Star-studded Field to Challenge Morrison Mile
The three-year-olds get one more shot in their own age group in the Morrison Mile, a GI event worth $500k. The Louisiana dirt track came up good, presenting an interesting twist that should make this an exciting race. This is the first (and perhaps only?) running of the Mile. The plethora of speedballs entered will set the race up nicely for the closers, making for an exciting race.
Morrison Mile – Grade I |
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Silks |
Post |
Name |
Trainer |
Odds |
 |
1
|
Swilken Bridge
|
super26
|
24-1
|
| Super sends forth the field this Mineshaft colt as the second-longest horse on the morning line. Pair him with jockey C Morris (who has won less than 5% of his starts this year) and you have an entry that is not entirely suited to a win here. To his credit, Swilken does have a stakes win at a mile albeit as a 2yo and he has win twice at age 3, albeit in allowance company at 9 and 9.5 furlongs. He’s coming off five week’s rest, and does usually run SPs in the 90s. Just hasn’t yet shown the brilliance he’ll need to win this race. Never tried an off track. | ||||
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2
|
Java Joy
|
mavrksble2
|
12-1
|
| This Java Gold colt has a nice record on off tracks (3: 2-0-1), and is fresh off a nice mile allowance race on a good track last start, where he earned a front-running 2 1/2 length win with a lifetime-high 104 SP. Java Joy doesn’t have to have the lead to win, but he does need to break sharply and stay within a length or so of the lead if he has any hope of holding on in the stretch. The former claimer makes his first try at a stakes of any level. | ||||
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3
|
Super Coverup
|
taleofcat9
|
8-1
|
| The Squirtle Squirt colt hasn’t won since the first Saturday in May when he took home the GII Tubby Smith Special trophy for winning a 7 furlong race with a healthy 105SP. He’s tried a good track twice at 7 and at 8.5, finishing third and sixth respectively with lower than normal speed figures. In his lone mile try of the year he ran sixth. Coverup really looks to be more a sprinter than a miler, but he has won at 9 so could be a minor factor. | ||||
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4
|
Depravity
|
funster
|
11-1
|
| This Red Bullet colt has run his best races SP-wise on turf in his last 2 starts. Two back he ran second by just under two lengths after closing hard (and making up 9 lengths!) in the final quarter of the mile listed Phar From Seattle Memorial. Depravity is quite well-accomplished with a pair of graded wins at 2 and one at 3 to his credit. The one this year was on good dirt at 8.5 furlongs (which he won by 2 with a 101). Depravity’s most recent off dirt try was 3 back in the GII Buckeye Derby where he came up 5 lengths short (although closing) with a 96-SP fourth place. He’s fast enough to win, he’s experienced on the good track, and he comes from a stable with a 20%+ win clip. A nice horse with an excellent chance. | ||||
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5
|
Sino Fave(IRE)
|
lbgong
|
22-1
|
|
After a disappointing turf debut last start, this Fasliyev colt gets to go back to his preferred dirt. Unfortunately he’s not a huge off-dirt lover, but sometimes horses hate slop (which he has tried) but love good (which he has not tried). Sino won a pair of stakes at 2, and a trio of allowances this year. Has yet to break the 100SP barrier, but if ever is a time to do it, this is it. One of the many speedsters in the race. |
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|
(no silks)
|
6
|
Divine Inspiration
|
win
|
6-1
|
| The field cofavorite has been having a great summer. Divine won three in a row including the GI Swamps Stakes before finishing fourth last out in the GI Travelers. The drop in distance seems to suit him, however, and a win in this one is a good bet. Divine is a fun speedball who will make this race a nice fast one. Lucky for him, he can win from off the pace, too, so one hopes jockey T Campy can take advantage of Divine’s versatility. He’s never seen an offtrack. | ||||
 |
7
|
Half A World Away
|
foxybullet
|
8-1
|
| It’s kind of surprising that HAWA, as he is affectionately known, is not the morning line favorite after his stellar wire-to-wire win in the GII Mountainous Derby. The Belong To Me colt wowed race fans as a youngster, winning four graded races including the Breeders Bowl Juvenile. He faltered in the Equinics and Bluegrass Derby, perhaps trying to tell his owner that he just didn’t like running more than 9 furlongs. He’s run once at a mile (in the GII Camel Juvenile) and won that with a then-lifetime high 94. He’s also run once on good dirt two starts back in the GII Buckeye Derby, but that race saw HAWA finish just third albeit with a solid 97SP after grabbing an early lead and losing it in the stretch. He’s quick, he’s talented, and appears to be in great form. | ||||
|
(no silks)
|
8
|
Ab Fab
|
dolphinman
|
31-1
|
| Awesome Again colt must have come out of his last race, the GI It’s My Birthday and I’ll Cry If I Want To Stakes, in bad shape if that 7SP is any indication. Now that he’s had six weeks to rest up and get back into training, I wouldn’t be surprised is a huge effort is at hand. Just before that he had won the GIII BG Wellington Boot Special with a lifetime high 103SP at 6.5 furlongs. Like Burning Flag, Ab Fab has a perfect record on a good track (won the GIII Little Tree Stakes as a 2yo). When he does well, he tends to be a stalker-type runner. | ||||
 |
9
|
Unamazingness
|
mardigras
|
10-1
|
| Good ol’ Un-ness has been struggling some the last few months. After his string of 3 straight graded wins (two dirt, one turf) in the spring, Un-ness’s best finish was a mere second on an open allowance. He still is a threat, however. On good dirt he’s a GII winner, and his allowance second four starts back saw him closing to lose by just a length at 7 furlongs. I like the surface switch angle (last race the Unbridled’s Song colt tried the mile turf GIII Try The Wine) and think the off track will help wake this colt up. | ||||
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10
|
Privileged
|
saver
|
10-1
|
| He’s never seen an off track, and has yet to win at a mile, and hasn’t won a race at all since January. Still, the Gone West colt was recently third in the GII Clerk of Scales at 9.5 furlongs, and he did win the GI Blue Ant Handicap at 7f in his final start of 2005, so he definitely has the class to run with this company. He last ran in the GII Prince’s Knight at 7f and lost by about 4; he was, however, beginning to move up, and he did post a nice 101SP. The extra furlong can only help. | ||||
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11
|
Remember Morgadio
|
zielissimo
|
6-1
|
|
This Storm Cat colt is the other cofavorite. He didn’t run at all as a 2yo, but has made up for it at 3 with 5 wins from 10 starts, including the 6 furlong GIII Great Fishing Hole Stakes back starts back. This will be Morgadio’s longest race to date, and given his excellent performance last start in the 7.5 furlong listed Renaissance man Special (won by 3/4, 107SP), trainer Rafa must be thinking his colt can pull this one off. Morgadio is another speedy colt. He doesn’t have to break first, but he’s likely to be among the three fastest through he first half. If he has the lead by the half pole, he’ll be difficult to beat. Has never tried an off track.
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12
|
Rainbow Phyl
|
sam
|
7-1
|
| This Rainbow Quest colt is fresh off a nice victory in an allowance in Kentucky, which he won in closing fashion with a 106SP. He’s tried the graded level several time and never finished better than second, but even with that issue he’s always a factor. The colt has never seen off dirt, although he did try off turf in the Equinics (but he hated it). If it was a fast track, he’d be pretty much guaranteed a top-5 finish, but with the good dirt factor, things are a bit murkier. | ||||
|
(no silks)
|
13
|
Shinzaun
|
twopump
|
9-1
|
| Shinzaun, like most of the field, has no experience on off tracks. If it weren’t for that small problem, I’d rank this West Acre colt a bit higher in the “likely to win” list. He’s not done so well in graded this year, but did finish second in a GII last year, and has 3 listed stakes wins to his credit in 2006. He can stalk and close as he pleases, and has solid jockey H Fernandez riding. | ||||
 |
14
|
Burning Flag
|
lenny3
|
9-1
|
| This Forty Niner colt has a perfect record on a good track (he won the 8.5 furlong GII Texas Derby five starts back with a 101 SP) and has to be considered a major factor here. Part of the Lennbrenner Empire, is lightly raced and looks to be gradually improving with experience and maturity. If I had to pick the most likely winner, this colt would be it. He has experience on good dirt, the four weeks between races suits him well, and he’s being saddled by a very crafty trainer. Add in his quick turn of foot and he’s dangerous. | ||||