Breeders’ Bowl 2013: Dirt Mile
STARKS, trained by blankpoin9, is a handsome three-year-old son of Distorted Humor. He has started only once at a mile, and the result was a runner-up finish in an allowance race. However, that effort came very early in his career. In his most recent two starts, both Grade II wins, Starks has looked very sharp. He tends to break about midpack and advance steadily during the remainder of the race. Best speed figure: 113
OF WHITEHORSE, trained by adrian9, is by Danehill Dancer. Interestingly, he made his first six starts over turf and did well there before trying dirt for the first. Since then, he has compiled six consecutive 101+ speed figures, finishing third or better in five of those efforts. His typical running style is to break well and stalk the pace before making a final push in the stretch. Best speed figure: 110
THE COOLEST, trained by given3, is sired by More Than Ready. He has won eight out of thirteen starts, all on dirt, although his most recent victory came back in March. Three of his last five races came in allowances, which he won handily. Whether he is in form to beat Grade I company is in question, but he should be a factor in at least the early going. Best speed figure: 112
KING ALONSO, trained by superstar, is by Street Cry. He has never run at a mile and might prefer more distance. That said, he is also four for four in sprint efforts, though those races all came when he was two years old. Since that time, King Alonso has stretched out and won three stakes races at either nine or ten furlongs. He will probably settle in midpack early, though he occasionally flashes speed from the gate. Best speed figure: 115
K’S UNCOACHABLE, trained by sledwith2, is a six-year-old by A.P. Indy. He remained in the allowance ranks during his early career, then stepped up into stakes company and proved competitive. His 79 speed figure from his most recent race is deceptive; that start was an easy allowance score where K’s Uncoachable romped to win by daylight, eased up. He has run at one mile four times this year and won each time. Expect him to lay just off the pace before making his run. Best speed figure: 116
GOOD JUJU, trained by goldluck, is by Distorted Humor. He’s cutting back in distance from ten furlongs, when he ran a dull race. Although his results are inconsistent, he owns a Grade I win and has run a speed figure lower than 100 just once in his last nineteen races. This string of quick runs indicates that he fits in this field and can win with his best effort. He typically breaks slowly before hitting his best stride. Best speed figure: 113
Sired by Hussonet, DEPUTY OF DEATH is trained by jonsnow2. He is lightly campaigned this year with just six starts, including his turf debut two races ago (he finished third in an allowance). Although he began the season strongly with a Grade II win, a subsequent layoff of ten weeks seems to have hurt his form. A victory in his latest race is reason for some optimism, though. Also, it must be noted that Deputy of Death is the defending champion in this race; he won it last year with a 118 speed figure, which is his career best.
Trainer zampatelo2 has entered KATARA, a son of Empire Maker. He loves the distance and has tactical speed, able to win from on the lead or a stalking position. After a sub-par effort two back, he was entered in an allowance to give him a confidence boost and won with plenty left in the tank. This entry may find himself on the lead if no one else shows much early foot. Best speed figure: 118
The oldest entry in this race is nine-year-old DYNASTORM, trained by magical and sired by Dynaformer. The 5-1 morning line favorite, he didn’t make a single start from mid-November 2006 until May 2010, then disappeared from the track again from June 2010 until March 2012. In his eighteen starts since then, he has usually picked up a check and at points has dominated. He is another midpack runner. Best speed figure: 120 (twice, highest in the field)
RAM N RAID, trained by dirtriot, is by Smart Strike. Although he has not won either of his starts at a mile, he has run respectably. He also enters this race off of a nice graded score at nine furlongs where he patiently stalked the pace before powering home. Seems most likely to settle in the back half of the pack early like much of the rest of his field. Best speed figure: 116
WAY TOO COOL is trained by belafonte and sired by Tizway. Consistent early in his career, he has turned in mixed efforts more recently. A notable strong run came two starts back in the Grade I Happy Birthday Pastures at a mile, where he sprang a 16-1 upset. Way Too Cool has started twice at a mile and won both times. Although he has some early speed, he almost never grabs the lead near the start of a race. Best speed figure: 113
Blankpoin2 trains LETMEGOCRAZYONU, by Eskendereya. This horse’s last win came in December in the Grade I Sterile Mile, and it provides the most hope that he can make an impact in this field. He was closer to the pace than usual and moved boldly in the stretch to win at odds of nearly 30-1. Since then, he has finished no better than third in six attempts, though they all came in grade company. Best speed figure: 114
Elitempire’s ELITE SENSE is a three-year-old son of Street Sense. He’s running at what is probably one of his best distances, since all of his wins have come at either a mile or a mile and a sixteenth. He failed to fire last out at nine furlongs but finished second and first in the two graded races prior to that start. Best speed figure: 112
RIPPLE STONE, trained by bm3, is a son of Rip Van Winkle. In a race that lacks early pace, he seems the most likely candidate to set the pace, as he did in his three most recent starts. This colt is a bit difficult to assess since most of his limited races have come on the turf. He is winless in five starts at a mile and made his way into this race mostly on the strength of a victory last out in the Grade I GoodyGood at nine furlongs on the dirt. His early speed should be an asset; however, the fourteen post hurts. Best speed figure: 113