Plenty of Bluebloods Contest Bargain-Sponsored Hoosier
BBRS Presents the Hustlin Hoosier Grade II / Group 2 – Sponsored – Purse : $250,000 Restricted to 3 Year Olds 9 Furlongs
Happy Bargie Day to everyone, when the bargain breeders celebrate their best of 2015. The Bargain Bred Racing Series annually posts some stakes races for all to enjoy on this day, and they aren’t even restricted to bargain breds. The Hustlin Hoosier is for your Derby-hopeful types. Some may find this a useful stepping stone outside of the traditional preps. Here’s the field of eleven:
1 DARK ENCOSTA KY 3M deeprock48 F Rankster MORE THAN READY
Saw improvement with move to route racing, though that was on turf, and he was clearly outclassed in his last two, both graded affairs. By breeding, has some right to be good on dirt, and in fact won his first two races on the sand as a young’un. Interesting if risky choice even as the only graded winner in the field.
2 WRATH OF HEAVEN KY 3M icbomber5 R Radzinski MORE THAN READY
Same sire produced this improving sophomore, who impressed in recent route allowances in his home state. Possesses a smooth closing style that should suit in the derby chase. My feeling is a place or show position is more likely than a win.
3 BUSY BEING AWESOME KY 3M icbomber12 K Banner MEDAGLIA D’ORO
Scratchbred some some of the top sirelines in the game moves tack from Newmarket, where he worked to hone his dirt game. Showed enough progress for the Lenny man to try him in this stakes stateside. He has more of a speed bent than his stablemate to the inside, but I don’t smell rabbit… BUSY BEING AWESOME has as solid a chance to win as the rest.
4 DARKSIDE WILL KY 3M knightcat M Brown WILL TAKE CHARGE
Tries again after disappointing ninth in the Risen Star. The speed figure in that race was not that bad, so maybe this is actually an easier spot. Has valuable local experience.
5 AMONGST THE WAVES ENG 3M capsized J Drozd COMPTON PLACE (GB)
British product likes dirt routes just fine, as he arrives off of two stakes placings at this trip or further. Likes to wing it early, so the question for the win photo is whether he finds enough to keep in front all the way to the wire.
6 DARK STORM RISING KY 3M darkfall S Tate BERNARDINI
Son of Grade 2 winner keeps moving forward, and last out all but caught runaway speedball OUTBACK BLOODHOUND in the Risen Star. The 108 speed for that effort looms awfully large here, and the bettors see him as the clear favorite.
7 DOWNRIGHT DEADLY KY 3M takeall3 MJ Kelly MINESHAFT
Nicely put together scratchbred debuted at a route distance and has thrived, cashing in last month with a stakes win up in British Columbia and a 106 speed. He will have challengers for the lead, so that may change the results, but has a strong resume regardless.
8 DARK HEIGHTZ SAF 3M lightng113 V Webb VAR
South African has tasted racing on several continents, and comes to the States boasting some overseas dirt route allowance wins. Sire has produced some dirt runners, and the speeds are in the mid-nineties, but this will be a test on the step up in class.
9 RIGHT AND WRONG KY 3M belmont G Owans KITTEN’S JOY
Just missed the board in a Danish dirt prep, and this little kitten has enjoyed the switch to the surface. Not outclassed, since the Danish tilt was a Group 3, but still has something to prove here.
10 EL EXCELENTE LA 3M ariannys10 V Gardner AWESOME BET
Scratchbred won local-bred debut last month with a 92, so why not try this race? Interesting breeding, with aging stamina influence Little Current in the damsire slot. Would be a big upset breeding-wise to the bluebloods, but he’s not been tested, so who knows what is in the tank?
11 MACHINE OF GOD KY 3M pbcash J Piotrowski TAPIT
Perhaps had his eye on the Sand Castle, as all of his races have been in the UAE to date, but having just won his first allowance, he opts for this spot. Has some tactical speed to use, but also among the lower last race speeds of the bunch. Would be a minor surprise.