The Felipe Alou Cap
Well, folks, I guess there’s no other way to say it other than “roll the dice” in this race. Talk about a very competitive field for a feature race. I can’t tell ya how to play your pennies in this one, too close to call, but I will give you a little show and tell about the field for this “Felipe Alou Cap,” a Grade II Stakes race for 3 year olds. In the “Cap,” the field will be running a distance of one mile and a sixteenth on good dirt competing for the lion’s share of a $250,000 purse. Let’s get to it.
(PP1 – 8/1) Saintstown, of the Champions stable, has hit the board in 7 of 8 races, while earning for his career to date over $171,000. This Speightstown X Saint Ballado X Mr. Prospector colt has also visited the winner’s circle in 3 of his career races. He is only one of four entries to average a 90 SP #. This will be only his third career route. Although a proven sprinter, hitting the board in all six sprints, Saintstown will need to match his performance in The Red Hot Rumours Challenge where he fired a 93 SP # and visited the winner’s circle. In his step up to Grade II company his LTO he finished up mid-pack. The question you will need to be asking yourself, was it the step up in company or was it the added ½ furlong or was it just a bad day at the office? If Saintstown runs like he did in the Rumours, this will be a nice payoff win bet with him going off at 8/1.
(PP2 – 8/1) Wonderboy Eamon(IRE), of the Stalfrank stable, is the # 1 ranked 3 year old Dirt Sprinter!! What in the world is he doing here?!? Wonderboy Eamon(IRE) won the Equinics (G1) six furlong dirt sprint his LTO by firing a huge 98 SP #!! He has run two routes in his career and has failed to hit the board in either attempt. Both were attempted as a two year old, but his SP #s were nearly 15 points lower than the average of his sprint races. This Desert King(IRE) X Pentelicus X Pine Bluff colt would be a terrible bet in this one. He has won 6 of his 7 career sprints while amassing career earnings over $1.1 million dollars. As you hear around the world, why would you try to reinvent the wheel? A world-class sprinter does not belong in a race against proven distance horses. Period. Bad placement.
(PP3 – 7/1) Breeding Empire of the Gradetwo stable goes off as the morning line favorite. This Empire Maker X Seattle Slew X Nureyev colt is making the logical progression up the stakes ranks. Running his preferred distance, Breeding Empire has run two races in Graded company. He finished up his 2 year old career with a 5th place finish in the Club Stakes (G2). In his LTO, Breeding Empire ran his best race of his career as he won going away in the Thousand Islands Stakes (G3) firing a 94 SP #. Although he doesn’t have the career earnings of Wonderboy Eamon(IRE), Breeding Empire has been placed in a position where he can not only compete, but also win. I look for Breeding Empire to continue in his maturation as he hits the board somewhere in this one.
(PP4 – 26/1) French Crime, of the Frenchtart stable, is the long shot of the race. This Red Bullet X Criminal Type X Dare And Go colt has hit the board only once in three career attempts running a route. That 3rd place finish was in an allowance company race. Although he could improve with more time, French Crime has not proven himself worthy of making the field in this one. He needs more time and conditioning. He would need a career race to compete here.
(PP5 – 12/1) Udder Brilliance, of the Mike7farms stable, has won 3 of 6 career routes so far, but he still has some questions. This Johannesburg X Woodman X Alydar colt was a steadily improving 3 year old on the rise until he hit a speed bump in his LTO. In his first stakes race as a 3 year old, Udder Brilliance won by two lengths while firing a 93 SP #. What gives me pause is his LTO. In the Fountain of Ute (G2), he finished up in 12th place while running on good dirt. He has yet to hit the board on an off track. Today the field will be competing on good dirt which does not bode well for the Mike7farms entry. Unless he can get back that aggressiveness he showed in his first 3 year old stakes race, Udder Brilliance will be an also ran today.
(PP6 – 8/1) Otto Empire, of the Gallorette stable, has only run five career races. After winning his first three races, Otto Empire stepped up to Graded company. This Empire Maker X Danehill X Riverman colt finished up 6th in his first attempt, a Grade III attempt. He followed that up with his entry in the Equinics (G1) going 9 ½ furlongs. In the Equinics, Otto Empire found his earlier form when he finished in 5th while firing a 92 SP # against a very tough field. He has never run on an off track so that will be a challenge today as he faces yet another tough field of competition. If he continues to improve and can show that he is not intimidated by the competition, Otto Empire could hit the board in this one.
(PP7 – 14/1) Country Songs, of the Riverdance stable, This Unbridled’s Song X Valid Appeal X Raise A Native colt has never fired a 90 SP #. He is a consistent mid 80’s SP horse, but that won’t get it done here. Country Songs won’t be a factor and belongs back in allowance company.
(PP8 – 11/1) Echological, of the Hitops stable, is the most experienced colt in the race having broken from the starting gate an amazing 10 times already in his young career. I love the breeding here. This Ecton Park X Sadler’s Wells X A.P. Indy colt has hit the board in 8 of his 10 races and both races on an off track. Although is two off track races were against MSW and Allowance company, I think Echological will be like a little kid playing in the mud today. Yes, I know, he has never run against Graded company before and he has only fired a 90 SP # once, but his love on running in the slick stuff will compensate today. I am not saying bet the farm on Echological, but he could definitely hit the board. I think this is a um…hehehe…slick placement for the Hitops stable.
(PP9 – 8/1) Kisaran, of the Luminous stable, could very well be the horse to beat in this Grade II. This Gone West X Giant’s Causeway(IRE) X A.P. Indy colt has won 6 of 9 career races and ALL THREE off track races!!! He is currently ranked the # 18 three year old Dirt Classic horse, amassing 80 stakes points. Kisaran has won his last three races, including the Fountain of Ute (G2) on good dirt in his LTO. He not only won that Grade II, he torched the track with a 97 SP #. For my money, I am taking my Kisaran ticket with me while I watch the race at the rail.
(PP10 – 14/1) Cooperstown, of the Bunsay stable, has not finished out of the top two spots in his last five races. This Woodman X Saint Ballado X Northern Taste colt has hit the board in 5 of 6 career races and won his only race on an off track. It was a 2 year old race on the slop in a MSW race, but I think he will have a lot of fun running today. Cooperstown has only run in Stakes company twice, but he fired over a 90 SP # in both races. This is clearly a step up today, but if he runs according to form he could make things interesting at the wire. Nice placement and nice young colt.
(PP11 – 8/1) In Perfect Stride, of the Dixiedotco stable, has run 7 career races, but never on an off track. This Pleasantly Perfect X Seeking The Gold X Northern Dancer colt has hit the board in his last three races, all as a 3 year old. In his LTO, In Perfect Stride finished with a 3rd place finish in The Mexico 2769 Stakes (G2), while firing off a career high 91 SP #. He will be shortening up by a full furlong today. I think this colt would prefer the longer distance races, and I don’t like his never running on anything but a fast dirt track. If he continues in his steady improvement and the track surface doesn’t bother him he could be in the mix at the end.
(PP12 – 9/1) Dixie Done Gone, of the Sting stable, has won every one of his three career races!!! This is quite a photogenic little colt, hehehe. This Dixieland Band X Gone West X Formidable colt will be tested today. Today Dixie Done Gone will be making not only his Graded Stakes debut, his off track debut, but also his Stakes debut. In his first race as a 3 year old, Dixie Done Gone torched the track in his first route firing a 94 SP #, winning by two lengths in a NW3L Allowance race. So far, nothing has fazed him. Today could be the first time he doesn’t get his picture taken. This will be a fun one to watch. Great little colt and definitely one that will continue to improve as his career progresses.
(PP13 – 8/1) New Found Cyclone, of the Ydrbargain stable, looks like a turf monster in a dirt race. This Newfoundland X Northern Dancer X Mr. Prospector colt has won both of his turf races firing off low to mid 90 SP #s. New Found Cyclone has won 2 of 5 dirt races and has never fired higher than an 86 SP #. I know what you are thinking, yes, but he has also never run on the dirt as a 3 year old. True. But, I would keep this one on the turf. I think you will see the switch back to the green stuff after today’s race.
(PP14 – 12/1) Unamazingness, of the Mardigras stable, is an X factor. This Unbridled’s Song X Kris S. X El Gran Senor colt is tough to gauge. He has hit the board in 5 of 6 races, 3 of 3 of his turf races, and 3 of 4 of his routes. He has never run on an off track, but if he can find the form he had as a 2 year old firing low 90 SP #s he could attract some followers today. His two Graded races were on the turf, both Grade IIIs. Unamazingness is coming off a win in the Rantofan Handicap (G3), 8 ½ furlongs on the turf where he fired an 88 SP #. I don’t think he will make the top five today, but again, this is the X factor.
Bigbaba