Many Questions To Answer
Many Questions To Answer
The Cavalcade Cup Filly and Mare Turf Race will be run at a mile and 3/8 on the turf and although it is a restricted stake, it carries a purse of $250,000. Only seven entries were dropped, but they are a very competitive group and the race will be one of the best of the afternoon. There is a former $2,000 claimer who has won 5 in a row, there is a 3YO filly that only has one win but has been improving every out, one that has never won on the turf and a few that are going to be hard to beat. But it is a horse race and anything can happen.
I was soon settled and with stop watch and note pad in hand I was ready when Xtremely A Lady (7/1) stepped on to the track. A big leggy 4 YO filly by Galileo she is trained by Causeway. She broke off in a gallop under a tight hold and when she came by me she was moving easily. The chestnut filly has only two wins from 15 starts but is 12/15 in the money which helps pay the bills. She hasn’t won in over six months probably due to nagging injuries but she looked good and fit in her morning gallop and is certainly the picture of health. She will break from post six.
Barb’s Peggy (3/1) came by under a tight hold by her exercise rider. The complete opposite of Xtremely A Lady, who galloped like a lady, this big red mare was aggressive and fighting with her rider the whole time. Trained by Flickaspad, ‘Barb’ is a 5 YO mare by Lemon Drop kid and has won 10 of 46 races. She hasn’t lost a step as three of those wins were in her last eight races, albeit two of them were allowance wins. The third, however, was in the Action Maria two back. She has won at the distance, likes the surface and has one of the best riders left in the state.
Sportoking sent his 3 YO filly by Kly Green, Nicole’s Siphon (10/1) with a pony and she bucked and played the whole way around the track. A copper chestnut, she is probably the most interesting horse in the race. Picked out of a $2,000 claim, she fell in love with her new barn and has reeled off five wins in a row. She has not run worse than third for Sportoking and although they were mostly claims and starter allowances she has been moving steadily up the ladder. She made her bones so to say, by winning The Machine Robin Stakes last time out. This filly is on a role and since the distance won’t be a problem she should do well.
The 4 YO, Irish Fan flashed by in a down the lane lung opener and did it easily pulling on the rider and wanting more. The lovely dark brown filly by Lear Fan is conditioned by Punter59 and is the even money favorite on the morning line. She has won 10 of 39 starts and is a rock solid filly, never worse than third in her last eight tries. She has been running mostly on the main track and her last two stakes wins, The La La La La La and The ZZ Desert Challenge were both on that surface. However, she has a record of being in the money five of her seven turf attempts and two of them were wins. She can handle the distance, has a top rider, and if they let her get loose on the lead, it may be the last they see of her.
I Prefer (12/1) is a bright bay 3 YO filly by Sadler’s Wells. She is owned and trained by Jimmyv24 and the elegant filly looked sensational as she went for a two mile jog. She has won three of 12 starts but none of them were on the turf. She is another horse that every trainer would like to have about 10 of in assorted colors and sizes as she seldom misses a check. She is moving up the class ladder on Saturday but she won two in a row recently and with her breeding should take to the grass like a duck to water.
Also out for a jog was Broadbrush’s Desideratum (6/1). The 4 YO filly by High Chaparral moved with the daisy cutter action that is ideal for a turf horse. She is another that seldom throws a bad race and although she has stayed mostly in Restricted Stakes, the big bay filly fits here. She was second in The Jdawg’s Superstar Search three back and Broadbrush secured the riding services of a top rider. She closes well and the distance won’t be a problem so look for her at the finish.
Vermilion (8/1) flashed by in a two minute lick and her chestnut hide was shiney with big dapples under the morning sun. A 3 YO daughter of Stroll, she is trained by Jdawg02 and comes in off a maiden victory last time out. She may be in over head on Saturday, but she has improving numbers and just may be a late developer that is now coming in to her own. She has a patient trainer who has brought her along slowly and she may be ready for her best.
Having seen the horses I was interested in, plus several more that will be running in other Cavalcade Cup races, I decided it was time to head back to the hotel for a late breakfast and study my notes. As I said at the beginning, it will be a great race and I wish all the entries the best of luck.