No Carpet Burns in the Astroturf Sprint -G2
Astroturf Sprint
Grade II
Seven furlongs
Fast Dirt
$200,000
All horses, 3 years old and up
Question marks seem to rule in today’s running of the Astroturf Sprint G-2. For starters, who names a 7 furlong dirt race with the word turf in it? At least they got the sprint part right. Hey, I don’t name them. I just report them.
A full field of 14 have shown up today to take their shot at the $200,000 prize and at first glance you would think finding a winner would as easy as picking a number out of a hat. However, this reporter is here to show you some inside tips and hopefully will help find your way back to the mutual window with cash in hand. Great weather is on hand in the
PP1 14/1
Trainer: sdmf5
Jockey: B Sipe ( 204 – 16 – 19 – 18 – 8% )
Drawing the inside gate is sdmf5’s entrant,
PP2 7/1 PUDDLE GULCH
CONQUISTADOR CIELO x MR. PROSPECTOR x LYPHARD
Trainer: letitride
Jockey: P Cadigan ( 240 – 39 – 29 – 30 – 16% )
In his second attempt at the stakes not the mention graded stakes level, Puddle Gulch hopes to take his consistency he has had against allowance company and move it to this level. Unlike many other trainers, letitride resisted the urge to move this horse up in class in compete in stake races. But who can resist the chance to show what your horse is worth after posting 17 races over 100+ speed ratings and 33% wins? If you look over his last six races, you find all but one showing extreme competitiveness. I like his chances here but he will need to compete with several others in a full field that also show a hard closing style.
PP3 9/1 SADFLY’S BINGO
SADLER’S WELLS x
Trainer: onfly
Jockey:
This son of Sadler’s Wells, is coming off a three year old season where he posted some good numbers but kept finding the competition rough in his attempts at the stakes level. Sadfly’s Bingo did manage to bag two wins in non-graded events but he’s failed to hit the board in any graded race he’s entered. However, with only three races this year, I’m always optimistic to see how a horse develops as a four year old. His trend has been consistent and flat, but don’t count him out. Although I’m reluctant to put him on my trifecta ticket, this will be the horse that will probably spoil it.
PP4 13/1 FLASH THE CASH
CAT THIEF x
Trainer: londoner
Jockey: D Givins ( 265 – 66 – 49 – 28 – 25% )
After a successful run back at the allowance level, Flash The Cash makes an attempt to find some of that former glory he found in the past. Although this colt has never won at this level, he does have four non-graded stake wins to his credit. Top jock D Givins also seems to find something he likes and has received the nod to ride him today. I do like how he’s seems to perform at this distance and he’s rated well in the past but I’m hesitant to give him full credit as he still has to prove that he belongs at this level. I would have liked to have seen a non-graded prep race before moving him back up to a Grade 2.
PP5 8/1 BITING INSECTS
FUSAICHI PEGASUS x
Trainer: mcjonny4
Jockey: R Neely ( 47 – 2 – 2 – 6 – 4% )
In his second attempt after an extremely long lay off, trainer mcjonny4 tries again with one time Bluegrass Derby runner Biting Insects. This Fusaichi Pegasus colt has had an interesting career. After coming out of the box firing as a two year old, he started his three year old career with three consecutive stake wins and followed that up with second place showing in The IRSC Secretariat Cup G-1. Those races qualified him for the Bluegrass Derby but it took nearly two years later to find his next win in The Savage Hillbilly Challenge-Stk ran earlier this year. He did manage to finish second in two other graded events including The New Yorker G-1 but that year seemed to take it’s toll out of him with a grueling 18 races ran and forcing him to only compete in three races all of last year. However, with a 110 speed rating jumping off the page at me in his winning return to the track, you have to think that he can show even more in his second attempt back. This is my pick and at 8/1 you should find the return investment to your liking.
PP6 7/1 KING OF THE SLEWS
KINGMAMBO x
Trainer: buzz
Jockey: L Goodburn ( 79 – 5 – 5 – 6 – 6% )
Screaming for 8 furlongs, trainer buzz enters his #8 rated King Of The Slews again in a sprint event. The track vet has diagnosed him with a severe case of the seconditis as he has lost four graded race by a combined total of 2 ¼ lengths. His lone attempt at the classic distance was early in his career and on the grass but success at this distance has fixated buzz in keeping him in sprints. Even so, with monster numbers ran in the past, it may still be enough for him to find the winners circle for the first time in a graded race. Will he come up short wishing for more track? We’ll see. Box him on your trifecta ticket and cash in.
PP7 11/1 K’S STATE OF
STORM CAT x NIJINSKY II x
Trainer: vertigo2
Jockey: S Blood ( 107 – 13 – 14 – 11 – 12% )
Blossoming as of late, K’s State Of Mind, looks to rebound after a poor and over challenged showing last time out in the Sand Castle Golden Sprint G-1 held in
PP8 11/1 FLOWER MACHINES
FOREST FAIR x PRIVATE ACCOUNT x
Trainer: bessybool
Jockey: S O’Calslew ( 56 – 4 – 4 – 4 – 7% )
Living up to it’s name, not mention the irony, our number eight entry raced a career best 111 speed rating but “narrowly missed” by ¼ lengths in the Narrowly Missed Stakes –G3 earlier this year. (Sorry, just couldn’t resist) Two races later, trainer bessybool is still out to prove that it wasn’t a fluke. Flower Machines seemed to find what he liked last year with a change in surface and managed to rack up three stake wins and slew of others that found him close but short. He’s yet another horses in this race that I think may need to stretch his legs a bit farther. His only attempt at two turns came two races back in a Grade-1 race but I think his poor showing may have had more to do with the strong competition rather than the distance. Still, this race is wide open and with that 111 to his record I’m not ready to count him out just yet.
PP9 14/1 ALLPENTUP
PENTELICUS x STOP THE MUSIC x ICY GROOM
Trainer: reminder
Jockey: S Garber ( 77 – 6 – 9 – 13 – 8% )
If you’re one to bet the long shots then you will definitely like reminder’s Allpentup. This six year old has never found the winner’s circle in a stakes event and has been inconsistent as of late, but he has rated well in the allowance races he’s entered lately. I just have to think that he may have bit off more than he can chew today by running a graded event. Without even a regular stakes win to his record, it’s hard for me to justify this jump in class. If you choose to go with him, don’t risk much as he much to prove.
PP10 17/1 HUGE GLACKEN
SMOKE GLACKEN x ATTICUS x ALYDAR
Trainer: lele
Jockey: M Ketron ( 58 – 9 – 4 – 11 – 16% )
With huge odds Huge Glacken will need some major help from the Sims gods to find the tote board. Although he found success last year running as a three year old on his way to a first place finish in the Hutchingson Stakes G-2 and a second in the Prince’s Knight Stakes G-1, he has run flat since then. Hoping for just one more big race in his career, lele may have already seen his horse’s 15 minutes of fame. Look elsewhere.
PP11 9/1 RAUL’S PROSPECTOR
Trainer: banditkllr
Jockey: R Connor ( 44 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 5% )
What Flower Machines and King Of The Slews tells me at one end, then our number eleven horse, Raul’s Prospector, says at the other. Coming off a win at The Watson’s Bungholes Challenge –Stk, trainer banditkllr is hoping to improve on that showing with a graded win here today. That win came at a distance of 7 furlongs and he did manage to post a career best 107 speed rating in that race. However, this front running colt has a tendency to tire in the stretch and with a field full of closers he may find the same again. He seems to me to be better suited shortening up a bit and he may hear the cavalry bugle as he rounds the turn. Still, if he gets a good trip and doesn’t have anyone to challenge him he may just wire the field.
PP 12 6/1 CYBORG SID
Trainer: 1i3
Jockey: K Stabler ( 46 – 3 – 4 – 2 – 7% )
At 6/1, our slight morning favorite Cyborg Sid just stands out. This horse seemed to let loose 6 races back when his trainer 1i3 decided to switch him from turf to dirt and if you look at those number’s closely you’ll see a trainer who realized that this distance and surface is what suits him. Also, with a 50%+ win percentage with this lightly raced colt, you have to trust the judgment of 1i3. His last two races under a mile have netted him a 112 and 113 speed rating respectively. If he can prove his worth here today, then watch for him in a G-1 race shortly and maybe a try in this year’s Breeder’s Bowl Day. Look for him and Biting Insects to battle it out at the wire in a photo finish.
PP13 11/1 TASSIE DEVIL
STORM CAT x DEVIL HIS DUE x VAGUELY NOBLE
Trainer: cjt4
Jockey: Y Kester ( 55 – 6 – 1 – 3 – 11% )
Our second Storm Cat entry, Tassie Devil, is coming off a career best 112 speed rating three races back when he ran in The Two
PP14 12/1 CIVIL DEFENSE
GOLDEN MISSILE x ILE DE BOURBON x CAPOTE
Trainer: snowchief
Jockey: D
….(gulp)….hmmmm…..damn, this is the boss’ horse. (gulp)….dont screw this up.
Breaking out of the outside gate, co-editor and chief of the the Black Type Bugler, snowchief’s Civil Defense is another horse looking to rebound after a poor showing last time out in a graded race. While showing marked improvement last year after a surface change, this son of Golden Missile is looking for signs of maturity as quick hope of success was dashed after an incredible start to his career. After a good but flat three year old season last year, this horse has finished with strong showing in four of his last six starts and snowchief is hoping that the trend will continue. However, with a dismal showing in that last race, a grade-1, you have to wonder if this colt is intimidated by strong competition. Look for him, to sit just behind the pace and hope that jocky D Sherman can use his experience to coax this colt to the front.
Maverick’s Picks
Tri-partial wheel: 5, 12 / 5, 6, 12 / 5, 6, 11, 12