Yielding Turf Could Make A Difference

Yielding Turf Could Make A Difference

Italy – The tenth race of the afternoon is the race that speedy young three year olds will get to strut their stuff on the grass.  This is the day that owners relinquish the ownership of their horse to their Residency.  Yes, they will find out if their good two year olds might continue to improve or maybe if they were but a flash in the pan, but for this week, these horses belong to the residency.  Will the next major grass champion come out of this race or will they forever be labeled ‘ sprinter’?  What about those lightly raced youngsters?  Will they continue to move forward or will this be their glory day – to be remembered over the feed bucket, when their legs are done up in bandages after finishing up the track in a lowly claimer?  Only time can answer that question, but on pre-race Saturday, they are all potential stars and it is all hope and optimism.  Every chosen resident horse will be decked out in all the best and each will have a crowd cheering him on towards a medal.

Seventeen hopefuls will parade to the post here in Italy for The Grade I, Richard Migliore.  A purse of $1,000,000 will await the top finishers, and of course the gold, silver and bronze Equinic medals.  I was lucky to find room on a flight to Rome to cover this race for the BTB as everyone and their uncle seemed to be on their way here.  After finding my room I headed out to the track and did it ever look gorgeous.  Track officials and the Vermont managers managed to make a dreary winter month look like spring.  Flowers were everywhere and even the gray skies could not dampen the festive spirit of everyone involved.  So let’s take a look at the field that will be facing a yielding turf course on Saturday by post position.

The Kentucky Horsemen

Drawing the inside is Mr. Bandito (8/1) who is bred for speed being sired by Mr. Greeley.  The blood bay colt is out of a Cat Thief mare and is another that has only been off the board once in eight starts.  He has won half of his starts, including The Honor McCaffery and The Giants Ack, he loves the distance and was a flying second last time out in the Grade III Roasting Weenies with a 94 speed figure, which is his best.  Trained by Oaklawn88, he is ranked # 37 and gives every indication that he should be there at the end.

GR Simsters 

Eclipse winner Pub Crawl (6/1) is the one to beat on Saturday and he drew a nice post if he doesn’t get caught down on the rail.  The light grey colt by El Prado out of a Giant’s Causeway mare has six wins from seven starts and is a graded stakes winner.  He has been running longer but Stormborn’s colt has a lot of gas and has a top speed figure of 96.  This will be his first start as a 3 YO and about the only question left to be answered by this top ranked colt, is can he carry on as a three year old.  Pub Crawl has won on an off track.

Down Under Racing 

Oh Black Water (18/1) is a rather non -descript brown colt by High Yield.  He is out of the stakes winning mare, AP Swamp and is trained by Stickup.  Ranked # 30, he has never been off the board and has won four including his last two, The Al Abuid and The Wings And Things.  This will be his first start as a 3 YO, he has a top speed figure of 87 and is untested at the graded level.

Del Penn 

Gradetwo has a big 3 YO red colt by Sadler’s Wells out of a Gone West mare.  Omerta Code (7/1) was an easy maiden winner and followed that up with an easy win in The Mohawk Juvenile, a Grade III event.  His last three races have been less than stellar but this colt has the breeding and the trainer to step up to the plate and has a good chance to medal.  He has a top speed figure of 92.

Northwest Racing Circuit

Hard Rock (16/1) is a bright bay colt trimmed in white and is by Roar out of a Capote mare.  He has four wins from nine starts and is the winner of The Silvo Cat at 5 1/2 furlongs and The Pharsaint Wish at 6 1/2.  He has improving speed figures, his best is an 88, is ranked # 33 and Gcphantom is a top trainer so don’t count this one out.

Great Plains 

The first of two Rainbow Quests in the field will wear the colors of Aces1211.  Out of a Forty Niner mare, the elegant bay colt, Rainbow Of Sparks (24/1), is only an allowance winner but loves the distance and has won at it.  His best speed figure is an 81 but he has steadily improving numbers and that is always a good sign.  He is making a big step up the class ladder but horses can’t read a form and this colt has a big heart and has won on an off track.

Epsom Downs 

Tj Jessie (14/1) is a mid-sized bay colt by Arch out of a Spinning World mare.  One of the more seasoned entries in this race he is ranked # 8 and has eight wins from 11 starts including four of his last five, all stakes.  He has won at distances of 5 1/2 furlongs to seven in his last start The Wally Emblem, which was also his first start as a 3 YO.  He has placed on an off track and his top speed figure is an 88 so all things considered he is yet another that could easily medal for Epsom Downs and his trainer Lebori.

Queensland 

Lodog20 will saddle Japan’s Last Hope (14/1) and the 20^th ranked colt is by Eishin Masamune out of a Settle Sleet mare.  The dark bay colt has the same crooked stripe down his face as his granddaddy Sunday Silence had.  With five wins from 11 starts he has the most experience of the group and is being asked to shorten up for this race.  He did win The L’Rods Alphabet at 6 1/2 but, while he might have been coming fastest of all at the wire, he could only close to third last time out in The Poster Smuggling at six furlongs.  He has a top speed figure of 87 and is a winner on an off track.

Minnesota 

The second of the Rainbow Quests will be Fuzzy Rainbow (10/1), a nice looking brown colt out of a Storm Cat mare.  He is 8/10 in the money and has won five and Dundey7 will saddle this top colt.  Fuzzy Rainbow was second in the Grade I High Flyer and The Grade III Finnish Line and comes in off a win in The Selecting Stakes at slightly longer.  This is another colt that is making his first start of the year and he will hopefully continue to do well.  The #13th ranked colt stands a great chance to medal and has a top speed figure of 89.

Vermont   

Drawing the 10 post is Set Ablaze (15/1) is an undefeated 3 YO colt by Unusual Heat out of a Mr Prospector mare.  This is her third foal and all have been winners with two being stakes winners.  The bay colt is built much like his sire who is probably not very well known outside of California where he is always ranked near the top of the sire list and is known for his speedy offspring.   Set Ablaze earned an 89 (his best) speed figure last time out in winning The Loud Ton Memorial at six furlongs.  He took command at the top of the stretch and was drawing off at the wire.  He is untested at this level but has a top trainer in Lasthope and did not have a problem with the class jump.

EAAA Racing 

Kingswood will saddle Pine Essence (14/1), a copper chestnut son of Essence Of Dubai out of a Pine Bluff mare.  He has only a maiden win but he did it with ease earning a 94 speed figure for his effort.  This speedy colt has no where to go but up and he should love the distance.  Post 11 is not ideal but should keep him out of trouble.

GSR 

Government Listing (12/1) is a large bay colt by Smart Strike out of top broodmare sire Dixieland Band.  He has only been out of the money twice and has won four of his last five including the 6 1/2 furlong Hood last time out. Tegan will saddle the colt who is another making his first start as a 3 YO and loves the off track having won both times he has faced it.  He has a top speed figure of 87 and if consistency counts for anything this colt will be right there.

Ireland

One Cool Cat will be represented by his copper chestnut son, Forever Is Gone (24/1).  Out of a Candy Stripes mare he is trained by Forestry and has two wins from ten starts and carries a top speed figure of 83.  But………….he has only been out of the money once and is stakes placed.  He won only two races back and the only problem I can see with this colt is that he looks to want more distance, but he loves an off track (2 wins) and he will be running at the end and may just get there.

Benelux

Woette’s Power (10/1) is a good looking chestnut colt by Mountain Cat out of a Mr. Prospector mare.  Stars1 has six wins from eight starts and is undefeated on the grass going five for five, including The Judge Melody, The Devil’s Advocate, The Will In The Future and The Waffle Act.  While he has not started since turning three – how can you not like this one?  He is ranked # 19 and has a top speed figure of 86 and is one of the few that has off track experience.

Viking Racing  

Baronfarms is the trainer of record for Boulchique (15/1), a son of Grandera out of a Storm Bird mare.  Although lightly raced this dark bay colt has a top speed figure of 88 and has been in the money in three of his four starts with two wins.  After easily winning his first two starts he stepped up and finished a credible third in The Sal Bridge and then tried another step up where he had a disappointing finish in the Grade III Roasting Weenies last time out.  He will be making his first start as a 3 YO and with improving speed figures we should expect this colt to move forward.

Nexis 

About the only thing you can say about drawing post 16 is that you shouldn’t get in much trouble.  Fleet Overture (21/1) is a pretty dark bay colt by Afleet out of a Danehill mare.  While he has won three of his ten starts he has not been worse than second in his last four and was a winner two back in The Country Bumkin.  Ranked # 32, and with a top speed figure of 85, he will carry the colors of Swale007 on Saturday and as consistent as this colt is he should not be thrown out

The CR Racers 

Buster City (21/1) is by Housebuster and although his top speed figure is only an 82, everyone knows that the sire throws speed.  This plain brown colt is no exception and has speed to spare only being out of the money once in five starts.  He won three in a row and was a closing 5^th in The Marilyn’s Bluff, his first and only stakes attempt.  He is making his first start as a 3 YO and I think this colt will move forward for trainer Ads2.

That’s the field and I think I could make a case for each and every one of them.  It’s a good thing I don’t bet so I can sit back and watch what should be a great race and maybe even a blanket finish.  The competition will be furious but the Equinic spirit should prevail and it is all in good fun and win or lose everyone has a great time.  Good Luck to all.