Bargain Bowl: Cougar Bite Classic – A chance for a unique record

1 – PAST IS GONE (HIZEL BEYI (TUR) x HINCHINBROOK (AUS) x HARRY THE HAT) – 3/1

Past is Gone is relatively new acquisition in Gowans’ stables. After two claims he has finally got to the hands of experienced trainer, who tried him on mile tracks first. In September, he run very promising race Kamikaze Mile (8F) – there he showed 104 speed mark. Despite it finished fifth. In the beginning of November, after 6th position in Lantau Mile, thirteen lengths behind the winner, Gowans realized that Past is Gone probably can’t fight for top spot in BB Kaif Mile. The mile division is very strong in bbrs these days, so trainer decided for alternative program. It is very unclear how the horse can handle today’s 10F. He tried 12F in his past once, finished 4th in $2000 claim. That doesn’t sound really encouraging, anyway 10F is bit shorter. His pedigree says something like this: Sire Hizel Beyi is winner of Turkish Derby (12F), but Hitchinbrook, his damsire was a sprinter. My opinion is that distance will be probably a bit longer for Past is Gone. Yet his presence here is still valuable.

2 – BARELY TWO (ZACINTO x CAT COUNTRY x NOT A SINGLE DOUBT (AUS)) – 7/5

Barely Two is quite experienced 5yo from Gowans’ stable, who reached to his first bargain stakes win last time in The Pearl Cup in November. How his career looked before the moment? He was claimed by current owner in the beginning of 2014 and was immediately entered to few bargain stakes for 3yo. He has found himself on the turf, evolving a bit slowly though. In his record, there are some decent successes from the end of the 2015 – 4th spot from Lantau Mile as well as BB Kaif Mile. He took a long rest then and returned this May. He participated in The Everglades for sprinters in July and then Kamikaze Mile in September. He showed good marks, but it wasn’t anything better than 6th and 7th place. As said before, his last race was 9F Pearl Cup which resulted in surprising victory. It is a clear proof he has still something left in the tank even after 28 career start. Despite this, I think it is improbable for him to repeat his last result. His running style is nice, with strong finish in the end, but I assume 9F is his limit. His longest race was Hunt Turf Cup in May 2015 (9.5F) – almost 21 lengths behind the winner. Today  in this small field he can take 3rd place, but I don’t expect fight for win this time.

3 – DIZZY BOLT (SAINT DES SAINTS (FR) x ACATENANGO x MARJU) – 13/1

For me personally bbrs is a great fun and I try to enter at least one horse to bargain stakes event every time. That’s the reason of Dizzy Bolt being here. Unfortunately I don’t have better quality for this surface and distance this year. Dizzy Bolt looked quite promising at first, unfortunately he shows that only in claim races but he couldn’t win not even there. So far, he has done that only once in his debut HOT race. He has two records from bargain races so far. He finished last in the Bargain Turf Derby and also sixth out of eight in The Pearl Cup. He comes to the Cougar Bite Classic as an outsider.

4 – GO FOR ALL OF IT (ALL AMERICAN (AUS) x SARAVA x GO AND GO (IRE)) – 2/1

Go For All Of It became true celebrity of bargain series. For me, he is also a small surprise. Last year, he seemed to start slowing down a bit, but his decline wasn’t as fast as might be expected. During that season he used to be defeated few times, but in the end of it he improved to his best result and won in Cougar Bite Classic setting race record. He started slowly also this season. In April he tried regular stakes race Militant Turf Route, finishing 5th. Then in bargain company he was 5th again in the Hunt Turf Cup (9.5F). He didn’t look that dangerous in the race. But that changed in august, when he finished second by a head in Ten Lost Pyramids stakes (10F). The winner of both races was the hopeful 4yo Midnight Bells. Go For All of It returned after two relaxing HOT races to the bargain racing in Pearl Cup (9F), finishing 2nd again, ¾ lengths behind today’s runner Barely Two. Thus Go For All Of It wasn’t able to win in this year’s bargain events. On the other hand, he is very experienced and he is kind of copying last season – there he also had two second places before his big win. He shows good form in autumn. Also his big advantage is small field of the race, which doesn’t include the division leader Midnight Bells. Midnight Bells prefers BB John’s Call over 12F. This all could help Go For All Of It and bring him remarkable third win in the race. His third Cougar Bite Classic attempt will be closely watched.

5 – IDEALORIO (IDEAL WORLD x ORATORIO (IRE) x SAVABEEL (AUS)) – 4/1

One of the two most watched horses of this year Cougar Bite Classic is Idealorio. He comes to the race as the best 3yo bargain horse over 10F turf routes. The question is: Is it enough to deal with Go For All Of It? Idealorio is with bbrs from the very beginning. In 2015 he stepped into two stakes races for two year old bargains. He finished second in The Winchester as well as fourth in BB Class Ack Juvenile. In the spring it became obvious that mile is short for him and he confirmed it in The Staten Island, new series race over 10F. He was then extremely sovereign in the Bargain Turf Derby (12F). The expectations of confrontation with older bargain warriors were high. Unfortunately, Ten Lost Pyramids (10F) was a bit of disappointment. Idealorio finished 6th, almost 14 lengths behind the winner (as well as Go For All Of It). He managed to more starts in the autumn – in two stakes races for local breds of South Africa. First he was 5th in S.A. Derby (12.5F), then 6th in News 2000 (10F). In that last race he finally turned over 100 speed mark. That encouraged his trainer, South African patriot Dragnil, to sign him here. Idealorio is going to show good result for sure. Although I don’t think 10F is his optimal distance. The longer is better, I assume. Nevertheless, he is the strongest opponent for defending champion.