Big Race Recaps 2972

Sunnbank Memorial in great form, Urko’s Danzig wins the Canada Mile, Alma (IRE) serves notice and Sulpher (IRE) beats a great field of sprinters.

Race: 2972.0414 Man Of War Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and three eighths on the Turf

Sunnybank Memorial continued his run into sim immortality. He was well placed in the early stages of the race sitting fourth behind the leaders. He made his move around the turn and seized control of the race opening up by over two lengths at the top of the stretch. Horseshoe Bay was the only other runner in the field up to the challenge.

Horseshoe Bay made a huge move around the turn for home closing from over eleven lengths back to less than three lengths back entering the stretch. It appeared he would easily sweep by Sunnybank Memorial in the stretch with the run he had made. That old craft Sunnybank Memorial was just getting warmed up and found his high gear in the stretch fending off Horseshoe Bay all the way to the wire for a length and a quarter win.

Horseshoe Bay kept grinding away but only managed to make up a length and a half in the stretch on Sunnybank Memorial. It was a long way back to the third place finisher Gerfly’s Deed who finished third almost twelve lengths behind the winner.   

Race: 2972.2814 Canada Mile – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: Ontario
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: One mile on the Turf

Congo got out and set the pace with Urko’s Danzig picking up the chase while the rest of the field watched. Congo is a much better runner when he gets the lead and that is what happened here today. He jumped from the gates and got clear early. Urko’s Danzig is normally a few lengths off the pace but today his jock had him placed right up with Congo in the early stages.

It stayed this way until the top of the stretch. By then Urko’s Danzig had pulled on even terms with Congo. Congo dug in but it would not be enough to fend off Urko’s Danzig as the two battled through the stretch. Urko’s Danzig edged away and won by almost two lengths at the wire with Congo holding strong for second.

Manifest Destiny ran a solid race. He stalked the top two from fifth position early. He passed some tiring runners around the turn for home and was four lengths behind the top two but he could not keep pace from there finishing five and a quarter lengths behind the winner. Echoes tried to make a race of it for third finishing fourth six lengths off the winner.  

Race: 2972.0114 Demona Handicap – Grade I – $450,000
Track: California
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Turf

The three year old wild card Alma (IRE) whipped her older rivals. She has found the California turf to her liking scoring her second straight graded stakes victory over this very course. She could very well be the best three year old filly turf horse going. Today she showed she can close from well off the pace as she was twelve lengths off of the early pace of Grand Entry.

Grand Entry sped away from the gates and opened up a huge seven length lead on the field by the half way point of the race. At the top of the stretch she still had a five length lead on the field but that was not enough. Alma (IRE) swept through traffic turning for home and kicked into high gear into the stretch blowing by the early pace setter in deep stretch to win by nearly three lengths.

Grand Entry held second after the lighting quick pace while Otto You Do It who was second in the early stages stayed on for third. The favorite Spooky Ballet closed late to get fourth.   

Race: 2972.2915 Tri-City Sprint – Grade I – $500,000
Track: N. California
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: Six and one half furlongs on the Dirt

Sulpher (IRE) proved to be the best by a nose on this day. An exciting finish saw the top five runners finish within a length and a half of each other at the wire. Empire of the Sun got out and set the early pace with Casterly Rock (IRE) chasing in second. Wonderboy DJ sat off the top two in fourth while Sulpher was near the back of the pack nine lengths off the pace.

At the top of the stretch Wonderboy DJ made his move closing ground on the top two. Empire of the Sun held the lead but Casterly Rock (IRE) and Wonderboy DJ were gaining ground. Sulpher (IRE) was really picking up the pace from the back as was Pequin Cat. Wonderboy DJ fininally found the lead in deep stretch only to get nailed right on the wire by Sulpher (IRE).

Pequin Cat just caught Empire of the Sun for third in the final stages. Empire of the Sun had to settle for fourth and Casterly Rock (IRE) finished fifth. If this was a preview of the upcoming Breeder’s Bowl Sprint that will be one hell of a race.