THIS WEEK IN MINNESOTA–2818
This weeks feature race at Minnesota Downs is The Ali’s Showers(IRE) Special Stakes to be run over 11/16 miles on the dirt track. The race is restricted to 3YO and offers up a purse of $40,000. The race is named in honour of 12YO horse Ali’s Showers(IRE)—ELA-MANA-MOU(IRE) X RAJA BABA X SECRETARIAT who retired in 2003 posting 18 wins from 59 lifetime starts including 9 stakes victories and bankrolling $768,062.
Here is a look at today’s field:
1)MAGPIE’S GIFT–10/1–winhunter sends out this lightly raced son of ECTON PARK out in todays race from the rail. He is a perfect 2/2 so far lifetime and the speed rating jump from his maiden score to his last race is very encouraging. His closing style suggests that he will enjoy the extra yardage in today’s race and under the hands of capable P. Green (11.5%) should be knocking at the door in the stretch. He has yet to lose and may be a good value at 10/1.
2)ONG BAK–8/1–savannarun sends out this BUDDHA offspring looking for his first stakes victory. He ran mostly in the Kentucky Horseman Battle Royale Series as a 2YO winning the NW1X 1st leg. He shows predominatly front end speed and both of his lifetime victories have been wire to wire efforts. In his last he led the race for the first 2 calls before fading badly and finishing at the back of the pack. This was a Grade III event and he may find this field more to his capabilities. S. Merwitz(6.3%) is aboard today and he is having a subpar year so far but should have this one out in front at the first call, whether or not the speed can carry thru to the end of the race will have to be seen.
3)GREELEY’S TURN–5/1–ufsldowns sends out this son of MR. GREELEY for his debut on the dirt track after posting a 4/6 lifetime record so far, all on the grass. It looks like the trainer is experiementing with this race to see how his cold will handle the different surface as he seems to have peaked out in the high 80 and low 90 range on the turf speed ratings. He does have 1 stakes victory lifetime so far in his career. While predominantly a closer in his 2YO campaign he has raced closer to the pace this year and seems to be using a stalking style as a 3YO. T.Bannon(16.7) who is enjoying a great start to his year so far gets the call on this one today. If he can handle the track surface change he should be in the thick of things here.
4)MINE GO EASY–9/2–epcotlen5 sends out this co-favored MINESHAFT colt looking for his first win in his 3YO camapaign. He had a very successfull 2YO season finishing with 2 wins and 3 second place finishes including a season ending stakes victory. This prompted a very ambitious start to his 3YO campaign where he had difficulty handling both the Grade III and Grade I equinics starts before finishing 3rd in his last an overnite stakes race. He will probably compete better with this lower class field than those he faced previously this season. Ca. Moore(14.6%) will have this closer flying down the stretch hoping to get up to the wire first in the final strides.
5)COMMON CURRENCY–18/1—titanium sends out the longshot in this race with his EXCHANGE RATE colt looking for his first stakes victory in 4 tries. His lone win this year was in a low end restricted allowance race and his current lifetime speed ratings suggest that he may not yet be ready for stakes company. Lightly used jockey G Osborn(9.1%) gets the call on this colt who shows a variety of racing styles but should be hard pressed to keep up with these today. This one is probably better suited to run out the conditions in the low to medium purse allowance races.
6)BEAR ISLAND–5/1–lopickles has this TOUCH GOLD colt trying stakes company again after a disappointing stakes debut to start of his 3YO season. This colt has raced exclusively in California to date and this will mark his first time being required to ship into a new venue for a race. He won his debut MSW start with his only start at 2 and ran a badly beaten 11th with a 77SR in a stakes start for his 2nd lifetime start. In his last 2 races he has posted back to back 90 speed ratings while running up front in restricted allowance races winning his last which has prompted this return to stakes company. J Ritorto(17.5%) will have this one fighting for the lead with the 2 other speed horses and this one has shown that the longer he goes the stronger he gets so he may enjoy the extra 1/2 furlong in this contest today.
7)JONESING–9/2–bayside sends out this SMARTY JONES colt with the highest speed rating (99) out of his last race. In that one he finished 2nd in an allowance race where the winner of the race came on to win a stakes race in that one’s next start. This colt made a very ambitious debut as a 2YO in a stakes race finishing well back in 7th but has shown a marked improvement since while running a more conventional way in climbing up the allowance conditions. L. Pannier(7.1%) gets the call on this closer but at co-favorite price this one has yet to show any consistancy to merit any serious play from this punter. If he repeats the rating of his last he should win but if he does not ???.
8)FOREST ROYALTY–8/1–given2 sends this FOREST WILDCAT colt looking for his 1st win in his sophomore year after posting 3 wins including 1 stake win as a 2YO. He has had 3 runs this year including a disasterous surface change experiment and has not been able to find his 2YO campaign results. In his last he did come back to life showing some late kick in finishing 4th in an overnite stakes event and posting a 90 speed rating. If he can improve on that one with the extra yardage today he could manage a top 3 placing today. One positive aspect for this ones chances is that he will enjoy the services of the circuits top jockey in K. Bowen(22.5%).
9)HILLACIOUS–9/1–reminder sends out this CRAFTY PROSPECTOR colt looking for his 2nd stakes victory this year. This horse had a heavy workload as a 2YO running in 10 races with only the MSW win to show for it. As a 3YO he has 2 wins in 3 starts with an allowance and stakes victory already to date. Both of these wins were wire to wire wins but in his last he suddenly quit in the stretch and faded to a badly beaten 7th in the race. He had a clear lead early in that one and one hopes there were no health issues involved in this performance. Veteran S. Upertoy(9.8%) gets the call today and perhaps his experience will help this one today, but there are 2 other speed runners in this one and if all of them go they could burn each other out and make way for one of the many closers to score in this one today.
10)RES IPSA LOQUITER–8/1–silverny83, one of the local horsemen at Minnesota sends out this WOODMAN colt today albeit from her CR stables. After a well placed 3rd in his 2YO debut this colt rung off back to back wins as a 3YO in winning a MSW and overnite stakes race. In his last race he attempted the jump up to Graded stakes company and ended up a badly beaten 10th. Hopefully the drop back to overnite stakes will help this one’s confidence to be able to put the last behind him and to get back on track to improving the speed ratings after the blip in the last start. Perenial Minnesota Jockey guild leader K Friar(20.3%) gets the call on this one today.
All in all a very competitive race today but I am going to try and get a price on the #1 horse to keep his undefeated streak in tact.
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING.