Older Females Take Center Stage in Dubai

Welcome to the sands of Dubai, for this week’s listed stakes, The Pinkie’s Seattle Challenge. The older fillies and mares have gathered this week to run 9.5 furlongs on the dirt course for a nice big purse of $90,000. Let’s take a look at the field.

On the rail at 5/1 is one of my favourite racemares, Violent Storm (Illinois Storm x Unbridled), owned by slammin. The hard-knocking 6yo veteran has racked up 60 starts in her career, and has banked over three quarters of a million in earnings. She’s gotten to that point where her good races happen less frequently, but she did place in a G2 three races back. It’s been a year since she cut back to this short of a distance. Perhaps it will spark some new life into her. I. Alton (9%) gets the mount.

In post two at 5/2 is Bucking Bronco (Wild Again x Damascus) owned by coolk2. She is a 4yo and is ranked #27 in the dirt classic division. She won a G3 a few races back, and has won three of her last five. Her speeds haven’t been super fast since that graded race, but they haven’t needed to be. With S L Ledwith (26%) in the saddle, she’s a sure bet to be in contention.

In post three is today’s favourite at 2/1, Lady Cynthia (Deputy Minister x Nureyev), owned by ndavidson. True to her name, this 7yo strides confidently onto the track as if she is royalty. She may be a year older than Storm, but has made half as many starts, and is still running pretty consistently. This will mark the first year since she was three that she’s made more than five starts in the entire season. She won a stakes two races back, but Joe Cool (4%) isn’t much of a confidence builder.

In post four at 9/2 is Morales (More Than Ready x Ack Ack) owned by rharzheim0. She is a 5yo and has been running exclusively in listed stakes, once winning three of them in a row in a time period spanning the end of last season to her first start this season. She has been off form lately, but has had a break since her last start and should be fresh. Appropriately enough, H. Harzheim (17%) has been chosen to ride.

In post five at 7/2 is Master And Command(Ire) (Montjeu(Ire) x Spinning World) owned by scream. She is a 4yo, and just recently returned to dirt after spending most of her career on the lawn. The result has been two wins in two starts, both with 100+ speed figures, the last being in a listed stakes. M. Links (7%) would love to make it three in a row.

Rounding out the field at 7/1 is the lightly raced Up Your Dosage (Forty Niner x Storm Cat) owned by dokki2. This royally bred 4yo has made four starts, only managing to win a maiden race so far, but a 102 speed figure last time out has her connections on cloud nine. With Alydar on the back side of this pedigree, there’s no reason whatsoever to think the distance will upset her. Can she step up to black type competition? G. Ayso (8%) is in the saddle.

That is our field. We have the 4yo making her fifth career start, up to the 6yo in her 61st career start, and even a 7yo who is still handling stakes competition with ease. Really, the only thing lacking here is true frontrunning speed. Bucking Bronco seems to be the most likely candidate to take charge out of the gate, and if she can control the pace, she may go gate to wire. Good luck to all the runners, and may they all come home sound.