Super Bowl Stakes-G3

Super Bowl Stakes
Grade III
Six and one half furlongs
Fast Dirt
$125,000
All horses, 3 years old

Is it shear coincidence that the race called the Super Bowl Stakes is being held in Indiana?  Who says that the Sim life and the real don’t match up?  At any rate, a talented group of three year colts have gathered here and sevens seem wild in this race.  What I mean by that is that five colts have the honor of tying for top billing at 7/1.  It seems as if we have a very tight field of runner on our hands.  Call me chicken but I’m going to recommend just boxing those five in a trifecta box and move on.  The class really drops after those five and I think it’s just a safer bet.  Good luck with your wagers.

–Maverick

PP 1

 9/1 DUBAWI ROAD(IRE)

(DUBAWI (IRE) x PRESTON ROAD x JOLIE’S HALO)

Trainer:  scooterd45

Some of those betting on the longer odds have gone with Dabawi Road.  Although his only stake win was at 7.5 furlongs he drops back slightly in distance.  It’s hard for me to judge how the move will work. His speeds have certainly been very close to the elite of three year old sprinters but even hard for me to determine whether he wants more or less distance.  This race will probably be a good indicator of where he’s pointed at next.

PP 2

7/1 BERMUDA(KY)

(SPEIGHTSTOWN x SAINT BALLADO x ENVOY)

Trainer:  super7

Bermuda had the looks of the future Eclipse champion for 2006 after quickly winning two graded events but fate has a bad way of rearing it’s ugly head.  After winning the Montana Futurity-G3 this colt seemed to settle in while the many of his rivals continued on and matured quickly.  However, when everything seemed last he was able to dig down deep in his last race in the Special Bid Stakes-G3 he stalked a very nice pace and made an awesome move in the stretch.  It looks like he’ll be ready today.

PP 3

7/1 RATTLE MY CHAIN(AUS)

(ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) x DANZIG x FORTY NINER)

Trainer:  dereen5073

Dropping back in distance to sprints, Rattle My Chain hopes to continue his dominance he showed at this distance.  After an ill fated attempt at two turns last time out in the Can’t wait for Nextweek-G2 his return to 6.5 furlongs looks more like his distance.  That last run probably was the only thing standing between him and top billing.  However, it’s been since July when he last won at this level in the Hoserhead Juvenile-G1  but he’s shown good speed in the past and I have to give him at least a slight nod on my card.

PP 4

9/1 BORZAKOVSKI(KY)

(THE CLIFF’S EDGE x DANZIG x HABITAT)

Trainer:  laxe

Borzakovski continues the trend of colts returning to sprint events after less than stellar route tries.  After scoring a career best SP of 93 in The DESERT SLEW Cap-Stk at 7.5 furlongs he was obliterated in the Can’t wait for Nextweek-G2 at 8 furlongs.  However, he does have one other listed stake win at 8 furlongs so if you’re scratching your head with this one then you’re not the only one.  Is he a very good sprinters or just an above average router?  Those are question that hopefully will be decided today.

PP 5

7/1 HOPEFUL MESSIAH(KY)

(MINESHAFT x DEPUTY MINISTER x WAVERING MONARCH)

Trainer:  fines

Three races and three wins, what more could you ask for.  Trainer fines has taken the classic training route with this colt by going with the MSW, Allowance, Listed Stake track.  What impresses me the most is the fact that this Mineshaft colt has continued to improve with each race and I see no reason for that trend to stop today.    His entry here just muddies up the water even more in an every horse for himself type of race.

PP 6

7/1 GRAND ARBITER(JPN)

(AGNES WORLD x GONE WEST x DEPUTY MINISTER)

Trainer:  lender2

With a very smooth 4 for 6 in his short career, Grand Arbiter makes his graded debut here and the timing seems right.  He’s fresh off a win last time out in The RAISE LAUNCHING Stakes where he rated very well and just able to grab the lead in the last strides.  He coming off a six week layoff so it’s hard to say how he’ll react after the rest but he looks poised to give it all he has.

PP 7

11/1 FLY CORREDOR(KY)

(EL CORREDOR x BANKER’S GOLD x PRIVATE ACCOUNT)

Trainer:  horsechic7

Two things surprise me about Fly Corredor.  One, that he’s going off at 11/1 even though he’s shown exceptional speed with only two career races.  Two, why he’s even here in the first place and not in a route.  His last race in The FOREST PROSPECTOR Stakes-Stk at 7 furlongs showed an incredible closing kick but he simply gave up too much ground to others who chose to stalk just behind the pace. The end result was simply that he couldn’t muster enough with such a short distance to carry.  Perhaps we’ll see different instructions given to the jockey this time but I would really like to see what he can do at two turns.

PP 8

11/1 SMARTY JOCK(KY)

(SMART STRIKE x CHIEF’S CROWN x GREY DAWN II)

Trainer:  freddykins

Smarty Jock has all the appearances of a colt who will develop later in his three year old season.  I like what I see so far as he has improved in each of his four lifetime starts.  He’s fresh off a win in his last race in an NW2L allowance but I’m not real keen on his entry with just two weeks rest.  In fact, looking at his PP he’s been raced 2-3 weeks apart even as a two year old.  I like his spunk but I’m afraid he’ll be done before he’s ready and at the very least a long forced layoff or injury in store.

PP 9

16/1 BACKHANDER(KY)

(OFFLEE WILD x STORM CAT x NIJINSKY II)

Trainer:  katiesfarm

Perhaps needing some time to mature, Backhander enters today off an 11 week layoff.  This Offlee Wild colt actually ended very well placing a very close 4^th in The INSPECTOR SLEW Special-Stk before waiting out the rest of the year.  He’s not getting much play at the window currently but I think most of it was based on his numbers as a two year old and back then it was good enough.  I think you’ll see a good improvement but it may take a race or two after the  layoff to get back in full stride.

PP 10

7/1 AMERICAN TATTOO(KY)

 (EDDINGTON x DIXIELAND BAND x MR. PROSPECTOR)

Trainer:  mikehusker

After taking a face full of hoof, trainer mikehusker finally listened to his colt that he didn’t like two turns.  After two very bad showings at a mile and an even uglier race on the grass American Tattoo rewarded his trainer with an outstanding win in The DYNALARD Special-Stk.  That 94 SP was enough to catch the attention of the track handicapper and if you toss out those bad races you have a colt that is on the rise.  I’m very interested to see how he’ll perform here on his second try back at this distance.

PP 11

10/1 PORCUPINE TREE(KY)

(PULPIT x MOUNTAIN CAT x SEEKING THE GOLD)

Trainer:  jlincoln

Breaking out of the gate 11, Porcupine Tree is better than what most people will give him credit for.  Most will judge him on his last race where he won an allowance race at 1/9 odds despite a 68 SP in the slop.  Looking closer at that race you’ll find a horse that was never in any danger and only did what he needed in order to win.  With no apparent damage done with the off track he will likely rebound and be competitive.  Look for him grab a minor piece of the purse.

PP 12

17/1 KELA LOST(KY)

(KELA x LOST SOLDIER x SPEND A BUCK)

Trainer:  congaree2

Kela Lost has certainly seemed lost since this past fall.  This colt has bounced back and forth from routes to sprints in his last few races.  He’s shown some liking to both but it seems that his stamina has been in question and settles back now to a distance that I think he’s much better suited for.  He posted a career best 87 SP two races back in an NW2L allowance at 6 furlongs.  He’ll need to show a bit more though  as his two prior starts at this level have met with disaster.

PP 13

15/1 BARB’S RUSHING ME(IRE)

(MANNDAR (IRE) x BARATHEA(IRE) x WEST BY WEST)

Trainer:  jakematt5

Making a switch to dirt, Barb’s Rushing Me has only failed to hit the board once in nine lifetime starts.  However, eight of those starts were on the grass but his only start and win on the dirt was in The REDRUM Memorial-Stk he ran a crafty race just sitting back of the leader and managed to just get his nose in front at the wire.  Although his record on the turf looks very nice his speed were no where near the elite of grass runners.  This may be an experiment of sorts for trainer jakematt5 but I would have liked to see a listed stake run to better determine his eventual like to the dirt.

PP 14

31/1 LANGAFLEET(JPN)

(AFLEET x LANGFUHR x IN REALITY)

Trainer:  hc74

Grabbing the extreme outside in both gate position and odds, Langafleet is looking to build on that win he had last time out in open allowance company.  This Afleet colt made a return to the dirt track in that last race and jumped up in speed as a result.  He did manage one stake win on the grass in The SCRAGGLY ELF Memorial-Stk but if his last race is any indication he’s much better suited on the dirt.  At 31/1 it’s still hard to give him a decent chance as he’ll probably need to gain about another 10 points in SP ratings to be competitive.  Still, I’ll bet he wont finish last.