Gushing Goes For Greatness in Longchamp Marathon

Monday is chock-full of grade ones on the biggest day of racing in Paris every year.  The highlight of course is the Ark de ComicDog but the most important race this year may be the Grade One Longchamp Marathon.  Run at two miles for a purse of $500,000 the added significance of this year’s edition comes from the presence of heavy favorite Gushing.  One of two fillies in the field, Gushing has been a dominant force on the two mile circuit this season and a win here could propel her to the top of Horse of the Year standings.  She may be a heavy favorite but they still have to run the race before declaring her the winner so let’s take a look at the field.

#1 Burning Empire                                           10/1

Burning Empire is a six year old son of Bernardini out of the grade one winning millionaire mare Empire Reef (Empire Maker x Mill Reef).  He is the only graded winner that the mare has produced to date.  Burning Empire earned that distinction by winning the Grade Two Stayer’s Dash in 2013.  He actually competed in this race in 2012, finishing fourth.  This season Burning Empire has a listed stakes win and a couple of allowance wins.  His speeds have been less than triple digits barring that listed win which came in January.

 

#2 El Hombre Kirby                                          12/1

El Hombre Kirby is a five year old scratchbred son of Teofilo x Galileo x Distorted Humor.  He opened the year with three straight victories in Starter Allowance and Claiming races.  He was available for a $100,000 tag but there were no takers until he was dropped into the auction and snatched up by current trainer jacobsson.  For the new connections he dominated an allowance race at a mile and five eighths winning by over five lengths with a 96 speed.  Prior to that he had run two triple digit numbers, the first of his career.  El Hombre Kelly has only been the two mile trip twice but both races resulted in wins albeit against far easier competition.

 

#3 My Former Self                                           6/1

My Former Self is a four year old scratchbred son of Dynaformer x El Prado x Machiavellian.  He enters this start riding a four race win streak which began with two allowance victories.  Stepped up to a listed stakes race in July he won by over five lengths with a 105 speed.  That was also his first try at two miles.  He returned to that distance in August and again posted a dominating four length victory in the Grade Three Cannon Gold Cup with a 103 speed.  Overall My Former Self has been an ultra-consistent competitor, winning seven races and being in the money in four others from thirteen starts.

 

#4 Outback Voyager                                       9/2

Outback Voyager is a five year old scratchbred daughter of Montjeu x Kingmambo x Broad Brush.  This talented mare has won nine times and earned over three million dollars and last season’s Eclipse Award for Champion Grass Mare.  Her victories include the 2013 edition of the Longchamp Marathon, a race she ran away with, winning by over three lengths.  This season has been less successful for the super mare.  She made her first four starts in grade one races against males with her best finished being a couple of sixth place runs.  She dropped down to an allowance against the girls last out and easily won with a 102 speed.  She may be rounding into form but she will need to run an A race to beat these top males.

 

#5 Dope                                               15/1

Dope is a five year old son of Deep Impact out of the grade one winning millionaire mare Queen Steely (Rainbow Quest x Theatrical).  This is the second graded winner she has produced from nine foals to race.  Dope has three wins on the season, all in two mile races.  He took two allowances early in the season and added the Grade Three BBR Special in May.  He won that race with a 103 speed.  His two subsequent races have been disappointing.  He was well beaten in the Grade One Gold Glass in June and then was distanced in the Grade Two Greatwood Cup in August.  We can only assume he was injured in that race as he only ran a 6 speed.  He’s had two months off since that debacle but returns in a very contentious race.

 

#6 Gushing                                         2/1

Gushing is a four year old scratchbred daughter of Monsun x Sadler’s Wells x Roberto.  This filly is rocking the house in 2014 with a big part of her success the switch to two mile races.  She won her first start at the distance in February when she beat the boys in the Grade Two Fitness Cup.  Since then she has added wins in the Grade One South Australian Cup, Grade One Gold Glass and Grade Two Longdale Cup all at today’s distance.  Her speeds in her wins have gone as high as 112 and 114 – huge numbers for this distance.  There’s very little to say about this filly except WOW!  A win here would propel her into the Horse of the Year discussion, she’s that good.

 

#7 Tete Orvar                                                    22/1

Tete Orvar is a four year old son of High Chaparral out of a Rock of Gibraltar x Grand Lodge mare, from the family of grade one winning Tete Grand End.  Tete Orvar is making his stakes and graded stakes debut in this spot but he’s no stranger to the distance.  His last five starts have all come at two miles and he’s won them all.  In fact he is currently riding a seven race win streak which began with his maiden victory.  He’s never run a triple digit speed but he’s won each race by open lengths, including an almost nine length blowout in his most recent run.

 

#8 Sandy Lane                                   14/1

Sandy Lane is a four year old scratchbred son of Montjeu x Nijinsky II x Miswaki.  Sandy Lane is the lightest raced horse in the field with only eight starts.  He’s won four of those races, including two of three tries at two miles.  He won an allowance race in June, ran third in his stakes debut in July and then won a listed in August.  His fastest speed is a 102 which he earned in that third place finish two starts back.

 

#9 Cape Assassin                                              6/1

Cape Assassin is a four year old son of Cape Blanco based on a Dubawi x Sinndar hemare.  He was claimed by current trainer fredstable for only $35,000 as a two year old.  He’s gotten progressively better as distances have increased, including four wins at two miles.  Two of those wins came in graded company.  In April he won the Grade Three Barberville and in May the Grade Two Second Henry.  He followed that race up with a solid showing against Gushing in the Grade One Gold Glass where he finished second.  He ran a career best 110 speed in that race.  He hiccupped a bit in his most recent start, running fourth in the Grade Two Greatwood Cup.

 

#10 Run For Miles                                            5/1

Run For Miles is a four year old scratchbred son of Hurricane Run x Dilshaan x Lear Fan.  Run For Miles was claimed for $3,000 in May of last season by current trainer glenys123.  He began to live up to his name as distances increased and won four straight off the claim at distances up to a mile and one half.  He scored his first stakes win two starts back at two miles in a listed race.  He followed that up with a strong third place finish in the Grade Two Irish Saint Legend where he ran a 105 speed.  That race came at a mile and three quarters but he had previously run an identical 105 speed at two miles back in May.

 

Good luck to all!