Digging The Grave leads best of turf sprinter division in Smackdown II(G1)
Kentucky– Oh, most wicked speed! Glorious speed to post in a most splendid match-up! Four of the five 2006 Grade 1 winners in the Older Male Turf Sprint Division gather for the Grade 1 $500,000 Smackdown II. This mighty 6 furlong race is top-to-bottom totally over the grand top (Ha!)……..
First, let’s get our X’s and O’s all lined up beginning with the Fantastic Grade 1 Four*:
PP 7: Digging The Grave, hero of both the Equinics(G1) and Golden Jamboree(G1) [Divisional Ranking: #2]
PP 4: General’s Chariot, last year’s Eclipse Sprint Champion, winner of the KY Horsemen Turf Sprint(G1) [Divisional Ranking: #1]
PP 5: Once Haunted, conqueror of the Rising Sun Sprint Cup(G1) [Divisional Ranking: #5]
PP 12: Digital Overture, gutsy victor of the Sydney Sprint(G1) [Divisional Ranking: #3]
The credential cup spilleth over for these top stars: Digital Overture boasts an additional two Grade 2 scores in 2006, while Digging The Grave presents a Grade 3. Both General’s Chariot and Once Haunted have each placed twice in Grade 1 contests.
*Kiki’s Solid Rock [Divisional Ranking: #4], winner of the General Pals Sprint Show(G1) is absent from the field.
Next, the exciting Graded horses who have placed versus this group recently. The following duo share a budding rivalry:
PP 10: Night’s Desire, winner of Mr Anderson Special(G3) & 3rd in Rising Sun Sprint Cup(G1); threw gorgeous SP# in listed company victory LTO [Divisional Ranking: #10]
PP 8: Best Rock Yet(IRE), champ of the duplicate Simon And Simon(G3) races at Italy and California; unplaced in Rising Sun Sprint Cup, but regained momentum with a tough 4th in Golden Jamboree(G1)
Listed stakes specialists:
PP 1: My Miracle, speedster zipped through Puerto Rico LTO and was Grade 3-placed prior to that effort
PP 6: Offstage(GB), big-time closer a brave 2nd in the Sydney Sprint [Divisional Ranking: #19]
PP 9: Sittin In A Tree G, another speedster who ripped a huge SP# several starts ago
PP 13: Q Tip XP(IRE), brazen 107 SP# score two starts back
Milers shortening up:
PP 2: Slew Can, recent hero of the Dr. Reuben Garr Memorial(G1); millionaire boasts a 3-for-4 lifetime turf sprint record
PP 11: Echoes, Sydney Mile(G1) runner-up enticingly tries shorter trip for just 2nd time in career
And, finally, the Sophomores:
PP 3: Woette’s Power, 4th-ranked 3yo colt grass sprinter and runner-up in After Shave Sprint(G2)
PP 14: Japans Last Hope(JPN), winner of the Alec And Stephen(G3) versus age group earlier this season; 6th in After Shave Sprint(G2)
Instead of getting all ga-ga about sires, odds, jockeys, and stuff (LOL! Hey, it’s a vacation article!), let’s skip all of that and cut right too some nitty gritty analysis:
Point # 1: Speedster rivals duke it out: Digging The Grave vs. Digital Overture. Sdmf’s Digging The Grave of course is the group’s classiest speedster. He made mockeries of the Equinics and Golden Jamboree — after the first furlong, it was all over in those races — nobody was gonna catch him.
But he’s not without rivals this time around! Spelunker’s Digital Overture brings mucho gate-break to the table — he played second-fiddle to the Gravedigger late last season in the Japan Sprint(G1), but both horses were just rounding into their Grade 1 top-of-the-division form. The pair’s Equinics had promised to be a rematch. Unfortunately, Digital Overture suffered apparent injury in the Equinics and finished last in the field. He was out for quite a spell until the Sydney Sprint(G1).
The Aussie race then became the new rematch, but this time, the Gravedigger wasn’t 100%. DTG was only on one weeks rest after a vigorous schedule that included a 4th to General’s Chariot in the KY Horsemen(G1). Both Digital Overture and DTG broke nose-to-nose in the Sydney Sprint, but the latter weakened in the stretch of the 5.5f event.
Of course ‘Overture won the race and has since vied versus graded company, losing a Grade 3 and winning the Grade 2 King’s Fall. Spelunker keeps him sharp as a 5 furlong-ish specialist. I’m not really sure about the reasoning — maybe it’s to save some horse for later in the year or perhaps spelunker thinks ‘Overture’s just better a furlong less.
So, here we are in July, and the pair both have 5 weeks rest, great jockeys, and appear 100%. What a match! DTG breaks to the inside, so ‘Overture has to run hard for position early. Wow!
# 2: More speed to join them! For sure listed winners My Miracle and Sittin In A Tree G add to the top guns’ pace fray. Unostables’ My Miracle is fresh off a wire-to-wire score. The 5YO also has the class, finishing well ahead of Digital Overture in the Full Speed Ahead(G3), missing the win by just 3/4 length. On paper, medusa’s Sittin In A Tree G though brings better-looking SP#s to the fray — he won four back with a 107, and just missed by a head with a 105 LTO.
The sophomore Woette’s Power also likes to cruise up front, but his SP#s are nowhere near the older horses. At best, he might be a mild factor. You never know though — possible he might bounce back after soundly beaten in Digital’s Overture’s King’s Fall(G2). Might be more wishful thinking than realistic analysis.
# 3: And those stalkers…..! Jef’s Once Haunted went on a carousel ride in the Rising Sun Sprint Cup, going gate-to-wire so easily, beating Night’s Desire, General’s Chariot, Offstage, and Best Rock Yet(IRE). He’s since been idle for a 10 week breather a la Horseshoe Bay (and we all know how the 2005 Horse Of The Year came back from his vacation! Yeah!). Great move by Jef since Once Haunted raced hard in a couple extra starts earlier this season.
But the pacesetting Rising Sun(G1) was a switch in strategy. Once Haunted’s normally a stalker, preferably around midpack. I imagine he’ll return to his old style Saturday. Lovely colt who makes his 28th career start, all of which have been at the stakes level! Have to do some research to see if that’s a record, Jef (probably is!). 😉
And then we have Keely’s Night’s Desire, wonderfully blossoming into primetime. He’s a 5YO, but only making his 20th call to the post and fabulously too with a gorgeous 108 SP# listed stakes win LTO. Just gotta love this guy’s form — he climbed out of the ALW level with two straight listed turf sprint wins and then belted out a Grade 3 victory. Finished 2nd to Best Rock Yet(IRE) in the Simon and Simon(G3) at Italy and took a hard-fought 3rd in the Rising Sun(G1). This is textbook stuff, building SP#s and, most of all, consistency.
This is how you race a top-notch horse — will Saturday be his coming-out party? It’s possible that this guy might even knock the pacesetters off their feet, racing up razor close to the lead. The only things I don’t like about him are: a) he might bounce after such a SP#; but he’s got an extra week’s rest (6 weeks) — doubtful he hasn’t recovered since his last, and b) if he gets tangled in the anticipated speed duel, but like I said, he just might bowl them all over and be strongest down the lane.
# 4: Closers in the best scenario. If a strong speed duel develops, then there’s as a good a chance as any for an upset from a come-from-behinder. I’d put General’s Chariot in this group, though he’s more of a midpacker or so. My colt just has to have pace to run at and soften up those frontrunners. He can still make trouble and is a model of consistency. Just needs some help to seize the winner’s circle. 🙂
Best Rock Yet(IRE) has to move forward from his recovery trip in the Golden Jamboree. Broohar’s very talented colt gained a lot of ground in that race. Extremely live longshot, but has to prove that he belongs. Certainly has the class though, so look for an even better trip.
Clmstable’s Offstage(GB) got the divisional points in a surprising Sydney Sprint runner-up effort. And he wasn’t beaten that bad in the Rising Sun, just 3 1/2 lengths back. Toss out mile debacle afterwards — he’s still a threat, though in all honesty, probably not as good as the favorites. It would be a surprise if he upset this race.
Xixa’s Q Tip XP(IRE) seems “off and on” winning 2 of last 5. Big 107 SP# similar to Night’s Desire, but this colt isn’t as consistent. Glides in here Saturday in the “on again” phase of his form though. Might be viable for piece of purse but has to prove he belongs at this level. IMO, he’s a longshot similar to Offstage(GB).
Up and down season for the longest shot on the board Japan’s Last Hope(JPN). Sophomore won a turf grade in January and see-sawed back and forth to routes. Has run in 4 straight turf sprints recently and hasn’t really been much effective versus the best in his age group. Slim-to-none chance he’ll be any better versus the best older horses.
# 5: Miler wildcards. We’ve got two milers cutting back in distance and Slew Can is a real looker. He’s a 111 SP# winner at graded level this season and lots of back class too, winning 3 of 4 lifetime turf sprints. Granted those victories were in listed company and mostly came over 7.5f. But, remember miler Xtremely A Fan last year, winning the Penn Dash on DelPenn Day in his career turf sprint debut! Gsrprize’s royal bred Danzig horse in his 39th career trip — getting up there, but a real live shot at 9/1.
Epic enters Echoes, another graded miler. This is his 2nd career turf sprint (he was 4th last season in the Otter Dash(G3) over 4.5f). Quality horse and worth a try at the distance. He seemed OK on it over the dirt eons, but is clearly a better turfer. Another live wildcard — flip a coin with these milers, because it can go either way. However, it could be the best wakeup call for them too.
Honestly, it would be a surprise if either of them won the race….. but not as much because they are such classy individuals.
Snowchief’s Picks:
There you have it — thunderous applause all around to the GR Simsters, Pastures of Green and KY Horsemen residencies for they have truly succeeded in putting together a fabulous raceday!!
I’ll be bold and say that IMO, the speed duel is gonna hurt DTG and Digital Overture as long as other horses join them. If those two are out there by themselves or, worse yet, DTG out there by himself…. eeek. It’s all over, they’ll control the race after the opening quarter and boom, BOOM! Out got the lights. ;^) If Night’s Desire doesn’t bounce, then perhaps he’ll be the only one who can run one of those two down (to at least snare 2nd place spot).
I don’t think Once Haunted will stay as close to the lead as Night’s Desire and much less that he’ll gun for the lead. Possible though because that’s the way he won LTO. If that’s the case, then it’ll be really hot up front and thus will set up perfectly for General’s Chariot, Best Rock Yet, Slew Can, Echoes, or some other closer. If Once Haunted stays back, then he’s got a shot similar to Night’s Desire. The layoff could do him wonders or it could go the other way — I’d play the odds and put my money on the hot SP# horse, Night’s Desire, then.
So, when the gate opens, keep an eye on who goes with DTG and ‘Overture. We’ll see if My Miracle and Sittin In A Tree G can paceset with the big dogs too. 🙂
Ha! No, I’m not gonna select win, place, and show! LOL! Ain’t jinxing my horse. 🙂 🙂 🙂
OK, enough of my blathering. :^) Zzzzzzz…… anyone out there? Get the race started already, sheesh. 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Good luck to all!