Clash Of The Titans

Clash Of The Titans

Ostend – Trainer’s that is!  Two of the top training empires will pit their two-year-old colts against one another in Saturday’s Grade III, Mohawk Juvenile and they aren’t even the favorites.  Masterab and Super10 are just two of the twelve trainers that dropped their entry cards on Wednesday but they always seem to have a trick or two up their sleeves and this will make their charges bear watching.   The ten colts and two fillies will parade to the post for the mile turf race that carries a purse of $150,000.  None of the entrants has ever won a race at this level and most are coming off only a maiden win.  Some have never run on the grass and some will need to rise above their previous speed figures races but the big question that might be answered on Saturday – is who belongs at this level and who doesn’t?

Breaking on the rail will be Riesling (5/1), a son of Johannesburg.  Trained by Firfight10, this colt came from well back to break his maiden first time out.  He was entered right back in The Way Mayying, again at 5 1/2 furlongs and closed to finish 5^th.  Next he was entered in The Chateau Fame at 7 1/2 furlongs where he ran uncharacteristically close to the pace.  He made the lead and then tired to finish second.  He should be fitter this time.

Bad Beat (5/1) has won three of five starts and is ranked # 20 in the Juvenile colt division.  The son of Diesis is the highest ranked colt in the race and has never been out of the money.  He is looking for his fourth win in a row and the Davemac trainee has come up through the ranks, something that most trainers are two impatient to try.  It took two starts for him to figure out what the game was all about and he hasn’t looked back since.  He comes into this race off a score in The Get N High last time out at a mile and is the only entrant with a stakes win under his belt.

Kyclocker spent a lot to get a colt by Storm Cat and he hasn’t been disappointed.  Colossal King (5/1) has only started twice and will be shipping in from Japan.  He closed first time out to finish second at 5 1/2 furlongs and really strutted his stuff when stretched out to 7 1/2 furlongs last time out, going wire to wire  to win by 3/4 of a length.  This might be a big class jump but this colt looks like a good one.

Bold Bandit (6/1) is trained by Masterab and is by Dynaformer.  He has never been off the board and was a closing second in his opener, also in Japan, before being shipped to Tasmania.  Once there, he ran like he was being chased by a Tasmanian Devil, and won going away in only his second career start.  The impressive performance punched his ticket to Ostend.  Combine a top trainer with a top jock and who knows what the big red colt might have in his future.

Post five will hold Upsandowns‘ well made colt by Outofhtebox.  With two wins from five starts on his resume, Outofthewazoo (16/1) is one of the more experienced horses in the race.  The colt has been unbeatable since switching to the grass and getting the longer distances.  He went wire to wire to win by two lengths in his maiden victory and then followed that with the same kind of performance in an allowance race next time out.  This might be a big class jump but this colt seems to have found a niche and he likes it.  

Kitten’s Joy will be represented by Cobra Commander (11/1).  It took trainer Skipnhappy a while to figure out that this colt needs in-your-face competition to run his best.  The colt has improved with the longer distances but he only works hard enough to get the job done.  He came from far back to win his maiden race by a head over a ‘good’ track with a strong 83 speed figure.  To prove that he was for real, he followed that up with another squeaker, winning an allowance race last time out by only a quarter of a length.   He has the talent but he will need help from the other entrants to win this.

Smokey Theater (8/1) is the first of two fillies in this race.  She is trained by Baracoon and is a daughter of Theatrical, one of my favorite sires.   She has never been off the board and won her very first race over a ‘good’ track.  Since then she has been a bridesmaid in every attempt, but her speed figures have improved as the distances got longer.  She was only beaten a head last time out at a mile with an 80 SF.  She’s fast but can she handle the boys?

Breaking from post eight will be Seacadet’s Vegas Money (7/1).  He only has one victory from four starts and is trying the old dirt to turf angle in hopes of re-awakening that spark of victory.  The son of Arazi, faded to fourth last time out after racing in second until the stretch.   He earned a nice 83 speed figure for that effort but it remains to be seen if he really likes the distance.

Starting for the first time on the lawn will be Eddington’s daughter, Darksideofmars (14/1).  Trained by Endor, this is the second filly in the race.  She has a ton of speed but can she carry it the distance?  She has two wins and is 3/4 in the money with a top speed figure of 77.  But, that was on dirt and she will need to dig deep on Saturday to get part.

Sobron (8/1) is a son of Unbridled’s Song and is trained by Palmisland.  The striking roan colt has only one win, but has never been off the board in three starts.  His only win was over a soft turf course in his second career start at a mile, but he faltered at a mile and a sixteenth.  He should like this better.

Candyman will saddle Q Bert (17/1) who is by Quinton’s Gold and is the long shot on the board.  This will be his first start on the grass but he is 3/5 in the money and he is a giant question mark.  Will he like the lawn, can he go the distance (his only win came at 5 1/2 furlongs on the dirt) and can he handle the class?  Some of these questions may be answered on Saturday.

Last to load will be Eightsixsevenfive (9/1) a well-conformed son of Stravinsky.  Trained by Super10 this well bred youngster is 3/5 in the money and sports a maiden win at seven furlongs two races back.  He tried stretching out but tired down the lane to place second in a 7 1/2 furlong race.  He finished with an 80 speed figure which probably earned him a spot here.  He will be fitter this time and will bear watching.

Good Luck to all.