Gr. 3 KING GEORGE BB Stakes
Ontario – A talented field of 9 older horses is set to contest the $150,000 Grade 3 KING GEORGE BB Stakes over 9 furlongs on the turf. It should be a wide-open affair with a post time favorite who has yet to win on the lawn, the number 11 ranked horse in the division as 2nd choice, and several viable contenders looking to make a name for themselves.
PP1 11/1 RANSOMAFFIRMEDSIR iant7
8-time stakes winner makes his debut against graded company. Scratch bred Red Ransom 5yo has not been in top form this year in his 3 starts. Comes in off a 10-week layoff after being distanced in his last effort. Interesting choice of spots to send him back to the track. Will have to revert to form of a stretch several races back to really have a shot here. Pass on him this time out.
PP2 7/1 MANNART TORNADO ashworth
4yo Storm Cat colt is the lone offspring of an F-rated A.P. Indy mare who did her winning on the dirt. Trainer probably wouldn’t have been disappointed with softer footing since his charge won 3 straight on the off-going before being soundly defeated when attempting 2 miles in a G1 last time out. 2 of his 7 wins have been stakes victories, including a G3 2 back. If we throw out his last effort, his last 3 tries routing have all been victories. Big threat, especially if he’s allowed a lonely lead.
PP3 5/1 TILLMAN wee
4yo scratch bred Danzig colt comes in here in the top form of his career thus far, at least as far as being sustained over a few races. He won a G2 on the dirt in only his 2nd start earning him a spot in the BB Juvenile. Has bounced back and forth between dirt and turf, winning 3 on each surface. All 3 turf wins have come in his last 3 races, the last an impressive stakes win at Epsom posting a 104 SP drawing away from a short field. Good form, decent pace to sit behind equals big chance.
PP4 9/1 LORD HORNBLOWER wemblem
4yo Touch Gold colt has had an interesting pattern in his 19-race career. Scored a nice win in his debut, then tried a couple of stakes and a couple of allowances. Ran strictly allowances as a 3yo, winning 1. Since turning 4 he has run only stakes races, again winning one which is the only stakes win to his credit. Has tried graded company twice, both tougher fields than this, but has faded toward the end in both. Will need a big step forward to get a piece.
PP5 7/1 BEST BLUFF phoebejoys
4yo Bestyoucanbe colt has really flourished since coming under the tutelage of phoebejoys after being erratically raced by prior barn. Makes stakes debut after a pair of impressive 5 length score over full allowance fields, but they weren’t the strongest of allowance fields with only 1 stakes winner total in both races. Tactics similar to those two races could serve him well today as he should have a hot pace to sit in just behind. Definitely a player if he can handle the step up, but it’s a big step.
PP6 7/2 TOP JIMMY sdmf2
Deep closer comes in here as the 11th ranked older horse in the division. 7 of his 8 wins have come since he switched over to the lawn. 5 of those wins are stakes scores including 2 G1 wins, the last coming only 3 races back. Runner-up in last year’s edition of this race when he lost by a head to a 30-1 longshot. Scratch bred Peintre Celebre 5yo had a couple of respectable 4th place finishes in his last 2 against tougher fields. Top jock can’t hurt. Would like to see more of a speed duel up front, but class of this field.
PP7 2/1 HARPER’S FOLLY wisjoel
4yo Gone West colt comes in as the favorite although he has yet to win on the green stuff. He’s tried the turf twice with a fairly well beaten 3rd being his better showing against a tough field of allowance horses. On the main track, he’s won 10 of 17, including 3 listed stakes. Interestingly, he has never been in first place at any call except the one that matters – the finish. Has failed to show the late kick on the turf though. Looks to be a beaten favorite and would surprise to be part of the exotics.
PP8 17/1 GET MORE MINUTES ldstables
4yo Sakhee colt is out of an F-rated Cleone mare. He did not begin his career until turning 4 and has won 3 of his 6 starts, a MSW and 2 allowances. Fared well with a 2nd place finish in a listed stakes 2 back. Finished a fading 4th last time out at 32/1 odds in a G2. That race was on a yielding surface so unsure as to whether the fade was due to the company or the surface. Love the odds as he could really provide value to the exotics, but just don’t see him getting the win.
PP9 11/1 VIOLET CRUMBLE iowp52
5yo Sakhee offspring comes in off a couple of G3’s on the dirt, including a nice 2nd two races back. All 5 of his wins have come on the turf, including his lone stakes win at the end of an impressive 4-race win streak last year. Unfortunately, that was his last win and he has only 2 2nd place finishes from 9 starts since then and both of those have come on the dirt. Dirt-to-turf has been tried twice in that stretch, resulting in 6th and 9th place finishes. Looking elsewhere.
Analysis
I’m completely throwing out the favorite so I’ll go with 2nd choice TOP JIMMY for the win, followed by MANNART TORNADO and TILLMAN.
6-2-3