Spotlight Race of the Day: South Africa Starter Allowance 4/17
The sun is shining, the air is warm and the dirt track is fast. These are the conditions for the 4 year olds and up that will be racing in a 7.5 furlong starter allowance race with eligible horses appearing in a claiming tag of $5,000 or greater in the past six months.
1. Dapper Apolgy 8/1-Picked up win against $5k claimers back in February but couldn’t carry luck forward last month in cheap starter allowance. Has been on board only three times in last ten starts and may need some refreshing at the farm. Capable of hitting 90 speeds, but last was ten starts back.
2. Casa King 8/1-Seven time winner in 2014 with last coming in mid-November, marking a nice season. Since the last win, things have soured as this runner has dropped through the ranks and hasn’t found the right formula to get back to the winner’s circle. Could be possible that the wins last season may have had some wear.
3. Pivotal Course 9/2-Won pair of claimers at end of 2014 and notched off a second at beginning of 2015 in starter allowance. Has since been off board in last three outings. Tends to race in hot and cold patterns. Recent cold pattern could be at the end of it’s cycle and this could be breakout race.
4. Stepping Doubt 93/1-Usually longshots like this one tend to be write-offs as far as wagering goes. But this entrant may have a shot here. Three of last fours starts was distanced finishing last. However, he has more capability with sprints and last ran in one in November finishing second with 80 speed at 26/1. He’ll have to beef up the speed a bit but the chances may be better than the odds reflect.
5. Enque Road 5/1-A front runner who posted pair of 91 speeds in starter allowance races with a third and a fifth, tiring in the stretch. Speeds are strong in this race in comparison to others and will be a matter of ability to last the distance.
6. Usonian 7/2-After picking up a pair of seconds at the start of the year in claiming and starter allowance, this entrant advanced into the allowance class. Results at the allowance level were dim and the ten year old ventures back to lower end racing where he will be more competitive.
7. De Busted 6/1-From beginning of 2014 to current, this guy has raced claiming, starter allowance and allowance races with the claiming and starter allowance results reaping the best results. In fact, top four finishes were earned in each of the claim/starter allowance classes. Should put in a respectable run, but hasn’t finished better than third in this class in some time.
8. Duke Nessy J 2/1-A runner who likes both turf and dirt and polished a 99 speed on dirt in early March going 8.25 furlongs. Speed had noticeable drop a week later to 82 going on turf at 7.5 furlongs. Gets two week break coming inhere, which looks a bit short rest-wise, but he’s done well in past with these before. Hopefully, the last outing is a throw-away race.
Usonian back to level he can be competitive with and may find comfort here, top pick.
Duke Nessy J is hard to look away from 99 speed, can do it if last is throw-away. If not, then he could be on sliding downward. Hoping for the best.
Going to be daring and make longshot Stepping Doubt third pick. Might be foolish to do so, but short distance running looks like his thing and could score with a price.