Full Field in the G2 Manta Serria

A solid group of 14 fillies and mares will be battling for Big Money in the Nebraska feature for this week, The Grade 2 Manta Serria Handicap at seven furlongs over the main course. Let’s take a look at the participants:

GIANT GOLDDIGGER (IRE) (40-13-6-10): A distance specialist, she will be coming off the pace. Although her SP’s are competitive against this field, her stakes tries so far have been unsuccessful; this is the main reason why I will be leaning elsewhere.

O’BABY MINE AGAIN (27-7-3-5): Danzig product, well rested and a stakes winner already. She should be part of the first flight here and if sound enough, can be a huge upset here.

TREASURE COAST (17-5-3-2): Filly trying to recover her form of last year, where she was sound enough to win two consecutive graded stakes. She should be forwardly placed from the start but needs to improve her lasts efforts to score here.

SUICIDE SOLUTION (21-4-7-2): Interesting training here by zwango1, who sends this mare after a try over two turns which should put her much sounder than for her last races. Cutting back in distance is always a juicy angle and should be considered a threat in this race.

STAKED CLAIM (28-12-0-5): Proven sprinter and G1 winner, in her favorite distance, she will be coming from off the pace and her presence should be felt strongly. She is a major force in this race.

CAGOLA (33-6-8-2): Storm Cat filly taking on graded company for the first time. Her best races are at the 6 and 6.5 furlongs distances, will try to look elsewhere.

GO FOR TWINE (29-7-6-4): Apparently she is recovering from two sub par efforts; if she regains the form shown late last year can be a threat, although leaning elsewhere because of lack of seasoning against graded company.

WINE AND WHISKEY (18-9-3-2): This Danzig mare has been nothing short of consistent, in distances ranging 6 to 7.5 furlongs. She is a stalker, and with a clean enough trip has a good chance to score his second graded victory.

GOLD MANIA (18-6-2-3): Her last race was in the slop, so we must discard. Anyway, her best racing have come at shorter distances, so at the moment does not fit a winning profile against these.

FLEURY (18-6-6-1): Lightly raced six year old mare who tries graded competition for the first time. Certainly her SP’s look solid, but in my opinion she is not seasoned enough to compete against these.

QUIET HOLLANDIA (34-12-5-3): If this race would have been run last year, she probably was to be the favorite. Distance specialist, coming from way off the pace, must improve her last efforts to win, but she has the class to do it.

OLYMPUS (19-5-4-1): Her best efforts have come in this distance. Needs to have a solid pace up front, if she gets it can be another one to score an upset.

POST OAK BLUFF (12-4-3-1): Lightly raced royally bred filly. If we discard her last effort, she has shown to possess enough ability to compete against these, and her graded tries so far have been competitive enough to give her a chance.

DRAGONBRINGER (15-6-3-1): After a scintillating 110 SP two races ago, apparently the race took a lot from her, judging from her last two efforts. Her trainer has given her more time now to try to recover her old form, and is one of the main speeds in the race. Very dangerous.

This is a very difficult race to handicap. I will take a chance with DRAGONBRINGER. Not much speed and the rest given by the trainer gives me confidence for an improved race. STAKED CLAIM is the class of the field, and one we should respect always. SUICIDE SOLUTION is cutting back in distance, an angle I love; she will be a force to be reckoned with.

Good Luck to all!!