she’ll need to come up big in order to medal. Could happen.
That’s the excellent field of fillies and mares going postward in the Shoemaker. Good luck to all!