Field of 12 Looks to Take Grade I The Monster Mash

PP #1 Torrey Pines South (peeps11): Jockey- B. Peeples: Odds 6/1

Torrey Pines South will be looking for his first ever stakes win, let alone his first ever graded win.     Speed figures are there as they are constantly in the upper 100’s to near 110.  The only thing missing are the wins and chances at hitting the board.  This 4 year old son of Tiznow dipped his foot into graded company back in April of this year.  In that Grade II shot, he ran 7th and faded late in the race.  He moved back into the allowance ranks after that before taking another shot at a listed stakes race.  He ran 6th in that one, but showed promise coming back from 12th to 6th late.  In his next race, another listed stakes race, he hit the board for the first time at this level of competition finishing 3rd once again not having enough distance.  The owners then tried a jump in distance and were not disappointed at a third place Grade III finish.  This time though, Torrey Pines South sat in third most of the race.  Where is this guy going to try to run and where will he situate himself through this race?  This could have a huge impact on the results!

PP #2 Outback Europium (jaka): Jockey- R. Whisper: Odds 11/1

Outback Europium comes into this race also looking for his first ever graded win.  This 4 year old son of Malibu Moon finished 3rd two races back in his first ever graded attempt in the Grade II Grumpy Old Man Marathon.  This guy has an interesting story as just one year ago he was entered into an NW2L 100k claimer.  He failed to win that race finishing 5th even, though he did run a 97 speed figure. In his very next race, a starter allowance, Outback Europium ran in his first ever 10 furlong race.  From there, the distances increased and so did the speed figures.   Though he has never won a stakes race, he has ran second 2nd twice in three attempts go go along with that place finish in the Grade II.  His last race was a NW1X allowance race which saw this guy running away with finishing first by over 8 lengths.  He has proven he loves distance more than anything, and the biggest question for this guy will be whether he has enough to take first and keep the lead.  He will have plenty of challenges coming from behind him as he sits mid pack to start the race.  Can he take the lead and will he hold the lead?  Is this the day Outback Europium breaks into the Grade I win ranks?

PP #3 Tap Lessons (nedsnags): Jockey- J. Wilson: Odds 6/1

Tap Lessons is no stranger to Grade I company as his last five races have all come at this level of competition.  What he is having trouble figuring out is his sweet spot on what distance he likes to run at.  Both Graded wins (II and I) this guy has have come at 16 furlongs.  In those races he won with speed figures of 99 and 107.  The question with this guy is what horse is going to show up.  Its a question that is thrown around in a lot of sports these days.  When a team (or horse) has talent, but just can’t seem to put it all together, it leads to head scratches all around.  Tap Lessons is like an EKG in the since that he is always up and down.  The first two months of this year saw Tap Lessons run his best back to back races of his career as he won a Grade II race and then placed in his follow up Grade I.  He hasn’t shown the same intensity since, and after a lay off, is looking for his first win since January.  This 4 year old son of Tapit loves to sit middle of the pack.  If he can get the motor going, look out as he could be a threat.  If the motor isn’t going, he will fade quickly.  Which horse is going to show up?  Is the EKG going up or down?  These are all questions everyone has going into this race for Tap Lessons.

PP #4 Founder (indigo2): Jockey- W. Moss: Odds 9/1

Founder is no stranger to distance races as his second career race was a 16 furlong allowance race which he won easily.  Since his first two wins, he has managed to finish the next seven races with five wins, one place, and a sixth place finish.  That sixth place finish will probably have some questioning if this 4 YO son out of Orientate needs a rest.  Is he tired, or is he hurt?  These questions have been floating around the thoughts of all the owners in this race.  I am going to take a different route and attribute his 6th place finish to the switch in surfaces.  It wasn’t a bad move at all by indigo2 as this guy had won both previous races on the grass.  After seeing that maybe it wasn’t the strong suit for this guy, the owner decided to make the switch back to the dirt.  The best race for this guy has come at 14 furlongs on the dirt where he overmatched a Grade III field with a career best 112 speed figure and winning at 5 and 3/4ths lengths.  The last time this fellow lost on the dirt, American Pharaoh was just beginning his journey to Triple Crown legacy.  Look for Founder to sit at or near the back of the pack and try to make his run late.  He caught himself just a little to far back on the grass.  He can’t make that same mistake here.

PP #5 Little Column B (pbcash1): Jockey- L. Radzinski: Odds 3/1

Little Column B is a 4 YO Colt sired by Admire Moon.  While his last two races at 14 furlongs come with a few heartbreaking losses, this boy looks to enjoy the distance.  Speed figures of 111 have been run in each of the last two races.  This guy is certainly familiar with the competition level in distance races.  Four races back, this colt broke free in earning his first ever Grade I win in The Desert Stamina Cup.  After winning a listed stakes race at 13 furlongs next time out, a couple graded attempts (III and I) ended up in 2nd place finishes by 1/4 of a length, and a head.  Looking to get back on track and back into the winners circle, look for this guy to sit near the back of the pack before storming to the front by the end of the race.  The biggest question is will he leave himself enough distance to make that ever so long comeback in the later stages.  His last two races, he has been over 13 lengths back at the second call.  Can he shorten that length and give himself a better boost?  We shall see.

PP #6 Impacta (monologue): Jockey- E. Seifert: Odds 7/1

Impacta took a step back in competition last time out, but won by a comfortable margin in that race.  This came after a dismal performance in the 16 furlong, Grade II Baltimore Special.  Two races back, Impacta never was really a threat and was eventually distanced while running an 81 speed figure.  Strange things can happen in the Sim, and this may of just been one of those strange events as less than a month later, Impacta came back to win an Allowance race and running a 105 speed figure.  He now is coming back after a little bit of a rest and hasn’t raced since June.  Will the rust ware off quick enough in this race?  After running 4th back in May of 2014, this guy hadn’t failed to hit the board until that forgettable race two back.  With Impacta liking to take the field from wire to wire, the biggest question is going to be will he have enough juice in his first race back from a layoff?  There is a chance for Impacta in this race, but he will have to be as sharp as he was back in December of 2013 when he achieved his first ever Grade I win.  Can the oldest horse in the field at six, and son of Deep Impact accomplish that?

PP #7 Factor X (aguadeep6): Jockey- A. Hudson: Odds 28/1

Factor X looks to be the X factor in this one.  A little over a year ago, Factor X was claimed for 20 thousand dollars.  since that time, he has failed to hit the board just once in a 4th place Grade I attempt at 14 furlongs.  He has been running well other than that and speed figures have only been on the increase.  What the previous owner never realized was that a distance run was all that was needed to get this guy going.  After ripping off two straight allowance wins, Factor X was entered into his first ever listed stakes race where he ran third.  Like many of the horses in this race, Factor X will look to sit middle of the pack.  Which of these horses is going to use the energy early, and which will save for later?  Factor X looks like one that could be sitting toward the back with everyone who wants to run in the middle.  This isn’t a usual place for him and for this resonate will be interesting to see how the situation plays out if this were to arise.  Factor X is the 4 year old son of who else but….. The Factor.

PP #8 Professional Cynic(supapogs7): Jockey- B. Scott: Odds 7/1

Professional Cynic is a 4 year old colt out of Street Cry.  Though his last win came in February, this guy is anything but a non challenge, and better not be overlooked.  Professional cynic hasn’t failed to hit the board since March of 2014!  Speed figures have been on the decline since his multiple graded wins earlier this year.  This could be cause for concern in such a loaded field.  With this guy liking to sit in the back along with most of the other horses in the field, is he going to have enough juice for the finish?  Declining speed figures could mean that the horse is losing steam or just needs a rest.  Whatever the reason though, he has proven that you can not count him out.  Look for this guy to make a case for the win no matter if he is tired or not.  He is a fighter and we have seen that countless times though the last few months.  He is no stranger to the graded stakes ranks and I look for this guy to push for a spot in the top three, even if he can’t scratch out that win.  Professional Cynic will be right there in the end.

PP #9 Osculum Infame (stctees): Jockey- O. A. Haack: Odds 16/1

Osculum Infame is making his second Graded Stakes start of his career and only the third stakes attempt in that same time frame.  His previous two tries haven’t gone his way, and he will be looking for his luck to change today.  This 4 year old son of Dylan Thomas has won 50 percent of his race attempts though, so don’t count him out just yet.  Though speed figures have mostly been in the upper 90s, whose to say that today isn’t the day?  He has shown that distance is where he wants to run at, and there is always a chance.  Funnier things have happened.  Look for this guy to sit middle of the pack where there will be a plethora of other horses.  Out of these horses, there will be one or two that are going to step up and give themselves a chance.  Will he be one of them?  The old saying goes “all it takes is one,” and that is what he will be looking for.  As Michael Jordan once said, “You miss 100 percent of the chances you don’t take.”  Osculum Infames owner is giving him a chance.

PP #10 Pivotal Right (cheltenhamred): Jockey- S. Ledwith: Odds 11/1

Pivotal Right comes into this race suffering his first ever career NON in the money in his last race where he finished 5th.  The distance races, especially 14 furlongs, seem to be this guys comfort though, and in his last two races at the distance he has run career high speed figures of 105.  Will that be enough to hold off the later runners will be the question?  This 4 year old son of Pivotal loves to shoot right to the front.  That didn’t bother him back in June when he led wire to wire in his first ever Grade I win.  After about a two month break, he came back in August once again jumping right out in front in a Grade III race.  This time though he wasn’t as fortunate as he got passed up in the late stages and finished 5th.  I have no doubt that this is a nice distance for this young boy to be running at.  The biggest question is will he be able to hold off the challengers?  He has proven he can do that two races back, and his last race out could of knocked some rust off after the lay off.  This is certainly a dark horse, and one to watch come race day.

PP #11 Aye Aye Captain (italst3): Jockey- H. Harzheim: Odds 11/1

Aye Aye Captain will be making just his fifth start on dirt in his career!  He hasn’t failed yet on the dirt though, hitting the board in every single one.  His lone stakes win though came on the grass where he has been productive as well.  His lone stakes attempt on the dirt, in his last race, saw him finish second at 12 furlongs in a listed stakes race.  The 4 year old colt out of Henrythenavigator has been running consistent speed figures in the 100’s while racing on both surfaces.  In his limited graded action on the turf, Aye Aye Captain has never finished better in 4th though that was in a Grade I race.  He has never attempted a graded race on the dirt, and he will look to make his first memorable.  Another pace stalker will look to sit at the back of the pack to begin the race.  Will he have enough to beat out all the other pace stalkers?  There is a bunch of them.  Its a stalker heavy race, so look for plenty of horses to try and take the lead at the finish.  Aye Aye Captain will just be one of those horses.

PP #12 Thousand Steps (corzacan): Jockey- C. Wyatt: Odds 17/1

Thousand Steps is a 4 year old colt who is looking for that first ever graded win.  This colt out of Harlan’s Holiday is relatively new to the Stakes company, let alone Graded Company.  In fact earlier this year, this boy was still running in 5 furlong races.  He seems to have found the sweet spot though in distance races where he has not failed yet to hit the board.  His first ever graded attempt came in his last race where he finished 3rd.  This was a Grade I race where Thousand Steps finished 15 lengths behind the winner, and only running a 98 speed figure.  His best career speed figure of 110 came in a listed stakes three races back where he finished 2nd at 11.5 furlongs.  In the following race, he won his first listed stakes at 16 furlongs running an 103 speed figure.  He will make a quick turnaround as he ran just two weeks ago at the beginning of September.  Will that help or hinder him in this race?  If all goes well, look for Thousand Steps to sit middle of the pack and make a push about half way through.  He will hope to break into the lead late in the race.  Will Thousand Steps have enough to win his first ever graded race?  Stay tuned to find out.