Even money on unbeaten turfer Dance Seeker
Connecticut– Rockriver’s impressive sophomore filly Dance Seeker brings her perfect 4-for-4 turf win streak to Connecticut Saturday in the $65,000 Frisco Shocker Challenge. The Seeking The Gold daughter faces five other foes over nine furlongs on a firm grass course.
Dance Seeker (even money) has been one to watch. The filly raced over the main track as a freshman and she was OK, winning 2 of 4 races. However, rockriver switched her to the grass in Janaury for her 3YO debut and Dance Seeker’s since been on fire. The filly marched through her ALW conditions with splendid zeal, battling it out over three-quarters as well as a flat mile. Last time out, Dancer Seeker superbly bagged her grass stakes debut, trouncing a 7f group by 4 1/2 lengths. The 96 SP# too is excellent for a fily at this stage of her career? Do we have another Elsinore or La Pata Daisy in the works? Ha! Top jockey Ian Thomas (23%) has a challenge this week — he’s got to nurse this filly through 9f. She loves to duel and can be a handful. Thomas must let her settle behind the lead and see if she can go the distance. Litmus test then for Dance Seeker.
Now let’s see who might play the spoiler if Dance Seeker can’t get the distance:
On the far outside, jefahl stable sends Dynamic Quality (3/1). Like the favorite, Dynamic Quality too recently switched to the lawn this season after faring honestly over the main track. The Elusive Quality daughter tired a tad in the final sixteenth over 8.5f in turf ALW company. She’s since pocketed a miler ALw over a short field for god measure. The stalker/pace presser has the goods to reel this one in, but is still learning the ropes. Definitely try turf sprint if she tires badly Saturday! Love those two 6f dirt wins last year — they weren’t big SP#s, but look how she won those with ease! Also flat mile on grass again too — this is a litmus test for her — sometimes an extra sixteenth here and there can make all the difference between a spot-on run and an “I give up” flop.
Pg45 sends out another Seeking The Gold daughter: Special Gold (7/2). this lassie too just switched to the grass and the result was an ALW NW2L victory over a mile. Granted, it was a short field and 77 SP#. Still, we know she’s a classy gal — Special Gold was stakes-placed a couple last year as a 2YO. Has made her entire career so far around two turns — would highly recommend trying a sprint soon, because you never know with ambiguous Seeking The Gold. We’ll see if she can elevate her game and numbers over the grass Saturday.
Bar13’s stakes-experienced Mixed Signals(FR) (11/1) has made all but two of her nine career starts in stakes company. By Sagamix(FR), the filly earned her black type stripes over some short fields last season. Pretty low SP#s and she’s only made one starts as a 3YO, where she finished 2nd in yet another 4-horse field. Great race spotting…. but this one might be a bit more difficult. Hasn’t raced in near three months. Might be asking too much.
Tonno200’s Pussycat Doll(GB) (9/1) broke her maiden in her 6th start and first outing around two turns on grass. 79 SP# for the Haafd(GB) filly. Dark horse. Not much to go on here and in all honesty looks misplaced. Should test ALW company first before the leap.
Finally, fernando has Battle Ardennes(IRE) (7/1). Three cheers for Black Sam Bellamy(IRE) — he’s a gem of a underused Sim sire. 🙂 Savvy trainer placed her perfectly for two-turns and the filly won her MSW and ALWs right off the bat. Speedster floundered a bit in her stakes debut though. Can see the placement here, but needs to put forward a far better effort than her last. Honest, but the faves are more eye-catching.
Snowchief’s Picks:
Dance Seeker has star-quality going, but can she get the 9f? If not, then look at Special Gold who has back class over the dirt. Dynamic Quality could pick up the pieces, but I’d rather see her in a sprint. Finally, always watch for fernando (LOL!) — he can play the spoiler any day of the week.
Win: Dance Seeker
Place: Special Gold
Show: Dynamic Quality or Battle Ardennes