Soul Glow, Woody Bay, Barb’s Jackie E faves in Argentina distaffer sprint
Argentina– Very tough race to handicap in this week’s Argentinian feature: the $65,000 Gulch Bro Challenge. All 10 distaffers honestly have a chance at the winner’s circle in this seven furlong main track battle-royale. Oddsmakers agree, setting a close 4/1 to 13/1 morning line. Let’s see if we can find a winner……..
Storm Of Buda (7/1) breaks from the rail. The 4yo daughter of Forty Niner makes her stakes debut after exhausting the ol’ ALW conditions. The filly marched through the numbers, specializing in 7f for the most part. She’s won two straight from midpack, posting 100+ sP#S. You gotta believe that Storm OF Buda is more than ready for this level. Jockey ‘Raddichio’ Raish hasn’t won yet this season and hopes to finally get his picture taken in the winner’s circle with vicki’s up-and-comer starlet.
A veteran racemare of 39 career call to the post breaks from the 2-hole. Barb’s Jackie E (9/2) found the winner’s circle four back in a listed event over 7.5f. The 5yo mare can still pick up her feet — she’s hit the board often of late from off pace. Solid speed figures factored into top jockey J Ledwith’s decision to pilot the Machivellian daughter. Barb’s Jackie E enters on her normal 4 weeks rest. What a victory it would be for trainer maxie if Barb’s Jackie E can score in her 40th career start, banking 10 wins total.
Next up, we have stable rk’s Vision And Verse daughter Bigredwanabee (7/1). The 4yo filly sizzled in a February speed duel, winning a 1/2-length phto finish with a 107 SP#. Bigredwanabee was totally on her A-game that afternoon — she previously won a couple ALWs, but had a little trouble entering the stakes ranks. The filly makes her 20th career start and your guess is as good as mine where she’ll be in the group. Jockey I ‘Icarus’ Farlow could see his charge up front, behind the pace, or even relax a bit in midpack. My guess is she’ll be more near the lead.
Foolish Prankster(IRE) (8/1) comes out of the #4 chute. The Monashee Mountain(IRE) daughter looks a lot like Storm Of Buda, winning her last two ALW events both at 7f. The 4yo filly also makes her stakes debut after having thrown impressive 100 SP#s. However, Foolish Prankster is a tad more inexperienced with only 13 starts to her resume. Impressive modest-bred so far for trainer irishlass. Foolish Prankster joins the midpack fray and hopefully jockey G ‘Gregor’ McHale can snap his ’07 winless spell Saturday.
By Giant’s Causeway, Woody Bay(IRE) (4/1) has hit the prime of her career. The 5yo mare is mostly a career ALWer around one-turn, but she’s recently broken out of that mold. Trainer bexley guided Woody Bay to a rich score in a 7.5f Dubai ALW three back and immediately took the mare to the stakes ranks. Woody Bay threw a clinker at first, but recovered swiftly with a “better luck next time” runnerup effort around seven panels. She scored a 107 SP# from behind the lead. A fine effort and five weeks breather since should see her fresh for perhaps a winner circle performance this time.
Wildone’s Star Stryke (9/1) needs to snap out of her recent doldrums. The 6yo Hennessy mare was pretty good late last season, winning a sprinter stakes contest as well as an ALW special in good time. However, the mare hasn’t been her old snappy self since — she closed out the ’06 year with a decent runnerup effort after a puzzling up-the-track debacle. Star Stryke then sat on the sidelines until early March. The mare tired badly in that seasonal bow. Maybe she needed a good gallop to return her to form. We’ll see if she’s her ol’ sassy self in the post parade.
In post postion 7, Mick Schnitzel(AUS) (13/1) checks in as our longest shot on the board. The modestly-bred Lucky Owners(AUS) lassie recently cutback in distance and the result was a fine 107 SP# around 7 panels. Prior to that, gregchilds’ filly experimented through 14 starts over the turf and short routes. The downtown closer tried a follow-up LTO at 7f again, but didn’t get much speed to run at, finishing a rather distant 4th at Malaysia. Don’t let that race fool ya — Mick Schnitzel is a dark horse since she’ll have plenty of speed to aim for this weekend.
Given joins the fray this week with Soul Glow(IRE) (4/1). The 4yo daughter of Perfect Soul drops down in lcass after finishing a decent 6th in the Distaff Breeders Bowl Cap(G2) at New York. Soul Glow made up substantial ground in that effort like she did in her two previous starts (both victories around 6.5f). Very talented filly blossomuing of late with 100+ speed figures. Jockey S ‘Silvio’ Joseph is off to a great start in ’07 and he hopes to send Soul Glow after the tiring pacesetters late down the stretch. Big threat if fit on 4 weeks rest.
A War Emblem mare breaks from post 9. Bm4’s Love And War (10/1) should vie for the early pace hunt. The mare is 4-for-23 lifetime and finishes also-ran more often than not. However, she earns mucho BP for her trainer and has sharpened since cut back to one-turn recently. Needs a big effort to hit the board though in this group.
Finally, simster2 sends out Storm Cat royal bred from the far outside. Katzenjammer (11/1) is a ‘capper’s delight — she’s much better than her odds indicate. The 4yo filly appeared injured when stepping up the graded ranks back in early February. Prior to that, the filly bagged two straight 7.5f listed events in impressive midpack fashion. Unfortunately, the wheels came off in the February grade and thus her odds are rather high here after the 64 SP#. On 8 weeks rest, should be sharp. Might “need a race,” but she’s my sleeper for the board with a top jcoeky in the irons.
Snowchief’s Picks:
Quite an evenly matched field and it’s very difficult to select a winner. Maybe Love And War is the only one who doesn’t have a solid case for the winner’s circle.
I’ll go with the up-and-coming Storm Of Buda with perhaps Bigredwannabee hitting the board too. Soul Glow and Woody Bay bring class to the group — one of them will grab a share. Or Katzenjammer fires big after the layoff. Mick Schnitzel might surprise for a piece.
Win: Storm Of Buda
Place: Soul Glow
Show: Katzenjammer, Woody Bay or Bigredwannabee
Good luck!