2014 Equinics – Equinics Gold

Equinics Gold. The name implies a Who’s Who in Equinics history, horses which have taken part in the Sim’s marquee event, come home victorious, and had their names respectfully engraved on Sim history’s hallowed halls. And for once, I’m not aiming for irony.

 

A look at the list of winners on the entry page for the Equinics Gold gives a new Sim player a sense of wonder, a sense of achievement that should inspire one for strive for equal greatness. The names include some of the game’s best over the last 14 years. Echo Pass. Pinchingdale. Tatsu. Kissin Streetcry. Basketball Jones. Ermington Pegasus. Ray Of Pye. Bristol Rovers. Those names, and dozens of others, are part of a Sim event bringing teams of trainers together, competing for a common goal of supremacy for their residency versus the Sim’s finest. An Equinics gold medal might be the only awesome achievement that many of these horses reach in their careers, but your horse still needs to be fantastic in order to win. Each residency selects their best horse within a division, and in each event, some residencies are stronger than others. Winning against other residency’s best horses is an achievement in itself, because of the sheer power of the residencies and trainers involved.

 

The Equinics Gold, a key Equinics race, is a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares on the grass, and it’s a division I’m actually, humbly, more than a little familiar with. I have a lot of fillies who sprint on the turf, I (very humbly) sponsor a graded turf sprint at the end of the spring, and I know a few things about what a quality grass sprinter needs to succeed. Speed helps, sure, but finesse is definitely in the mix as well, the ability to use speed tactically or close into a hot pace as needed.

 

Conditions are ideal for the Equinics, with the turf labeled firm, and a level playing field awaiting this $1,000,000 Grade I race, and there are no shortage of legitimate contenders amongst the field.  We invited some (in)famous chatters to share their comments on the field. Here we go:

 

 

EMPIRE STATE RACING (ESR)

Joplin Wails

Street Cry-Joplin, by Storm Cat

Trained by frontnine for BALATA Racing Stables

 

She won five of her seven ’13 starts, including a pair of stakes at the end of the season, one of which was at a mile, earning her a pair of career-best speed figures of 111 for seven furlongs and 112 at a mile on the grass, respectively.

 

Balata – I think she is pretty she won at 7f 2 races ago if she wins it was part of the master plan….if she flops….assistant trainer error….feel she is a miler

Masterm – has a ton of upside, not a lot of speed in the race so she should find the lead with not a lot of trouble

Given – has a lot of talent and should enjoy the cut back in distance but her class is in question with no graded form

 

 

 

MINNESOTA TESTBARN

Ranaroo Scadoo

Rock Hard Ten x Capote

Trained by rencaponjr for RENCAPONE Racing Stables

 

This filly makes her 2014 debut, and marks her return to graded stakes action following a fourth-place finish in an inappropriately-named Turkey Grade II last fall. In fact, both of her graded stakes attempts came last year, with just the one decent autumn result standing out. The troubles with graded action aside, she was kept busy in ’13, with four wins in ten races, but her speed figures have not kept pace with the standards for graded company.

 

Masterm – She’s a dirt sprinter, inconsistant form at turf sprints, best form is 2f shorter than the trip today

Spinround – never won at seven furlongs or beyond

Given – a consistent listed stakes turf sprinter but has not run fast enough or well enough in graded to merit a chance against this field

 

 

SIM HISPANO

K’s Out Of Context

Distorted Humor-Slew Ledwith, by Seattle Slew

Trained by Killester for KILLESTER Racing Stables

 

K’s Out Of Context, she’s about a mover. Her grass starts, with a pair of exceptions, have all been long sprints, seven or seven and a half furlongs, and she’s been very consistent, with eight wins in sixteen turf sprint outings.

 

Masterm – trained by a sim giant so have to show respect on that merit alone looks at first sight to be a touch below the elite fillies in this division

Given – extremely consistent stakes contender who on her best day is fast enough to win this race but lack of graded form gives pause

Spinround – have to go back to july 2012 to find a speed lower than 100

 

 

NORTH WEST RACING CIRCUIT (NWRC)

Sensensensibility

Street Sense-Ya Gotta Believe, by Speightstown

Trained by kobras5 for KOBRAS Racing Stables

 

She has the best last-time-out speed figure in here, a 116, and she earned that just a couple weeks ago, on January 18. She’s entered right back off that effort, a listed win at this distance. That was a significant improvement over her lone graded stakes at the end of last year, a tenth-place finish in November that earned a 100 in New Zealand.

 

Spinround – has found a home in turf sprints, monster race last out

Masterm – this 4yo looks to have matured into herself at the turn of the year prep race before this was world class.  Has to be major player if she continues to do it in graded company.

Given – I agree with masterm.

 

 

MIDAS

URC Zig

Memento – Sister Meter, by Danzig

Trained by jungleboy for DAVARTO Racing Stables

 

URC Zig enters off six consecutive triple digit speeds.  Last out she finished third in a listed at seven and a half furlongs.

 

Spinround – looking for first stakes win in super tough spot.  12 of 13 ITM in sprints

Given – nice consistent allowance performer but not classy enough or fast enough to rate a top shot in this spot

Masterm – too inconsistent looks to be grinding home I think may want further

 

 

EAST-WEST CONNECTION (EWC)

Focus on the Prize

Tiznow – Oliver Springs, by Elusive Quality

Trained by chorwon for ATTHEWIRE Racing Stables

 

This filly is a grade three winner going a mile but also has multiple listed stakes wins in turf sprints.  She’s made her last two starts on the dirt and switches back to the grass for the big day.

 

Spinround – comes in off two decent allowances on dirt.  Will have to show much more here

Given – interesting contender.  Ran well in turf sprints previously, showed g1 form at a mile, tried a few dirt races, eligible to run big at a nice price, although must show the ability to run faster numbers

Masterm – interesting filly I tend to agree with Given.

 

 

SOUTH AFRICAN RACING ASSOCIATION (SARA)

Falbrav Chosen

Falbrav x Caerleon x Habitat

Trained by teamatc1 for TEAMATC1 Racing Stables

 

Falbrav Chosen is a listed winner in turf sprints but two starts back she ran a bang up race in the Grade Two New Zealand 1000 Dark Beers where she ran a 109 speed and finished second by a head.

 

Spinround – Last time this filly dropped from 8f to sprint she ran 113 speed.  Doing that again in this spot, could be a danger

Masterm – I don’t think the shorten up to 7f will suit.  Respectable form all last year, could surprise if everything clicks.

Desperado – has speed but this is a big class check.  Is fast though

Given – has run fast enough to win this race, but also has been inconsistent and the distance is a real question mark.

 

 

EAA RACING

Classical Song

Unbridled’s Song x Mr. Prospector x Roberto

Trained by kevoman5 for COOLK Racing Stables

 

This filly switched to the grass last July and has won five of her six starts since while finishing third in the other race.  She’s stakes placed on the dirt but has run back to back 106 speeds in her last two starts and is making her grass stakes debut.

 

Desperado – great form but huge class check

Given – major class check for Classical Song, and has distance questions, will take a real shocker

Masterm – outstandingly bred filly, hard to tell what it will do in a g1.  I agree with Given, if it wins ill swim to America.

 

 

COMEDY CENTRAL

Xfinity Live

Street Cry – Ronnie Lott, by Forty Niner

Trained by phillysun5 for PSYDUCK215 Racing Stables

 

Listed stakes winner at five furlongs on the grass last Sepember.  This filly has run twice at today’s distance/surface finishing second both times but running 109 and 106 speeds.

 

Desperado – she isn’t impossible, big class test, has not shown that it can compete at this level

Spinround – has been found wanting in previous graded attempts

Given – last two allowance runs at the distance have resulted in losses and has class question in general plus looks off form in the last three

 

 

 

PASTURES OF GREEN

Shezagoodgirl

Galileo – Dancing Queeny, by Kingmambo

Trained by seekgold for FLAGDOWN Racing Stables

 

Won five consecutive turf sprint stakes starting in May of 2013.  That streak was broken when she finished second in the Grade One Fujimoto Turf Sprint at six furlongs last November.

 

Masterm– I like this filly and will be top 3 this filly is the filly to beat in my mind I think if the rest has done her good she is a huge player

Given – I totally disagree her form going up to 6.5f is much different than her form 7f+, if the race was at 6f I would like her more, as she has excellent g1 form at 6f.  she can win but the distance is a question mark.

Balata – I think she isn’t impossible

Desperado – good form but long layoff – pretty big class test, horse has been able to dominate listed fields but has never won a graded race despite 14 career win

Gowans – capable of competing in this when at her best, but I don’t like her coming into this one off a subpar race more than 2 months ago

 

 

QUEENSLAND RACECOURSE

Welcome Present

Indian Charlie – Dreams in Dixie, by Seeking the Gold

Trained by doontown for KIWILAD Racing Stables

 

Welcome Present has two stakes wins in turf sprints.  At this distance she has finished worse than second only once when fifth in the Grade Three Ackland Lovers Stakes in November.

 

Spinround – hey I bred this horse!

Gowans – solid runner, but couldn’t manage to crack the top 3 in her only graded effort

Desperado – I think it is live, Spin.  Good form, like many horses needs to show it can compete at this level.

Given – nice stakes win at the distance three back, but then struggled class wise in her graded attempt.  Very nice prep for this race, though and if she can find graded form she rates a shot to win.

 

 

GR SIMSTERS

Fight to Survive

Unbridled’s Song – Kumite, by Distorted Humor

Trained by given for GIVEN Racing Stables

 

Listed stakes winner at both sprints and routes on turf.  Last out ran a bang up third, beaten less than a length in the Grade Three Range Rover Handicap.

 

Desperado – horse is very live I don’t know why it has not sprinted more has class form and the efforts at the distance have been good.  I think it can win

Given – because breeder/owner is not smart

Masterm – has not taken to graded so far in a weak race it has some hopes, but I prefer others

Gowans – very nice horse, made it the favorite in my odds for a reason

 

 

CITY-RACE RHEIN-MAIN TURF CLUB

Valses Poeticos

Shamardal – Cape Dyna, by Cape Cross

Trained by trapper07 for TRAPPER07 Racing Stables

 

This filly is stakes placed at seven and one half furlongs on the grass but only has four wins from twenty starts.

 

Spinround – inconsistent filly looking for first stakes win…may be better on dirt

Given – no demonstrated the class or the speed to compete with the other fillies in this race would be a huge surprise

Masterm – looks to be a dirt router also, so very tough to like in turf sprints

 

 

ALL-STARS RACING

Fernando More

Tapit – Zoom by Seeking the Gold

Trained by fersara for FERNANDO Racing Stables

 

Impressive dual stakes winner in two stakes starts at turf sprints.   She ran a 111 and 109 speed in those two races.

 

Spinround – huge run at distance last out

Masterm – in my opinion the one to beat best form at distance

Given – this filly is the one to beat, listed stakes under a mile are very impressive but class questions remain

Gowans – will be her first start as a 4yo will be interesting to see if she can get the lead, and if she doesn’t if she can pass horses

 

 

BLAZING SADDLES

Legal Drinking Age

Monsun – Memnoc , by Gone West

Trained by zenyatta10 for GOWANS Racing Stables

 

This multiple graded stakes winner is a specialist at the seven furlong distance.

 

Spinround – g3 winner at distance has most experience in graded races

Gowans – model of inconsistency

 

 

 

DELPENN NATIONAL

Ms. Ivory

Grave Digger – Madam Ivor, by Galileo

Trained by cjwalker for REVELATION Racing Stables

 

Stakes placed filly has hit the board in eight of nine sprint starts.

 

Spinround – why hasn’t she run more than once on dirt

Given – and who is grave digger?

Gowans – a sire standing in Texas by Red Ransom out of a Woodman mare

 

 

 

UNIVERSAL RACING CLUB

Barbarroja

Bahamian Bounty x Lode x Pivotal

Trained by magnier for NEWMARKET Racing Stables

 

Filly is a stakes winner at seven and a half furlongs but enters this start off of two straight one mile races.

 

Spinround – first or second in nine sprint starts

Gowans – nice horse has a big shot may run out of ground in the stretch though

Given – has nice stakes form at 7f and 7.5f clearly loves turf sprinting, if she can take to graded company she rates a chance to post a nice upset