Nothing But GREEN SKYs in New York!
The The VERBID’S TRICK Challenge Stakes
A mile and five eighths on Fast Dirt
$85,000
All horses, 4 years old and up
Ah, Saratoga in the springtime. It hasn’t exactly warmed up here yet but The VERBID’S TRICK Challenge Stakes might help warm things up a bit. The race is named for 15 times dirt race winner VERBID’S TRICK who also won five Stakes races in a nice career. I’m not sure we have anyone that will reach Verbid’s Trick’s level in this race but there are some fine looking horses. Let’s take a look:
1 – RUSSIAN THEATER ODDS OWNER WIN% JOCKEY WIN% TOP SPEED AVG SPEED RANK 7/2 SunAirFarm 8.7% C.Ambrose 0% 106.0 98.3 4
(SEATTLE SLEW x SADLER’S WELLS x SECRETARIAT) With earnings of nearly $1.7 million, this chestnut seven year old horse has pretty much justified his impeccable breeding. He has strung together some impressive runs of Stakes finishes in past years but has started this one kind of slow and makes you wonder if he is finally slowing down. In his two races to date in ’06 he has finished no better than 5th and really gave very little effort in his Equinics outing last time out. Add to that the fact that jockey Ambrose is still looking for this year’s first win and things don’t bode well here. Trainer SunAirFarm has to be using a wait-and-see approach to his veteran.
| 2 – NO NAG HERE(IRE) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/1 | Sesho17 | 15.2% | W.Sturman | 0% | 103.2 | 94.7 | 102 |
(GENEROUS(IRE) x SUMMER SQUALL x ROUND TABLE) No use nagging this six year horse about his results as he is still getting it done. With speed figures that are at or near triple digits and top three finishes in his last five fast tracks, he is showing new life and seems ready to roll. Jockey Sturman has uncharacteristically had a rough start to this year but his capable hand on the reins and this inside post position should both help trainer Sesho17 to get his hopes up in this race.
| 3 – SENOR ROBERTO(IRE) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1 | KevoMan4 | 11.5% | N.Lawton | 19% | 99.3 | 94.4 | 89 |
(HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) x ROBERTO x BLUSHING GROOM(FR)) Trainer Kevoman4 has really been picking his spots for this four year old colt and it has been paying off well for him. The big colt has finished in the top three in 10 of 15 dirt races with less than sterling speed figures. He has yet to break the century mark and yet has a Stakes win in his last outing. He may need to step it up a bit here to get to the winners circle but I would be surprised if he didn’t hit the board. Especially so with the tracks best jockey in Lawton at the helm.
| 4 – GREEN SKY FLYER | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/5 | JockeyMax2 | 21.1% | Er.Anderson | 4% | 104.2 | 99.0 | 149 |
(GREEN DESERT x SKY CLASSIC x KRIS(GB)) The morning line favorite has been tearing it up lately with 10 in a row in the top three with a couple of Stakes wins and six 100 plus SPFs. The distance or the comptetion don’t seem to matter and she looks to be the current class of the field here. Trainer JockeyMax2 loves her post position as she likes to just hang back of the leaders and catch them in the stretch. The four year old colt out of Sky Flyer looks like she might be ready to hit the graded circuit if she can win here.
| 5 – DEPUTY SEC OF WAR | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/1 | Simsters4 | 18.2% | R.Engel | 14% | 99.6 | 96.8 | 406 |
(DEPUTY MINISTER x SECRETARIAT x ALYDAR) This lightly raced four year old ran in his second stakes race last time out and came up with a muddy track that didn’t suit him at all. Trainer Simsters4 is giving it another go and his consistent colt could be in the mix here. He needs to step it up just a bit but his breeding seems to warrant it. He might be just a bit too long distance-wise but we will see how that works out. Jockey Engel has looked good all year and would like to keep that going with this colt.
| 6 – SLAMMED | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/1 | Shamrandk | 10.3% | G.Smith | 9% | 96.8 | 92.5 | 162 |
(GRAND SLAM x DANEHILL x TOP VILLE(IRE)) Slammed is exactly what’s been happening with this five year old lately as he has been nearer the back of the back than the winner’s circle in four of the last five sandwiched around one win. Shamrandk has to be scratching his head after this colt ran so well for him last year after claiming him in a 5k turf race, but has looked more like a claimer this year. Hopefully with jockey Smith’s help they can get the big brown horse back on track.
Morning Line = 4-2-1-3
Yoss Tipsheet = 4-2-3-1
Paz Picks = 4-2-3-1
RUSSIAN THEATER has been struggling a bit of late but still has enough left to finish fourth. SENOR ROBERTO and NO NAG HERE , the two Irish breds should battle it out for second and unless GREEN SKY FLYER stays out all night in New York chasing the ladies, he should win easily in this race.
Good luck to all runners!
Paz