Big Race Preview

Three year olds take center stage this week. Three year old fillies have G1 races on turf and dirt while the boy have a G3 derby prep. Lets get to this week’s action.

Race: 3133.6315 Train Yard Special – Grade I – $450,000
Track: Italy
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Turf

This history of this race would suggest a win here leads to a nice career but not necessarily stardom. When you look back through the history you see that many runners that run in the top five places here go on to very nice careers. This year’s favorite is Breeder’s Bowl Juvy Filly Turf winner Urban Quest (ENG). Urban Quest (ENG) has been very good and already is a G1 winner and won a G3 two races back at this distance.

Last time out was the first time Urban Quest had not cracked the top two places and that was only in a listed stakes. The runner that won that race came back and won another listed stakes race last week with a very nice speed figure so do not hold that race against her. Quest is a stalker so the pace is not going to get away from her and that means she will have a say at some point in this race.

Brabasong is a runner that is very similar to the favorite. She has run really nice speed figures to this point and easily has the most wins in the field with eight. She won a G3 last time out in front running fashion. Lightseeker will be making her second start off a layoff after a very nice win in an allowance. She is set to move forward but distance could be an issue for her. She is a stalker and should have every chance to prove she belongs.

This field has several graded winners that even though their current speed figures might not be good enough to compete they could easily take that step forward. Dahliyev was second to Urban Quest at the Breeder’s Bowl. Wang Chung is coming off a nice G3 win that saw her improve he speed figure significantly. Vy The Quarterback ran impressively as a two year old winning a G3 and won last time out at this distance. Buda for a Day is another coming into this race off a G3 win. This is a very deep and good field should be a fun race to watch.  

Race: 3133.0915 Sweet Nanette Stakes – Grade I – $400,000
Track: New Jersey
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: One mile on the Dirt

We had some great three year old filly action last week and this week we get number one ranked Sisson’s Chant making her three year old debut after her triumph at the Breeder Bowl Juvy Filly. She is a winner of six out of seven so far but for some reason she is not the favorite? This three time G1 winner will be stalking to mid pack in the early stages looking to pick up where she left off.

Chasing the Wind is the morning line favorite. She has done most of her damage so far in sprints. She did run a very good race at the Movieland Starlet over a mile and a sixteenth. There she was just caught in the late stages finishing second. She will also be stalking the early pace and should be closer to the pace than Sisson’s Chant.

You have some other fine looking runners capable of stepping up. Silly Cause ran lights out last time out in a listed stakes. A move forward puts her in the thick of things. Ghostly Breeze has won five of six lifetime and makes her second start off a layoff. Her only blemish was at the Breeder’s Bowl so the class is there. For Those About to Rock is undefeated and a long shot. She has worked her way up the allowance ladder and won a listed stakes last time out. Her speed figures need to improve for her to compete. If The Tormentor can keep up what she did last time out earning a 96 speed figure in listed company she could very well be a player here.

Race: 3133.0515 Risen Star Stakes – Grade III – $125,000
Track: Louisiana
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one sixteenth on the Dirt

This Derby prep has attracted the number three ranked runner in this division. Awesome Force won the Movieland Futurity after a sixth place run in the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile. His first start as a three year old was a pretty solid run. He came up short for the win but he was second while posting a 102 speed figure. That kind of a run here gets him in the winner’s circle. He is a deep closer and so far this year that has been a style that is having success. Still he will be vulnerable to a strong front runner. Look for him closing with fury in the stretch.

The second favorite is under the care of Tbgifted. Anyone who has read many of his posts knows when his runners are sharp they run thus his three year old fresh off of three straight wins turns around on two weeks rest for this. Achaemenes is also in the mold of a deep closer. He closed very well last time out posting an impressive 99 speed figure. This will be his fourth start as a three year old showing you just how often he is on the track. Fitness will not be his problem.