The Babe’s Sheep Memorial
Dubai plays host to ‘The Babe’s Sheep Memorial,’ a mile and a quarter race over the fast dirt for fillies and mares 4 years old and up. All entries will be trying to bring home the bulk of the $95,000 purse as they come down the stretch Saturday. Ok, here we go.
(PP1 – 8/1) Tete Nazareth(IRE), of the Astinator7 stable, will be running in just her 2nd Stakes race of her career. This 4 year old filly has won 2 of her 4 dirt races and 5 of her 17 career distance races. This Generous X Nashwan X Storm Bird filly is coming of a win in her LTO, firing a 97 SP #. That win was in allowance company, though. Tete Nazareth(IRE) has some generous odds going off at 8/1 today. I don’t expect she will hit the board in this one. She needs to prove more on the dirt before taking on horses of Stakes caliber.
(PP2 – 24/1) Australian Express, of the Hpower1 stable, is the long shot of the race. This 4 year old filly has won just 2 of her 9 career races and will be making her Stakes debut today. She fires in the 80 SP #s in allowance company and that just won’t get it done here. This Storming Fever X Stormy Atlantic X Proud Truth filly will need to fire a career race to make the top five in this one today.
(PP3 – 3/1) One Eyed Rat, of the Henderson stable, is the second favorite according to the morning line odds. This Kingmambo X Nijinsky II X Seattle Slew 4 year old filly has the breeding to drool over. One Eyed Rat has won 3 of her 9 dirt races, hitting the board in 7 of those 9 races. She has also won 2 of her 8 routes, hitting the board in 5 of those 8 races. She will be running the longest race of her career today, but if she runs as she did in her final race as a 3 year old, One Eyed Rat could be there at the end. In that race, The Sadie B.(GB) Memorial, she fired a 100 SP # and finished up with a 2nd place finish. I don’t know if she will like the added distance, but she will definitely hit the board in this one.
(PP4 – 6/1) Bridled In Dubai, of the Badkarma stable, returns to her home track today. No stranger to the Dubai track, this 4 year old filly has never finished less than 2nd when running in her backyard. This Essence Of Dubai X Unbridled X Tim The Tiger filly has won 4 of 7 career races. In her two races around this distance, Bridled In Dubai has fired a 99 and 101 SP #. She also won her Stakes debut in her LTO wiring the field. She loves the track, has proven she can handle the company, and loves running here in Dubai. She could win this one today.
(PP 5 – 4/5) Suzyjinsky, of the Snag stable, is the oldest girl in the race at 7 years old and is also the most experienced entry with 57 career races. She is also the morning line favorite and for good reason. She has proven herself by being extremely consistent at this level and very competitive race after race. This Danzig X Nijinsky II X Nureyev 7 year old has hit the board in 9 consecutive Stakes races. Yes, they were small fields in lower level Stakes races, but she is running in that class of company today so chalk up another top three finish. Suzyjinsky has won 17 of 57 races, hitting the board in 38 of 57 races, amassing nearly $3 million in career earnings. She may get upset in this one, but she will hit the board somewhere.
(PP6 – 9/2) Carson’s Cat, of the Baggio stable, has won 5 of 16 career races. This Cat Thief X Dynaformer X Carson City 4 year old filly is no stranger to Stakes company, but she is not running her preferred distance today. In her other long distance races, Carson’s Cat has fired no higher than an 89 SP # and that was in allowance company. She is overmatched at this distance. It might be a different story at a mile, but she just can’t fire the bigger number needed to win this one. I don’t expect her to hit the board today.
Bigbaba