Breeder’s Bowl Preview Part II

The Breeder’s Bowl Preview continues with the the two sprints, the Mile and the Turf Distaff. One thing you will notice about most of these four races is that our class of three year olds this year could have a big impact.

Race : Breeders Bowl Turf Distaff – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track : Kentucky
Restrictions : Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
Distance : A mile and three eighths on the Turf

This could be one of the most wide open fields on the card. The top two three year olds seem plenty capable of taking down their older rivals. It is hard to tell which older rivals will choose to race here with a high profile retirement announced and a couple of the top stakes points runners not in good form at all.

Getaloadofthis is the top older runner that will enter this race. She had a streak of five wins in a row including a win at the Smackdown, which had a graded quality field, before stepping up to the grade I level in her last three races. In her last three at the top level she has a couple of seconds and a third. You have to like the fact she is three for three at this distance this year and seems in the prime of her career. She represents the older runners best chance against the three year olds.

Wicked Wench (IRE) is the better of the top two three year olds. She won the Adelaide and Oaks de English this year. She would also go on to win at a Smackdown race before taking on older rivals for the first time. There she was beaten by some pretty classy older runners so no shame. She came back last time out and took a grade II against older rivals in a nice prep for this race. Six wins in nine career races and a stalking style of running, a lot to like with her.

Kiss of Betrayl (IRE) impressed this writer in her last race where she beat the older boys soundly in a grade I at a mile and a half. Prior to that race she was second to Wicked Wench a grade II and has proven she is a top class runner. She is a bit of late developer getting hot at the right time. She likes to come from well off the pace and should be a strong contender.

Barb’s Return (GB) has quietly put together a very nice year with seven stakes wins. She only has two graded tries this year both grade I races. She was a close up seventh in one of the races and a winner in the other grade I beating Wicked Wench and Getaloadofthis. She is on a three race win streak now and this stalker should have every chance to win this race.

Cold Storage will bring a great deal of speed to this race. She ran off a string of four straight grade I wins before tiring in the final stages of the Flower Pot stakes to finish third. She has never run this far before although almost all of a success is just one furlong shorter than this race. There is no indication she can not handle the extra furlong and she could very well be the post time favorite for this race. A lot to like with this filly.   

Race : Breeders Bowl Mile – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track : Kentucky
Restrictions : All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance : One mile on the Turf

In the past the older males have really been a strong force in this race but I do not think that is the case this time around. There is one tuff filly and a couple of really nice three year olds that should be big players. This is another of the races where I believe experience at the distance is very important.

Hail Cesario started his career off with a bang winning his first five races as a two year old. He struggled in his next four starts as a three year old with three tenth place or worse finishes. Not many trainers would put their runner into one of the premier events for his division off four straight bad races but Catahoula did and Hail Cesario responded with a second place finish in the 2000 Guineas. He has since won four of his last five and is ready for his older rivals.

Thirteenth Date has done everything right in recent races. She showed towards the end of her three year old season she was a miler. This year she has three grade I wins at a mile including her last against the boys. In eight races this year she has finished on the board each and every time. She will likely keep Hail Cesario company towards the back of the pack and this filly could be the best miler going right now.

Urko’s Danzig is the best of the older males. This five year old has been very consistent all year long rarely finishing off the board. He has five wins this year most at a mile. He likes to stalk and be part of the early pace putting up good speed figures nearly every time out. His recent form is very solid and he should give a good account of himself.

Spare T (IRE) is another three year old that looks great. He ran a strong race last time out in a grade II with a 110-speed figure. After a not so great run behind Hail Cesario he came back of two weeks rest for that grade II win. He also took the St. James Tavern this year after a solid run in the 2000 Guineas. He still has something to prove but few of the older runners look as good on paper.

Tenacious V is a three year old filly. I might be reaching a bit here because there is a chance she was injured in her last race and she may not make this field. I am assuming here that she will make the field and be healthy. If that is the case she is every bit as good as the top runners here. Her two races prior to her last she was running faster speed figures than some of her rivals here. She was the 1000 Guineas winner this year and this deep closer could surprise.  

Race : Breeders Bowl Sprint – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track : Kentucky
Restrictions : All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance : Six furlongs on the Dirt

This field will surely have fourteen horses that are all capable of winning. Picking out five that might have slightly better chances from these runners is nearly impossible. When looking for the top contenders I think experience at the distance is an important factor.  

Casterly Rock (IRE) is the defending champ. He dominated his three year old rivals before this race last year but he only has one grade I win since that race. Quietly he has put together a very solid year and now with two wins in his last three starts he looks as good as he ever did. His recent speed figures have been top notch, and he has had a light race schedule this year. His stalking style combined with his ability to run big speed figures make him one of the favorites.

Pulling Strings has been taking it to the “wear and tear” all year long at forty-four career races. He won at the Equinics to start the year off and added five more wins to that total throughout the year. His last two have not been good and that brings up the question of whether or not he has finally hit a wall. He is blessed with a ton of speed and if the old guy has one run left in him look out.

Sulphur (IRE) has done very little wrong this year with seven stakes wins including a couple of graded races. He ran a solid fourth last time out and before that had put together three in a row. Sulphur (IRE) has put together some nice speed figures in recent races and three of his wins are at this exact distance. He is in good form and this closer will have plenty of speed to run at in the stretch. 

  
Polish Reality may be the hottest sprinter going. Seven races ago something happened to this guy and since then he has not finished worse than second with five wins in those seven races. He started back in allowances and after establishing good form he carried that over in his last three races where he won two of three graded stakes. He is very speedy and in super sharp form and that you have to like in a race like this.

Looking For More is a runner that is capable of the big speed figures and loves this distance. He has two grade I wins this year and that happened in a stretch where he won four races in a row prior to his last two races. He was close in both races and prior to his last race he took eleven weeks off so he probably needed his last to be at his best. With the rest of he returns to form he could very well do his thing and nip them at the wire.

Race : Breeders Bowl Turf Sprint – Grade I – $750,000
Track : Kentucky
Restrictions : All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance : Six furlongs on the Turf

This will be the first running of the turf sprint. Not sure what to expect here but the field should be full of runners capable of the win just like the dirt sprint.

General’s Chariot has been one of the top turf sprinters for the last two years. He only has two wins this year but he is still running those big speed figures nearly every time out. He is a stalker type so the pace does not get away from him and that puts him in contention each and every race. His four million in earning is impressive for a sprinter and he could very likely add to that in this race.

Digging the Grave is an outstanding pace horse. He has six wins this year and has prepped for this in listed stakes. He has held his own against General’s Chariot this year. He started the year off well with three wins including a win at the Equinics. He has won three of his last four races with top speed figures. With his outstanding form and speed he is a serious contender.

Longshot Bubba is a lightly raced three year old that has shown he can run the big speed figure and he has some talent. His two graded wins have been at this distance. He has only run seven times this year and he seems to be maturing now in the latter part of the year. He is a stalker type runner that seems capable of keeping pace with his older rivals.

Digital Overature seems to be one of those runners that runs up and down. His ups are really good and he is coming off a down race. He is a four time graded stakes winner this year two of which were grade I races. He seems to run his best pushing the pace and he should have the opportunity to press Digging the Grave like he did at the Smack Down where he beat both General’s Chariot and Digging the Grave.