The G3 Rancho Renaldo Stakes, Just A Little Dash For The Ladies
This week, your intrepid reporter has made his was from France to California to take a look at some of the Graded-action. This 6.5F sprint, the G3 Rancho Renalodo Stakes, has a purse of $150,000 for the ladies 3yo and older on a firm dirt track.
1) I’M THE ENEMY: 6-1. This 4yo daughter of Malibu Moon has run 5 times on the year and has yet to win a race in allowance, listed stakes, or graded stakes company. I think she’s over-placed here and the odds-makers are being generous with their 6-1. Save your money.
2) ANGLE OF REPOSE: 7-2. The favorite at 7-2, 4yo Angle Of Repose has run 7 times in 2015, winning 6 of them, with the last win a strong wire-to-wire performance in the G2 Delta Tau Chi Sprint. I see her doing the same here and adding win #8 on the year.
3) TB STARS ALIGNMENT: 9-2. This 5yo mare has had 20 top-3 finishes in her 23-race career, with 12 of those being wins. Owner pigeon27 switched her from turf to dirt in late 2014 and that improved her speed numbers. She is lightly-raced this year, only running 3 times, but 2 of those were 8F Allowances. I’m not sure what to think here. I would put down $2 to show if I had a couple of bucks to waste, but I’m not sold on her.
4) STRAIGHT FROM HELL: 5-1. 5-1 makes her the 5th favorite in this race. I just have one of those betting hunches that she will end up in the top-3. She has 5 wins and a show in her 6 races in 2015, all with speeds over 100, and LTO she won the Bite The Bullet Ii Dirt Mare Memorial, a listed stakes in Michigan. I’m putting her down to place just because I have one of those “hunches”.
5) DOWNTOWN STORM: 13-1. The long shot in this race had an allowance-win back in April but has not had any success since, fading to 4th in both an allowance and the Prospect Jess Dirt Mare Dash Stakes. I think she fades all the way to the rear here. Not a contender.
6) EXCHANGING TALES: 4-1. One of 2 fillies going off at 4-1, Exchanging tales has 2 wins and 3 fourth-place finishes on the year. Her last 2 races have been in Grade-2 company and she has faded to 4th in both races. I see her trying to set the pace here and fading to a predictable 4th as well.
7) BLEFUSCU: 4-1. 5 of 6 races this year have been Graded, with a win coming in the G3 Leading Lady in January. Her other performances have not been as strong. I see her running a solid 3rd here.
8) SPIRIT AWAY: 8-1. 3yo Spirit Away has had some success this year, with 2 listed stakes wins, a 2nd, and a 3rd. But, both those wins have come at 7.5 furlongs and she finished 5th her last race, the 7F G3 Love Muffins Stakes. I don’t think there’s enough distance for her on this one and she finishes 5th.
Win: Angle of Repose
Place: Straight From Hell
Show: Blefuscu
Getting some love: TB Stars Alignment, Exchanging Tales, Spirit Away
Post time is 1:40 PM EST on Saturday. Check your local listings for a station in