WHISKEY CUP

GRADE I WHISKEY CUP
Grade  I
Two miles
Fast Dirt
$1,000,000
All horses, 4  years old and up

1 92070 XTREMELY GOLD  grracers  W McClendon  9/2
2 59011 ESPECIALLY  illbred  F Gossett  5/1
3 52397 TOUCH AND STOP  dlynche  D Fendlay Jr.  5/1
4 90607 HYATT(IRE)  chevrolet  P McCarthy  9/1
5 105152 PIEFLY’S STORMER  piefly  N Jacoby  13/1
6 53211 LOAD THE CANNONS  winnaquid  P Cadigan  20/1
7 32524 GALLOPING GHOST  tejanorun  D Givins  12/1
8 15559 SLITHER  peeps6  A Rolling  4/1
9 86673 CREDIT GIVEN(IRE)  brentuk  V Gardner  37/1
10 28085 LEZCANO  sonsierra  B Sipe  17/1
11 38043 OBISPO TOWN  socalman  D Hogin  9/2
12 88226 HIGH FLYER  2ofus  S Garber  27/1

Welcome to the forst of the two marathons on todays card, sponsored by the Kentucky Horsemen. A good sized field considering the scarecity of good marathon horses and at least six of the filed have a chance to win. That said there are several outsiders who can’t win- LOAD THE CANNONS won a stakes at this trip latest but only with a 96sp, not enough for this, LEZCANO again a stakes winer latest over 14f but on sloppy (where he is 3 from 3) and previous best of 93 sp not good enough, HIGH FLYER has a very similar profile and the same comments apply. There are also several fancied runners who also can’t win- OBISPO TOWN is a real classy horse but by Kingmambo the 10f he’s been running at looks about his limit, can’t see him getting 2 miles, SLITHER ran some good races over 12f but stepped up to 14f  ran no sort of race, surely the extra 2f will count against him, GALLOPING GHOST has not been the same horse this year and looks allowance class now, outclassed in Graded races mostly, he now looks to be past his best, HYATT(IRE) won a stakes over 12f but his sp’s at 2miles have been a lot less and not good enough for this.

That leaves five horses who i think can feature-
XTREMELY GOLD has won going away in two graded races over 14f latest and should handle the extra 2f. The sp’s were a little low but look for him to start his challenge from around 2 furlongs out. ESPECIALLY has won a Grade I and finished second in a Grade I over this trip so he merits upmost respect. Will get behind early and charge from the quarterpole. TOUCH AND STOP Very interesting, has only won up to 13f but is improving and won with miles in hand over 12f latest in a stakes. First try at this level but could be anything and the manner of his last win makes him look a lively threat. Also wil go from the front and may get first run on the others. PIEFLY’S STORMER a bit of an outsider, has only one stakes run,a win over 13f but again he won going away and with a decent 99sp. Promises more to come and may sneak a top three. CREDIT GIVEN(IRE) a massive outsider but worth a show bet here, again only one stakes run but that was a closing third over 13f and sonce he came from about a furlong behind the leader that day he might surprise here. Will get the trip and should be watched.

Overall i think TOUCH AND STOP can win this from the front with XTREMELY GOLD closing for second and CREDIT GIVEN rattling home very late to sneak third.