8 Fillies To Vy For The Grade III, Other Spa BB Stakes
8 Fillies To Vy For The Grade III, Other Spa BB Stakes
Relative newcomer Firm King(IRE) brings her game against the more experienced Dancing Pine and Bella Figura, the latter being the number 7 ranked older female in the Classic Turf division. They will be running for $200,000 in purse money over A Mile and One Sixteenth over the Turf. Up and comer Seismic is hoping to advance her career as well against these three plus 4 others.
1 Dancing Pine – This 4YO filly by Pine Bluff is a graded winner. She is highly competitive as evidenced by the fact she has finished 1st or 2nd in 14 out of 24 races, and has garnered earnings of over 400k. She normally employs a stalking style.
Recent Form – After taking 5 months off, she hit the ground running by winning 2 stakes races in a row. She comes into this as the favorite, and in top form.
Stable: Coker
Odds: 9/5
2 In A Gallop – 4YO filly by Victory Gallop. She has finished ITM in 50% of her 20 races with over 100k in earnings, but has yet to finish ITM in stakes company. Normally running on or near the lead, she sat back in her last with marked improvement.
Recent Form – Hasn’t won in the last 6 months, and although her last race was promising, doesn’t look to fare well against this bunch.
Stable: Grtnotion
Odds: 11/1
3 Firm King(IRE) – 4YO filly by Desert King(IRE). Began her career as a 4YO, but has established herself quickly in her brief history, winning 5 of 7 races. Already a multiple stakes winner, the only time she didn’t finish 1st or 2nd was LTO in her initial foray into graded company. She has collected over 150k in earnings. Doesn’t break a sweat in the first half mile, but is the fastest horse on the track in the stretch.
Recent Form – Won a stakes at this distance two races back. In her second consecutive graded run, looks to improve on the performance she gave in her initial try.
Stable: Pandrews
Odds: 7/1
4 Cozzene Dancer S. – 4YO filly by Cozzene. Has finished ITM in 21 of 29 races. However, only one of those was a stakes, and in that one she finished 7th. She’s earned over 150k in purse money, and her normal race has her on or near the lead.
Recent Form – A winner LTO, she is very consistent in her effort. But I’m afraid this field may be more than she can hold off.
Stable: Wally123
Odds: 7/1
5 Sixmillionexcuses – 3YO filly by Shah Jehan. Finished ITM in 6 of 7 career races. This is her initial attempt in a stakes, and has earnings of less than 50k. Her normal race finds her sitting well off the pace, and closing furiously down the stretch.
Recent Form – After taking 9 months off, has finished 1st and 2nd in two allowance tries, winning LTO. She has steadily improved over her career, and looks to be a very talented 3YO. However, this being not only her initial stakes attempt, but also her first run against older company, she may find herself overmatched.
Stable: Ratt49
Odds: 35/1
6 Bandicoot – A 4YO filly by Dixieland Band. She has won 7 of 26 races and finished ITM in 50% of her races. She is just short of 200k in earnings. However, her only stakes win came as a 2YO. Her recent style finds her running about mid pack.
Recent Form – Won an allowance LTO. Her best effort puts her in the mix here, but hasn’t been at the top of her game lately.
Stable: Tejanorun2
Odds: 7/1
7 Seismic – 4YO filly by Richter Scale. She’s won 5 of 20 races, finishing ITM 60% of the time. Claimed by her present connections for 40k, she’s running better now than she possibly ever has. Stakes placed, she hasn’t run in a stakes since early in her career. Has over 150k in earnings. She likes to get out early, so looks to battle Cozzene Dancer S. for the early lead.
Recent Form – Although she’s in top form of late, winning with a very nice effort 3 back, and showing she likes today’s distance LTO, she may need one at this level to get re-acclimated to stakes company.
Stable: Scary
Odds: 7/1
8 Bella Figura – This 4YO filly by Kingmambo is a six time graded winner, including a Grade I. She’s appeared in the winner’s circle 13 times in 32 lifetime starts, with earnings in excess of 1.2 mil. She relaxes early in the race, firing on all cylinders coming down the stretch.
Recent Form – She seems to be as good as she ever was, winning a Grade III three back. Her last two weren’t as good, but might like today’s distance a little more.
Stable: Sgtbones
Odds: 2/1