Smackdown II 2yo Open 7f Turf

The Smackdown II race for 2 year old colts is seven furlongs over the grass in Kentucky. There are some really nice colts here today, so let’s take a look at our field.

 

Coming out of PP1 is WarEmblem’s Panzer Blitz(IRE). By the superb turf stallion North Light and out of a Woodman daughter, Panzer Blitz has already done impressive things on the track. He is currently undefeated, having won both of his starts to date. After winning his MSW debut, Panzer Blitz came back in the 6F English Tarbash Challenge. He rated throughout the race and came home under gentle urging to win by 1 ½ lengths. His highest SF to date is 79. GR Simsters

Next up in the 2 slot is Sjmeola’s Out Seven. The Act of Duty colt has raced twice, with one win and one third. His first race was a $45k MSW going 5F over the KY track. He blazed to the front and won by ¼ of a length, earning a 69 SF. Next up was a NW2L allowance, where Out Seven again broke alertly and surged to the lead. However, this time he tired in the stretch, but hung on to take third. He improved slightly with a 70 SF. Should be at the front of this race. KY Horsemen

In the third position is the very impressive Tiger’s Eye. Tigertrack’s Gulch colt has made all the right moves so far, and comes into this race unbeaten. Tiger’s Eye won his MSW debut and his NW2L allowance with ease, cantering home nicely in both of them. Next up, two stakes races, the 6F Bright Buster Memorial and the 6.5F Pink Groom Challenge. In the first, Tiger’s Eye again exerted little effort, coming home 1 ¼ lengths in front of his nearest challenger. In his last race, the chestnut had to work a little more, and showed his class in doing so. Racing on the lead as usual, Tiger’s Eye fought off Raa’s Mambo and won by a head. He earned a nice 82 SF, and stamped himself as a leading contender. Should be tough to beat. Vermont

Fourth is Vegas Money. This colt had speed written all over him, being by Arazi and out of a Gone West mare. Seacadet’s brown colt has raced twice, with one win and one second. In his first outing, Vegas Money ran well and closed from the back to come in second by 1 ½ lengths, with a 72 SF. Next up, Vegas Money broke his maiden going 6F on the turf, and earned a 76 SF. He appeared to like running up close to the leaders, and I wonder where he will be placed in this longer race. Vermont

Perils of Love is next. Out of the exceptional graded stakes mare Dangerous Reward and by topnotch racehorse and classic winner Afleet Alex, Futurestar must have high hopes for this one. The nicely balanced bay colt made his first start in the dirt Freshman Sire Series MSW, where he led most of the way and tired to finish fourth with a 61 SF. Next up, a 4.5F dirt race, where he ran quite uninterested towards the back of the field for much of the race. Futurestar made a change to grass next out, and was greatly rewarded. Perils of Love won his 5.5F turf MSW with ease, easing under the wire 1 ¾ lengths in front with a SF of 68. Very interested to see how he does in this race. Vermont

In PP 6 is Jacobite Ballet. By little known Nureyev son Zarbyev, Jacobite Ballet has shown some ability in his two races to date. First out was a 6F MSW, where he closed from way out of it to come in third. Mithra’s chestnut colt then came back in a 7F MSW, where he again closed quickly, but only managed sixth this time. His LTH SF is 63, and while he is a longshot, two year old races are notoriously hard to handicap. Vermont

Next up in the 7 hole is Given’s Elusive Classic Horse. By top sire Elusive Quality and out of a Deputy Minister x Nijinsky II mare, getting the classic distance really shouldn’t be difficult for this colt. Elusive Classic Horse debuted in a 5F dirt race in Florida, and while he initially led, he tired badly and finished a well beaten 8^th. Given then tried him in a 6F turf MSW, and the brown colt appreciated the change. He broke quickly, and then proceeded to wire the field, coming home 1 ½ lengths in front with a 73 SF. Should like the added ground. GR Simsters

While Vodka N‘ Skittles might have an amusing name, this colt carries it proudly. His dam is Beer N‘ Skittles; his two siblings, each of whom are stakes or graded stakes horses, are Ale N‘ Skittles and Rum N‘ Skittles. Not a bad name to have, it appears. Bigtime‘s big chestnut colt won both of his first two races by 1 ¼ lengths, a MSW and NW2L allowance. His last race was the 6.5F Hollow Son Memorial, run over a yielding turf course. Vodka N’ Skittles led through much of the race, just missing first by ½ length. His 75 SF for that race was his lifetime high. Vermont

In PP 9 is Lenny’s Azamour colt His Highness. Out of a Seeking the Gold mare, this racy brown colt had a very impressive debut. His MSW race was over 6F, and he closed very impressively indeed over that short distance to win by 1 ¼ lengths, earning a 73 SF. His second race was a NW2L, where the colt didn’t appear to handle the track as well, though he still closed from behind to take fourth. May be wanting more distance. – GR Simsters

Handel’s Hope(IRE) is by the young stallion Oratorio out of the stakes-producing Broad Brush mare Simonseztimetowin. While Hornedfrog’s Handel’s Hope has raced only once, that one race was enough to stamp him as a horse to watch. Breaking a step slow in a 5F dirt MSW, the flashy brown colt rated extremely well, then made a very nice move down the stretch to finish first by 1 ½ lengths. Handel’s Hope hasn’t tried the turf yet, but looking at his breeding alone, he could possibly do very well over it. KY Horsemen

Hot2trot’s More Than My Share(IRE) is out of the young More Than Ready stakes winner More Than Funky. The brilliantly colored Fairmix(IRE)colt has raced one time with one win to his credit. Over the KY grass on a track rated “good,“ More Than My Share ran just off the pace in the 6F MSW, then surged forward in the stretch to take command. He won by a length, earning a 75 SF in the process. Should do very well here. KY Horsemen

PP 12 has sexinalimo’s Dubai Landscape. By Sadler’s Wells son Doyen, with an exceptionally well bred dam, Dubai Landscape looks like a colt that is going to only get better as he gets older. The brown colt broke his maiden in his first start, a 5.5F MSW. His second race was an open allowance over the same distance, and he just couldn’t close the distance. This colt should enjoy the added distance as well. KY Horsemen

Number 13 is Silver Charm’s royally bred Samurai Mike. By Breeder’s Cup Champion Singletary, out of a Danehill x Dixieland Band mare, Samurai Mike is bred to run. He has delivered on that promise by remaining undefeated in his two starts. Samurai Mike’s first race was a 6F MSW, where he blazed home with a 73 SF and won by an easy 1 ¼ lengths. Next up, a $26k NW2L allowance, where once again, the long-limbed colt cantered home to victory. Samurai Mike has yet to be tested, and has a good shot to prove superiority here. GR Simsters

 

Steelcard’s Lightning Dream is a lightly raced Smart Strike son that has shown a lot of early ability. Lightning Dream has raced only once, a 5.5F MSW. The dark bay colt broke alertly, tugged eagerly on his jockey through the early going, and then could no longer be contained. He took command and kept it to come home 1 ½ lengths in front, earning a 65 SF. Another colt that hasn‘t been pushed and should do well here. GR Simsters

I absolutely love the name of our last entry, the Swain colt Your So Swain(IRE). Owned by yochem, this colt is out of the very good race mare Gulf Hollandia. With eight wins and over $160,000 in earnings, Gulf Hollandia certainly did well for herself. Yochem must have high hopes for this her first foal. Your So Swain has raced twice, with one win and one second. He just missed his first time out, coming in just ½ length behind the eventual winner. Your So Swain made up for that loss in his next try at MSW company, going 6F over a good course. The brown colt wired the field and came home much the best. His two SF’s were 67 and 64, respectively. KY Horsemen

 

And that concludes your field for Saturday! Looks to be a very good race, may the best colt win!