Potential ‘key race’ to be run in Mountains

By ITCH

Talk about ganging up on a guy.

Bob123g currently holds third place in the W.Va. Stakes Competition, and has the leading qualifier in this week’s feature. It’s his MAPLE WALNUT BG at the top of the list with 32 stakes points.

But, what’s this? Drunken Morning Line Oddsmaker puts the big horse at 9-1, only the fifth choice in the field? What in the name of bone rearrangement technology is going on here?

Well, despite a stakes win and place under his belt and a lofty No. 27 sprint ranking, this son of Crusader Sword has scared away nobody.

Especially not his brother, the competition-leading Wassie, who is playing for keeps this quarter. In defense of his first-place spot, Wassie is attempting to shut his brother out of any stakes pointage with two strong fillies from non-contest barns. They entry consists of the undefeated RAINBOW’S QUEST G and WASSIE’S HOSSIE G, who has raced well twice over this West Virginia strip.

That being said, let’s get to our horse-by-horse breakdown:

As stated, MAPLE WALNUT G qualifies at the top. He won the Kick Up Your Heels Memorial right here at Old Waterford in his stakes debut, and has followed that up with a second and then third last out. That show effort was when stretched out to 6.5 furlongs, and he cuts back to 5.5 furlongs here, the distance of his maiden breaker, always a powerful and seldom-used handicapping angle. The horse should relish the distance and the price is juicy.

Second is a tough horse, KINDERGARTEN TED for the shanx barn. This son of the Mr. Prospector sire Kinshasha was a well-beaten eighth last out in the Grade I Hoserhead, but let’s draw a line through that race. It was too tough and too far. Now, we have a horse who won a stake at this distance two back, and contended in a five-furlong Grade 3 sprint. Makes perfect sense in this spot. Double juicy at 11-1, plus you get J. Chafield in the irons, a young jock we like in the W.Va. colony.

Third qualifier is STAPLE IT TOGETHER for the fairfax barn. This one is the third choice at 6-1, and as such is getting more respect from Drunken Morning Line Oddsmaker Charlie Hoop. This kind of compliment can be taken with a grain of salt, as it is just as likely the bottle liked your horse as Charlie. This horse is a rare bird for a 2yo, a downtown closer. He’s been top class from the start, competing in high-priced maiden and allowance races in Kentucky. He’s run better races his last two after three off the board, winning his first ever stake last out this disntance in Ohio. It appears Fairfax has found the way at 5 1/2 for this son of Hennessy. (No wonder he’s a good sprinter.) Fairfax is only hitting 6.2 percent this year and the roll this 2yo seems to be on is a real boost.

Fourth qualifier is Wassie’s undefeated filly, RAINBOWS QUEST G. This baby has won four in a row, all at different distances: 4.5, 5, 6 and a flat mile. Why the cut back now? Why, to beat his brother of course. This filly hasn’t been headed since the second call of her second race. Critics of the filly will say that all of her wins have been in owner restricted races, and that she is taking a big step up in class here, jumping both into open stakes company and into a race against the boys. I’ll say this: If she runs first or second here, she is a heck of a filly. This is a tough challenge for her all the way around. She’s not real likely to break in front of these colts, and we’ll see if she has the gumption to pass the stronger sex down the lane. We’ll be impressed if she does.

Next is RISK TOLERANCE for brightmoon. This chesnut son of Speightstown also is undefeated at a perfect 3-3. All of those wins have come at the tough New York circuit, and although he’s jumping into stakes class here, we have to think those New York allowance victories are going to translate well class-wise to the stake in West Virginia. This horse has been coming from behind to win in six-furlong races, so he’s really gonna have to turn on the jets in the lane to get up going 5.5. Maybe jockey S. Kelly can save ground and come up the inside, as this one breaks from the one post. Charlie gives him respect at 7-1. This barn is red-hot and it is a wonder the line is not shorter for that fact. Guaranteed in real-life if you see a trainer winning at 33.9 percent on the year his horse is taking extra money. Brightmoon is 20-59 on the year for that hefty percentage, and is truly tough over the course of his Sim career with 123 wins. Lots to like here.

INNOVATION for huskerball is next. This one is not jumping off the page at me like some of the others in here. He’s off the board in his only career stake try, that when fourth last out. By Woodman, with Pleasant Colony as DS and Danehill at DDS, this obviously says this horse should be at his best when older going long. Methinks it may be an indicator of real class and ability that he is competing pretty well anyway as a 2yo sprinting on the dirt. Could be any kind, even if I don’t like him to win Saturday. Now watch him go.

ROLL IT for the black3car is bound to be popular choice in these parts as we have plenty of Dale fans around here. This one gets it like Dale would in a Bud Shootout or something, flooring it right from the word go. By the Danzig sire Anziyan, this one is a true speedball and can be expected to be the early leader here Saturday. Can he hold on? You never know. The Mountain Oval tends to favor speed, and this one owns a win at the distance. Maybe for a piece? We’ll see.

RELATIONAL is another 2-4 sort for irshaman. This is a pretty good Sim stable, with 70 career wins at a 14 percent clip. The horse is a little lacking speed figure wise, running in the 60s in his last two. He was beaten handily last out by another horse in here, Risk Tolerance. It’s a lock that he’s gonna have to run a lot faster than he has. And with the jump in class? Pass. (Now watch him go.)

SAINT TABASCO ships into West Virginia for Meguire. What’s that you say? You’re going to the window to bet Saint Tabasco? ……………….. LOL

The rest of these are really up against it class-wise, as they’ve never beaten winners.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH for raceland looks like he could be talented. He won his career debut, then closed to be second last out. If he has the talent, it could overcome the class jump.

The aforementioned filly, WASSIE’S HOSSIE G., is next. As we said, this could be a horse for the course.

CREDIT ADVISED for brostimpy is a little hard to recommend with only $16,000 in career earnings. Brostimpy is having a very tough year, not having won a race in 34 starts. This horse must have been sold at auction since his last start.

The final two have no stakes points at all.

TIPPECANOE is bred to the teeth, though, by Seeking the Gold with Danzig and A.P. Indy as the DS and DDS. That was a very good 72 speed fig in winning the debut. Dangerous, even in first time against winners. Could be any kind of very good horse. Trainer 1i3 just took last week’s feature here in W.Va. with the unfortunately monikered PASSTHEGAS. Can he make it two in a row here? That would be a feat to make contest trainers jealous.

Finally, we have DEPUTY’S BOLD for turfwins. This one just broke his maiden at the distance in a closing effort, and is bred real good, being by Silver Deputy out of a Danehill mare. Turfwins is a newbie barn that would be getting things started with a bang if this horse runs Saturday.

In conclusion, whoever wins this race will have done some running.

GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!