Big Race Preview 2811

Only one grade I race this week and only three grade II races this week so they all get a little attention. Sunnybank Memorial seems poised for a return to the winner’s circle while top three year fillies Zytown and No Apagues Luz are in action. Oh year do not forget the older ladies in a turf sprint.

Race: 2811.6215 Little Guppy Classic – Grade I – $500,000
Track: France
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and three eighths on the Turf

Sunnybank Memorial headlines our only grade I race this week. Sunnbank Memorial has not won in five races if you can believe that. That is the longest he has every gone in his career with out winning. Still he only finished off the board once in his last five and for the first time in his last five he will not have to face one of the other top runners in his division. Sunnybank should find his way back to the winner’s circle this week.

New Storm will be moving out to this distance for only the second time in his career. He has run some really nice races at a mile and a quarter including a win at the Equinics. He has run good enough speed figures at the mile and a quarter distance to compete with Sunnybank. A Rub of Irish might be geared up for a good run against Sunnybank Memorial. He finished ahead of Sunny at the Breeder’s Bowl and prepped for this one in a very big way. He scored a 107 speed figure at a longer distance so he could be ready to run.

Savage Frontier has been quietly running some very solid races. He steps out in distance a bit and will probably handle that just fine. His recent form suggests he could be one that improves well enough to threaten here.

Race: 2811.0615 Fantasy Stakes – Grade II – $250,000
Track: Arkansas
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one sixteenth on the Dirt

No Apagues Luz leads this field of three year old fillies with Bluegrass Oaks dreams. No Apagues is the number one ranked filly. She looks tough on paper. She runs from off the pace and that seemed to hurt her last time out in the Florida Oaks. There she came up short finishing fourth but was closing at the end. A stalker got the jump and the win posting a speed figure as fast as any of the boys.

A.P. Sadler finished just ahead of No Apagues Luz last time out in the Florida Derby. A.P. Sadler poses the biggest threat to the favorite. Sadler likes to stalk and pounce and that puts her in a good position most of the time. Dixieland Deputy ran an awesome race winning a grade III in her three year old debut. Since that point it appears her deep closing style has caught up to her as she has not hit the board in two starts since. Still she has run some very solid speed figures and is a threat to win this.

Broadway Angel looks like a serious contender. She broke out last time running a 98 speed figure winning the Louisiana Oaks her second win in a row. She is a stalker and that could put her in good position here to hold off the favorite. Dias is a lightly raced filly. She has never finished worse than second in five career starts. She steps up after a couple of second place finishes in listed company.

Race: 2811.5715 Castle Point Stakes – Grade II – $250,000
Track: Spain
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
Distance: Six furlongs on the Turf

Red Tejas is the favorite here out of the barn of reigning trainer of the year Texasace. Red Tejas is a deep closer and that has gotten her into some trouble. This time last year there was not many that could hang with her in a turf sprint. She won a grade I to end last year Throw out the off run over the yielding surface at the Equinics and she has been the runner up in two other starts. She may get things back on track here but it will not be easy.

Cocoa (IRE) has won eight of thirteen career starts. She looks like a runner on the rise despite her off race last time out where she finished behind a couple of runners in this race. She likes to stalk and pounce so if you see her pretty close to the pace look out. Tequila Shooter won on the soft turf at the Equinics and followed that up with a listed stakes win in dirt where she has won five of six starts. She just might be the speed of the field.

Arkansaw Diamond ran a huge race on yielding turf a couple of races back. He ran a good one prior to that on firm turf but her starts surrounding those races put her out of contention. Which Arkansaw Diamond will show up?

Race: 2811.4316 The South Dakota Oaks – Grade II – $250,000
Track: South Dakota
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: One mile on the Dirt

Zytown is the clear favorite here. Winner of seven of eleven career starts including a big win at the Equinics and you have one of the early Bluegrass Oaks favorites. She got beat pretty good last time out in California but I would look past that race. She was probably due a not so good performance plus three fillies that day posted 100+ speed figures. Her one problem could be her deep closing style so she might be a little vulnerable.

Wally’s Dehere was one of those runners that finished ahead of Zytown last time out finishing second in the California Oaks. She may bounce off her last race but she just might be that good. Most of her success has been in sprints but she has done nothing wrong in her route races. Espresso D’italia has been running well at the top level getting a piece of the pie more times than not. She is a grade II winner but she is another that closes from no mans land. She seems well placed to earn another check against top company.