50 Cent Mead for Merced Stakes G-2

Merced Stakes
Grade II
A mile and one sixteenth
Firm Turf
$200,000
All horses, 4 years old and up

After taking the redeye from Kentucky to Stockholm, a very tired but excited Maverick is here to fill you in on our big Grade II race.  A sold out crowd is expected today as this race is being run in conjunction with tomorrow’s Walpurgis Night celebration  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walpurgis_Night) and with 50 cent mugs of mead I’m hoping I can still stand by the time our 15^th race comes around.  While it’s not Mardi Gras, I’m hoping to at least Americanize it a bit as I’ve brought tons of beads with me but I haven’t found that Swedish Bikini team yet.

Anyway, back to our race.  A very tight but soft field has entered our race and nine competitors are vying for a share of the $200,000 purse.  Clear sky’s are expected for what looks like a very tough race.  Our competitors are:

PP1  3/1  TETE NOVEMBRE(IRE)

NOVERRE (IRE) x SADLER’S WELLS x BLUSHING GROOM(FR)

Trainer:  therion

Jockey:  M Mason ( 239 – 46 – 31 – 37 – 19% )

Our morning line favorite, Tete Novembre, is looking for a return to form that he found last year in route to three graded victories.  Of all the horses carrying the “Tete” name that are still racing, this one is the most successful with three graded wins.  After a horrible start for the year in which he finished 19^th of 20 in the Dick Francis G-1, he rebounded with a nice showing in his next start in Dubai ‘s  Sandcastle Fee Duty G-1.  He may be ready to show more his second start back after a layoff.  With his front running style, he’ll be the one to catch.

PP2  10/1  DIAMOND MAX(IRE)

THEATRICAL(IRE) x SALSE x SUNNY’S HALO

Trainer:  johnny

Jockey:  W Farthing ( 143 – 11 – 14 – 16 – 8% )

Hoping to max out his opportunities, Diamond Max has shown at the very least some level of consistency.  Other than a surface switch two races back he’s been pretty consistent running in the 90’s and has managed to rate once during the period at 102.  However, that win came in a NW1s allowance race and he’ll have to show me a lot more at this level in order find a place on my ticket.  He does have one regular stake victory to his credit and he raced at least within an earshot of the leader last time out in the Misfred Bogie Stake G-3.  Could surprise.

PP3  15/1  HAVOCATOR

LEAR FAN x HABITAT x ADVOCATOR

Trainer:  cmcnationa

Jockey:  T O’Shea ( 55 – 10 – 4 – 6 – 18% )

After taking the entire 2005 season off, trainer cmcnationa is hoping for some kind of blessing from the sims gods.  Havocator is coming off a win in his return to the track in a NW3L allowance race but this horse has never competed in a stakes event ever and I don’t know if a graded race is the best place to put him especially after the long layoff.  Look elsewhere.

PP4  8/1  DUBEYE

DUBAI DESTINATION x DANEHILL x NUREYEV

Trainer:  daedalus

Jockey:  J Jacobsson ( 159 – 9 – 13 – 10 – 6% )

Dubeye ships across the pond coming from New York and has much to overcome.  Last year as a three year old he scored his first graded win in The Newmarket Rivalry.  Since then, he’s only managed one win in a restricted allowance race and has only managed to break the triple digit speed rating once in his last eleven attempts.  He might deserve a spot on the back end of your trifecta ticket.      

PP5  7/2  EL NINO RAPIDO

MINESHAFT x STORM CAT x FORLI

Trainer:  oaklawn66

Jockey:  Me Gay ( 70 – 9 – 5 – 6 – 13% )

Shipping in from Texas, El Nino Rapido, is coming off a nice showing in his first graded attempt in the Lone Star Mile G-2.  I had a chance to cover that race and that race set up very much like this one looks to set up with a slew of horses that show a front running style.  Although, he held the lead for most of the race, he failed to show the endurance to close the deal and with an extra half furlong in this race he has much to prove.  However, he has shown some of the most consistent speed numbers and it may be a photo finish at the end with Tete Novembre.

PP6  9/1  LORD HORNBLOWER

TOUCH GOLD x LEAR FAN x POLISH NAVY

Trainer:  wemblem

Jockey:  P Ibrox ( 117 – 14 – 13 – 12 – 12% )

Showing signs of maturity, Lord Hornblower could surprise the track handicappers with a good run.  He’s shown in at least a couple of races that he can compete at this level but has failed to get close in graded company.  However, with a soft field and a better than average jockey with P Ibrox he may be the sleeper of the group.

PP7  6/1  CLASSIC DOWELLY

SKY CLASSIC x SADLER’S WELLS x GULCH

Trainer:  kevoman

Jockey:  YA Jones ( 63 – 4 – 6 – 9 – 6% )

As a two year old, this grandson of Sadler’s Wells showed a lot of promise after winning his first attempt in a graded race in the Knick Knack Juvenile G-1.  However, he really never developed into the elite horse that you would normally associate with this level of racing.  However, he seems to rate well with the others that have entered and he may contend for a minor share of the purse.

PP8  7/1  JACOB

BROAD BRUSH x SADLER’S WELLS x MILL REEF

Trainer:  kvstable

Jockey:  K Thomas ( 66 – 3 – 5 – 5 – 5% )

Breaking out of the number eight gate, Jacob needs a lot of help to find the winner’s circle.  He’s never won a regular stakes race much less a graded event.  In fact, in his only stakes start (an owner’s restricted event) he finished 21 lengths back.  He rated a career high 106 speed rating two races back but at this point I have to think that it just a fluke race.  It would take another effort like that to compete today.

PP9  5/1  JACQUES

DANEHILL x MISWAKI x BROAD BRUSH

Trainer:  dimitri

Jockey:  P Jones ( 265 – 51 – 47 – 36 – 19% )

Winner of four previous Graded events, Jacques is just not the same horse he was last year.  He finished strongly on DelPenn Champions Day but since has failed to fire.  Trainer dimitri moved him down to regular stakes company last time out and that move seemed to breathe a little fire in him.  He has shown the numbers in the past to completely blow the field away but you have to wonder which horse will show up.  I think this is come back race and I’ll take him as my top pick.

Maverick’s Picks

#9 across the board

Trifecta:  9,1 / 9,1,5 / 9,1,5,2