Sophomore turf sprinters into Telling Lies(G1)
Longchamp– A dozen turf sophomore colts gather for the Grade 1 $500,000 Telling Lies And Getting Paid Stakes. Lenny3’s Never Ready Sprint(G1) runner-up I Make This Stuff Up joins #9-ranked graded campaigner Raktavija and more over six furlongs on a firm turf course.
For a few, we’re in a mad scramble for possible Breeders Bowl Turf Sprint points. For the rest, it’s a great chance for graded stakes glory and rich purse money. Let’s take a look at the field………
1 AMSHARAAN(GB) gudenus P Liceman 14/1
Former claimer got a second life over the lawn. Act One(GB) son shows his speed in ALW sprints around the mid 90 SP# range. Led the way in past two black type starts. Got passed late to finish out of the money in both though. In for an expectant speed duel again. Has to elevate his game, proving that he is indeed stakes capable.
2 VERMONT VICTORY wtas02 P Nine 11/1
Two Punch son trying to recover from a disastrous trip in the Never Ready(G1) LTO. Competitive all summer in the grades prior to that effort. Placed in mutliple Grade 3’s and won over 7.5f listed company. Fastest performance came over a mile on Smackdown day. Should be in the off pace hunt after 5-week breather. Ranked 37th in the division. Has proven class — just needs some luck. Better than odds indicate.
3 VOSS HOLLANDIA hollandia4 B Mann 11/1
Impressive stalker by Cozzene won 4 of 6 stakes since scratching out of the ALW ranks earlier this season. Actually, he did exhaust his conditions in the stakes ranks. A big 101 SP# score LTO over 7 panels signals that the short fields he faced earlier were no flukes. Ranked 24th in the division. Love to see the big upswing in form for this colt. He’s red hot. Races on 4 weeks rest. Should be about 6/1 or 7/1.
4 REMEMBER PANDORA bellissimo D Coulthard 10/1
Talented Gone West colt hasn’t won in quite a long spell. Been racing mostly over a mile recently, garnering a couple stakes placings at the lsted level and some minor cheques in the grades. He’s tried turf sprints a few times and while not disastrous, he couldn’t win a 7f ALW race. Has yet to top the high 90s in SP#s. Should join the pace fray or sit right back behind the leaders. Needs a big effort to turn his season around. Outsider.
5 METAL RUSH sanatarium E Wood 19/1
Fresh off of a speedy ALW score, Wild Rush colt finally garnered his career best 96 SP# over 6f. Willy-nilly all summer though, winning an ALW over a mile in between modest stakes efforts. Set the pace in the After Shave Sprint(G2), beaten only 4 lengths. Little guy needs to bring his career best so far. Joins pace fray scramble. Outsider for minor money.
6 I MAKE STUFF UP lenny3 B Wu 4/1
Sizzling Mineshaft son scored a skyrocketing 111 SP# in the Never Ready(G1). He lost the photo though by a scant nose…. what a heartbreak! Had won at listed level prior and been steadily improving all summer in turf sprints. Worthy favorite likes to hunt from midpack or so. Top jockey aboard must avoid “bounce” after such an ethereal race in his last. Five week breather since then — I bet he’s fresh. Ranked 13th in the division. The one to beat.
7 STAG NIGHT(IRE) ecosse P McCartney 34/1
Bargain baby indeed competed in Knightmare’s Bargain Series, losing a 92 SP# photo finish over 5f turf LTO. Big-time closer hasn’t done much versus open company though. Reaching. Could ride high after such a spirited effort in his last — maybe some minor money in the cards then and that would be a huge victory for this little guy.
8 NORTHERN PIRATE jockeymax M Mia 5/1
Belong To Me royal bred taken through dirt sprint ALW conditions patiently by his trainer. Became a stakes winner over that surface too before coughing it up in the 9f Buckeye Derby(G2). That effort merited debut over the lawn and the result has been extremely positive. Won 1 of 2 very swift ALW turf sprints (scoring 105 & 101 SP#s). Worth a shot rushed to Grade 1 level — those speed figs place him among the faves. Proven back class and obvious grass propensity combine for a tantalizing upset. Should get speed up front too to run at. One to watch.
9 BEAD TWO(GB) bodgit H Wood 11/1
Beat Hollow(GB) son finally got his first ’06 victory LTO in a 7f ALW. Began the season in turf and dirt routes without success. Did finish 5th in the After Shave(G2), beaten only 3 lengths though. Talented closer gets pace up front. Finally garnered an upper 90 SP# LTO and that may signal a return to good form. He’s hit the board in 8-for-10 lifetime sprint starts. We’ll see if he can duplicate form still versus the graded level.
10 RAKTAVIJA super16 J Ventura 9/2
Excellent runner here by Awesome Again. Love the consistency competing at his division’s graded level — he hit the board in the After Shave(G2), Joisy(G3) and finished a good 5th in the Never Ready(G1). Four straight 100 SP# performances too is nothing to sneeze at. Won as he should LTO at the listed level. Races on 2 weeks rest here though, but he’s been spaced out well the entire season. Perhaps he’s uber-sharp then. Good move. Unfortunately, there should be another big pace scramble– he’ll have to sit back behind it. Ranked 9th in the division. Worthy challenger to the favorite.
11 OMERTA CODE gradetwo B Lugosi 6/1
Sadler’s Wells royal bred finished 4th in the Never Ready(G1) with a 102 SP#. Had won prior at listed level with a 103 SP#. Great return to form then. Earlier this season, he faltered a tad as a pacesetter, competing in the Equinics. The supers then switched him to the dirt with limited success, but also took back behind the pace and that seems to be the key. Only 13th career start — still learning the ropes. Should be there at the wire on 5 weeks rest.
12 BORRACHO(IRE) goodgrits S Graf 7/1
What a difference a switch in surface makes! El Prado(IRE) colt had his 6-race win streak snapped LTO. He dominated the listed ranks versus his age group, winning his 1st 5 starts on the green stuff from 6f to 7.5f. Got in a speed duel LTO versus older horses and lost a heartbreaking photo finish. Three straight 100 SP#s — now he takes on the best of his division. Might be in for a rough time in the pace fray. We’ll see what he’s made of, but the older horse test to me seems just as good as a 3YO lesser grade. One to watch.
Snowchief’s Picks:
Key race here is the Never Ready Sprint(G1). I really like the favorites and think they’ll probably sweep the board. Major respect for lenny’s I Make This Stuff Up after such a huge SP#. He beat a lot of these in that same race — and his midpack running style fits in here too. There’s a lot of speed, but I don’t think it’s gonna be world-beater speed.
Raktavija also deserves props as being the only true consistent graded horse in this group. He’s earned every bit of his #9 ranking. Interesting that he sandwiched in another start after the supremely swift Never Ready(G1). Could go either way, but I have sneaky feeling it’s a good move and he should run his race. Can easily see him on top trying to hold off the closers.
Litmus class test for Borracho(IRE) which I think he can handle. He’s gonna be in a big speed duel….. but, if he’s a really good horse as his PPS have suggested, then maybe he might be able to overpower the pace challengers and shake loose up front. Regardless, I think he and Raktavija will be together at the top of the stretch.
Omerta Code could surprise us all with a top-notch effort. Up in the air though whether or not the stalker chases or joins the pace. still, he’s good enough to win if the others have off days.
Closers Northern Pirate and Bead Two(GB) should have no excuse. There’s gonna be a speed duel to run at — they just need to bring the A-game. I like Northern Pirate as the better of the two — very interesting.
Of the rest, Vermont Victory joins the closers and needs to step up his game. He might be a cut below this level though. Voss Hollandia in great form and might grab a big piece of the purse. Look for the longshot around stalkers such as Omerta Code, Raktavija.
Longshots Remember Pandora, Metal Rush, and Amsharaan(IRE) all duke it out in a pace scramble. Doubtful any of those will be around for long afterwards. Closer Stag Night(IRE) probably brings up the rear.
I’m gonna go with the two-weeks back horse Raktavija over late-closing Northern Pirate and midpacker I Make This Stuff Up.
Win: Raktavija
place: Northern Pirate
Show: I Make This Stuff Up
Longshot: Borracho(IRE) or Voss Hollandia
Thanks to Lenny for sponsoring this race! 🙂 Good luck to all.