Buzzbringsthebeers Heads Illinois Stakes Betting
Seven runners will face the starter this week in Illinois, ready to do battle over thirteen furlongs on the fast dirt course, all seeking the major share of the $75,000 on offer. A small but even field, all of the runners can raise a case to be included in the chances. The early market sees Buzzbringsthebeers at a reasonably tight quote, due to his excellent recent form. With the roughie kept safe at just 11/1, it shows that tactics and luck may be the determining factors
The race is named after Arrival, a lightly raced stakes winning son of Nureyev, which raced in the mmurano and pastures1 stables during his fourteen start career
The early market this week is:
8/5 – Buzzbringsthebeers
3/1 –
7/2 – Lara’s Saintly
6/1 – Dela Groom T
9/1 – Mudstone
10/1 – King Record
11/1 – Grave Point Made
Looking through the field in betting order:
# 4 – Buzzbringsthebeers – 8/5. – Heads the betting and deserves to do so, given that his form his of such a consistently high level. He’s had nine runs for the year to date, and has finished ITM in all of his last eight, winning five, four of which were at this level. Perhaps a slight question mark surrounding the distance, as he appears a tad happier around the mile and a quarter, but the gr8bigsea bred, owned and trained four year old son of Vindication is clearly the one they have to beat
# 7 – Blarney’s Gift – 3/1. – This four year old son of Grand Slam has been to the races 36 times, for 9 wins and more than $300k in lifetime earnings. Most of his success has come at this level of racing. 2006 has seen him visit the track on a dozen occasions. He’s gone home victorious three times, all in stakes races. The best pointer to this race is his run two starts back, when he won a fourteen furlong stakes race in
# 6 – Lara’s Saintly – 7/2. – Winning form is good form, and there’s no better lead up to a thirteen furlong stakes, than winning a thirteen furlong stakes. The fact that this six year old son of Wavering Monarch returns under exactly the same conditions as his most recent outing, which he won by three and a half lengths, augers well for his chances this weekend. Trainer larastable bred this horse from scratch, and he’s shown no signs of slowing with age. 44 races have seen him go home with the major prize 14 times, and quality rider R Logan will give him every chance to rack up win # 15.
# 1 – Dela Groom T – 6/1. – A quick look at his score card is deceptive, as he’s won just the one race from 18 starts, and that was his maiden, at his second trip to the track. Since then he’s been frustratingly close several times, running honest races, whether in allowance or stakes class. Trainer highc appears to have lost patience awaiting the second allowance win, and as he’s taken home a check at each of his last four listed races, he may as well be taking home the bigger ones that stakes racing supplies. Two starts back he ran second in a fourteen furlong stake and another solid run from the four year old son of Gone West could well be on the cards here.
# 5 – Mudstone – 9/1. – This one is the wild card. A lightly raced three year old taking on the more seasoned horses, he’s untried at the distance, but has been stepping up to the plate impressively as trainer graz628 has progressively asked more of him. He comes into this with god recent form, a last start victory at stakes level, against the older brigade, at the longest trip he’d been asked to attempt. If he can now take the next step, the price being offered on this three year old son of Birdstone, may well look overly generous.
# 2 – King Record – 10/1. – He’s old, he hasn’t won in his last five starts, and it’s been over twelve months since he returned a triple digit speed rating. They are the reasons his price is so good. On the other side of the ledger, his last two attempts at this distance resulted in a first and a third, both against stakes competition, and he’s not much older than he was last year, when he won eight races. Trainer starluko has had a great run with this ten year old son of Alzao, since claiming him last year. The horse owes nothing. He can hold his own against this sort of company, and although he’s possibly up against it this week, the ride is not over yet. Throw him into your exotics. A solid run is certainly possible.
# 3 – Grave Point Made – 11/1. – This colt is the outsider in the betting, but a case can be made for his chances just the same. A lightly raced four year son of Point Given, he’s been solidly working his way through his allowance conditions, over these types of distances, and wasn’t too far away two starts back in Kentucky, when third in a stakes race over this trip. With just fourteen starts under his belt, breeder trainer casualcsh has been bringing him along nicely, and he’s proven at this distance and beyond. His last four have produced two wins and two thirds, and in an even field, a victory from the outsider could hardly be deemed an upset.
Selections: – Not one of the runners here is without some sort of chance, and I’m always on the hunt for a bit of value. Mudstone is on the way up, his form is good and his price is great, so he gets the nod for first. Lara’s Saintly won over these conditions last start and he’s the tip for second and to add real value to the trifecta, I’ll throw in Grave Point Made for third