Jungle Alert(SAF) Bonanza draws six

This week’s feature race in Virginia is the Jungle Alert(SAF) Bonanza. We have invited all horses three years old and older to run over nine and a half furlongs of firm turf for a piece of the $50000 purse. Like many of the stakes in Virginia this year, this is the second annual running of this race. It was won last year by Cannon In D, in a five length walkaway. He is currently ranked nineteenth in the older Turf Classic division, and this race was his second career stakes win on the road to that milestone. This year’s edition has drawn a field of six, ranging from fresh young three year olds to veteran five year olds. Oddsmakers have a solid first choice at 6/5 odds, but the rest of the field is up in the air, with five horses tucked between 5/2 and 8/1 odds. The favorite is coming off a couple of tough races, and with a field this tight, anything could happen.

PP1) Sky Turn To Black Sired by Sky Mesa, Trained by fab19. Sky Turn To Black is a four year old colt who makes his thirty first career start in this race. His resume boasts four prior stakes wins and a ninety six divisional ranking. He has had eleven starts this year, parlaying them into a 3-4-1-1-0 record with three 100+ starts. His last run was an open allowance in Indiana at nine furlongs, where he barely missed at the wire, running second by a head. He hasn’t been on the dirt since early in his two year old season and after the switch to turf netted him a 10-15 point speed jump, he has never looked back. Six of his nine career victories have come in this distance range, and he seems comfortable in this type of race. He is a midpack closer, and other than a couple missteps his close has been quite consistent this year. His ideal striking distance seems to be three or four lengths at the half, though he has shown the ability to come from deeper at need. He finds himself in a field full of closers in this one. If it comes down to speed here, he has some of the best recent runs in the field. Should be right there at the end.

PP 2) CJ McCarron(GB) Sired by Slip Anchor(GB), Trained by ceacho. CJ McCarron is a five year old lightly raced horse, making his twenty second start. He has only two other career stakes runs, and is still seeking his first win at this level. In eight starts this year, he has run to a record of 1-1-0-2-1 with a best speed of 97.3, earned four starts back. His last start was an open allowance in Indiana at ten furlongs, where he finished second by a pair of lengths in a field this size. He tried dirt again this year, for the first time since early in his career, and it only reinforced his turf preference after he turned in two lackluster outings. His victories have come longer and shorter, but his best speeds have been in this distance range. He hasn’t seen that magic 100 mark since early last year though. He’s a midpack to deep closer, but his close has been spotty at best this season. That won’t help him in a field of this composition. I’ll have to pass on him here with the other closing power in this race.

PP 3) Andy’s Choice Sired by Rainbow Quest, Trained by gunsynd. Andy’s Choice is a three year old colt, and he takes to the track for the fourteenth time here. He’s no stranger to stakes competition, making twelve of thirteen starts in stakes competition, eleven of those at graded level. He has four stakes victories, including two Grade I and a Grade 3, most coming in his two year old season. He has made seven runs this year, posting a record of 1-0-1-0-0 record, with one 100+ run. His last run was the Grade 2 Boston Derby, where he finished eleventh, after never really being a factor. He’s never tried dirt in his career, and that be worth a shot for him at some point. Thus far he has been at his best as a miler, and this one could be a bit long for him, though his breeding more than justifies it. He’s a deep closer, and his close has been about 50/50 this year. When he’s good, he’s been very good, but when he’s off, he doesn’t even really seem to make an effort. A big drop in class here should help him, but it is offset by the added distance here. Look for him to be closing in the second half, but he will need some luck to bring this one home.

PP 4) Red Loop Sired by Red Ransom, Trained by noia. Red Loop is a four year old colt, and faces his thirty second career race here. He is a stakes veteran and has two previous wins to his credit. He has taken to the track nine times this season, running to a 1-3-3-0-0 record with a best speed of 97.8 earned at this distance earlier this year. His last outing was an A2y at this distance in Connecticut, where he bested a field of six by a length and a half. He has never set hoof on dirt, and has never had enough of a slump to have his trainer give that a try. Nearly half of his starts have been in this distance range, and he seems quite comfortable here. He is a midpack closer, and he is another who has been on the rolercoaster this year, displaying great form in one race and dropping like a stone in the next. He needs to sit fairly close off the early pace to have success, and without an abundance of early speed, he should be able to be there if he wants to be. He’s going to have to ratchet up his speed a notch to bring this one home, though.

PP 5) Giantsbane Sired by Mineshaft, Trained by sangster. Giantsbane is the baby of this field, a three year old colt, making only his tenth start in this race. He’s made his mark though, boasting a Grade 2 victory and a Grade I show. Eight of his career starts have been this season, and he has a 3-1-1-0-0 record, with a best speed of 98.1, earned three starts back. His last start was an A4n race at eight and a half furlongs in Colorado, where he got a second place after carrying a five length lead into the stretch. He switched to turf after his second start, and never looked back, reeling off three wins in a row, and benefitting from a very nice speed increase. He’s hit the 90s in speed out to a range of twelve furlongs, and shouldn’t have any problems with the distance here. He’s a fast starter and likes that early lead. He has a nearly ideal situation in this one, with no one to challenge him early. With the caliber of the closers here, he will have to build up a good cushion to win it, but with no early pressure, he should have ample opportunity. Will need to show some heart to hold on, though.

PP 6) Egyptian Empire Sired by Empire Maker, Trained by holyghost. Egyptian Empire is a four year old colt making his twenty eight career start. He comes in as the oddmakers’ favorite, and he has plenty to recommend him. He has three prior stakes victories including a Grade I victory earlier this year. He has nine starts so far this year, and has turned them into a 2-2-2-1-0 record with an very nice six races over the 100+ speed mark. Has last outing was one of his only stumbles of this year, where he finished twelfth in a Grade I outing in Illinois at ten furlongs. He spent most of his two year old season and the beginning of his three year old season on dirt and acquited himself quite well, but he really blossomed when he switched to turf, and he has never looked back. He has performed well at any distance his trainer has put him at, but he is 2-1-1 in four starts at this distance range with a career best speed. He’s a midpack to deep closer, and outside of his last couple, his close has been very good. His last couple have been somewhat disappointing, and he is due for a big race. His speed makes him the one to beat here, and it should be his if he shows he wants it.