$2 Million Windy City Turf Classic
The names Sunnybank Memorial, Allied Assault, and
But there is a group of Sim horses that are perhaps just as talented as those three, but not as recognizable. They are the ten furlong turf specialists. For many of them, twelve furlongs might be just out of their reach, but they won’t have to run that far to run for one of the richest races in the Sim.
This weekend signals the highly anticipated seventh running of the $2 million Windy City Turf Classic, set to be run ten furlongs over the firm
But before we delve into the contenders and their individual merits, let’s take a look back through Sim history at past winners of this most prestigious turf classic.
2000 – School Kris(GB) took the first running by storm, playing a bold game of catch me if you can to wire a great field of turfers by four lengths with a 118 SF. The speedy 4yo son of Kris(GB) completed the ten furlongs in 2:00.8 to capture his second G1 race. He finished his illustrious career with six G1 wins and was among the first class inducted into the Sim Hall of Fame.
2001 – Prospector Rizzo captured the second running with a powerful middle move, registering a 112 SF and stopping the clock in 2:01.6. A 5yo son of the great Mr. Prospector, he won by an easy 4-1/2 lengths to break through for his first G1 victory. He went on to capture two more G1 victories in his career, amassing more than $3.7 million in the process.
2002 – The incomparable Joe Cayenne gave what was perhaps his defining performance as he ran a career best 121 SF to win by 4-1/4 lengths. He dominated the field from start to finish and ran the fastest Windy City Turf Classic yet, completing the ten furlongs in 2:00.4. It gave the then 6yo son of Night Shift his incredible eleventh G1 victory. He finished his career with twelve G1 wins and was inducted into the first class of the Sim Hall of Fame.
2003 – Run over a wet turf course for the first time, Lock Edison picked up the lone G1 win of his career with a massive stretch burst. He came from the clouds to capture the fourth running with a 114 SF by five lengths in 2:01.4. It was the second-to-last victory for the 5yo son of Hadif, as he was retired four races later.
2004 – Hawk’s Heir became the third frontrunner to take the Windy City Turf Classic, scoring a convincing 3-1/4 length victory with a 113 SF. The 5yo son of Kingmambo ran the ten furlongs in 2:01.4 and was never in any danger of ceding the lead. It was the lone graded score of his career.
2005 – Top Jimmy sent a wave of energy through the
The six winners form some of the most impressive lawnmowers that have graced the Sim. Two of them are already in the Sim Hall of Fame. Will this year’s winner follow down that hallowed path? Only time will tell, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to say this could be the most contentious running of the Windy City Turf Classic yet!
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Let’s take a look at the entrants in post position order:
1) Tee Jay’s Great, 4yo colt, 9/1,
After struggling to find his comfort zone through the middle of his 3yo season, this colt responded with vigor when he saw 10 furlongs, rattling off two allowance wins followed by two very nice runner-up finishes in stakes to cap off his 2005 campaign. But that was nothing compared to what he’s done so far in 2006. Five trips to the starting gate, and five trips to the winner’s circle. Four of the five efforts came in listed stakesm but two races back he registered a gritty ¾-length victory in the G1 Prince of Whales with a career best 108 SF. This will be his toughest test yet, and he’ll probably need to improve at least a few points on that 108 to come away victorious, but his consistency, talent, and versatile stalking style ensure that he has a great shot at victory!
2) Egyptian Empire, 4yo colt, 8/1, M Reveiz (12%), Empire Maker x Pine Bluff, Greinton(GB), trained by holyghost (aka. Babyfarm)
After winning only one stakes through his 3yo season, this colt has come on like gangbusters as a 4yo with a record of 5 (1 2 2) in graded stakes, all at either 9 or 10 furlongs. Four races back he registered a triumph in the G1 Doomben Cup at ten furlongs, romping by 2+ lengths with a 105 SF. Two races back he finished a close second in a G1 at 9f, proving his versatility. Last time out he struggled in a listed stakes at 10.5 furlongs, but that may have been a tad too far for his liking. He’ll need to improve on his top 10 furlong SF of 105 to prove victorious here, but given his class it is certainly a possibility.
3) Tenpin Gold, 4yo colt, 10/1, G Lauer (9%), Strike The Gold x El Prado x Storm Cat, trained by tenpin6 (aka. Jimj)
A testament to never giving up, it took this colt 15 starts to break his maiden. And after that happened, trainer Jimj put him in a claimer. Thankfully for the trainer’s heart pressure, no one put in a claim, and since that point he’s won eight of twelve starts including four listed stakes and a G2 at 10 furlongs. The G2 victory came two back when he put on a brazen display of speed, leading at every call to win the Golden Platter Handicap by a comfortable 2-1/4 lengths with a 107 SF. Every win he’s recorded has been in frontrunning fashion, so the jump will be of the utmost importance for him. There are a few other speedy classy types in here, and it should be an all-out battle for the lead. If he comes away first at the start, they will have a very hard time running him down.
4) Aslan’s Mane(Ire), 4yo colt, 11/1, D Anderson (9%), Theatrical(Ire) x Mr. Prospector x Sadler’s Wells, trained by eddieboo
Unlike some of the other late developers in the field, this colt asserted his dominance from the start, winning five of six starts as a 3yo including two stakes. After a somewhat slow two-race start to his 4yo campaign, he won his third and fourth starts easily, including a G3 at 9 furlongs with a 107 SF. He then fell on tough times again with two subpar efforts in G1’s at ten furlongs. In his most recent race, eddieboo dropped him to a listed stakes at 12 furlongs which he won rather easily by three lengths with a 101 SF. That was his first trip over that distance, and it could eventually prove to be his best run of ground, but I like the move back to 10 furlongs for this huge G1. He’s an extremely versatile horse, and should be able to sit off any kind of pace. The major question is whether the G1 class might still be a tad out of his reach, especially against a field like this. But it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone if he’s one of the leaders in the final stretch.
5) Rapid Grey, 4yo colt, 6/1, N Lewis (11%), Tactical Cat x With Approval x Bold Ruckus, trained by champions4 (aka. Stoners)
There is no question that this colt is one of the most talented 12 furlong turfers in the game. Two races back he won the G1 John Henry Classic at that distance, besting Sunnybank Memorial, Rain God, and Puppet Regime. That was his third G1 score at a mile-and-a-half. The question mark comes in concerning how he will respond to the cut back to 10 furlongs. As an early 3yo he showed tremendous kick in 7 and 8 furlong races, winning four straight. But the only time he ran 9 furlongs in a stakes he wasn’t quite quick enough to break the top four finishers. After that race he jumped straight to 12 furlongs and hasn’t looked back since. If, and it’s a big if, he can adapt to the distance comfortable, he could be running the best of them all at the finish.
6) Redsadky, 4yo colt, 5/1, P Munoz (18%), Red Ransom x Sadler’s Wells x Nijinsky, trained by Sherwood
A winner of more than $1 million in only 15 races, this colt possesses a world of talent. Last year he ran on the same card, finishing second in the G1 Big Red Stakes at ten furlongs for 3yo’s with a 105 SF. After running second in another 10 furlong graded race in his next start, he has seen only races from 8 to 9.5 furlongs. As a 4yo he has a G3 win at 9 furlongs and three second-place finishes at 9 and 9.5 furlongs with a top SF of 110. He typically likes to come from just off the pace, but if he falls too far back he has a tough time getting back into the thick of things in the stretch. There’s no reason to think that he won’t love the return to 10 furlongs, and he gets the top jock at the track. Only out of the money twice in his career, it’s a pretty safe bet that he’ll make things interesting down the stretch!
7) Pete Fountain, 4yo colt, 12/1, C Noe (10%), Dixieland Band x Roberto x
A multiple stakes winning sprinter and G3 winner at nine furlongs, this colt certainly brings an impressive resume to the race. He posted an incredible 3yo record of 12 (5 5 0) including the aforementioned stakes wins. He’s fallen on tough times of late, however, with off-the-board finishes in his last five races and no wins as a 4yo. He might be able to surprise some people, however, if he can show an affinity for the distance, as 9 furlongs is the longest he has ever run. Perhaps he has an added reserve of stamina he’s been waiting to demonstrate. If he has that reserve, this week will be a good time for him to show it!
8) The Prospect, 5yo horse, 23/1, K Johnston (7%), Lammtarra x Deputy Minister x Bold Hour, trained by magoo2912
One of the outsiders according to the tote board, this horse is the steadily improving type who could really surprise some people this weekend. Winless in stakes company through his 4yo season, magoo2912 became his ninth owner when claiming him nine races back. The horse has blossomed under his new trainer’s tutelage with four consecutive stakes scores. Three races back he smoked an eight-horse listed stakes by 4+ lengths with a 101 SF. He had a minor bump in the road last time out as he finished a lackluster fourth in a 10.5 furlong stakes, but that doesn’t dampen the tremendous turnaround he’s had with his new trainer. He’s explosively fast from the gate, and if he is able to outbreak the two other speed types, it could be a Cinderella story in the making!
9) Balerion, 4yo colt, 11/1, D McCants (13%), Mineshaft x Unbridled x Secretariat, trained by khalasar (aka. Given)
My colt certainly has the credentials to be regarded as a top contender for this race. After winning a G3 at a mile as a 3yo, he proceeded to run three unexplainedly horrific efforts around a mile. So I gave him 12 weeks off and brought him back at a distance he had never seen, 10 furlongs. He won that race, an allowance, by 8+ lengths. Since that break, he has put up a record of 9 (6 2 0) with two G1 wins at 10 furlongs, including a 2+ length romp in the G1 Movieland Turf Cup that produced a 109 SF. Two races back he threw up his first bad race since last year, running seventh in a G1 at 11f. I wanted to give him a breather before this race, so I prepped him in a 10f listed stakes which he won gamely by a neck. The SF was a very tepid 94, but it should set him up nicely for a big effort this weekend. The problem for him, as it is for Tenpin Gold and The Prospect, is that the wicked pace may fry all of them. But it sure will be fun to watch!
10) Monkidle, 6yo horse, 27/1, B White (6%), Turkoman x Theatrical(Ire) x Bucksplasher, trained by socalsipe
The fact that this horse is the longest shot on the board says more about the great quality of this race than any negative comment on the horse. While he isn’t at the top of his game, last year he finished second in a 10 furlong G2 with a nice 100 SF. He hasn’t won in his last eleven races, and that probably won’t change this weekend, but he’s a pretty classy horse who could run a nice race to surprise some folks!
11) Kepler of Rock(Ire), 4yo colt, 17/1, B Bryant (7%), Rock of Gibraltar(Ire) x Kingmambo x Affirmed, trained by bobo
The only way to describe this colt is as an absolute win machine. He’s won an incredible 16 races from 33 starts, good for just a shade under a 50 percent clip. That speaks volumes about the ability of trainer bobo, who obviously excels at finding great spots for horses. He may have bitten off a bit much in this spot, however, as he’s finished off the board in all eight of his graded attempts. It will take a huge career race for him to finish in the top three.
12) New Storm, 4yo colt, 9/2, R Logan (20%), Storm Cat x Nureyev x
The race favorite, and for good reason, as this immaculately bred colt shows three graded wins this year and has finished top three in an amazing twelve straight races. It is worth noting, however, that his last off the board finish came on this card last year in the 3yo Big Red Stakes. That is the lone blip on the radar, however, and he has been sensational as a 4yo including a win in the G1 Equinics 10 furlong turf race in which he put up an outrageous 113 SF. That effort, along with his other SF of over 110, came on a yielding course, which he obviously relishes. That being said, he also shows two graded wins on firm ground. His late running style suits this race perfectly as he should get a prime set-up. Truth be told there really aren’t many question marks about this colt, who is the deserved favorite and the one to beat.
13) Minesweeper, 4yo colt, 14/1, U Turner (4%), Mineshaft x
A G1 winner at both 10 and 12 furlongs as a 3yo, this very talented colt has fallen on somewhat tough times as a 4yo. He only has one win in eight starts this year, with that lone win coming in an allowance. He showed signs of life recently, however, with a very nice second-place finish in a 10 furlong G2 two races back. He earned a 104 SF for that effort, which was a good sign that he might be rounding back into form. His running style is to pounce late, and he should get a pretty good pace to run into. So while he will need a big bounceback effort to have a shot here, it certainly is possible.
14) Savage Frontier, 4yo colt, 15/1, T Balwin (10%), Esperero x Press Card x Boucher, trained by husky
One of the many graded winners in this race, he ran a wickedly good race to start out his 2006 campaign, defeating Balerion by a nose in the G3 GR Simsters Thoroughbred Trials. He earned a career best 106 SF for that effort, and hasn’t been able to find the winner’s circle since. His last three races have all been G1’s at 10 furlongs, and he didn’t crack the top two in any of them. That being said, there is no question that the talent is there to run a massive effort, and it would be no surprise if he’s charging past horses down the lane!
Well, that’s the field for the incredible competitive Windy City Turf Classic. There are so many top contenders and tremendous horses that I have absolutely no clue who will be the one getting their picture taken at the end. So I’ll just say good luck to all the trainers, and may your horses return safe and sound!