From Frickazee to Fame

Frickazee Stakes
Grade I
A mile and one sixteenth
Fast Dirt
$500,000
Fillies and mares, 2 years old

Who’s goin’ to Kentucky? Top two finishers (and maybe more) likely to earn a spot in the Breeder’s Bowl.

EXILE IN GUYVILLE super7 (20%) C. Hargain (9%) 8-1

A homebred Spinning World filly out of the crack Seattle Slew broodmare Crooked Buda, “Exile” is grudgingly working her way up in distance and class to this, her first two-turn try. Super stables have been down this route before, employing the same tactics that worked for her ¾ sister Smart Whip, who won a similar race (G2 Camlaw stakes) on her way to other important successes like the G1 Black Middle Flower at three. Spinning World babies pretty much are split down the middle on sprint / route ability, so if you think this one wants more ground she is certainly primed for a big effort today.

YOU’RE A TOWEL watershed (8%) J. Benisz (26%) 6-1

Undefeated co-favorite for a relatively new barn (36 starts) gets the top jockey and a favorable PP draw for her 3rd lifetime start. Trainer’s ability is probably much better than advertised since you can usually toss out those first 20 starts with CPU leftovers…more like 3 for 14 (21%) with the stable’s 2yo runners. Can’t ask for more from this entry, she’s a Grade I winner and the #1 Classic filly in the SIM. The Elusive Quality filly is the result of a breeding to a “no active owner” mare named Sparky Saint, who was winless in 3 tries of her own on the track. Unless this girl’s greenness is a distraction – let’s assume she doesn’t try to “remember the tune to Funkytown” – she’ll be dangerous with these. From a betting standpoint, you might question if she is just stretching her legs in preparation for making a splash in the Breeders Bowl. Speculation is that she may settle for a minor check and save some energy for the next race. Don’t forget to bring a towel!

THE TORMENTOR pjlracing (17%) S. Bollinger(9%) 12-1

Pulpit filly is undefeated on the dirt, but the connections keep going back to the turf, presumable due to the turfy dam-sires in the pedigree. 4th and best foal of the Mt. Livermore mare Liver Lynn easily handled Alw N1X foes at a flat mile, but this is her stakes debut today. Perhaps the “turf-to-dirt” angle will put a little spring in her step as she turns for home. A big unknown as she really hasn’t been tested yet. Excellent trifecta pick if a speed-duel develops… I feel like the tormentee trying to figure her out.

CYBERTOWN kyclocker6 (17%) Q. Oliver (7%) 7-1

4th foal of the successful Sadler’s Wells mare High Class Escort has been absolutely screaming for more ground, simply running out of racetrack in her last start, a Grade 1 at 7 furlongs. The Speightstown filly’s three siblings were all proven routers, although her daddy is known more as a Sprint sire. She finished just in front of EXILE IN GUYVILLE last race and was moving fastest of all in the final 1/16th. Could be very sharp on 5 weeks rest, but saddled with an underachieving jock. It would not compute to leave this girl out of your exacta boxes.

WINGED COMMANDER rharfo (13%) F. Lofton (7%) 15-1

I almost missed this one and had to go back at the last second and add her in…sorry rharfo! Another undefeated, lightly-raced prospect. Daughter of Deputy Commander and Star Wingo(Forestry) wired a full-field allowance bunch in Vermont last time out, and also broke her maiden in her other route try as a first-time starter – a rare feat for a 2yo. She flies right back on 4 weeks rest for her stakes debut, so if she’s not a little ouchy, we (I…the royal ‘we’) expect her to be sharp and gunning for the front. A bit of an overlay (good value!) at 15-1, I’d say!

WINTER DREAMS sunshine34 (16%) M. Squitieri (10%) 10-1

Afleet Alex scratch-bred has a nice, even running style with good tactical speed that often bodes well in these juvenile route races. Was 2nd by a head last time in a listed stake, but faced some serious runners in that contest, including today’s Grade II Camlaw stakes morning line favorite named TAILOR MADE (IRE). There are several Afleet Alex foal’s from his first crop that have won at a mile, so we don’t expect that the distance will be an obstacle for her. This is one longshot who is live on the board – wouldn’t be afraid to bet her on the grass, either.

AWESOMESEEKNGOLD thebear20 (13%) R. Case (18%) 6-1

Only three lifetime starts for this scratch-bred product of Awesome Again and Seeking The Gold…not that you’d guess from the name or anything. Two of those three starts were at a mile on the dirt, and they were both awesome indeed. I like the way she put away a short field in the stake last time out, closing from well off despite the lack of a contested pace. If I had an entry in this race I would be very, very afraid of this horse down the lane. Another one you simply can’t look past, and she has fewer question marks than many of the other fillies in the gate today.

LA GUARDITA usoz (14%) M.J. Squitieri (10%) 12-1

Here’s one that will really throw the punters for a loop: a multiple stakes-winning daughter of Mr. Greeley and the Sadler’s Wells mare Laguardia that has yet to run a race over the main track. Looking for pedigree clues? Sorry. Laguardia was a monster (Historical Grade B performer, earned over $800k), but was 0 for 2 on the dirt. A little research shows us she wasn’t horrible with a 93SP, but she did run a 110SP on the turf in her next race! Sharp trainer usoz recently celebrated the 100th win in this stable and more to come, but it would be a stretch to anticipate that the next one staring back at you in the Form. Odds are not in her favor, but stranger things have happened in SIMland.

I NEVER BLUFF simsters4 (14%) T. Richard (10%) 13-1

Simsters’ horses are always well-named and this daughter of Pine Bluff and Jupiter’s Projects (Mr. Prospector) is no exception. She’s taken the low road to fame and glory so far, with a modest allowance victory in her last start in Montana as her prep for Graded competition. Veteran SIMmers will recognize that this filly is kin to City Prospector, also by a son of Danzig, and a winner of the Grade I Movieland Starlet during her 2yo campaign. This one has not shown quite as much precocity (78SP), but they also don’t pay you more purse money for winning by a bigger margin, now, do they? Lots of upside, but maybe up against it today.

FANTASY SQUALL robscoobi5 (18%) M. Salisbury (12%) 12-1

Scratch-bred Fantasticat x Summer Squall filly was coming along slowly until breaking through with an allowance win at one mile over in Michigan. Hard to say if that improvement came because the trainer’s namesake rode the horse that day, but the 85SP can’t be argued with. Quality of her competition leaves something to be desired, but like some of the others here, it only means we don’t know what she’s capable of yet. We’ll all find out together on Saturday! Consistent sort is well-rested and would probably win it all with a similar 8 point spike in her speed ratings (went from 69 to 77 to 85 to ???).

DERBY CITY DANCER derbycity (18%) E. Walker (11%) 15-1

There’s no doubting who bred this Forest Wildcat filly! She looked good winning a stake at just under a mile last time, but her sire is not known for producing many routing types. Game dam Hope Gizmo (River Quest) was a good one, but raced primarily as a sprinter. She’s have to buck a number of trends to get the job done today in a really tough field, but there’s nothing to suggest that she doesn’t have a shot. Longshot special for those who like late bloomers (won 2 straight after 3 maiden defeats).

UPPER DECK simond4 (15%) S. Myslinski (8%) 10-1

Fast horse with a fast pedigree, she’s by Grand Slam (hence the stadium moniker) and the Awesome Again mare Alliwantforxmas, herself a simond4 homebred. This trainer has more races on record than the SIMGod himself (over 1000 and counting), so we imagine they’ve seen it all and know what they’ve got under the bridle. Me? I’m not so sure, as this one recently wired a short stakes field that included an 0-for-7 maiden in the place position…and she’s never been farther than 6 ½ panels. Talent is there, but a lot of questions will be asked of her today…leaning towards others but she should be in front at some point.

VENGEFUL PRAYER pazprayer (11%) H. I. Noelle (7%) 11-1

Grizzled veteran of the group, with 7 lifetime starts, 5 Graded stakes efforts and two G3 placings (a first and a second) to her name. Hennesey filly might have shown some distance limitations with an even 4th in her last try, a tough 7.5 furlong Grade 3. Her dam was the reverse – the Hansel mare Vengeful Squire was a hickory stakes performer who seemed to improve as the races got longer. Seasoning will not be an issue with this girl, and she might stay the course, but her running style and the outside post position are going to pose problems today. Should be winging it out with UPPER DECK to the 5/16th pole.

GIVE US A BREAK(JPN) fleet1 (7%) G. Dotson (11%) 19-1

Connections must have been screaming her name when they realized her saddle cloth number at the post position draw! Likeable daughter of Sunday Break(Jpn) and Seattle Sleet mare S Sleet Cielo Up traveled to New Jersey the hard way, taking out maidens in Dubai at nearly 23-1, then disposing of a stakes field in Germany as the 5th choice of 6. Undefeated on dirt, still unrespected on the tote, and you’ve got to love stamina influence Conquistador Cielo as the Dam’s Dam Sire. Longest shot on the board today, but I like her chances much more than half of her opponents or more. But the 14 hole…give ME a break!

Fireworks, grit, gumption, sweat, intensity, exasperation…we’re expecting all of that in today’s race. It’s unlikely that any of these are going to ‘frickasee’ the field in an overpowering display…but if it happens, race to the future-bet windows because that’s your Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile winner. I’m that confident that this race will produce a future champion. It’s probably a safer bet than any of the picks I’m going to administer in the next paragraph, but I’ll try to keep the Graded-stakes-tout win streak alive for 3 in a row.
Editor’s Note: ADHESIVE took the North Fork Stakes in California last week, and TOWN PRINCE reigned over the Early Months Stakes at NSW a week before that. Look it up!

I’m feeling hard pressed to pick a winner here, with so many unproven horses and others on the upswing. So I’m going to go for the “most likely candidate” in the race, and not necessarily the “best horse” in the race…let’s make her AWESOMESEEKNGOLD. I was really impressed with her last race heroics, she gets some pace to run at and a reasonable jock to boot. Pedigree is rock solid and no question marks or red flags on form to speak of. One of many who COULD win, but the one I think SHOULD win.
YOU’RE A TOWEL looks really dangerous with that ground-saving post, top jock, and the race’s best Speed Figures. I balked at picking her first due to the 9 week break with only 4 to go before the Breeder’s Bowl, so the possible bounce (hard fought win by a head last time) weighs heavily on my feeble brain. If I’m wrong, and the track plays fairly to closers, she could wipe these up with ease (wipe..towel..get it?)
After that there are about 7 horses that could finish in the money, but I’ll go with EXILE IN GUYVILLE. I don’t like to choose horses untested at the distance, but she’s got the solid family ties and I’m guessing the devious super stables clan didn’t have her cranked up in her last two tries. We’ll see if she lays it on the line today. CYBERTOWN certainly wouldn’t be a surprise, and GIVE ME A BREAK(JPN) has already proven that you shouldn’t underestimate her chances, even against this stellar field.

Good luck everybody – see you at the Breeder’s Bowl!!!