King Kong Cup Preview: Three Million Reasons

Grade I / Group 1*CPU – Purse : $3,000,000

Restricted to 3 Year Olds and Older

10 Furlongs | ~2000 Meters | One Mile and One Quarter Firm Turf

 

With the Breeders Bowl and the major races of Europe in the books for 2016, we turn now to Asia and a massive monetary prize in the King Kong Cup.  Some very fine ten-furlong types are here to compete and earn some scratch for, perhaps, a new year auction buy.  The gates are full, and here are the fourteen:

 

# Horse Bred A/S Owner Jockey R W IM% USD EPnt Odds   Badges   Capper my Sire

1

THE JOY OF LIFE  KY  4M  icbomber1  L Radzinski  23  9  83%  $4,349,166  390.00  6/1

KITTEN’S JOY

 

Co-favorite looks to avenge his narrow loss in last year’s Cup, and that would be a fitting achievement in a season in which he similarly bagged the Coxless Cup after finishing second as a sophomore.  Radzinski has had success with him and takes the mount, poised to unleash a reliable drive from midpack or so.  Has a solid chance to earn the 5 million badge in Hong Kong.

 

2

RAGSPOINT DANCER  IRE  4M  jrogue5  J Wilson  19  4  42%  $439,457  96.00  21/1

DANEHILL DANCER

 

Started 2016 as an N2L allowance winner, but then won a stakes with a big speed number, and added the Grade 2 Kinsho Cho in May.  Recent results indicate a win here would be far-fetched, and to pull it off he would appear to need to grab an uncontested lead.

 

3

MIRAGE NIGHTMARE  ENG  4M  lenny26  K Banner  10  7  80%  $325,576  63.00  12/1

OASIS DREAM (GB)

 

If the horse to his inside is to obtain the lead, it will need to be at the expense of this one, who shows much more recent positive form as a frontrunner.  In fact, he has just burst upon the scene with his first stakes win in October, then taking down the Grade 3 Harry Potter in November.  Both of those victories were at this distance, adding hope to those who look to this longshot to capture the big prize.

 

4

RUN THROUGH FIRE  IRE  4M  mattyw2  K Ledwith  12  8  83%  $2,061,150  281.00  9/1

GALILEO

Reeled off four straight 110-plus speeds this year, including a win and a place in Grade 1 affairs, but could not get untracked last out in the Coxless and broke the speed streak.  Ledwith tries again today, and look for the jockey to once again make a play from near the rear of the field.

 

5

KITTEN OF VALYRIA  KY  5M  salamander  H Harzheim  22  9  77%  $1,000,106  132.00  10/1

KITTEN’S JOY

 

Millionaire hadn’t had a win in a light racing season until prepping for this with a conditioned allowance win in Ireland.  Lest you write him off on class grounds, bear in mind that he shows two Grade 1 placings this year, including a second to the rail horse.  He will need a repeat of one of those performances to finish on the board here, but could have made a useful change last out while showing an ability to rate off the leaders.

 

6

IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS  JPN  3M  lasthope1  J White  11  5  73%  $3,018,934  240.00  12/1

DEEP IMPACT (JPN)

 

Sophomore popped a longshot win last out in the Eclipse, vanquishing elders and setting up for a run at this late-season prize.  Not sure the odds were fair last time, given he was multiple Derby-placed early in the year.  Also of note is that his best races seem to have come at this range rather than a mile and a half, as both the Eclipse speed number and his Equinics run at a similar distance fit well here.  Interesting candidate if he can save some juice for the late running.

 

7

THE DREAMWEAVER  AUS  3M  vor  F Gossett  14  6  86%  $1,287,115  192.25  13/1

REDOUTE’S CHOICE

 

Signature win this year is the Equinics tilt for 3-year-olds at 9.5 furlongs, which he earned over his rival to the immediate inside.  In a field that looks full of speed, he will need to repeat that kind of performance to score under another new jockey in Gossett.  Wondering if another half furlong could be his undoing today.

 

8

I WILL FIX YOU  KY  4M  handshob7  W Kewmwa  17  8  76%  $3,610,140  482.00  6/1

BERNARDINI

 

Number one ranked in this division at this time, and that despite no attempt at the Breeders Bowl.  What he has is three sterling Grade 1 wins on three continents, and one of them right here in Hong Kong.  With a predilection for this course, a jockey who has had success with him aboard, and a late-running style, he will take some beating in this major prize.

 

9

HALO OF DESCENSION  AUS  5M  asoiaf2  T Small  21  9  67%  $1,266,041  264.00  8/1

REDOUTE’S CHOICE

 

Followed up a smashing Osmonds win with a Fall Tent Show in which he could not threaten the top three finishers, so we are led to the question of his level of consistency race-to-race.  Jockey has been aboard several times, but not for any of his nine wins, so that combined with the challenge of posting a potentially career-best speed to win makes me look for the winner elsewhere.

 

10

GUERMANTES  IRE  3M  fersara  O A Haack  14  4  50%  $1,145,660  100.00  47/1

AUSTRALIA

 

Gets in off of a high ranking among sophomore turfers, but he actually hasn’t done much since a spring victory in the Jockey Club.  It would be nice to see him step forward heading into his four-year-old campaign, but the long odds look to be deserved.

 

11

PEDRO DE SNOOZA  KY  5M  deyoto3  GD Mate  21  7  67%  $842,235  120.50  9/1

GIO PONTI

 

He had a Grade 2 win at this distance early in the year, but perhaps more impressive was his last tilt: while he was third, the margin was less than a length.  He should be able to take a position behind the speed types, which may be a significant advantage, and reunites with the jockey he had for the biggest win of his career.  Quite interesting.

 

12

DEEP FORTY  JPN  4M  given88  D Givins  20  7  60%  $825,950  104.00  7/1

DEEP IMPACT (JPN)

 

Fairly new to the Grade 1 stage, but sports a show then a place at that level for his last two races.  Why not a win today?  Well, he has lost to one of the favorites, but he is nonetheless an improving horse that may be peaking now.

 

13

 NORTH OF THE BEEL  NZ  4M  liam14  B Wu  20  5  55%  $593,599  109.00  10/1

SAVABEEL (AUS)

 

He couldn’t handle IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS last time out in the Eclipse, so he will be banking on the kind of performance he put in twice prior to that.  Those were Grade 3 affairs, and he won one and very nearly the other.  Sometimes quality horses are tested when they have yet to establish themselves at a level, so this one may be one to watch and wait for now.

 

14

AMONG THE THIRSTY  ENG  4M  billzpaid  R Hansen  19  6  74%  $2,092,964  189.00  10/1

DUBAWI (IRE)

 

Took the Irish Champion in September to put himself on the Grade 1 map, and that was an impressive score with a nice move from behind the leader.  Unfortunately, he followed that up with a loss in a $60k allowance where he fell behind in the stretch.  It would seem a difficult thing to clear the many other speedsters from this outside post and still have enough to hold off some highly talented closers.