Eight Want To Be On Cloud Nine In The Saint Cloud Grand Prix

Eight Want To Be On Cloud Nine In The Saint Cloud Grand Prix

Deauville-FR(DEA) | Saturday, June 20, 2015 | 3:00 PM EST
Grade I | $750,000 | 12 Furlongs | 4 Year Olds And Over | Firm Turf

FOOTHILLS(1) is the well bred son of MONTJEU who hopes to improve in his second start since a three month layoff after a poor effort in the CEO Classic G3. In his penultimate start though, he turned on the jets in the Lex Luther Turf Endurance STK and left them in the dust. The five year old is a grade three winner from Ireland and wants to notch his first graded stakes win since last August where he took the Freer Stakes G3. My concern is the extra two month waiting period balata gives him this time. Watch the morning workouts if you can, this 6-1 could produce a nice race off a good work.

TETE MAINE(2) is another making it’s second start since a layoff. This one is slightly more serious however with the layoff stretching six months. The fourth place finish he gave us last time is an indicator that this 5yo son of DUKE OF MARMALADE out of G1 winner SADDLE TETECATE is ready to rock once he gets his groove back (which should be here). Looking back to September 2014 this horse won the Europe Classic by a length and is the only GI winner. I think this horse is raring to go and with a clean break we could see a good shot at a win. He’s the co-second choice at 5-1 for racelord.

IMPERIALISTA(3) is a former $25,000 claimer but has obviously left that life behind with a dominant three length win in the Carlsbad Lessons G2 a month ago. Xelmirez must be kicking himself for letting this gem go, with two stakes wins (Kingstonian Turf Challenge by two lengths and the Always Improving Turf Challenge by a length) and a G2 victory to boot, I’d say this was one good investment by gowans. The SAVABEEL colt improves every time and is a nice play here. The punters make the horse the 4-1 co-favourite.

SYMBOLIQUE(4) was too fatigued to finish his charge in the 16 furlong The Second Henry G2 and finished fourth beaten eleven. You can also excuse the 5-Series G1 loss in April to discomfort on the mildly damp turf. This one’s tough to work out, and has only ever hit twice at twelve furlongs in six tries. The son of SYMBOLI KRIS S out of G1 winning mare MON COUP will presumably drop back at the beginning and surge late. Since AWESOME SECRET carries the only speed the running style might be hindered here, but I think he’ll get a check of some kind. 8-1 makes him the longest shot on the board.

LAWLESS INSOMNIAC(5) has a great name but hasn’t shown up in two grade two starts thus far (the Corridor and the Randy Vet). The LAWMAN filly represents the only girl power in the race but will need a performance like the Very Fine Handicap G3 with a 113 speed rating where she won to compete here. This might be out of the 4yo’s reach yet but you never know. She could surprise on Sunday. However, she provides no value at co-chalk at 4-1.

OLLIE’S BEST(6) had a bland performance in the M-Class G2 with a fourth by nine. This is a son of SEPOY out of G1 winner FANTASTIC OLLIE and is graded placed- second by a length in the Guilaume G2 last year. He also ran second by a length in two stakes in a row last year but has never actually taken a trophy home. He also destroyed the rest in a NW5L ALW in two starts back, winning by ten. He’s hard to recommend here seeing his M-Class G2 performance. 5-1 is not much value.

KEPLER RED WAY(7) was another competitor in the M-Class G2, but finished better than OLLIE’S BEST with a second by three. Before that, the son of GIANT’S CAUSEWAY won The Sundown Mile G2 by just under a length. This is another that flies home from the back, but whose running style may be hindered by the lack of action up front. I can definitely see an in-the-money finish on Saturday with the extra furlong added from last time. Bobo could be a happy man tomorrow. His horse is 5-1.

AWESOME SECRET(8) rounds out the field after not being able to catch WU TANG ADJACENT in the Second Henry G2 and falling short by four, but romped away in the CEO Classic G3 two starts back. Looking at that race, you can say that 12 furlongs suits this one quite nicely and a return to the distance could help the son of FRANKEL. I’d give nextbonus’s bay colt a fair a shot as any in this. He’ll need to step up a bit, but I think he could do it.

MY SELECTIONS-

1- TETE MAINE (2)
2- IMPERIALISTA (3)
3-KEPLER RED WAY (7)

Longshot play-SYMBOLIQUE(4)