Short But Accomplished Field For El Rigid Challenge

Only five youngsters have heeded the call and entered this week’s stakes, The El Rigid Challenge, but what a field it is. All five runners are either stakeswinners or stakesplaced. The race is 6.5 furlongs on the fast dirt for a purse of $65,000. Let’s take a look at the runners.

On the rail at 3/1 is Big Stud owned by mistymorn. He is by Pulpit and is out of the G2 winning Alzao mare Unbridled Ridge. He has won half of his twelve career starts, all of which have been in dirt sprints. He won The Annual Pot Special in New Mexico, and has also won four allowance races. He has run a top speed of 89 at six furlongs. Up and coming jockey Fred Durst(25%) will be riding.

In post two at 3/1 is the filly Dumb Donut(GB) owned by mook. She is by Slip Anchor(GB) and is out of the graded placed Machiavellian mare La Run. She has an older brother who is a stakeswinner and is also graded placed. She has repaid her owner for her silly name by winning three stakes and placing second in three others. She ran her best speed figure of 90 last time out while winning The High Forest Bonanza in Denmark. Perennial top jockey Z. Kentucky(17%) will help this lass show the boys a thing or two.

In post three at 5/2 is Beau’s Pegasus owned by Ireland resident mortician. He is by Fusaichi Pegasus and is out of the stakeswinning Deputy Minister mare Beau’s Countries. His older sister is stakesplaced. He ran second in a couple of sprint stakes before winning a pair of 8.5 furlong races, with a top speed of 89. He was unable to make the transition to the next level, however, and has shipped back home to regroup. A. Ebert(18%) is his jockey.

In post four at 8/1 is the requisite Irishbred High Price(Ire) owned by roosters04. He is by High Chaparral(Ire) and is out of a Blushing Groom(Fr) mare. Despite his pedigree, he has not been able to stretch out and go a distance, even though he ran his best speed figure of 89 at a mile. He returns here to sprinting, where he has a record of three wins and three seconds in seven starts and is stakesplaced on turf. The lovely E C Doyle(10%) is in the saddle.

Rounding out the field is the heavy favourite at 8/5, White Stripe owned by boxerwood. He is by Afleet and is out of an Academy Award mare. He is ranked #33 in the dirt sprint division. I must admit I’m a bit surprised to see him here, with two G3 sprints being run this week, but Ireland is certainly always happy to have such wonderful horses at our track. He ran a good second last time out in the G3 Lost In The Fog Stakes with a 92 speed figure. He has broken 90 two other times as well, both resulting in stakes victories. A. Reed(15%) was certainly thrilled to get this mount, and is confident that he will one-up his rival Kentucky this week.

That is our field. Dumb Donut(GB) and White Stripe likely will both go for the lead, which could open things up for Big Stud or Beau’s Pegasus who are both more of a stalking type. High Price(Ire) likes to be near the lead, too, but Doyle may choose to let him follow the field as that is more her style, and may be a good tactic in this one. Good luck to all the runners, and may they all come home sound.