Full Field of 20 Set For Roy Higgins

Despite having several starters headed to Vermont, given the choice of races to cover for the Equinics, there was no question in my mind as to where I would be going. No transatlantic flights for me. I elected to view the countryside along the way, and do some writing as well. As I settled into my seat on the train and put away my Eurail Pass, I contemplated the changes turf racing had undergone in the history of the sim. You see, I can remember the days when School Kris(GB) and Enough Knock battled it out in the great turf miles. I can remember Joe Cayenne’s great 12 furlong races. And of course, everyone these days knows the names of Allied Assault, Sunnybank Memorial, and Horseshoe Bay. Yet, who can name a truly great turf runner at 10 furlongs? It’s a division within a division that often gets overlooked. With that, here are the entries for the Group 1 Roy Higgins in this year’s Equinics.

PP1. Representing EAAA RACING

NEW STORM (Storm Cat x Nureyev) 8/1 – B. Schardein(35%)
It may have been six months since he’s found the winner’s circle, but coolerk‘s 4yo colt has run second and third in two Group 1 appearances since his last victory. He’s a Group 2 winner, and what’s more, he looooooves to race on a yielding surface. His top speed figure of 110 was run under just those conditions. He’s a closer with an exciting finishing kick, and with Denmark’s top rider up, certainly deserves to be second choice in the morning line odds.

PP2. Representing IRELAND

ASLAN’S MANE(IRE) (Theatrical(Ire) x Mr. Prospector) 16/1 – R. Harzheim(28%)
Still just a babe with only 7 starts on his resume, this 4yo has a stellar start to his career with a 5-1-1 record, including two stakes victories and a Group 3 placing. I chatted with owner/trainer eddieboo over a pint of Guinness at Ireland’s home Pub. Asked to comment, he said, “I think he’s primed for this race. His last race is an anomoly because he was only prepping for this one. I had him set to .90 so you can throw out that run.” As he was getting up to go check on his prized colt, he said over his shoulder, “We’re picked mid-pack by the oddsmakers….but I think he’s better than that! I’m not afraid of any of these horses.”

PP3. Representing BENELUX

JACQUES (Danehill x Miswaki) 12/1 – K. Ledwith(26%)
One of the “old men” of the race at 5yo, Jacques is a familiar sight in the turf classic division. His best distance seems to be 9 furlongs, as his last five wins have all come at that distance, including an impressive win by a head in last year’s Group 1 Sand Castle Fee Duty in Dubai. He’s hit the board in some top 10 furlong races though, including the Group 1 Windy City Turf Classic. He’s won on a good surface before, but this is his first time on a yielding track. He’s the top earner in the field, with $2.7 million in the bank.

PP4. Representing NORTHWEST RACING CIRCUIT

GRAND SAHKEE (Sakhee x Grand Slam) 23/1 – J. Jubel(10%)
Owner/trainer heythere got a bargain here, as this guy was picked up in a 75K claimer in just his fourth start. He had already scored two wins and a third place, all in maiden/allowance company. Still just a newcomer with only 10 career starts, this 4yo has been improving nicely, winning his last two at 9.5 furlongs with 100 or better speed figures. It’s a tough field for one with little experience, but he broke his maiden here in Italy, and is one to keep an eye on this year.

PP5. Representing NEXIS

REAL VALDES (Real Quiet x Seattle Slew) 45/1 – M. Day(18%)
This 5yo has been around the block a few times, but he can still run well when he wants to. Stakes victory has eluded him, but he’s hit the board in more than one. He ran quite well two races back at today’s distance on a good track, so the yielding surface may work to his advantage. M. Day has ridden in two of his last four races, so jockey familiarity may also help him out here.

PP6. Representing GSR

Ollie’s Quest (Rainbow Quest x Lear Fan) 14/1 – J. Stivers(25%)
He may be 5yo, but he’s still in the beginnings of his career, having run only 11 times. He has a record of 4-3-1 though, including a third place finish in the Group 2 Queen Sam. He’s only run less than 100 four times. Unfortunately for him, three of those poor races were on off tracks. He’s quite a nice looking colt, and if not for that freak storm that produced the yielding surface for this race, I would have really liked his chances to hit the board.

PP7. Representing DELPENN

Top Jimmy (Peintre Celebre(Ire) x Vice Regent) 19/1 – H. Harzheim(21%)
Sdmf3‘s Top Jimmy burst onto the turf classic scene last year with a narrow loss in the Group 3 King George BB Stakes. Consecutive victories in the Smackdown and the Group 1 Windy City Turf Classic solidified his standing as one of the top horses in this division. This is his first race back after being pulled up in the Group 1 Penn Handicap on DelPenn Champions Day, and if the time off has restored him to full health, he will be gunning from the back of the pack and has a good chance here if he takes to the surface.

PP8. Representing QUEENSLAND

Flawless Victory (Kingmambo x Storm Cat) 24/1 – A. Hudson(12%)
Flawless describes this colt’s record on an off track. He is 2 for 2 on good turf, and is working on three wins in a row. He has mostly stuck to allowance company, although he does have a win in one of his two stakes appearances. He also has one advantage many others in here do not, as he has run and won in 20-horse fields before. His speed figures aren’t as high as others in here, but he’s won many of his races so easily that there likely is more in the tank than we have seen on the track so far.

PP9. Representing THE KENTUCKY HORSEMEN

Hey Zeus (Sadler’s Well x Gone West) 10/1 – T. Loesch(23%)
Another well-known name in this division, and winner of just under $1.6 million in his career. Winner of the 9.5 furlong Moscow Classic in the 2004 Equinics as a 3yo. Ran an astounding 121 speed figure in his next race … and lost! Just his luck to be born the same year as one Sunnybank Memorial, eh? Still, he’s a star in his own right, and certainly has to be considered among the very top contenders here today.

PP10. Representing FUN AND FRIENDS STABLE CLUB

Cash In The Bank(Ire) (Barathea(Ire) x Mr. Prospector) 14/1 – P. Bangs(17%)
Yes, you read your racing form correctly. She IS a filly. And a darn good one, too! Graded placed on dirt but not quite getting there, she made the switch to turf and has been quite successful at it, winning 5 of 8 and only missing the board once. She reeled off 3 consecutive stakes victories late last year, topping off at 105 as her highest speed figure to date. It likely would have been better for her today if she could have run in the female race, but she’s a really nice filly and should make a name for herself this year in the distaff division.

PP11. Representing GREAT PLAINS

Savage Frontier (Esperero x Press Card) 12/1 – S. L. Ledwith(30%)
You may take one look at this pedigree and go “huh? I thought the Bargain Equinics were next week.” Scroll down to the next race on the card, and you’ll see Pepe’s Pipes running as well. Yes folks, you CAN win at the top levels with a bargain bred. This colt has done something few others can claim…he’s beaten Manifest Destiny. And, he’s only getting better, as the just-turned 4yo eeked out the narrowest of victories last time out in the Group 3 GR Simsters Thoroughbred Trials, running a very nice 106. He’s still got some growing to do, but that likely wasn’t the last time he will have won a stakes.

PP12. Representing VERMONT

Causes Wood(Ire) (Giant’s Causeway(Ire) x Woodman) 5/1 – B. Ball(21%)
This colt had a stellar season last year, winning 6 of 9, the highlight being a victory in the Group 1 Coxless Stakes. He also finished second in a Group 2 and a Group 3. He opened this season with an easy win in the Group 2 Sanders Stakes. He’s at the top of his game, and will hit the ground running, going right to the front and daring the rest of the field to catch him before the wire.

PP13. Representing DOWN UNDER RACING

Rivado(Ire) (El Prado(Ire) x Irish River(Fr)) 29/1 – D. Evans(24%)
A youngster who didn’t begin racing until after he turned 3, then promptly went out and won a stakes in his fourth start. He’s been up and down since he began his career with a bang, but 10 furlongs seems to be the magic number, as the two times he’s broken 100 were both at today’s distance. He’s good when he wants to be, but seems to pack it in and not try hard enough when he moves up a level. Still, if he gets in a groove and gains some consistency, he should be better this year than last.

PP14. Representing VIKING RACING

Tete The Undead(Aus) (Testa Rossa(Aus) x Unbridled’s Song) 16/1 – T. Small(23%)
Here’s another that likes to go right to the lead, but he’ll have company there today. Winner of the Group 2 DUR QLD Derby, he’s spent most of his time winning allowances in Denmark, but he opened the season with a nice victory in a listed stakes in Norway. He broke his maiden on a yielding surface, so perhaps that will give him an edge today. If he can get out there fast and set a good pace, it may be enough to hold off the later runners.

PP15. Representing MINNESOTA

King Of Kilmore(Aus) (Lonhro(Aus) x Snurge(Ire) 21/1 – C. Knauer(27%)
Wow, somebody used Snurge(Ire) and hasn’t run it two miles yet! He’s stakes-placed at 13 furlongs though, and likely will be happier running closer to that distance than he is today. Still, the lightly-raced 4yo has hit the board in 8 of 12 career starts, and has a lot of races yet to be run in his future. He’s broken 100 in 2 of his last 3 starts, and has plenty of maturing yet to do. He will likely find this field too much to handle at this stage of his career, but the yielding surface could lead to just about anything happening today.

PP16. Representing ALPINE TURF CLUB

Cozy Delta Cape Canaveral x Cozzene) 32/1 – N. Labreche(24%)
Airtiger dodged a bullet when this colt ran for a 25K tag a few races back. You won’t find that happening again, as the 4yo is now on a three race winning streak, including a victory on ATC Champions Day as well as a listed event in Spain to open the season. He’s a bit overmatched today, but N. Labreche knows the colt well, and knows how to bring out the best in every horse he rides.

PP17. Representing THE CR RACERS

Preferred Power (Pulpit x Unbridled) 9/1 – P. Harzheim(32%)
Ask any random number of simmers to name a top turf classic horse, and undoubtedly more than a few will name this guy. Winner of over $2 million and ranked #4 in the division, the highlights of his last year included victories in two Group 1 races, the Judgemont International and the Eclipse Stakes. Oh, and that Eclipse victory was on yielding turf and he ran a 108. After a poor showing on DPCD, he prepped in the Group 3 Marcos Footwear Handicap last time out and was an easy winner. Definitely one of the top picks to earn a medal.

PP18. Representing GR SIMSTERS

Surgeon Tubes (Rousillon x Be My Guest) 12/1 – G. Arnold(18%)
Claimed by current owner bigrama for $60K a few races ago, this 5yo by underappreciated sire Rousillon has repaid his new trainer tenfold. He has placed in three stakes races, and just missed in the Group 1 Nijinsky Handicap, driving hard but finishing third by only 3/4 length. I was tempted to say he’s facing a much tougher field here today, until I looked at the list of runners from that one. He’ll probably always be a longshot no matter how well he runs, but he’s got the ability to play with the big boys when he’s on his game, and deserves more respect than he gets.

PP19. Representing OHIO THOROUGHBRED RACING

Benny The Bull (Behrens x Risen Star) 47/1 – L. Twyman(4%)
He may be a longshot, but what a smart claim by new owner leechy1. He’s run 11 furlongs once, and 9 a couple of times, but otherwise he’s been hanging out around a mile. His 11 furlong race was a third place in a listed stakes and he ran a 95. There is certainly potential there to have, at the very least, a nice allowance horse out of the deal.

PP20. Representing EPSOM DOWNS RESIDENCY

Razor Robots(GB) (Northern Crystal(GB) x Rainbow Quest) 24/1 – A. Craig(24%)
Not your everyday pedigree, but owner stoneface appears to have had a good time with this guy. He’s finished third in a listed stakes, and finished fourth in the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes on a yielding surface. He has an outside shot to earn a cheque here, as he seems to relish this distance as well as the off track.

Good luck to all the runners, and congratulations to all the trainers and residencies who are represented here today. It is truly one of the sim’s finest moments, and an honour for all who are chosen to race on this special day.