Anyone’s Race in This Wild Graded Stakes!
The After Shave Sprint Stakes
Grade II
Six furlongson Firm Turf
$500,000
All horses, 3 years old
We have a great horse race with half a million in purse and we have thirteen good looking colts chomping at the bit and ready to go here in Victoria. There is no truly clear cut favorite, so without any further delay, let’s take a look:
1 – METAL RUSH ODDS OWNER WIN% JOCKEY WIN% TOP SPEED AVG SPEED RANK 13/1 Sanatarium 4.7% B.Ridgle 10% 87.4 82.1 137
(WILD RUSH x NUREYEV x SILENT SCREEN) After a promising start this colt seems to be going in reverse with descending SPFs his past four races and he really has trainer Sanatarium scratching his head. He’s tried him at different levels and distances but to no avail. He and jockey Ridgle need to get this colt straightened out in a hurry and hope that this is the place.
| 2 – BEAD TWO(GB) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/1 | Bodgit | 23.5% | D.Evans | 25% | 92.6 | 83.6 | 4 |
(BEAT HOLLOW (GB) x SPINNING WORLD x BLACK TIE AFFAIR(IRE)) This is the number four ranked three year old colt on turf but he’s been struggling a little lately trying to stretch it out. He is back in a sprint this time and with the win percentages of both trainer Bodgit and jockey Evans, you have to expect him to get it back on track. It’s been almost a year since he won a race but I expect a good showing here and it might be a good time to put a few shekels on the nose at these odds.
| 3 – LEXIS | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/1 | PG53 | 17.1% | L.Ward | 10% | 96.5 | 86.1 | 119 |
(SEEKING THE GOLD x PEINTRE CELEBRE (IRE) x IRISH RIVER(FR)) A lightly raced three year old with only six races, this colt is making trainer PG53 look awful good the way he has been brought along. He seems to keep getting better and especially at the sprint level. He threw a nice 96 SPF in a close second last time out in the Banana Jerry Stakes and could definitely be a force here. Watch this one.
| 4 – VERMONT VICTORY) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1 | Wtas02 | 20.9% | M.Miller | 14% | 94.1 | 88.2 | 38 |
(TWO PUNCH x THEATRICAL(IRE) x PLEASANT COLONY) This will be the ninth straight Graded Stakes for this colt and he has been competitive throughout. He continues to increase his speed but may like the mile a little better than the sprints. Trainer WTAS02 needs to find something to give him just a small push to get him into that winners circle. He is ranked in the top 50 and has a capable jock on board in Miller, this could be the time.
| 5 – RAKTAVIJA) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/1 | Super16 | 20.0% | N.Fagan | 8% | 98.1 | 88.2 | 39 |
(AWESOME AGAIN x THEATRICAL(IRE) x CARO(IRE)) This colt, evidently named for the Hindu general of the demon army may need a little devilishness here. He’s been flourishing in the Stakes races and floundering in the Graded races since he turned to turf. Four for four in Stakes and a sixth and eighth in the Graded. Trainer Super16 has to be wondering if this is one of those horses that likes to stay at his level and not push himself at the next level. Saturday may help tell that tale.
| 6 – WOETTE’S POWER | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/1 | Stars1 | 17.2% | J.Kohlmorgen | 15% | 88.9 | 84.8 | 6 |
(MOUNTAIN CAT x MR. PROSPECTOR x NORTHERN DANCER) This big chestnut colt has done everything that trainer Stars1 has asked but he hasn’t shown the speed figures of some of the favorites in this race. With five wins and two seconds in his seven turf races, maybe he didn’t need to go that fast? This is a huge race for this colt as now is the time to really show whether or not he belongs with this field. He has a nice jockey guiding him in Kohlmorgen so he has no excuses.
| 7 – APPEALING PLAY | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/1 | Baracoon | 20.0% | C.Buchiw | 16% | 99.5 | 97.3 | 458 |
(SUCCESSFUL APPEAL x FAST PLAY x NORTHERN DANCER) Trainer Baracoon’s colt turned to the grass at the beginning of the year and is rising up the charts with a bullet. He won his last two, and though they were at the allowance level, his 95 and 99 SPFs will certainly contend here. Buchiw has the reins and he has been as hot as the colt, more than doubling his usual win percentage this year. Maybe the stars are all aligned and this trio has become an “APPEALING PLAY”.
| 8 – LONGSHOT BUBA | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/1 | IansPlugs | 19.0% | Z.Skunk | 17% | 97.6 | 87.2 | 33 |
(CEE’S TIZZY x MANILA x RELAUNCH) Not such a longshot, this colt has been on one heck of a hot streak. In his past seven races, five of them Stakes level, he has six wins and a second. Almost all were pretty handy wins too. Now it is time to see if he can make the jump to the Graded level for trainer IansPlugs. I don’t see anything to make me believe it won’t be successful, especially with Skunk in irons. He won the QUICK SEATTLE challenge last outing with a 97 SPF. Look for this longshot on the board.
| 9 – FLEET OVERTURE | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/1 | Swale007 | 10.3% | B.Euler | 17% | 95.4 | 83.9 | 35 |
(AFLEET x DANEHILL x NIGHT SHIFT) Here is a colt with a huge heart. He always seems to put forth his best effort and that is usually pretty good. He has nine top two finishes in his 13 races including a Stakes win in his last trip around the oval. Trainer Swale007 is looking for big things from his prized colt and jockey Euler and his hot hand should be able to help in that regard. He likes this distance and ought to be near the front at the finish.
| 10 – SEEKING THE LASS | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/1 | RichardObe | 6.4% | N.Hartel | 14% | 90.9 | 85.4 | 30 |
(SEEKING THE GOLD x NIGHT SHIFT x CUTLASS) Another hot horse with two straight Stakes wins and five of six in the top two. It appears on paper that he doesn’t have the speed to contend but once again, you have to wonder if he went all out when winning the last two. Trainer RichardObe has been bringing this colt along nicely and has him back in the sprints where he excels. Ladies and Gentlemen, we may have horses strung eight across at the wire with all of the even talent in this race.
| 11 – RUN FOR HONEY | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14/1 | Carlos410 | 4.7% | CC.Johnson | 11% | 73.1 | 69.5 | 199 |
(GOLD FEVER x FORLI x SEA-BIRD) Back on turf where he got his only win after several dirt races, Carlos410’s colt looks to be a little above his level in this one. His best speed to date on this course style is a 73 SPF and that sure won’t cut it. I’m guessing that he will improve the speed but not enough to get into the top half of this field.
| 12 – JAPANS LAST HOPE(JPN) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13/1 | LoDog20 | 8.6% | W.Cook | 3% | 94.1 | 85.3 | 17 |
(EISHIN MASAMUNE (JPN) x SEATTLE SLEET x DEWAN) This colt is a Graded winner at this distance but is getting no play in the Morning Line. He is also top 20 in the rankings. His speeds don’t measure up but he has an amazing seven wins in his young career and knows how to get to the winners circle. Trainer LoDog20 has selected jockey Cook to guide his colt and he has been ice cold this year. If he can turn his season around, he has the right colt under him to do it with.
| 13 – STORY TOLD | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14/1 | Maxibar | 20.6% | M.Zerr | 0% | 83.8 | 83.8 | N/A |
(ATTICUS x RED RANSOM x A.P. INDY) Trainer Maxibar claimed this colt two back then threw him into his first turf race which he won nicely. It would make a great rags to riches story if he can win here, but I’m afraid that might be more fairy tale than documentary. He has Zerr in the stirrups and he is still looking for his first win this year which adds to the drama. Tell the studios to stay close as it will be an incredible story if they can all get a win here.
Morning Line = 4-5-3-8-9
Yoss Tipsheet = 5-8-9-7
Paz Picks = ?-?-?-?
I’ll tell you what…I’ve gone back and forth over this card and I’ll be darned if I can tell you who will finish in the top five let alone win the race. I’ve never begged off of a race before but this one is anyone’s race. There are too many good young runners and yet all of them seem to have some sort of flaw as well. I’m going to let this one go and let the trainers believe that they can all win it! Sorry!
Good luck to all runners!
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. I love to hear from you!Paz