Only Four Turn Out For The Art Tilting

Only Four Turn Out For The Art Tilting

Washington – The Art Tilting Stakes will top the card in Washington this week but the 7 1/2 furlong turf race did not draw many entries.  Only four trainers dropped their cards on Wednesday, but the race should be competitive anyway and hopefully a good crowd will be on hand to watch these four three year-olds strut their stuff for a purse of $55.000.  The Art Tilting is named after an 11 YO horse by Martha’s Native.  Art Tilting won over a million dollars and 17of his 77 starts capturing several stakes and one Grade III.  Here is a look at the field by post position.

Drawing the rail is Theprofit2’s Elijahs Rain (7/2), a good looking son of Brahms.  This colt has never been off the board with his worst races being when he finished fourth.  He was a closing second last time out at six furlongs so the extra distance might be just what he is looking for.  Theprofit2 found a nice soft spot for this non-two colt and hopefully will get a few of his training questions answered.

Dawgpound will saddle Lowlander (5/2) a son of Footstepsinthesand.  He easily won his very first start and then came back and won The Doc’s Blade setting his owner to dreaming of greater things to come.  His closing style suggests longer distances but his worst races were at a mile or over.  Lowlander finished third last time out in The Red Bull and with only six starts under his belt he has lots of room to improve.  This could be a nice one. 

Post three will contain the entire giant colt Dane Train (1/2).  Trained by Capeside, the Giant’s Causeway 3 YO has never been out of the money with three wins from five starts.  He won his first out in a main track maiden special weight and followed that with an allowance win before moving on to his first stakes race, The Cat Storm.  He lost by a head in a photo finish, causing Capeside to try a shorter distance in his next start but the colt inexplicably stopped in deep stretch to finish second.  He was switched to the turf last time out and again won easily.  This colt has been headed by only two horses in his life and is the one to beat.

First Cadeaux (10/1) is the longshot of the race but will pick up a check.  Trained by Angeli, the son of Cadeaux Genereux has the most experience of the group with 13 starts, of which he has won three.  His speed figures will need to improve at least five points to be competitive here, but his trainer is adept at shipping around the world to find these short fields.  First Cadeaux won The Her Cards as a 2 YO and beat three and then again beat three others in The Craft Bank.  He comes in to this race off a second place finish in a four horse field with a top speed figure of 76.  This colt has posted some bullet works recently so maybe he is ready for a big one.

That is the field.  Good Luck to everyone.