Cry Me A Winnerr Heads Strong Field in Grade 2 Subenville Stakes at Surrey
The Saturday’s Grade 2 Stubenville Stakes at Surrey (ENG) is a 7-furlong turf test for 2yo’s. An interesting and widely-varied field of 13 will greet the starter.
The only graded-stakes winner in the race also happens to be the only filly, SUPER BIRD FLY. A winner of three allowance races in six starts is CRY ME A WINNERR, who is also 2-for-2 on the sod and holds the top speed rating in the field. There is even a maiden with a decent shot at it, and a first-time starter.
Let’s take a peek at the field…
SUPER STINGER has certainly been through the wars in a short time… The Superfly colt out of a grade-3 winning sim-mare has won three times including a $125k claimer in which graywolf15 maintained ownership. His speed numbers improved some when he was switched to the sod a few starts back, but he may have bitten off a bit more than he can chew in this spot and gets 10/1 odds.
JAZZ HOOVES is still a maiden, though the blueblooded Sea The Stars colt has been “right there” in all four of his starts. Trainer rayscubs has been happy with his runner’s progress but is frustrated by the near-misses and doesn’t really like the idea that he could find himself saddled with the “fanciest 2yo maiden in the Sim” unless the furlong added today makes a difference and helps the colt carry my, err his, beloved UCLA colors to the winner’s circle. The oddsmakers seem to think another similar result is in the cards, making him 7/1, the fifth choice.
HIGHNOOR has just two starts under his belt; an easy maiden win followed by a midpack showing in the Grade 2 Jimcrack Stakes at Surrey, several lengths back of JAZZ HOOVES. The aacordero trainee, a nicely-bred son of High Chaparral, could improve sharply in just his 3rd career start; he’ll need to do just that to have a shot here at 13/1.
SUPER BIRD FLY has a graded-stakes title, winning the Grade 3 Cyborg three races ago against other fillies. The Superfly filly’s efforts since have been another story; a bad day v. colts in the Grade 3 Cyborg and a moderately good 3rd in a minor stakes against her own sex. Trainer jesusg will need a superb effort from his filly to get much done in the field. Odds seem a trifle low to me at 9/1.
CRY ME A WINNERR has yet to see a horse get ahead of him since he switched to the turf a couple races ago; understandably, he’s the 7/2 betting choice. The speedy scratch-bred Tapit colt from a Sadler’s Wells mare dazzled the clockers with a zippy 93 speed rating last time for trainer lglong20ys and a repeat of that best-in-today’s-field performance will be extremely tough to beat.
DARK GRAYDARING is undefeated on the turf in two tries, but tries a completely new league in the speed-ratings department here and the Graydar colt, a 36/1 longshot trained by pasingwind, will have to come up with some some 20 rating points worth of speed to get much done in this group.
JOE SIDEKICK is an Invincible Spirit colt from a Johannesburg sim-mare who has produced one stakes winner. Last time out, the seamhead70 trainee ran a creditable 4th in the Grade 3 A Bomb Stakes at this distance at 12/1. A repeat of that performance could find the winner’s circle here. This time, the ‘cappers don’t let him get away with long odds; he’s a 6/1 contender.
ELA ELA ELA is a West Virginia-bred colt by the obscure-but-well-bred sire Our Entourage, himself a son of the great Street Cry. His sim-dam has produced fairly well, but other than that, there isn’t a whole lot to go on at this point. The graywolf31 trainee won his debut, but hasn’t won in five starts since, and his two turf tries haven’t shown a whole lot. 22/1 longshot will need a huge effort to contend here.
DARK QUEENZ is a first-time starter with a solid pedigree (Discreet Cat from a Grade-2 winning sim-mare by Anabaa), but darkstars4 tries an extremely ambitious spot and gets slapped with 14/1 odds on his filly. May turn out to be be a good one, but not much to go on at this point.
TELL THE KING has won half his starts thus far but faded late a 6 furlongs in a minor stakes last time out despite getting a new career-best speed figure. The Intello colt from a Kingmambo sim-mare adds a furlong after a late fade; not exactly a recipe for success for the jennahs trainee, but not any more difficult than winning a graded-stakes with a maiden and two others in this race are trying just that… Gets a lot of repect from the ‘cappers and goes off at 6/1.
DARK WESTHEIMER will need to show improved “stick” in order to compete successfully with this bunch. The Mountain High colt has been at double-digit odds in all four of his starts and he gets 19/1 here. He did pull an upset v. winners in his debut, so maybe trainer adeeprock15 has something up his sleeve for this try.
DISHEVELEDNESS earned his “W” badge in his 2nd start, but the Medicean colt ran into trouble against graded-stakes company last time out. The skunkbarn trainee gets huge respect from the oddsmakers here at 6/1, most likely due as much to his fine bloodlines as to anything he’s yet done on the racetrack. He’ll need to find another level to get the job done vs. these.
ROCKINGHAM PARK attempts to become the first stakes-winner by German sire Jukebox Jury. The jockeyrobledo36 trainee was tried on the dirt last time and ran a creditable 4th, but returns to the sod here in what is already his 10th career start. Maybe the surface switch will help this guy find some more zip; he’ll need to run a good bit better than his 81 career-top. Goes off at 15/1.
A look at the odds shows that the bookies at Surrey see CRY ME A WINNERR to be the clear choice… I don’t disagree in any way; he should lead this wire-to-wire.
Now, as to the rest, I have no clue… But just for kicks and giggles, I’ll say JOE SIDEKICK gets the nod for 2nd and my runner, JAZZ HOOVES, adds to his “fancy-maiden” reputation and grabs 3rd.
Good luck at the races!