Dash For the Cash

A full field of fourteen runners goes to post for the Claiming Crown – The Dash at six furlongs on the main track. Every horse in the field has started for a claiming tag of $7,500 in the last six months and come from varied backgrounds.

The 7/2 top choice is Top Hollandia (IRE), who breaks from post twelve for trainer francsoir. Claimed from a winning effort two back, the son of Kadeed has had a solid career, with seven career wins, including an open allowance win and stake placings as a two year old. He certainly has the speed and class to threaten anything in this field and gets top jock N Gardner to boot.

The 9/2 second choice is the Minnesota trained veteran Cordon Cordon, trained by competitive trainer cothill. Cothill recently acquired Cordon Cordon for the bargain price of $2,500 after his long time trainer stelplas decided that the war horse was closed to finish. Any horse with an in the money percentage of 55% and a history of running triple digit speed figures at the race distance, deserves a lot of respect. Cordon Cordon leaves from post three for A Stepnoski.

Cordon Cordon and Top Hollandia are solidly the top two choices, but the odds get much tighter after those two. A pair of horses share third choice honors at 6/1, including the Jerms, from the slowjet stable. Jerms loves the front end and it has earned him a reputation as a solid, if not spectacular claimer. He never really advanced beyond low level allowance races, but always gives his best effort with his quick breaking style. Another horse that was recently acquired by his current owner, Jerms should be the pace setter in here.

The other 6/1 choice, kkat127’s Baby Below Me is another horse who enjoys the front end and is likely to be blazing with Jerms early on. The six year old really came into his own last year as a solid starter allowance horse, prior to being claimed by kkat. His race may be determined by how the early fractions go.

Far Beyond Driven is a well bred Forestry colt who starts from post six in his first start for trainer obone. Primarily a turf specialist, he will try to score his first career victory on the main track here, shooting for the claiming crown. His zero for seven record on the dirt is a bit misleading, as he has put up speed figures that can go with most in the field. A stakes placed two year old, he is in good form now and gets a top jockey in N Trumbull for the young trainer obone, making just his fourth career training start. Far Beyond Driven, at 8/1, is the last horse under double digit odds in the field.

Four Drive, from the doobie stable, has been out of form as of late, with no wins in the previous early in 2004. Doobie will need to have Four Drive on his best to be competitive here. The colt usually lags toward the back of the pack early, but jockey T Fozo might decide to send him out of there from the inside. The odds makers have dismissed Four Drive at 73/1.

Post two is Quetzlcoatl, trained by caveat is listed at 14/1 from post two. A four time career winner the son of outstanding sprinter Squirtle Squirt has the speed to compete in here, but needs to work on his consistency. A top effort here would put him in the money.

Another Minnesota trained horse, Hottt Shot, trained by residency manger Theo’s Theodore 9 stable breaks from post four at 14/1 odds. Hottt Shot has had success in the past by allowing the early speed to develop then storming down the lane. He may get his wish in here, with Baby Below Me and Jerms likely to fight it out early. Theo is also represented in The Ruby claiming crown race.

The red hot Sooz Monarch deserves better than his 15/1 odds. His trainer/breeder countwilde, recently decided to Crusader’s Song colt to the front and he has been rewarded with two straight victories, including a blazing 95 speed figure in his last race. If you believe in the hot horse and horse for a course theories, Sooz Monarch would be the choice.

Ets6’s Mighty Zip is at his peak now also, having been no worse than second in his six previous starts. Shipping in from Nevada, the son of Grade 1 winner City Zip, seems to be really coming into himself as ets6 found the right spot for Mighty Zip, who is able to place in claimers without leaving the barn. Mighty Zip faces the best of the best today, but if he is still on his game, will be competitive.

Dash Master is listed at 46/1 for trainer moneypot and would need a career best here to place with the top ones. Moneypot runs a small three horse stable, so Dash Master has been given the care he needs. It will have to be shown that he has the ability, however.

Phillipj3 brings Breakdance Beat(GB) into the race as a bit of an outsider. The lightly raced son of Beat Hollow is 27/1 and owns two career wins. He is another that would need a career best to likely be competitive.

            Bobg10 won the shake to get Carolina Smoke when he went off odds on two starts back and was quickly rewarded by a blistering 100 speed figure in his last start, a starter allowance at 5.5f on the main track. That was a career best by fourteen points for the Smoke Glacken four year old, so a bounce would appear likely. However if Carolina Smoke can repeat that effort, he would be a contender here.

            The unfortunately named Dingleberry Dave leaves from post fourteen for nudiebar22’s stable. Dingleberry Dave’s front running style is good at getting him on the board, but the speed figures he has posted recently may be a little shy of the top ones. He has changed hands a lot recently and now resides in the new nudiebar22 stable.

Trackman’s picks:        #12 – Top Hollandia

                                    #7 – Jerms

                                    #3 – Cordon Cordon

                                    #5 – Sooz Monarch