Nine fillies and their respective jockeys battle in the Grade III Lapel Pin Stakes
The 6th annual Grade III Lapel Pin Stakes has drawn the smallest field to date with only 9 runners. Historically this race has drawn a lot of talent and despite the smaller field this year is no different. Eight of the nine horses racing for a piece of the $175,000 purse here have already won a stakes race. The other returning story; a longstanding jockey rivalry that gets ignited every time V. Townsend, Mo Johnson and N. Linville race against each other. Mo Johnson has historically picked horses in this race that everyone expected to do well, but for whatever reason didn’t make it into the money here. N. Linville claims that this is due to his lack of courage when it comes to big races. He says his record proves he doesn’t have that difficulty (three in-the-money performances in five years) and that’s why shangrila2 opted for him to ride the favourite PRINCESS JENNAH Saturday. That choice left V. Townsend with the second favourite PREACHINUPASTORM, whom he says “may not be the best in this field but nobody’ll know it on race day because I’ll be onboard.” Tall words from a tiny jockey, but perhaps he should have confidence as he is defending his title won last year atop WAKI NOTION in a nail biting last minute come from behind. He’s also quick to point out he’s the only jockey in Saturdays field to have won this race – will his experience give him an advantage?
Lets take a look at the names that already appear on the Lapel Pin Stakes Plaque in hopes it may shed some light on Saturday’s field:
2000 – MS. PROSPECTOR – trained by slewbetcha and ridden by B. Coleman – 1.2 million lifetime earnings with 9 stakes wins and 3 graded wins. To top it all off she has already produced two stakes winning foals.
2001 – MS. PROSPECTOR – returned to defend her title going wire-to-wire.
2002 – RHINO DAISY – trained by opus and ridden by F. Fraser – 844k lifetime earnings with 7 stakes wins and 3 graded wins.
2003 – PRIESTESS OF HELM – trained by woodsmen and ridden by W. Mafit – 1.3 million lifetime earnings with 10 stakes wins and 3 graded wins.
2004 – SHAKY LEGS – trained by bigspruce and ridden by C. Brubaker – 684k in earnings so far and she’s still racing at the stakes level.
2005 – WAKI NOTION – trained by looney1 and ridden by V. Townsend – 2.3 million in earnings to date and she is still running at the grades stakes level.
Now for this years runners:
PREACHINUPASTORM – trained by kyclocker3 – 4/1
A daughter of PULPIT out of Adam’s Cat, a STORM CAT x RAISE A NATIVE mare, this filly has far exceeded her mother’s limited success. She’s coming off an un-graded stakes win at 9f and has been out of the money only twice this year. Although she’s been putting up speed ratings in the low 100’s pretty consistently of late, her performance at 10f in week 2776 concerns me. It was a long time ago, but she was beaten by 12-3/4 furlongs. On the plus side if anyone can save enough to get her down the stretch it’s jockey V. Townsend who drove into the winner’s circle last year. She needs to keep the front runners in sight to have a chance here.
JHIQUI – trained by khalasar – 7/1
Ranked 44th in the long dirt division, this filly has plenty of experience with the distance and has three wins in her last four races. Last time out she ran 10.5 furlongs and posted a 101sp. Watch for her to make a move in the stretch and cross your fingers that she doesn’t run out of room.
NATURE UNLEASHED – trained by super22 – 17/1
This daughter of WAR CHANT has run her last two races at this distance and although she hasn’t posted speed ratings in the 100’s like some in this field she won The SENORITA CLAN Memorial last time out with style. In that race she came from being 11-1/4 furlongs out of it at the mid-way point to leading by 3-1/4 at the wire. With a little improvement she could be a contender.
DECEMBER SHADOW – trained by topicount2 – 9/1
This daughter of A.P. INDY is ranked 266th in the long dirt division despite some recent success. Her last race at this distance came way back in 2881 and she won it handily in a time of 2:02 1/5. Although R. Tatersall may be tempted to put her right in the front and try to win wire-to-wire there are too many quick closers for this strategy to be effective. He’ll have to find a way to reconcile her desire to be in the front pack with a need to conserve some energy for the stretch in order to steer her into the money in this one.
SAINT THUNDER – trained by con10der3 – 9/2
Another one coming off a win last time out, this time in the 9 furlong QUEEN GUENEVERE Challenge. She’s posted some consistent numbers in her last five, but hasn’t tackled a 10f race since 2601. In that attempt she was significantly slower. This filly is really handy at about a mile to 9f and her stamina and conditioning may not be up to the task this Saturday.
PRINCESS JENNAH – trained by shangrila2 – 5/2
The favourite has posted huge speed ratings in her last three – all over 100. None have been at distances quite this far, but if the Grade III Country BB Handicap is any indication she’ll probably take the extra ½ furlong in stride. In that race she lost by only a nose and the extra distance would have given her the edge. If she can stay consistent she’ll be tough to beat.
JARRAH – trained by taztiger – 7/1
Taztiger’s star has been a consistent classic distance filly, ranking 84th in that division. He’ll try to stretch her out this Saturday relying on her SADLER’S WELLS blood. Her last time out at a mile and a quarter was in 2650 and although she succeeded in cracking the money she was far from winning back over four lengths. This is another one who likes to comes from behind, but what she’ll have to remember here is that with the front runners setting a quicker pace she’ll have to stay in touch in order to compete.
BETTER THAN HEAVEN – trained by cvbear – 5/1
A light grey filly out of SKIP AWAY, she’s had lots of success in long races of late. Although she’s only ranked 114th in the division, I expect a good performance here will push her up in the rankings. She has yet to finish out of the money in a race longer than 10f this year and I’d be surprised if this race was any different. B. Renfroe agrees he’s got a contender in this one – he’ll most likely try to replicate her win in The LADY JOHANN(FR) Special and lead wire-to-wire.
NORTHERN IDEAL – trained by bushmonster – 14/1
This daughter of RAHY hasn’t turned out a really solid performance in her last two and hasn’t been in the money in a stakes race since 2734. If she can repeat her performance from week 2895 she may have a shot, but I suspect she may be overtaken by all the good late speed in this field.