Can Jumping Sal Make The Leap?

Florida – I really didn’t want to leave sunny Arizona‘s dry heat for the heavy air of Florida but most of the other BTB tickets had been pulled – at least to where the weather was nice, by the time I got to the office after a dental visit.  Coming from the west, I love fast horses and short distances so this race was right up my alley.  The Florida BB Sprint Championship II is a Grade II event that will be run over the main track at a distance of seven furlongs.  It is for older horses and carries a purse of $250,000 and drew a full field of fourteen for Saturday.  Most of the field belongs at this level, a few are trying to move up, some are just hopeful, some are young and hopeful, and a couple are trying to get back to a previous level.  That makes it a wide open race with a lot of different choices for the fans.  Here is a look at the field by post position.

On the rail will be Darylcal’s 4 YO colt by Orientate, Toxicsuperfreakout (18/1).  The big chestnut does have some speed but he hasn’t seen the winner’s circle in nine months and he will be packing a rider that hasn’t seen the winner’s circle this year.  I don’t think they will on Saturday either, but the colt has won five of 21 starts and he was fourth last time out in The Grade I Delpenn Mile.  The freshening can’t hurt and maybe his trainer has him ready to improve.

K’s State Of Mind (8/1) is one of two Storm Cat sons in this race.  The 5 YO horse is trained by Vertigo2 and is ranked #54 in the sprint division.  He has won nine of 24 starts and three of his last five.  He tanked it in his last out, The Grade I, Deep South Sprint where he faced several others that are in this field.  He does have a nice speed figure of 111 showing two races back in a winning effort in The Northern For Forty Challenge.  If he can make that effort again he will be around for part of the purse.

The morning line co-favorite will break from post three and is A B Fab (5/1) a 4 YO son of Awesome Again.  Ranked number two in the sprint division, he is a tough colt making his fourth start in seven weeks for trainer Dolphinman.  He has won over a million dollars in his career and has one of the top Florida jocks in the irons.  AB Fab has also won three of his last five races including the Grade III, JFK Street, The Grade I Deep South Sprint, and the Grade III, Narrowly Missed where he earned a top speed figure of 116.  He loves this distance and if he isn’t a bit leg weary should be the one to beat as he certainly has already beaten most of these before.

Grass Cat (19/1) is the second progeny of Storm Cat in the race and is training under the watchful eye of Heythere.  He is lightly raced for a 4YO and has won four of 13 starts.  He comes in with plenty of confidence after winning The Marc Till Que Stakes last time out.  He closed well in that race and the extra half furlong might be just what he needs to break into the top ranks.  He has improving numbers but this is a big jump and he will have to step up to prove he belongs at this level.

Desert King will be represented by his son a 4 YO colt, Wonderboy Eamon (14/1).  Ably conditioned by Stalfrank, this nice colt has fallen on hard times recently.  Still ranked # 16, he hasn’t won since the Grade I, Look How Fast Stakes back on July 23^rd of last year.  He has won eight of 21 starts and certainly hasn’t been over raced but other than being photoed out in the overnite stake The Mat Whitey Special by a nose, three back, he failed dismally in The Grade I, Deep South and only split the field last time out in an allowance race.  Let’s hope that trainer Stalfrank has something up his sleeve to get this winner of over a million and a half dollars back on the right track.

Putter will be sending out PGA Woodman (12/1) who just might have a big chance on Saturday.  The 5 YO horse by Woodman has won nine of 28 starts and won The Much The Jed and The Mine Idols before closing well to fifth in the Grade III, Backseat Driver at six furlongs last time out.  He is a lanky, big striding horse that takes a while to get going but comes home well.  He will need his best effort on Saturday but should be around at the wire.

In post seven is another 5 YO, Logan’s Ransom (8/1) a big stout guy that has won five of 19 starts, including two of his last four.  Although one of those was an allowance race, he did win The Gaelic Dictator in good fashion.  He has earned triple digit speed figures in his last four races and has plenty of speed.  Best of all he likes the distance so trainer Prufrockja is hoping for big things on Saturday.

Cyborg Sid (5/1) is the other favorite in the race and is a 5 YO son of Cape Town, trained by 1i3.  Ranked number 42 amongst sprinters he has won almost half of his 24 starts, visiting the winner’s circle 11 times.  The chunky grey  horse is certainly a consistent sort and his two worst performances out of his last eight were the last two races he ran, the Narrowly Missed and the Kenny Joe both Grade III’s, finishing fourth in each. His form shows all triple digit speed figures between 102 and 113 and Saturday could well be his turn. 

Post nine will hold Jumping Sal (9/1) who is looking for his fourth win in a row.  Brought along carefully by Thebandit, Jumping Sal is in good form and has improving speed figures although he is untested at this level.  The 4 YO son of Dayjur beat an allowance field by two at six furlongs and then came right back and won by a quarter of a length in a 7 1/2 furlong allowance.  He was then asked to move up a notch and entered in The Towards For Mount which he won by a length with a 113 speed figure.  Thebandit thinks this winner of eight will keep on improving.

Zooomr dropped the name of Euro Fleet (13/1) in the entrybox on Wednesday and the 6 YO horse is the old man of this group.  A son of Afleet he has won nine of 35 starts, but he hasn’t won since last July and his best recent finish was two back when he finished closed well to finish 3^rd in The Repulsively Spurn.  He will need a gargantuan effort to get part against this group.

Scoobs Connection (9/1) is ranked # 36 with nine wins from 25 starts and has put more than a million dollars in the account of trainer Lilscoobi.  The 5 YO by Danzig Connection hasn’t been ‘right’ since last August when he won the Grade II, Booker T and although he has been working well in the morning it will take all of his trainer’s skill to get this horse back on track.

Lasthope is one of the top trainers around and he paid a lot of money for this well bred AP Indy colt.  The 4 YO, Roman Conquest (18/1), has won six of 16 starts and has also won three of his last five, but they were all allowance races.  He did run a speed figure of 107 last time out at 7 1/2 furlongs and while this colt may have something to prove, his trainer must have some idea of this colt’s ability to have entered him here.

Normally one does not want to draw to the outside in a sprint race but since Return Of The Cat (9/1) closes well, post 13 should not present too many problems.  The 5 YO son of Seeking The Gold is ranked # 18 and trainer Masterab secured top rider Andy Darling for the ride.  If you throw out the race on the grass three back, this typy bay horse is a model of consistency, finishing first or second in six of his last eight starts.  He won the Grade II, Si` Amigo Sprint at the seven furlong distance and with his ability and a terrific rider in the irons, he could be the one to beat.

Dedane (16/1) is on the far outside and is owned and trained by Jkjturf.  His last win was an allowance race when he dropped back in distance and he ran a big race last time out finishing a closing second in The Two Slew at 7 1/2 furlongs earning a 106 speed figure.  He has won five of 17 and knows this track inside out which could help.  Unfortunately, he has had a different rider in his last four starts here, and one has to assume that trainer Jkjturf is still trying to find the perfect match for this 4 YO son of Dehere.

That is the field for the last race of the afternoon on Saturday.  Good Luck to everyone.