Sprint Distaffers honor Cash Asmussen
Vermont– The Grade 1 $1,000,000 Cash Asmussen gathers a field of 20 sprint starlets. Rich $600k winner’s circle purse up for grabs. It’s a surprisingly deep field — a lot of excellent faves and lightly raced outsiders who’ve recently exhausted their conditions in good time. A fitting tribute to Cash Asmussen!
Born in South Dakota in 1962, Cash Asmussen began his riding career in the United States, winning the Eclipse Award for Best Apprentice in 1979. That made him a contemporary of Steve Cauthen (Triple Crown winner Affirmed’s rider). Like Cauthen, Cash Asmussen left the States to become a champion jockey in Europe, dominating French race riding during the mid-to-late 1980’s. He’s won 4 French Derbys and over 3,000 career winners. Both he and Steve Cauthen introduced the American crouch riding style to European racing.
1 QUEEN’S LEGACY slewbetcha S Kratch 23/1
The CR Racers : Danzig 5YO royal bred in prime of her career, measuring well in ALWs. Hasn’t won much and hasn’t scaled the stakes level successfully either. Outsider might pick up some minor money.
2 PUENTELARRA har W McClendon 7/1
Nexis : Sadler’s Wells 5YO notched 10th lifetime win LTO. She won the Dancer Cap(G1) (probably the most premier race for sprint distaffers) last season. Speedster looks to hook it up in a duel — great shot.
3 WORKING GIRL djones4321 K Youngblood 61/1
Fun And Friends Stable Club : Dehere 5YO earns her feed at ALW level. Mismatched of course here, but the stalker/speedster should show her colors up front for a spell.
4 THEY CALL ME MAGIC slipery1 A Darling 14/1
GSR : Danzig 4YO is the #1 ranked Dirt sprinter in her division. She was a Grade 1 winner last year and finished pretty evenly but well on DPCD Day. Stalker missed the break in her January ’06 debut. Dangerous if she hopefully recovers.
5 BIRDS OF PARADISE dixiedotco S Gravina 6/1
Vermont : Gorgeous Seeking The Gold gal has won or placed in 4 of 5 recent grades. 5YO pace presser at the top of her game, fresh off of 110 SP# Dandelion Sprint(G2) score. Gotta respect her form — she’s positively on fire. Watch out!
6 UNINHABITABLE phartlap1 J Caves 16/1
Down Under Racing : Capote 4YO entered stakes races at 12 starts picture-perfect, exhausting conditions. The filly has yet to find the winers circle though from 4 black type outings. She does display interesting versatility from on or off the pace. Hmm… very nice entrant – this might be too tough of a spot for her right now, but look for an honest effort. Maybe some minor purse money.
7 MERMAID’S KISS hiimhi Y Waymer 99/1
Epsom Downs Residency : Great sportsmanship by hiimhi stable — this Arazi 6YO makes some honest BPs at ALW level. Good pedigree too as a potential broodmare. Should join the pace fray for a spell.
8 BABY CAPOTE blaster6 B Langhorne 6/1
Ireland : Capote 6YO dominated the listed ranks last season. Wonderful SP#s suggest she can more than handle the faves. Closer a threat for the gold medal or at least in the money.
9 MACH CAT rintintin A Rolling 13/1
Benelux : Machiavellian 4YO one to watch as a serious pacesetter. Has won 3 of last 5 listed stakes attempts. Gorgeous filly and much better than odds suggest. She should 7/1 or 8/1. Will need her career best SP# though.
10 MS. WAQWHAT apa P Davis 28/1
EAAA Racing : Waquoit 5YO adores 7.5f best but can be just as effective shortening up a tad. Stalker recently got back to races after a long layoff. Should be fit back in her element on 3 weeks rest. Keep an eye on this one. Good SP#s to deal with faves.
11 VANGUARD sanchez D Fendlay Jr. 5/1
Ohio Thoroughbred Racing : Forty Niner 5YO just missed Bird Of Paradise in Dandelion Sprint(G2). before that, she was on a roll pocketing the grades. Ranked 6th in the division. Millionaire makes 26th call to post. Wow! This field’s tough.
12 SHAKE DOWN THUNDER lenny271 P Munoz 20/1
GR Simsters : Sahkee 4YO recently exhausted ALW conditions and just missed the photo in New Hampshire black type company. Threw a clinker at G1 level though and will need to throw absolute best speed #s. Low 100s puts her in the hunt for minor purse dough.
13 WILE E. CAPOTE citation P Haynes 20/1
Minnesota : Another promising Capote daughter — this one won the Exam Stakes(G1), one of the premier sophomore filly sprints last season. Was a bit hit or miss later on last year though. Still, very effective and factors into minor money positions. Versatile on or off the lead. Possible, but needs career best.
14 SPACE SKATES tigereyes N Bonus 23/1
Queensland : War Chant 4YO pacesetter keeps knocking on the black type door. She’s been awfully close at the wire of late. Seems to need that little extra something to finally break on through. Her SP#s place her amongst the minor money contenders though. Competitive if not yet at the faves level.
15 FORTY SHOTS greyghost J White 14/1
The Kentucky Horsemen : Red Bullet 4YO zipped over a sloppy course LTO and just positively loves the mud. Speedster can mix it up over fast track and tries her best, even from behind the lead. Worthy entry — will need absolute breakout run to find herself near the winner circle-contending pack.
16 ANNOUNCED(SAF) mcmarcus G Bungard 99/1
Alpine Turf Club : Announce(SAF) 4YO picks up some honest BPs at ALW level. Closer kind of gets outrun though when stepping up in class. Didn’t want any part of 5 panels LTO. Overmatched but competitive gal.
17 KEPLER TETE marre V Jennings 24/1
Viking Racing : Fusaichi Pegasus 4YO positvely thundered through her ALW conditions last season. She only makes 10th call to post Saturday. Faltered when rushed to DPCD Day graded level and subsequently returned to ALW ranks. Good in short routes, but 3 for 4 lifetime with good numbers around one-turn. Hmm…. very interesting if she can handle the class leap. Talented and sure has a future…. but still trying to find her best distance.
18 AWEKITTY holybull99 C Stalcup 22/1
Great Plains : Awesome Again 4YO hit her prime last season, soaking up ALW level. Mixed results for speedster when stepping up in class. In pace hunt, hopefully to turn things around.
19 I LOVE VEGASJEF phonetrick F Gossett 28/1
NorthWest Racing Circuit : Dayjur daughter won a 7.5f stakes a few back. Game stalker if she fires. Dominated a turf sprint in fair time LTO too — bright future for this lightly raced filly. Possible outsider with F. Gossett aboard. Better than her odds indicate, though she is inconsistent. Maybe 15/1. Chance for some money.
20 STANDING AROUND smartjones O A Haack 14/1
DelPenn : Bargain baby award goes to DelPenn with this Flight Forty Nine 4YO. Sassy gal has some serious speed — she’s totally beaten up on her residency’s competition and is ready for the big show. Speedster got in thorough duel LTO and this weakened a tad down the lane. Eye-catching SP#s put her in this middle group of minor money huntresses. Respectful with 10-for-16 lifetime record. Has a chance, but needs a breakout run to beat the faves.
Snowchief’s Analysis:
First, I’m sorry for the abbreviated prevew — this was a substitution (LOL!) and my assigned Equinics article just plumb tuckered me out. 🙁
Bird Of Paradise leads the hot faves who trade trophies like so many baseball cards. Puentelarra’s on an upswing. Kepler Tete is a talented outsider, but still trying to find her best groove. I like game Vanguard a lot too.
Ms. Waqwhat is a big overlay and best bet of the field at 28/1.
They Call Me Magic has the goods to rebound from her last. Forty Shots needed the rain. Standing Around cries for a Herculean effort from 20-hole.
Wile E. Capote inconsistent but shows back class. Baby Capote has the PPs to surprise this G1. Mach Cat and Uninhabitable might both be a bit rushed here. I Love Vegasjef could sneak a piece of the purse.
Quality field! I really can’t nail down a winner. I’ll go with Puentelarra though somewhere on the board with Birds Of Paradise and Vanguard. For outsiders, I’ll take Ms. Waqwhat and Baby Capote.
Good luck to all!