Krishna Facing Old Foes, New Challengers in Grade II Yabba Dabba Doo
The top earning older mare in the sim, Krishna(IRE), lines up in the middle of a small but competitive field in Ascot’s featured 15th race on Saturday, the Grade II Yabba Dabba Doo Handicap, an 11 furlong race for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, on what’s promising to be a firm turf course. Krishna’s appearance may have scared some off, but she’s certainly facing some live shots in this race, ranging from old rivals (like Joe’s Angels) to up-and-coming challengers stepping up (KGBeast and PJ Total Quest to name but two). The entrants by Post Position:
PP 1 – KGBeast(IRE) (Galileo(IRE) x Nureyev x Silver Hawk) comes into this race as a 7/1 shot at the absolute top of her form, and has shown the raw speed to run with these as well. The question here might be the class, as she’s got 11th and 4th place finishes in her only Graded stakes efforts prior to this one (also both Grade II races). But this devil01 charge loves this distance (3-1-1 in five lifetime starts at 11f, including three wins in a row), has a killer finishing kick, and if she doesn’t get intimidated by some of the class in this race, has a very good chance for a huge run here, right into the winner’s circle.
PP 2 – K’s Western Magic (Sadler’s Wells x Gone West x Blushing Groom(FR)) comes in from the sheen stable with those same 7/1 odds as Kgbeast, but with different pros and cons. She’s definitely kept more prestigious company than her next-post neighbor (this will be her 15th stakes race, and her 5th Graded one), but with mixed results. She has a Grade I and a Grade II show finish in her past, but both of those were at 14 furlongs, and her last three outings were disappointing, finishing a combined 44+ lengths behind. When she’s on her game, she’s another furious closer, and with a hot pace, can close a lot of distance. But for my money, I’d need to see a bit of a form reversal before banking on a win here.
PP 3 – Thundering Devine (Ecton Park x Thunder Gulch x Stage Door Johnny), a six year old mare bred and trained by teamstable, is yet another 7/1 shot with some undeniable back class, but that class has been spread out over several years (she’s making her 51st career start on Saturday). She has broken the 110 mark several times, but not since the 2004 season. This season she’s been lightly raced, and has run in the low to mid 90s. While she still seems a very solid upper allowance/overnight stakes kind of gal, I’m thinking she’ll need a trip like she hasn’t had in a year and a half or so to be a factor here.
PP 4 – Joe’s Angels (Septieme Ciel x Loft x Grey Dawn II) is another well-raced grand dame (she’s got 45 races under her belt), but trainer ajr13 has this old gal running almost as well as she ever has. While she isn’t hitting those 110+ figures she once was (also in 2004), she is coming off of a very nice Grade III 10f win where she clocked a 102 speed figure. And while she’s well-rested (49 days since her last race), she’s shown she can fly off of a rest before (the aforementioned Grade III win LTO was off of a 77 day layoff), so she probably won’t need a race to be sharp here. When she’s at her best, she likes to be on or near the lead, and if she runs her best race, she is capable of wiring this field, if the favorite doesn’t run her best race.
PP 5 – Krishna(IRE) (Theatrical(IRE) x Kris S. x Nashua) has accomplished pretty much everything but having a major religion named after her… Oh wait…Hmmm…. She’s an Eclipse winner, a multiple Graded Stakes winner, including Grade I races, she’s even won 2/3 of her sprints and half of her dirt races. Still, even this Hall of Famer-in-waiting has chinks in her armor. She does her best racing at a bit farther than 11f, and she’s coming off of a Grade III effort where she was a beaten favorite at close to 2/1, her odds in this race. Then again, she ALSO won this very race last year, beating, among others, the lovely and talented Joe’s Angels, discussed above. Paceman2 saddles a very deserving favorite, but certainly not a lock here.
PP 6 – PJ Total Quest (El Nadim x Quest For Fame(GB) x Secretariat) comes in from the osstable, and comes in off of a heartbreaker LTO, where she closed like a madwoman, only to fall a head short at the wire. And at almost 7/1 odds. Her average speeds look a little short to catch the best in this field, but with her best race, she can stay within striking distance, and might get a check, especially with another form bump this time out.
PP 7 – Aztec Torpedo (Alzao x Royal Al x Salt Dome) is globalsim‘s entry in this field, and this gal’s record is…mixed… to say the least. Her last three outings have ranged from 83 to 101 in speed figures, and the 83 was in an allowance. Although she likes this distance best, much like PJ Total Quest right next to her, this 5 year old lady will need her best race to finish in the money with this class of racehorse, but she’s another one that will give an honest effort down the stretch (she’s finished ITM 4 of her last 5, but in ungraded stakes races).
PP 8 – The Cripple (Mineshaft x Alydar x Buckpasser) comes in from the vrcomp4 stable, and is the longest shot in the field at 19/1. This well-bred 4 year old is stepping up to her first stakes race of any kind with a huge leap in class, and her previous speeds don’t appear to warrant that big a jump yet. She’s racing at her favorite distance (2 of her lifetime 3 wins are at 11f), but it may take a Disney movie script to get this horse a check in a race with this company.
My Bets
$5 Win on Krishna
$2 Exacta – Krishna over Joe’s Angels and KGBeast
$2 Exacta Box – Krishna/Joe’s Angels/KGBeast