State Your Point Faces Five in Jersey Feature

The HEAVEN’S GATE Stakes
Stakes
Six furlongs
Fast Dirt
$55,000
Fillies and mares, 3 years old

PP  Horse ID  Horse  Owner  Jockey  Odds 
1  THE DIRTY DANCER  laramie  N Hamilton  7/2 
2  COZZY RAT  jockfan02  S Kramer  9/1 
3  BRANDOLINI  hoofers  M Thompson  7/1 
4  DEPDUB  artsim  C Whyte  3/1 
5  STATE YOUR POINT  cypress  S Calloway  2/1 
6  BISCUITSANDBRANDY  ashlynn  J Benisz  3/1

 

Six sophomore filly sprinters will vie for top honors in this week’s Jersey feature, The HEAVEN’S GATE Stakes.  The race will be contested at a distance of six furlongs over the main course.  The weekend weather calls for fair skies and moderate temperatures so the track should be fast.  Here are the ladies from the rail outward.

 

Breaking along the fence will be Laramie’s flashy chestnut, The Dirty Dancer.  The Silver Deputy lass began her career with a bang.  She rattled off three successive victories including a pair of stakes wins.  Unfortunately, she went south in Utah’s Grade II Stoker Cap and she hasn’t hit the board in six tries since.  Needs to regain that early season magic to be a factor here.

 

Post two looks like a good draw for longshot Cozzy Rat.  Trainer Jockfan02 haltered the rangy Cozzene filly out of a winning effort against maiden 20,000 claimers.  The speedy roan paid dividends in her second try for her new connections when she cruised to an easy win in a New Hampshire nw2L allowance.  Nice claim but seems overmatched versus this group.

 

Hoofers’ Brandolini looks like a promising sort.  The compact daughter of Derby winner Charismatic broke her maiden at first asking as the odds on choice in a 4.5 furlong Oregon test.  She came back on very short rest to finish third of four in a Delaware stake.  Her speed numbers are a shade below her rivals’ and jockey Thompson (6% wins) has been having trouble finding the winners circle lately.  Possible but not likely.

 

Depdub is a highly consistent sort.  She seems to finish there or thereabouts nearly every race.  Veteran trainer Artsim is approaching the one hundred career win mark and this filly will undoubtedly help reach that mark this year.  Her main claim to fame thus far is a bang up second in the Grade III Sabrina Stakes over this oval four back.  The big Deputy Storm filly fell just a length and a quarter shy of the front stepping Vengeful Prayer.  Last time out she finished third in the slop at Aqueduct.  Looks like a serious threat if she fires her best shot.

 

Favored State Your Point carries solid credentials.  Cypress’ homebred has won the last two times she raced on a fast surface.  Three back she dropped from the clouds to capture a Massachusetts nw2L allowance posting an 81 speed figure.  Two back she went even faster at Old Waterford.  The daughter of State City and the quick Point Given matron, Charleensastar, staged a furious rally to go from seventh to first by a nose in 1:23.4 (speed rating 87) for the seven furlongs.  She looks very solid but is no lock.  She was well beaten in the slop last time out at the Appalachian Spa and jockey Calloway (5% wins) can’t find the finish line with a road map. 

 

Here’s the danger.  Her name is Biscuitsandbrandy.  It might be a good idea to remember it for future reference.  Ashlynn’s pride and joy is bred to be special (Speightstown x Unbridled’s Song x Stage Door Johnny).  With that pedigree, she should be able to handle any surface and distance.  What Biscuitsandbrandy lacks in experience, she makes up for in talent.  Her only career start in Maine was visually impressive.  Jockey Guadelupe Giant took Biscuits in hand early and rated her well off the pace.  Whenever Lupe wanted more speed, she just let the reins out a bit and the big gray filly responded.  The final margin of victory was almost two lengths and could have been much more.  The time was 1:12 flat (74) for the six furlongs.  Ashlynn was thrilled to attract top rider J Benisz (26% wins) to guide Biscuitsandbrandy on Saturday.

 

Should be interesting.  Don’t miss it!.