Basilisk Isles Seeks Back to Back Bargain Bowl Wins in the Johns Call
The Johns Call is part of the Bargain Bowl extravaganza taking place in New Zealand on Saturday. The race is contested at a mile and a half on the turf. This will be the third time this race has been run and we have the defending champ from last year back to defend his title. As we go through the runners there does seem to be some speed in the race but there are also some closers. Our favorite Basilisk Isles is our likely pace setter so none of that running style could play any factor if he is on his game. This race has five fillies set to take on the boys so lets get to the runners.
16/1 1 Zabaca – King of Danes (AUS) x Glide X Krisinsky – this four year colt is another entry from the Lgbost barn. He tried the Cougar Bite last year and finished a solid fourth. In 2014 Zabaca ran out his claiming tag in starter allowance races. He picked up three wins in five races over that time. He then stepped into state restricted allowance races for his next five races where he won two of his next three races. His last two are head scratchers. Two back it was an open state restricted race and he did not fire and finished twenty six lengths back. In his next race he was pulled up. Maybe he had a physical issue. He has not raced since so comes into the race off a three month layoff. He has a closing style so with so many that could go to the front he could be a player if he is fit and ready. His odds are a bit inflated because of his last two so don’t let they fool you.
8/1 2 Laternos – Kalatos (GER) x Nicaron (GER) x In a Tiff (IRE) – This five year old mare is another entry from the Lgbost stables. Lino brought this filly along nicely in 2014. She was a BP machine with Six wins in eleven starts. She added three second place finishes and a third place finish to those six wins. Laternos ran in hot races and state bred races all year. Her speed figures are below the favorites but her form says she can be a factor in this race. She is another that figures to be close to the pace in this race. She is respected by the morning line odds of 8/1 and that is a positive for the bettors.
1-1 3 Basilisk Isles – Ballingarry (IRE) x River Bay x The Irish Lord) This six year old is trained by Lgbost. Basilisk Isles won this race last year and is back again to defend his title. He began the year taking advantage of a claiming tag running in four starter allowance races winning each one. He carried that winning streak into an open allowance and won that race. He came into the Kings Thirteen riding a six race winning streak. He continued that good form going gate to wire just like he always does. He took on open stakes company in his next start and did not fire finishing fifth. He would get back on track in state restricted races before the Arc de Maleleve. In the bargain version of the Arc Basilisk Isles stepped away set an easy pace and dominated racking up his third BBRS win. He has not raced since so comes in on eight weeks rest. He did this last year so I would not worry about the extra time between races. Basilisk Isles running style is on the lead and if he gets there uncontested he might live up to his even money odds and crush this field.
14-1 4 Secret Guilt – Debussy (IRE) x Schossberg (CAN) x Caucus. This runner hails from my txknight stables. Basically he has been sprinting. As a two year old last year he ran fourth in the Winchester on Bargain Bowl Day. That was his last start over seven furlongs. He has sprinter speed so I never moved him out distance wise. I kept him in turf sprints in open allowance company. He competed alright always earning a check. I looked at his pedigree and was deciding what I should do with him for this Bargain Bowl and thought I pretty much was an idiot not testing him at longer distances. The best way to prep for a mile and a half is with a five furlong sprint. I am not sure of his chances. His one mile try was not that great but there could be many reasons for that. He will probably not be part of the pace as wen run in his lone route he was off pace. If the distance is not an issue and the pedigree says it should not be then he could close and maybe get a piece of the pie.
103-1 5 Into the Mess – Volksraad (GB) x Way of the Light x Into The Sun. This four year old filly is an extreme longshot odds wise. She hails from the mtk stables and comes into the race with five wins in her 2014 season. It’s a season that has seen her compete mostly at the claiming levels . She broke her maiden and went through her non winners of x lifetime conditions. She has not taken a big step forward speed figure wise and that’s why her odds are where they are for this race. Her running style is from off the pace and if the pace fails and she improves she could be make an impact.
3/2 6 Otara Rio – Captain Rio(GB) x Tobougg (IRE) x Xaar – This five year old colt hails from the Hawkz barn. He was third last year in this race and is ready to take another shot at Basilisk Isles. One thing stands out in Otara Rio’s 2014 campaign, no wins. Seven races five places, a third and an eighth place finish. I would not hold that against him at all though because he is facing top bargain competition. He also likes to go to the lead and ended up pressing the pace in the Kings Thirteen finishing second behind Basilisk Isles. He tried the Ten Lost Pyramids but pace pressure got to him. He next tried the Hinterland on dirt and performed well. He set the pace and hung on well for second. Otara Rio won the 2013 Wombat Cup and lead every step of the 2014 Wombat Cup except the very last. A hard beat but this guy is resilient and it would be no surprise if he wins. His is the second choice on the morning line and I think he is a major player in this race.
26/1 7 Frozen Zoo – Monaco Consul (NZ) x Deploy (GB) x Maribeau. Frozen Zoo is a three year old filly from the Planoaxius barn. This will be just her third race which is very interesting. She won on debut at a mile and seven eighths. She went gate to wire as the heavy favorite winning by ten lengths. Her speed figure was a 55. Do not read much into that speed figure. At long distances horses are only going to run as fast as needed to win. She showed that by jumping right into bargain stakes company in the Wombat Cup in start two where she earned a 80 speed figure finishing fifth. She was way back but now cuts back a half mile and in her third start could move forward again which could put her in the thick of things. In her two races she has been close to a slower pace so she will likely be off the pace here. Very interesting runner and is possibly the wild card in this race.
16/1 8 Camp Ice – Fire Engine Guy (AUS) x Echelon’s Ice Man x Eishin Seattle. Another filly in this race and she hails from the Planoaxius stables. Just thirteen lifetime starts for the four year old who raced mostly in claiming races early in the year. She had wins on turf and dirt but in the summer put together a nice pair of back to back wins. She went to bargain company on the dirt in the Hinterland and ran maybe her worst race of the year. She came back in the Over Highland on the turf and ran an ok race. She needs to step up and the distance here may be an issue. Her best has come at shorter distances. When she runs well she is near the pace so if she breaks well she may be set to make an impact.
14/1 9 Newbar Fujin – Capano Fujin (JPN) x Fasliyev x Bubble Gum Fellow (JPN). The hawkz barn brings you this four year old filly. She has competed on dirt and turf this year and middle to long distances. She has improved but her only win was in January. That win was on the dirt but she ran pretty well on the turf in the sprint and coming off a layoff stepped into stakes company taking on the boys in the Ten Lost Pryamids and finished third with a really nice speed figure. She fell off form wise in her next two starts but she is now returning to the turf. I do not think the distance is an issue and she might get a similar pace and race scenario she saw in the ten lost pyramids. She returns to that form and she is a player in this race.
Its really hard to look past the two favorites. I can see a scenario where these two are within a length or two of each other for the entire race and finish several lengths in front of the rest of the field. But with bargains and in the Bargain Bowl weird things happen and there are a couple of wild cards here that could trump the favorites. Good luck to all the runners and trainers.