Mud Wrestling in Hong Kong?
The FLYPHARD’S WORLD Memorial Stakes
Stakes
Six and one half furlongs on Sloppy Dirt
$50,000
All horses, 4 years old and up
We are here in the mysterious city of Hong Kong to enjoy The FLYPHARD’S WORLD Memorial Stakes Race named for 12 times winner FLYPHARD’S WORLD who also won five Stakes races and sired a seven time winner in DANEFLY’S WORLD . It appears that we may be running through the raindrops as heavy rain is forecast for this weekend. We’ve got a nicely matched field though and it should be fun. Let’s take a look:
1 – WHERE ARE THE WMD ODDS OWNER WIN% JOCKEY WIN% TOP SPEED AVG SPEED RANK 4/1 CharlieP 17.6% E.Lang 9% 106.6 106.6 600
(DANZIG x BOLD RUCKUS x STEVWARD) Impressive six year old horse with 13 total wins and over $400k in earnings. Most of his success has been on the grass but here’s a little nugget for the bettors…his fastest SPF ever was at six furlongs on Sloppy Dirt when he ran a 106 plus and won going away. That was just last year too so not so long ago. As a matter of fact, this horse is an off track giant as he has 8 wins and 11 top threes in 12 races. Triple digit SPF last time out and you guessed it…on an off track. You’re not going to find me betting against this horse in this race.
| 2 – DROGON | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/1 | Khalasar | 20.8% | D.Aldridge | 16% | 99.3 | 93.4 | 654 |
(A.P. INDY x SADLER’S WELLS x ALYDAR) Four year old that knows how to hit the board and loves this distance. He has 11 top threes in 16 races but this will be his very first Stakes outing and he has never hit the century mark in SPF. He will be in the capable hands of both trainer Khalasar and jockey Aldridge who are both having nice campaigns. They need to get this colt to step it up a notch somehow. It will be his first outing in the mud.
| 3 – JACKS’ BEST XP(IRE) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/1 | IrishCrown | 34.8% | R.Rice | 15% | 101.8 | 93.1 | 1037 |
(BEST OF THE BESTS (IRE) x GREEN DESERT x EXCLUSIVE NATIVE) A four year old colt that is still looking for his first Stakes win, he looks to be bred for the grass but seems to like the sand between his toes better. Trainer IrishCrown knows what is best for his horses and has been able to squeeze an occasional triple digit speed figure and a few wins from this big fellow. He could be in the mix here as his only off track he finished second with a low speed.
| 4 – GINA POWER | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/1 | Huddie70 | 8.7% | F.McKenzie | 13% | 102.8 | 91.3 | 1572 |
(VYING VICTOR x HOEDOWN’S DAY x STAR SPRUCE) This five year old has had an interesting trip lately as he has gone from Claimer to Stakes to Claimer and now back to Stakes race again. It doesn’t bode well that his last stakes race was also in the mud and was his slowest time in over a year and an unqualified disaster with a ninth place finish. He threw in a 102 SPF three back out of nowhere and will have to duplicate that kind of effort to hit the board here.
| 5 – GREEK PREIST | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/1 | AndySakmar | 17.6% | P.Kelly | 11% | 108.9 | 102.7 | 94 |
(PULPIT x DAMASCUS x HOIST THE FLAG) One of my joys in writing up these races is finding grand old horses like this celebrated six year old. He is still in the Top 100 in Dirt Sprints and has won nearly half a million in his 46 race career. A five times Stakes winner including a Graded, he still knows how to pick ‘em up and put ‘em down. He hit the century SPF nine of eleven races last year but hasn’t in two races this year although one was on turf where he is not quite as strong. Don’t be surprised if he pops one and hits the board here.
| 6 – STEPPING STONE | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/2 | Zwango1 | 8.6% | T.Brewer | 22% | 105.4 | 98.9 | 388 |
(SEEKING THE GOLD x SARATOGA SIX x EASTERN ECHO) A five year old that likes to play in the mud. His last outing was an allowance race in the slop and he ran a nice speed and finished third. His front running style lends itself to throwing the mud back at the followers. Trainer Zwango1 chose this race carefully for his off track loving horse and then was able to talk Brewer into taking the reins as one of the hottest jocks at the track this year. They should find their way near the front at the wire.
| 7 – MR. BLUM | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18/1 | Robin4 | 3.4% | Di.Thomas | 7% | 94.2 | 87.3 | 3995 |
(MIESQUE’S SON x SLEW O’ GOLD x TALC) This grand old seven year old is finding his wonderful career seemingly starting to wind down a bit. He has over half a million in earnings and 15 wins including a win in the Bluegrass Cup Sprint back in 2002. He has found the going a little bit rougher this year though as it is tougher to get the old bones around the track. It wouldn’t be a great surprise to see him pop one and he has won on a couple of off tracks but I’m afraid his best days are past him. Hats off to you MR. BLUM.
| 8 – GO FOR MONARCH | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/2 | RosesNGold | 0.0% | Q.Dumas | 6% | 106.2 | 106.2 | 2758 |
(MONARCHOS x LIT DE JUSTICE x NISHAPOUR(FR)) A beautiful dark grey four year old colt who is jumping into only his second Stakes race but apparently at a very good time. His two best trips this year were both 100 plus SPFs and they were both on off tracks. He will have to break early to get out in front where he likes it from the 8th spot but he should have enough early speed to get there. Trainer RosesNGold has chosen this race carefully for his young colt and would love to see him bring down some of these old pros in the mud.
| 9 – SWISS THE DISLEXIC | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1 | Elida3 | 14.3% | S.Wooley | 16% | 98.1 | 94.2 | 1172 |
(OLYMPIC PROSPECTOR x AKUREYRI x MAJESTIC PRINCE) I’m not sure whether this seven year old is actually dyslexic or just can’t spell but he sure is consistent. His last nine races were between 91 and 98 SPFs with a couple of wins in allowances thrown in there. He hasn’t fared quite as well in his Stakes appearances and will need to break out of the consistency to up his speed a bit to contend here. He has only run one time on an off track that was a good dirt track and he finished third.
Morning Line = 6-1-8-9-5
Yoss Tipsheet = 1-6-8-9
Paz Picks = 1-6-8-5
It’s always tough to handicap an off track as there is just never enough data to go on. With that in mind, I like GREEK PREIST to show enough to finish fourth. It may be time for GO FOR MONARCH to prove that he is a true late bloomer and start a successful campaign. STEPPING STONE sure has enough for the win but I think that WHERE ARE THE WMD is the one to beat in the slop and will tickle the wire first.
Good luck to all runners!
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