Nothing Easy About It

With many of the top rated three year olds preparing for the Bluegrass Derby in a few weeks, the inaugural running of the $250,000 Grade II Easy Goer Memorial has attracted a largely untested but full field.

While the fourteen colts have combined for one graded stakes win in 123 races, there are many that show great promise and recent rapid improvement.

Here is a look at the field:

1. Udder Brilliance (Johannesburg x Woodman) has run three bad races in his career.  The bad news: two of them were his most recent where he faded badly and finished well behind Kisaran, whom he faces again today.  Giving hope to trainer Mike7Farms (14%) is that all three bad races came on wet tracks and today’s surface should be fast.  The early pace should be moderate today, so maybe he won’t disappear.  In his only other race as a three year old on a fast track, Udder won a route stakes.  The longshot picks up an excellent rider. 16-1.

2. Release the Beast (Alysheba x Swain), on the other hand, ran his best race on a wet track.  Piglett (5%) has already sent this runner out six times as a three year old, and he has finished in the money four times.  Speed figures indicate this will be a challenge for the willing colt.  16-1.

3. Fortynine Reasons (Brocco x Forty Niner) finished third in a graded route early in his two year old season and made a hard charge to finish second in a NW3L allowance last time.  Trotter5 (13%) must have seen something in the way he has trained since to make this ambitious jump in class.  21-1.

4. El Corzador (Green Desert x El Corredor) could not compete with the very tough field in the Grade I Florida Derby, but this field is quite a bit softer. In six graded tries, TheBaker (9%) trainee has managed one third.  Does own a route stakes win as a two year old.  Jockey is off to a horrendous 0 for 53 start in 2006.  9-1.

5. There are many reasons to think Kisaran (Gone West x Giant’s Causeway) has a great shot in the race:  owns a Grade I win in the Fountain of Ute; gets the top jockey; has the ability to press the pace in a race without much early pace; fantastic trainer in Luminous (23%); three wins in five routes; has run much better as a three year old than as a two year old.  The only things to question are there was regression in form last time and that most of his success has come on off tracks.  But it appears his losing races, including last time out, came more from getting caught in early pace battles than anything else.  There is some other early speed in the race.  8-1.

6. Super27’s (15%) Dark Princes (Empire Maker x Wild Again) has three seconds and a third in five routes, all stakes.  Princes owns the only triple digit speed figure in the field.  The bad news is that his one time out of the money was last time in the Sand Castle.  He likes to come from well off the pace, but made his charge too late last time.  The favorite. 5-1.

7. Stone Boy (Birdstone x Crafty Prospector) has seen most of his success running shorter, but still he has two seconds in three route tries and there is no question the breeding can handle routing.  Last time out, the Xanthu3 (13%) trained colt was much the best in a small sprint stakes.  Like Kisaran, has a stalking style that looks good here and appears very live.  Coming into this very sharp.  6-1.

8. The lightly raced Streak Free (Easyfromthegitgo x Nasty and Bold) has a streak of three wins going and is undefeated on dirt.  Tries a route and graded company for the first time.  The speed figure and style with which the Doomngloom (7%) trained colt beat an OK field in The Becky’s Lords Stakes makes this modestly bred entry look like he has a chance against these.  If not today, then someday.  17-1.

9. Both wins for Indy Forty T (Tiffany Ice x A.P. Indy) came early in his two year old campaign.  Purchased in auction by Ted (8%) for $4.2 million before his three year old season, he has tried routes in his last two. Was prominent early last time in the longer Furious Devil Cap, even leading in the stretch, before fading.  Speed figures are light compared to many in here, which helps explain why he is the longest price on the board.  22-1.

10. Test Big Mac (Testa Rossa x Event of the Year) has won his last three and five of his last seven.  The last two were both route stakes wins.  VegasJef01 (16%) has him running just off the pace and Mac is sure to be in the thick of things again today.  7-1.

11. Uncrumbling (Crafty Prospector x Storm Cat) has been in the money in five of his seven dirt routes, including a second last time in the Deputy Bold.  The Proxy (15%) trainee comes from well back and may prefer a wet track.  With only a couple speed figures in the 90’s, he seems more likely to be on the bottom of exotics than on top.  9-1.

12. Still eligible for NW2L, Mikb’s (11%) Misty Valley (Alex Nureyev x Kings Lake) has tried six stakes since breaking his maiden in his first effort.  He does have one second to show for it, but the reasoning behind a jump in class to graded company is not obvious.  Will likely lead them into the first turn.  21-1.

13. The lightly raced Three Sixty Five (Dayjur x Event of the Year) apparently took a step backward last time in the Grade II You’re 18 Right? Stakes, but he got caught up in a speed duel on a tiring surface labeled good against a much stronger field than this.  Go back two races and he looks to have a decent shot at the money in here.  The talented and ubiquitous Lenny9 (14%) trains. 10-1.

14. Looking like he was about to run off to a huge win last time in the Grade II Corkscrew, Zewango3’s (12%) Wylde Cat (Storm Cat x Wild Again) faded to pick up his second placing in graded stakes.  Despite only two wins in ten starts, he is the highest ranked colt in the race.  His experience in graded company may give him the edge here.  6-1.

Morning Line:  6-14-7-10

Timmn’s picks: 10-5-7-8