The Looney Bin-G1

Grade I
Seven furlongs
Fast Dirt
$500,000
Fillies and mares, 4 year olds

A shortened field of nine four year old fillies has gathered this weekend in Delaware for this year’s running of the Looney Bin-G1.  If you’re a believer in “Pace makes the race” then this one is setting up as a classic example.  Our top two contenders Kepler Gnaget and Sought And Found have complete opposite running styles of pace setter and deep closer respectively.  Through into that mix every thing else in between and I think you’ll find the term “Jockeying for position” a correct one here.  The field has all the class you would expect at this level and in the end I’m expecting an upset of sorts as my money is going on a filly making her first sprint start in Stormy Breeze at 6/1.  Good luck with your bets.

–Maverick

PP 1

18/1 XENOPHOBE

(SKY MESA x DANZIG x FORTY NINER)

Trainer:  lopickles

Lopickles might have seen something last time out in Xenophobe.  This filly is saddled today with the longest odds on the board but that didn’t deter in her  last race in The VIXEN PROSPECTOR Handicap-Stk where she finished a very surprising 2^nd despite going off at 18/1 odds.  She finds the same odds in this race but I don’t think she’ll be able to benefit from a slow pace as she did in her last start.  Before you scratch her completely off your list though she did show great resilience last year in the Ontario BB Oaks-G3 where she 4^th and if she shows good again today it wont be the first time she has surprised me.  She made me eat a big mouthful of humble pie last year when I covered her win in The CON ALICE Memorial-Stk.

PP 2

9/2 SOUGHT AND FOUND

(SEEKING THE GOLD x DIXIELAND BAND x BLUSHING GROOM(FR))

Trainer:  jimj2

Sought And Found makes her graded debut today but despite the lack of experience at this level she really looks tough.  She’s coming off an impressive win LTO in The LOST SEA Handicap-Stk where she saved ground early before taking charge in the stretch on way to posting a career best 108 SP.  If you toss out the race two back on the turf she really looks to be maturing right now and could pose a huge presence as the season progresses.  Her chances lay with how fast the fractions are that will likely be set by the morning line favorite Kepler Gnaget.

PP 3

5/1 TALE OF SEATTLE

(PHONE TRICK x TALE OF THE CAT x SEATTLE SLEW)

Trainer:  irishgal

Tale Of Seattle returns to the main track after three consecutive stake wins on the grass.  At first glance you may wonder why but this filly looks equally at home on either surface.  Although she’s yet to score a victory at this level, she did have a very close 3^rd place finish last year in The RAPID CITY SPRINT-G1 out of a field of 17.  It’s hard to say how she’ll fare here today as she also seems to be peaking at this moment and it’s been a while since anyone has seen her on the dirt.  However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her fighting it out at the end.

PP 4

6/1 STORMY BREEZE

(STORM CAT x PINE BLUFF x MEADOWLAKE)

Trainer:  lenny2

Our first of two entries by the Lenny stables, Stormy Breeze may have one of the shortest resumes’ but what it lacks in length it makes up in substance.   She didn’t get her first start until last April, winning at first asking, but only took six races to score her first graded win in Ontario BB Oaks-G3.  She makes her first start here under a mile and perhaps that what she has needed.  Her preferred running style is at or near the lead but she seems to tire when it matters most.  It’s hard to say how she’ll perform with the expected quick early pace but lenny2 has high hopes for her in this test.

PP 5

6/1 REDSHAFT

(MINESHAFT x SUMMER SQUALL x MR. PROSPECTOR)

Trainer:  lenny16

Breaking just to the outside of her stable mate is the second entry by the Lenny stables, Redshaft.  This Mineshaft filly looked very impressive last fall after winning her second consecutive listed stake race in The ARCTIC CLOWN Challenge-Stk where she posted a career high 107 SP but she flopped in her next start after moving up to graded company in the Blueberry Stakes-G3 and continued that trend the following race.  She comes in today after a well deserved two month layoff and seems sharp.  She definitely has the speeds to compete against the classy field but we’ll have to see how she responds coming off the layoff.

PP 6

8/1 SILVER STRAV

(STRAVINSKY x SILVER HAWK x SEEKING THE GOLD)

Trainer:  emb2

Silver Strav returns back to sprint events after an ill advised attempt at 10.5 furlongs last time out in The SADLER’S SIM STAR Special-Stk.  This distance seems be more her style and with the exception of that last race she really has been looking good for the past few months.  She has a few listed stake wins with the most recent coming three races back in The BLUE SCREW Stakes-Stk but never really menaced in her only graded attempt last year in the Good Times Handicap-G2.  She seems adept to handle the class of the field this time around though but has shown a very even running style throughout her career.  She consistently presses the pace as she like to sit just behind the leader but rarely has found that extra gear that is needed in the home stretch.  I’m going to give her a chance anyway as she seems to have matured a bit. 

PP 7

6/1 PROSPECT HILL

(MEDAGLIA D’ORO x MR. PROSPECTOR x DANEHILL)

Trainer:  jwolfe607

Perhaps getting a bit more generous odds than would be expected, Prospect Hill makes her graded debut today despite the fact that she hasn’t won at any level over a restricted allowance.  However, she may be underrated.  She’s coming off a very nice 3^rd place finish LTO in The LEGEND FROM LIMITS Stakes-Stk where she put up a very impressive 104 SR but found the competition very classy for just a listed stake event.  That rating was equal to her race four back when she won an Alw-26000NW1t at 7.5 furlongs, so there’s no question she can get the distance.  However, without a stakes win of any sorts I would rather have seen her go off somewhere around 9/1 and is a bit of an underlay for me.

PP 8

8/1 HANCOCK POND

(GONE WEST x DANZIG x NIJINSKY II)

Trainer:  salamander

Handcock Pond is another filly that may have found new life after dropping in distance.  Her speed in the classic division have been mediocre at best but is coming off a nice restricted allowance prep race where she gave up as much as 11 ½ lengths before charging strong and cruising home under a hand ride by over 3 lengths.  That race was rated only at 100 for her but she won without much effort and she may be ready to show more here in her second sprint start.  Her only question is her running style as Kelper Gnaget is expected to open quickly and her trainer salamander hopes that she has enough track and speed to narrow the gap in the stretch.

PP 9

7/2 KEPLER GNAGET

(RAHY x NUREYEV x MR. PROSPECTOR)

Trainer:  marianus

With her batteries seemingly recharged after two consecutive prep allowance wins, Kepler Gnaget looks return to the winner’s circle at this level.  This Rahy filly had a very nice sophomore season last year winning four stakes events including the Grade 1 John Longdon this time last year.  However, she was bitten with the seconditis bug the later half of the year as she finished runner-up in six of her last seven races but marianus is hoping this filly can finally get back to the winner’s circle.  Expect a dash straight for lead from her but she draws the outside post which doesn’t help.