Fujimoto Stakes–G2
Fujimoto Stakes
Grade II
One mile
Firm Turf
$250,000
All horses, 3 years old and up
The land of the rising sun is host to today Graded running of the Fujimoto Stakes—G2. Although a full field has entered here it gets kind of muddy after the top three or four choices as you we have a many up and comers and allowance hopefuls looking to knock off the morning line favorites. Heading the way is the #9 ranked horse in the division, Redsadky. What this horse lacks in name originality he more than makes up in ability. His presence is sure to intimidate many of his competitors but keeps your eye peeled for a few of the others to try and upset him. Although this race is missing many of the marquis names in the division it still looks to set up as an exciting race down to the finish.
PP 1
99/1 FAT SETH
(TWO PUNCH x BUCKBOARD x STAGE DOOR JOHNNY)
V Gray ( 112 – 5 – 7 – 18 – 4% )
Trainer: love2win
As one of the newer stables in the game, love2win has yet to live up to his name in 41 starts. He enters his 99/1 shot Fat Seth today but his chance will be left at the starting gate. This horse’s last three starts in graded events have resulted in finishes of last, last and you guessed it…last. Although the breeding actually looks good with Two Punch x Buckboard, this horse is really better suited in the claiming ranks. It’s just going to take a little bit of experience and patience on the part of love2win to find his mark in the game.
PP 2
11/1 DESERT STAR(IRE)
(HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) x STORM CAT x SHARPEN UP(GB))
D
Trainer: super2
Dersert Star(IRE) starts our lengthy list of allowance running hopefuls. Although he’s shown some flash of speed at this distance he really hasn’t shown that he can compete when moved up in class. Two of his last three races have scored well with him as he’s finished with SR’s over 100 but his last three attempts in non-graded stake race have met with bitter disappointment not to mention his two tries at this level. He may place slightly better here today though as after you get past the first two choices the field really gets soft so a long shot on the back end of a trifecta ticket may not be completely out of place.
PP 3
6/1 RECOIL
(MISWAKI x TOUCH GOLD x ALYDAR)
Trainer: londoner
After starting the season exceptionally strong, Recoil and trainer Londoner have certainly had a reversal of fortune. After a non-graded stake win and three consecutive very close second place finishes in graded events, this Miswaki colt seemed poised to take the division by storm but something put the brakes on that idea. However, it seems that he may be on his way back with strong finishes in his last two races including a win in an allowance prep race. Recoil certainly has proved that he has the all the class to perform here and you might want to consider him in a trifecta wheel on top for a possible upset.
PP 4
5/1 KOSA NOSTRA
(FUSAICHI PEGASUS x NUREYEV x NEARCTIC)
C Roser ( 450 – 75 – 52 – 48 – 17% )
Trainer: kasavage
Our second choice on the board, Kosa Nostra by Fusaichi Pegasus, has shown some flash of speed in his last few races. Although he has yet to prove himself at this level he does have four non-graded stake wins to his credit. The last win came as recent as two races back in The HER BOW(GB) Memorial-Stk where he saved ground came with a flurry around the final turn. However, it’s hard to say if he’ll be able to bring that same level of competitiveness in this race as he didn’t show much in his last start. This colt is full of raw talent though and this may just be his break out race.
PP 5
20/1 WEENA’S
(
W Lloyd ( 100 – 9 – 8 – 9 – 9% )
Trainer: roscoe5
Leaving from gate #5, Weena’s Mission(IRE) is taking on older horses for the first time in his career. He has had some success in non-graded stake races this year and finished 2nd two races back with a career high 105 SR in the Kilt Raising Stakes-Stk, However, his last race was his first attempt at the Graded level and he was crushed by 17 lengths by horses his own age. It’s always hard to say what a three year old will do this time of year and if he can repeat that 105 showing he might just make someone a nice return at the window. The drop in distance should help his chances and don’t surprised to see him finish on top of many in the field.
PP 6
11/1 RIDE FOR SHOW(IRE)
(INDIAN RIDGE(IRE) x BOLD BIDDER x LUTHIER(FR))
Trainer: flurgen5
The track handicapper may be going a bit tough on Ride For Show as she is taking on not only a full race of boys but also facing older horses. She is coming off a nice 3rd place finish in her last race in the Mospe Cup-G1 where she finished just behind fellow competitor Vermont Victory. This is the time of year where you start notice the younger horses giving their older counter parts some trouble but she’ll have to show more than she did in her only other attempt at older company in The FULL RIVER Memorial-Stk where she was crushed and finished 8th. However, if that 105 in a Grade 1 event is any evidence of what she’s capable of then she might just surprise.
PP 7
9/1 SUPER REVENGE
(SEEKING THE GOLD x NORTHERN DANCER x HOIST THE FLAG)
A
Trainer: super21
Breaking out of gate #11 is the lightly raced Super Revenge who is still trying to repeat the 110 SP he showed back in July. Was that race a fluke? I still think it was not as I believe this horse is still trying to shake the green off of him and may show something today. He has had some decent showings in his last three starts but nothing that you would call worthy in a graded event but still, I can’t seem to take my eye off the 110. He’s drawn a decent jockey in A Hudson but he’ll have to show more that he did in his last start at this track where he finished a disappointing 9th in the Fried Rice Mile-G2.
PP 8
70/1
CRAZY BOUT MY BABY
(SKY MESA x CHIEF’S CROWN x MILL REEF)
J Babb ( 137 – 18 – 14 – 10 – 13% )
Trainer: stompy007
Hoping to turn a $10,000 claiming investment into a graded win, trainer stompy007 makes a huge jump in class with his recent purchase. Although lightly raced with 12 career starts and five wins, it seems his entry here is a bit out place. With only one win other than a maiden or claimer and taking on older horses, this three year old will more than likely be an “also ran”. Kudos for the try but I’ll have to pass.
PP 9
18/1 FOGGY PROSPECT
(SPINNING WORLD x MR. PROSPECTOR x LUCKY MEL)
B Parker ( 233 – 31 – 15 – 32 – 13% )
Trainer: superdaddy
The great ones never die, they just keep on racing. Those are pretty easy words to describe our #9 entry Foggy Prospect. As a winner of 9 stake events including a graded win you have to tip your hat to this classy horse. Unfortunately his best days seems to be behind him as he hasn’t scored a stake win of any type since in three years and the apparent boost in speed after switching surfaces hasn’t landed a win either. He carries no apparent connection to the Super Stables who have two entries in this race but I like this horse for no other reason than some of the names of his stable mates. I’ll let you check them out and make your opinion. At either rate, it will take a return to glory for him to steal the win.
PP 10
10/1
(TWO PUNCH x THEATRICAL(IRE) x PLEASANT COLONY)
G
Trainer: wtas02
Vermont Victory starts today hoping to build on his last race in the Mospe Cup-G1. It may have taken some time to for trainer wtas02 to finally figure out that his colt likes two turns as his performance has certainly been better when going over 8 furlongs. That last race showed a marked improvement where he finished a very respectful 2nd while posting a career high 107 SR. This three year old takes on older horses for the first time today and you have to make a mental note on whether or not he’s up for the challenge. If you take the sprint events out of the equation then he may prove to be competitive.
PP 11
8/1 WONDERBOY DA VINCI(IRE)
(THEATRICAL(IRE) x MONTJEU (IRE) x KINGMAMBO)
L Fenner ( 323 – 28 – 37 – 34 – 9% )
Trainer: wonder4
If you’re looking at the past performance sheet and scratching your head about the #11 entry, Wonderboy Da Vinci(IRE) then you’re not alone. The one thing consistent about this colt has been his inconsistency but when he’s on he’s really on. You only have to go back two races to find what he’s capable of when he finished strong with a win in the Violin Mile-G3. In reality, he really hasn’t been that far off but may have been simply overmatched in his previous losses. He prefers to sit just behind the leader before making a move in the stretch run and if the conditions prove favorable then he may fight for a part of the board.
PP 12
19/1 JUSTICE MCKEEAN
(LIT DE JUSTICE x CHICANERY SLEW x WITH APPROVAL)
B Simmons ( 147 – 8 – 12 – 9 – 5% )
Trainer: apa
We continue our run of allowance running hopefuls with the 19/1 Justice McKeean. This former claimer and starter allowance runner off a win in a restricted NW1t allowance race but his hopes seem far fetched today. In 53 career races, he’s only managed to break the century mark in SR’s just once but he does race consistently in the mid to high 90’s. Like many of the others, with not much to choose from after the first few picks he might just surprise with a decent run but any chance of win has to be minimal at best.
PP 13
3/1 REDSADKY
(RED RANSOM x SADLER’S WELLS x NIJINSKY II)
K Ledwith ( 713 – 182 – 147 – 91 – 26% )
Trainer: sherwood
Our morning line favorite, Redsadky, looks like a tough competitor in this full field. This three time graded winner is hoping for a slightly softer field than he’s faced this year. Although his record only shows one win this season, he’s has two very close seconds to the #1 ranked horse in the division, Seeking Sal. Undoubtedly, he has the speed and class to carry him to the winner’s circle but his stamina has been a bit suspect of late and I like the slight move down in distance as he has the looks of a true miler. With consistent speed ratings over 100+ he’s likely the one to beat and with top jock K Ledwith in the irons it may be a sad day for the rest of the field.
PP 14
12/1 SILKY WELLS
(LEAR FAN x SADLER’S WELLS x BUCKPASSER)
R Lott ( 105 – 5 – 10 – 16 – 5% )
Trainer: punta2
Leaving out of the outside gate, Silky Wells has suddenly showed some spark in his five year old season. He’s spent most of his career hanging around allowance company, but after scoring his first stakes win last time out in The LIGHT MAGAZINE Special-Stk trainer punta2 hopes to improve here today. His chance seem bleak however as that last win came with a very soft field and he won with only a 99 SR. It will certainly take more than that to win today but he might compete for a minor share of the purse.
Maverick’s Picks
Call me chicken but I just can’t go against Redsadky and the other favorites. The field just seems to murky after the first four choices. My choice is a tri-key: 13 / 2,3,7,11 / 2,3,7,11