Rain doesn’t cancel Teabag Special party
California– The track came up sloppy as pea soup for the $95,000 Teabag Special. Sophomore fillies navigate 6.5 furlongs and it’s a pretty solid group too……
Oddsmakers tab Fleetwood Mia(TUR) favoritsm status at 4/1. The Strike The Gold daughter continued her marvelous winning ways this season for trainer fleetwood. The filly boasted a long win streak in these short field one-turn contests. She ran into modest rouble of late when extending to 7 panels, but notably improves her speed figures near each time out. Sassy Fleetwood Mia makes her run from about midpack and breaks from post postion # 2.
Mochachino’s Quest(KY) (6/1) easily presents the best speed figure of the bunch. The Tale of the Cat gal lightning bolted a 7.5f listed stakes two back with a hot 102 SP#. That had to be a surprise for trainer princessme, since Mochachino’s Quest had only been throwing 80-ish type speed figures. I don’t really like the filly in this spot though. She’s quite talented, but is 0-for-2 over off tracks. She ran over a “good” track LTO and should’ve easily won, but tired to 3rd. Last test for her over an off track!
Still eligible for a NW2L, Pure Life(IRE) (6/1) hasn’t really needed to fall back into the conditions. Jdawg11 guided the Bachelor Duke modest-bred through one-turn stakes placing last season. The filly stumbled a bit opening her ’07 campaign at a mile. She’s since recovered, flashing more speed around seven panels. The hard worker brings a pair of 90+ speed figures to the table and hopes to better than mark with an at-long-last stakes victory.
Yanta Snez(G2) winner Grey Ice(IRE) puzzingly goes off at 7/1. The Johannesburg runner won that 7 furlong grade back in mid-January with a sparkling 97 SP#. She was a very promising stakes winner last season too. Trainer crandyii probably wishes to take back Grey Ice’s Yanta Snez follow-up. The filly riushed on two weeks rest into the Backward Gal(G3) around 7f and ran like a tired horse. She since through a dud when stretching out in the California Oaks(G1) last month. Classy filly is much more rested now. On paper, she shouldn’t have too much of a problem with this field. Hopefully she’ll handle the off track.
Charismatic Park(JPN) already boasts a pair of stkaes victories for trainer tbird2. At 8/1, Charismatic Park joins the speed fray after bagging three-quarters of a mile LTO over a track rated as “good.” She’s a sassy little thing who can win over the green stuff too. Perfect spot if the daughter of Charismatic can extend her versatility to stalker-style tactics.
Simond4 saw Upper Deck(KY) (8/1) buzzsaw an ALW field LTO with a photo finish. The gutsy Grand Slam lassie knows how to mix it up early on in pacesetters’ battle-royales. The filly is winless through five starts this season in a vigorous campaign. She’ll bolt on of the rail post on just two weeks rest.
A Cryptoclearance daughter comes out of post 5. Wheels Of Steel(KY) (8/1) is a perfect 2-for-2 over off tracks and should adore Saturday’s surface. The filly was a stakes winner over a mile as a 2yo, but couldn’t advance much further than that. She notably cut back to 7.5 panels LTO and recorded her first 90+ SP# even though she lost. She’s still trying to find her best running style, but you’ll probably spot her from far off pace.
Marmac sends out an AP Indy daughter. Top Of The Heap(KY) (8/1) brngs loads of experience to the table with 15 lifetime starts. Unfortunately, the filly hasn’t stepped up well in the past to the black type level. She brings off track ability though and perhaps she’ll also approve of the cutback in distance. A good factor for the board from midpack or thereabouts.
Fresh off of an ALW score over this distance, Barb’s Bad Girl(KY) (10/1) has hopefully returned to form. The Sky Classic boasts a royallly bred female family and, indeed, was Grade 3-placed last season. Unfortunately, the midpacker threw a pair of crummy efforts to start out ’07. Perhaps the ALW schooling sharpened her up. Maxie’s honest gal is a threat for the board if not a minor share.
Lawyerron checks in with his off track specialist High On Capote(FR) (11/1). The High Yield adores the slop with a 7-for-8 ITM% over the soup. High On Capote also bagged an ALW score in her last — it was a slow speed figure but that was all she needed to get the job done. This filly has some back class with a 90 SP# in a Grade 3 and several stakes placings. Very nice filly, but she races a heckuva lot — this is her 5th start of the season already. Hopefully she has something in the tank because she’ll love the track.
Finally, Stormin Fever daughter Boniek(KY) is our longest shot on the board at 25/1. She’s been stakes placed with low numbers a couple times and also won around 5.5f two back. Has to surprise trainer macstakes with a jump up in speed figures in order to be much of a factor this week. Difficult to gage her lone off track debacle since it came mismatched at th graded level.
Snowchief’s Picks:
Win: Grey Ice
Place: Pure Life
Show: Wheels Of Steel
Good luck to all!