Field of Five Look To Take Grade II The Clubhouse Stakes
Newmarket, England is the site for this years Grade II The Clubhouse Stakes. A small field of five colts will be looking to take down their piece of that 250,000 purse. We will be going 12 furlongs on the firm turf this year, and everyone looks to have a shot as there is no clear cut winner. Let’s take a look at this years field.
PP 1. AUTOMATED 2/1
This six year old son of Redoute’s Choice (Giant’s Causeway X Nureyev) is your 2/1 second favorite in the race. A. Rolling will get the ride on this guy as he will look to stay at or near the front of the pack. Trainer henny will be hoping that the early speed can give him enough separation from the rest of the field. If he does end up sitting a little off the pace, do not look for this guy to be less than two or three lengths behind the leader. He has been turning in excellent speed figures in his last three races. Back in December, in a 12 furlong listed stakes, Automated ran a 109 speed figure while finishing second finishing about three lengths back. He then took about a two month break before coming back the first day in February in an 11 furlong Grade II. Speeds increased to a 111 SP where he missed out again finishing second about three lengths back. He last race was the middle of March where again this horse finished second in a 12 furlong Grade II. The speed figure of 112 again increased. If he can continue to raise those speed figures, look for him to pull one of these races out soon.
PP 2. FORCE CHANNELLING 6/1
The four year old son out English Channel (Blushing Groom X Lyphard) will look to get back into form as he tries for his first Graded win ever in his career. In three Graded tries in his career, he has finished second, third, and fifth. Speeds have been increasing with the distance increase that this colt has been going through lately. Three races back, a first place finish on the grass in an NW2L allowance race, and a speed of 102 was enough for trainer devarto to go for the bump in distance to 12 furlongs. Force Channelling responded well and ran a 105 speed figure while finishing first in an NW3L allowance. March 30th, was the last time this guy ran, and a bump in class did not suit him very well. Last time out, Force Channelling tried a Grade III race at 11 furlongs on the grass and though he was positioned right where he wanted to be, a 5th place finish was all he could get. Jockey W. Kewmwa will be looking to sit way back off of the pace in this race. If Force Channelling can keep that distance between him and the leader to a minimal amount, you could see the four year old colt going into his next race a Graded winner.
PP 3. JOYSIS 6/5
The five year old colt out of jellybeams stable is your 6/5 favorite in the race today. The son of Kitten’s Joy (Ela-Mana-Mou X Diesis) Jockey K. Hellestrae will be on top today and will hope that Joysis, like Force Channelling, will be able to sit off the pace and jump at the chance to take home the win. Joysis is no stranger to the Graded ranks, as 10 of his 17 career races have saw Graded Stakes runs. With three wins in those graded races, Joysis certainly knows how to get it done, and what he needs to do today. The last three races have all been at or longer than the distance he will run today. Three races back, in a listed stakes, Joysis never could quite get the late engine turned on running a 99 speed figure while finishing 5th. He completely turned it around though a month later during the Equinics where this colt ran a huge 113 speed figure, in route to winning the “Best Horse I Never Owned” Grade I. A month and a half later, Joysis again could not get it going in a disheartening 7th place finish in a 12 furlong Grade I. He will look to turn it around today, and the odds are certainly in his favor.
PP 4. IRON THORN 5/1
Another young gun will be looking for his first Graded win in the young career when Iron Thorn breaks from gate 4 this weekend. The four year old son of Lemon Drop Kid (Cozzene X Halo) out of the hellafied stables has been running great of late, and will be looking to make it three in a row. After finishing third in an NW4L allowance race, running a 104 speed figure, three races back, hellafied made the jump back to 12 furlongs, and Iron Thorn responded in a huge way running a 102 speed figure, but finishing first by over three lengths. This gave way to a first ever stakes try for the young colt, and boy did he ever respond with a bang, taking first again at 13/1 odds and running his highest speed figure ever at 114. So after a month off, Iron Thorn, and jockey T. Cooper will look to take first sitting off the pace as so many in this race look to do. The big question here is whether this colt will respond to the jump in class as a listed stakes race is a far cry from the competition you see in the Graded ranks. Can Iron Thorn make it three in a row is the big question, and that will be answered sooner rather than later.
PP 5. OTTO’S RAVEN 4/1
Due to a small field, Otto’s Raven will be breaking from the far gate today. The son of Raven’s Pass (Sadler’s Wells X Seattle Slew) will look to continue recent success for owner beng, looking to make it four in a row. After three previous Graded attempts where all this four year old colt could muster was a third place finish, it was back to the drawing board. After two consecutive first place finishes in an NW3L and NW4L allowance race respectively, the decision was made to attempt the graded ranks again. The speed figures of 100 and 109 were big, and in the following race, a Grade III race at 12 furlongs on the grass, this colt ran a 108 speed figure, but again finished first. This horse, along with most of the rest of the field, will look to sit back off the pace, and come on strong at the end. Will he be able to beat out the rest of the late comers is the big question. Jockey B. Schardein will have this horse in a position to win, the question is will he grasp it.
I think this is a great five horse field for the race today, and I truly mean it that every horse has a chance in this field. Look for Automated to break from the gate fast right off the bat. The distance in-between him and the rest of the field will certainly determine if he will come out on top. The question will the other runners is who will be the one to step up and leave the others in the dust? Will any of the horses step up big, or will we have a five horse race at the wire? Like I said, this will be a great race, but every great race has to come to an end. Who will step up to the plate? If you want a photo finish, I do not think there is any other place to be on Saturday than Newmarket, England.
Dylan’s Picks
3- Joysis
5- Otto’s Raven
1- Automated