The CHATEAU FAME Memorial
MICHIGAN – The racing secretary dangled a purse of $65,000 for the sim’s 2 year olds in the CHATEAU FAME Memorial and could still only attract 4 starters. The race is carded as race #10 over the inside turf course at a distance of 7 1/2 furlongs.
1 VERMONT VICTORY – (trained by wtas02) – 7/5
(TWO PUNCH x THEATRICAL(IRE) x PLEASANT COLONY)
-This young colt was a product of one of those Winner Take All contests. Unlucky breeder lost out at winning the entire stable when VERMONT VICTORY finished 2nd by only a half length. A runner up race would follow and VERMONT VICTORY drew the rail and raced well but got buried in traffic and didn’t shake loose until it was too late. Finally, a switch to the turf course seemed to bring out the best in this colt and he has landed here as the slight favorite in his first ever stakes try.
2 DR STRANGELOVE – (trained by worldwide) – 8/5
(CAT THIEF x MISWAKI x DR. FAGER)
-The lone filly in the race has taken a different and more puzzling route to her first ever stakes race. Puzzling only by the fact that DR STRANGELOVE broke her maide LTO at 3rd asking by stretching out to 7 panels and an easy convincing victory posting a 76 speed rating on the main track. If she improves off that race on the green stuff, she would be awfully tough to handle for the rest of these guys.
3 HONEYDEW – (trained by monolith) – 2/1
(JADE HUNTER x THEATRICAL(IRE) x CORNISH PRINCE)
-One win in 4 starts for HONEYDEW and that lone win was a maiden breaker in his only turf try to date. Posted a 78sr that day which is fastest so far in this field yet only sits on the board as the 3rd betting choice. Only question mark is how he will handle the distance as HONEYDEW has not gone past 5 1/2f in his first 4 lifetime starts.
4 BELVEDERE BAILEY(AUS) – (trained by michaelb1) – 6/1
(TESTA ROSSA (AUS) x RUBITON(AUS) x SONGLINE (SWE)
-Untested, untried, and unknown. BELVEDERE BAILEY(AUS) is a completely foriegn bred import making his maiden voyage in the toughest of spots, a stakes race. With only 4 entries, probably not a bad spot to try this and based on the overseas breeding, probably a good surface choice. Beyond that, a total question mark here.
LAST WEEK: HORDE RUN A FOUL(IRE) was an easy unchallenged winner in last weeks STANDARD PLUTO Special by 4 3/4 widening lengths posting a speed rating of 100.768 in a 9f for three years and up turf event. HORDE RUN A FOUL(IRE) took the wire to wire route and never looked back as the rest of the field was helpless trying to keep up. Trained by pickindim, the 4 year old son of NORTHERN SPUR(IRE) racked up his 8th lifetime victory pushing his earnings to an excess of $269,000 while paying $8.80 to win.