Horseshoe Bay versus Sunnybank Memorial in Man Of War Stakes G-1
Man Of War Stakes
Grade I
A mile and three eighths
Firm Turf
$500,000
All horses, 3 years old and up
No other division in racing has captivated us all for the last three years as the Male Long Turf Division. The game just seems to spit out one great competitor after another but few can compete with what can truly be called the crown division in racing at the moment. Let me first start out by apologizing to the other seven trainers in the race. If this is starting to sound like a two horse match race, that’s because it is….more than likely. With Allied Assault now retired, the division has tightened up even more and we have both the #1 and #2 rated horses going head to head today in what is sure to be a preview for this year’s Breeders Bowl Turf G-1. Horseshoe Bay and Sunnybank Memorial are sure to put on one hell of show for us. These two are matching up for the 3rd time this year with an even score to settle. None of the other competitor can really boast the ability to knock these two off although Gerfly’s Deed comes close. Like two college football powerhouses (BTW I’m taking Texas (even) over Ohio State if I have any takers) these two will surely battle it out the whole way as they have the exact running style and I predict that the finish will be no further than one length apart. No rain is in the forecast for this year’s running of the Man Of War Stakes G-1 and it should be a war indeed.
Call me chicken but I just can’t bet against the two but it’s a coin flip to see who will win. Your best be will probably be a tri-wheel rather than an exacta as the payoff will be low. I’d suggest a 4-8/4-8/ALL or if you think there might be an upset get brave and try 4-8/ALL/4-8. Good luck with your bets.
PP 1
19/1 KIELBASA KING
(POLISH PRECEDENT x COX’S RIDGE x HERBAGER)
Trainer: horsechic7
Starting our field today is 19/1 Kielbasa King who is hoping to save face after getting totally trounced by Memo in his last start in The Aslan Memorial Turf Classic 5th Running-G1. It’s hard to give much hope in a horse who in three of his four life time start in stakes company has finished 37, 33, 31 lengths back. His best finish was three races back in The CAT THROWING Stakes-Stk where he finished a respectable 5th only 14 lengths back. He is making his 5th consecutive start on the grass even though his best races have come on the dirt. No chance to win but he might compete for a minor share of the purse.
PP 2
30/1 MOJO YOJO
(MOJAVE MOON x DANEHILL x JACINTO)
Trainer: mitenpower
At 30/1 Mojo Yojo earns the longest shot on the board. This multiple allowance winning horse comes into this race with high aspirations. He’s only managed to break the 90 SR barrier twice in his last seven races so perhaps it’s the chance to just line up next to two of the best that excites trainer mitenpower since it will take some superpower to over come his chances. Completely overmatched and outclassed here. I’ll have to pass.
PP 3 
9/1 ARKANSAS TRAVELER
(PINE BLUFF x DAMASCUS x RIBOT)
Trainer: lenny10
If you’ve been having trouble finding way to hate Lenny lately, let me lend you a hand with this next horse. Arkansas Traveler was having trouble all year just competing in restricted allowance races when he was dropped into the Judgemont International-G1 last time out. The results: A Grade 1 win. This Pine Bluff horse has had a good career prior to this year but suddenly fell off of form. Perhaps the allowance races were just what was needed to bring him around. The tough part is that he has the exact back of the pack running style as both Horseshoe Bay and Sunnybank Memorial. Can he win a foot race for the finish line?
PP 4 
9/5 SUNNYBANK MEMORIAL
(A.P. INDY x SADLER’S WELLS x BUCKPASSER)
Trainer: sunnybank
Post #4 sees our first of two future Hall of Famers in Sunnybank Memorial. If racing against Memo isn’t hard enough as it is, he comes into today’s race riding on his best performance of the season and his best start since March 2005. That start in The Aslan Memorial Turf Classic 5th Running-G1 found him in his usual come from behind running style and paid back the defeat to his arch rival Rain God who is absent in today’s race. What else can be said that hasn’t already been written? This one tough division to crack and we have the top two going head to with each other. As previously mentioned though, it’s not impossible for one or more of the other seven to surprise as shown earlier this year in the John Henry Classic-G1 where he finished a disappointing 4th almost 14 lengths back. If you’re still confused on who to bet on, Horseshoe Bay is coming off his best race of the season as well. Still, it’s hard to bet against a horse that’s finished off the board only three time in almost three years.
PP 5 
6/1 GERFLY’S DEED
(GERI x SHADEED x NASKRA)
Trainer: tomsfly
With perhaps the best chance of any to upset, Gerfly’s Deed hopes to make his trainer tomsfly with a good showing today. He does have one graded win in his book along with a handful of listed stake wins. His sole grade win was last year in the Fusahoochie Turf Classic-G3 but his best race to remember was July 1st of this year in the United Countries Handicap-G1 where finished 2nd, just four furlongs behind Memo but managed to edge out Rain God in a photo finish. That in itself is no small task adding to the fact that seven of the other runners were graded winners as well. He should hopefully bounce back after a slow performance last time out but benefitted from an even slower pace. Keep your fingers crossed but more than likely you’ll see him competing for show money.
PP 6 
8/1 SWINGSHIFT SAL
(NIGHT SHIFT x ROBERTO x FAPPIANO)
Trainer: click
Breaking out of gate #6, Swingshift Sal stretches his legs out again to 12 furlongs and is hoping to improve back to the form he had found earlier this year. As only one of two graded winners for his sire Night Shift he carries a huge burden today. Each horse, the other being Night’s Desire, couldn’t be more different as Sal prefers to battle it out in the longer distances where Desire prefers turf sprints. Sal has done enough over his career to earn his trainer/owner click over $2.2 million. He seemed to peak late 2004 and into 2005 but has found the going tough lately as he’s failed to break the triple digit figure in speed rating in his last three starts. I don’t think that there’s any doubt that this horse has the ability to run a bang up race on any given day but it will take a return to glory to place in the top two today.
PP 7 
9/1 DAL HOUSE
(CHESTER HOUSE x AJDAL x BE MY GUEST)
Trainer: peeps2
For those placing their money with Dal House, there’s good news and there’s bad news. The good news is that in his last race in the Sword Swallower Stakes-G1 he finished 3rd behind Memo. The bad news, he finished 17 ½ lengths back. Still, he has show a quick foot and the ability to change his running style. He ran a career best 103 SR two races back on Smackdown II day where he saved ground and came from over 10 lengths back to a very close 2nd. He has also shown in the past that he can take command on the lead successfully as well. His chances depend mainly on the pace and if he can repeat on that performance.
PP 8 
2/1 HORSESHOE BAY
(RED RANSOM x WOODMAN x RAISE A NATIVE)
Trainer: texasace
In case you’ve seen his name at least once, meet the #1 horse in the turf long division. #1 horse meet that one guy playing in Siberia who just got his internet connection turned back on after selling the family’s prized Yak. Horseshoe Bay burst onto the scene last year literally killing the three year competition he faced. He was given little hope though when made his now fabled running in last year’s Breeders Bowl Turf-G1 after a dismal performance the previous start where he took on older horses for the first time. That BB day is now one of legend. However, he gets the snub just ever so slightly from the track handicapper with second choice on the board despite coming in as a winner in four of his last five Grade 1 starts. He and Memo meet for the 3rd time this year and each can boast that they’ve bested the other. Who has it in them this time?
PP 9
13/1 URBAN FLYER(IRE)
(GALILEO (IRE) x GARCIA x SEATTLE SLEW)
Trainer: ianwhipkey
Our pace setter for this race will more than like be ianwhipkey’s Urban Flyer(IRE). This horse love to grab the early as he tries to wire the field. Although winless at any type of stake event, he does boast a couple of very close 2nd place finishes in listed stakes. Claimed late last year for $7500, this trainer certainly has turned this colt around. However, his speeds just don’t warrant a Grade 1 attempt much less taking on two of the best in the division. As well, he hasn’t really shown much when trying anything longer than 10 furlongs. Probably more of a true miler with his running style, you’ll more than likely see him competing at that distance next. A noble try for sure but I’ll have to pass.