Jumpin’ Java Favored in Big Apple Route

Flying Carpet Handicap
Grade II
A mile and three eighths
Firm Turf
$250,000
All horses, 3 years old and up  

PP  Horse ID  Horse  Owner  Jockey  Odds 
1  ONE FINE DEPUTY  n2racing  R Haffner  16/1 
2  STRONG SCIENCE  futurestar  N Painter  10/1 
3  EMPIRE SHAKER  almightymi  CJ Anderson  8/1 
4  PRIMETIME PIMP  ss89  Ax Williams  31/1 
5  NEON SWAN  db  B Child  5/1 
6  RED LOOP  noia  R Engel  11/1 
7  FOSSIL RIDGE(AUS)  tiramisu  G Rolling  41/1 
8  THE VANGUARD  vanguard  N Lawton  8/1 
9  CORNHOLIO JUICE(IRE)  andycapper  I Torres  24/1 
10  SILENT SUCCESS  cylla2222  A Manning  46/1 
11  JUMPIN’ JAVA  waradmiral  P Davis  5/2 
12  GUCCI TO TRY  loisblack  R Foster  14/1 
13  SEATTLE RAP TED  march2nd  C Jamison  14/1 
14  WONDERBOY DOT NL  loisblack  L Gunn  5/1

 

A full field of fourteen will go postward in Saturday’s featured Grade II Flying Carpet Handicap fashioned at eleven furlongs over the firm turf.  Here are the contestants in post position order.

 

Breaking from the hedge is N2racing’s speedy One Fine Deputy.  The well bred (Seeking The Gold x Deputy Minister x Forty Niner) sophomore has won six of fourteen career starts and arrives in The Big Apple in splendid form  The flashy chestnut was narrowly beaten at this distance in an Indiana Downs stake last time out.  Prior to that, he won a Pastures of Green stake at twelve panels.  Earlier, One Fine Deputy finished a decent fifth in The Irish Derby, his only graded try to date.  Needs to step forward in here.
 

Drawing the deuce is Futurestar’s Strong Science.  Tabbed at 10-1, The Empire Maker four year old from the stakes winning Galileo mare Canaima(ire) looms a possible contender based on his current form.  Like the rail horse, Strong Science exits an Indiana stake.  The difference is that Strong Science won his posting a career best 99 speed rating.  Futurestar’s homebred is untested in graded company and must bring his “A” game to threaten in here.  

 

Next comes another son of Empire Maker, Almightymi’s Empire Shaker.  The big four year old is a good news/bad news horse.  The good news is that the son of graded winner Doctor Opal is battle tested in graded company.  He’s finished second or third in three graded tests including a brilliant second in the Grade I Judgemont International.  The bad news is that he’s lost fifteen straight races and may have lost his competitive edge.  Been known to open huge leads only to be caught late.  Your guess is as good as mine.

 

Primetime Pimp is a well bred (Forty Niner x Danzig x Sadler’s Wells) but modestly performed colt.  He hit the board in a pair of minor stakes earlier this year.  SS89’s homebred did manage a third in allowance company over this track last time out so he may have a home field advantage.  Tough spot for his graded debut.

 

Db’s Neon Swan arrives in New York following a sharp second place finish in the New South Wales Grade II Big City Cap.  The powerfully built son of Festival of Light and the fine producer Nureyev Native opened up an enormous lead, only to succumb to the fierce late brush of multi millionaire Bristol Rovers.  Neon Swan won a grade II in Sweden last season and certainly fits in here with his best effort. 

 

Noia’s Red Loop is a multiple stakes winner and graded placed.  The rangy Red Ransom colt was a nice second in a Virginia stake last time out and won a Connecticut allowance the time before.  Gets the services of veteran journeyman Rip Engel in the saddle for this affair and must pick up his game to challenge these. 

 

Longshot Fossil Ridge(aus) drew the seven slot.  Since being haltered for $25,000 four starts back, the Zeditave(aus) three year old has won two of three for new conditioner Dwightski.  Very nice claim but will find these foes much too strong.

 

The Vanguard races for trainer Vanguard and will carry leading rider Nick Lawton postward Saturday.  This colt may be a good wager at 8-1 because he has done little wrong in his brief career and looks like he’s got even more to give.  Finished second to Irish Derby winner Cortez(ire) and well ahead of the legendary Sunnybank Memorial last time out in the Grade I Classic Turf Stakes right here in New York.  Has the sharp form and killer pedigree (Sadler’s Wells x Lear Fan x Bold Ruler) needed to spring the upset.

 

Cornholio Juice(ire) is campaigned by the highly successful trainer Andycapper.  The Montjeu(ire) sophomore won a ten furlong allowance here last time out.  Did win a minor stake last year but finds a most difficult spot for his graded debut.

 

Rank outsider Silent Success has been claimed twice recently.  Did reward his newest connections, Cylla2222, with an impressive victory in a first level allowance event.  But the son of Vindication hasn’t shown enough to consider him a threat in graded company this week.

 

Waradmiral’s favored Jumpin’ Java heads this contentious group.  He was third behind Cortez(ire) and The Vanguard last time out.  Prior to that he annexed the Grade II Winchester Park Cup at this exact distance.  The Java Gold colt will be reunited with Paul Davis who rode him in The Classic Turf Stakes.  Veteran turf warrior is looking to go over half a million in lifetime earnings and any check will do the trick.  May deserve his status as favorite but I feel he is underlaid at 5-2.  There is better value elsewhere.

 

Gucci To Try is by Sadler’s Wells from the lightly raced LNLN The Pooh (Nashwan).  Trainer Loisblack’s charge is unplaced in three previous graded tries and that scenario is likely to be repeated on Saturday.  Nice horse but overmatched.  Another time.  Another place.

 

Lucky post thirteen goes to Seattle Rap Ted from the March2nd barn.  The son of Brahms easily won a mile and a half allowance test in Texas last time out.  He has experience facing graded foes and did manage a third place finish in the Grade III Roy Rogers earlier this year.  But for the most part, his graded efforts have been poor.  Looks overmatched on paper.

 

Last but not least is the other horse trained by Loisblack, Wonderboy Dot NL.  I’m not sure what to make of this one’s chances.  He has not raced on grass in over two years.  He won one of two lifetime turf races at two.  He’s a multiple stakes winner and graded placed on the main track.  And he can run forever so the distance is no problem.  I’m guessing the muscular Van Nistelrooy colt will make his presence felt here.  He’s listed at 5-1 so the oddsmaker agrees with me.

 

This promises to be a real shootout.  Plenty of value available. Good luck at the betting windows!