MD Breeders Bowl–Grade III

MD Breeders Bowl
Grade III
Six furlongs
Fast Dirt
$150,000
All horses, 3 years old and up

Maryland is alive and kicking on what has to be their biggest day of the year in simulated horse racing.  Hopefully I’m not too drunk with all the Black Eye Susans before this race gets here but to each their own.  Leading our full field of 14 competitors is the #1 ranked Ab Fab who continued domination of this class seems likely to continue today with the absence of any highly ranked competitors.  Perhaps this setting up as a prep race for a likely Grade I race in his next start.  However, a few of the other runners have put up some very decent numbers in recent starts and could compete along with him.  However, I’m reluctant to predict the upset as he seems to be the class of the field and even with 3/1 odds he’ll likely return a good sum.

Good luck with your bets.

PP 1

9/1 ECTON RATS

(ECTON PARK x HALO x BOLD REASON)

Trainer:  drdj

After an up and down career, Ecton Rats was finally able to find that elusive graded win two races back in the Nasty and Bold Handicap-G3.  As a seven year old with only 27 career races, to say he’s been lightly raced may be an understatement.  However, it came via a three year absence from December of 2003 until December of 2006.  It seemed almost at that point though that he would live out the rest of his career as an allowance horse but he seemed to find new hope with that win.  It wasn’t long lived though as he finished 11^th in his last race.  One race wonder???  We hope not.

PP 2

9/1 FUTURE DANCER

(SCRIMSHAW x FUTURE STORM x NICE DANCER)

Trainer:  shaggy3

Future Dancer at 9/1 might be a good choice in a trifecta box or wheel of some type.  He has shown an ability to hit the board in his last few races and almost found the winner’s circle for the first time in a graded event two races back in the Arizona Silver Spoon-G3.  His connections may still be trying to find that one distance that he likes as he’s bounced back and forth between 6-7.5 furlongs.  I’m not sure of his chance to beat the favorite but I think it’s a smart bet to place him somewhere on your ticket.

PP 3

3/1 AB FAB

(AWESOME AGAIN x A.P. INDY x MR. PROSPECTOR)

Trainer:  dolphinman

#1 ranked horse.  Everyone else should just go home.  In all seriousness, Ab Fab seems to lead this field with all the class.  He’s earned his ranking with a total of 10 graded wins including five of his last eight races.  In fact if you were to handicap this race on rankings alone, only two other competitors even crack the top 100 amongst older horses (Ecton Rats #97 and Blazing Glory #46).  However, some of his competitors have come close in similar races to match his speeds and he has shown some signs of vulnerability.  Still, he’s the champ until someone knocks him out. 

PP 4

8/1 DA DENTIST

(SADLER’S WELLS x THEATRICAL(IRE) x ROBERTO)

Trainer:  doctahg

The six year old Da Dentist looks to find the winner circle today.  A feat he hasn’t accomplished in a graded race since July of 2005.  His nice breeding lines surely helped him to some nice wins that year and with some impressive times but he’s been shut out at this level since.  It doesn’t seem that he lost much step though since that time and could compete quite well depending on the pace.  Look for a late charge down the stretch for him.

PP 5

11/1 RUSTY EFFORT

(VINDICATION x NORTHERN DANCER x IN REALITY)

Trainer:  barc

Rusty Effort begins our trio of 11/1 odd horses.  This Vindication horse has had some bang up races in career at the lower levels and makes his graded debut in a sprint event with this race.  He likes to go to the early lead so look for him to be the early pace setter but his Achilles heel seems to be stamina as he has a nasty habit of giving up the lead late in the race.  He should be a good competitor here but his overall speeds really show more of pace setter for the slew of late closers we have here.  Bet at your own risk.

PP 6

10/1 WESTERN GIANT(IRE)

(GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (IRE) x GONE WEST x NIJINSKY II)

Trainer:  aptitude11

Western Giant is what you like to at least have from such an expensive breeding.  A horse with some nice speed figures with a chance to improve.  I’ve lost count how many similar breedings I’ve gone through with horrible results.  Although he has yet to prove himself at this level, he could be a late developing four year old with much more to show as the year progresses.  He’s coming off two very close calls in the listed stakes level but we’ll have to see if he can carry his speeds to this class of players.  Put a question mark next to his number and see if you have an empty spot on the back side of wheel to place him at.

PP 7

30/1 STAPLE

(UNUSUAL HEAT x EVANSVILLE SLEW x NORTHERN SPUR(IRE))

Trainer:  carryback

The allowance runner Staple makes his first try at a stakes race of any type today.  He’s performed well in his ten career races with three wins in his last four starts.  However, he’s yet to crack the 100+ SP mark you would expect for a race at the level of play.  He should try to take a tactical spot somewhere a few lengths off the leader but I don’t think he’ll be anywhere near the leaders in the end.  Perhaps a listed stakes run should be next start.

PP 8

32/1 HANSOM RANSOM(IRE)

(SWAIN (IRE) x IN REALITY x DR. FAGER)

Trainer:  sarasans

Hansom Ransom brings up the rear in odds for us in this full card.  He had a nice run over a 12 month period that ended in December.  During that span he notched a stakes win, several placements in the money and a close second in the JFK Street-G3.  But his last few starts of this year have shown that his best racing is behind him as he just hasn’t shown the talent he had last year.  Perhaps he can that step again today and come back with a good showing.

PP 9

8/1 BLAZING GLORY

(MORE THAN READY x SILVER BUCK x STORM CAT)

Trainer:  waremblem2

Still looking to break his graded maiden, Blazing Glory seems to coming into his prime at the right time.  This More Than Ready horse was not much more than a good allowance colt during his three year old season but seemed to come alive last year.  He has a tremendous late kick but that seems to be his down fall at this level as either he takes off too late and never catches the front runner or just doesn’t have the necessary speed to compete at this level.  I’m think the former so a smart jockey move may be key here. 

PP 10

6/1 HENNESSY TITANS

(HENNESSY x MR. PROSPECTOR x NODOUBLE)

Trainer:  slewbetcha

The very lightly raced Hennessy Titans had up put together a nice string of races up till his last race.  However, you can toss out that race due to an off track.  He makes his 4^th start of the year today and is a winner of four out of his last seven races.  This seems to be his optimal distance and he has shown some dramatic speeds that would equal those racing at this level but he’s yet to win anything over a listed stakes race.  He could be due to finally break that string but going up the #1 ranked horse doesn’t help much.

PP 11

20/1 MY SHEBA T

(KINSHASA x ALYSHEBA x DYNAFORMER)

Trainer:  tsyndicate

As a two time graded winner My Sheba T certainly has made a name for himself.  This Alysheba grand-son took to the track almost immediately after turning three and grabbed the attention of the sports writers with his tactical runs and close finishes.  However, after 42 races he seems to be done even at the young age of five.  Wear and tear seems to have got the best of him as he hasn’t crossed the century mark in SP’s this entire year and a restricted allowance win is the best he’s been able to achieve.  I’ll drink a beer for you but will have to pass on the bet.

PP 12

11/1 ERMINGTON PRADO

(DISTORTED HUMOR x EL PRADO(IRE) x PULPIT)

Trainer:  pigeon

Perhaps ready to show that he’s a player at this level, Ermington Prado looks good to me at 11/1.  He has shown some dramatic in the allowance level since November and could surprise.  However, his jump from allowance to graded stakes leaves the question marks next to his name.  Although his speeds are good enough to match I would have liked to see a listed stakes prep race prior to his entry here.  Still, you have to like his natural speed against a weakened field other than the favorite.

PP 13

29/1 BLACK JACK BLUES(KY)

(CAME HOME x ALYDAR x NATIVE DANCER)

Trainer:  blackswan

As our only three old entered, Black Jack Blues isn’t getting much respect from the morning line handicapper despite the substantial jump in both maturity and speed.  He’s coming off a win last time out in the Aegon’s Deposits Cap-Stk and ran a very close second the previous stakes race before that.  His odds are diminished though due to the horrible effort he put in the Grade 3 Pleasure Stakes where he finished a disappointing 10^th.  I don’t think you’ve heard the last of this colt but it seems too soon to be going against older company. 

PP 14

11/1 BACHELOR PARTY

(POINT GIVEN x BLUSHING GROOM(FR) x MR. PROSPECTOR)

Trainer:  super19

An inspiration to all double digit odd horses, Batchelor Party is fresh off his first graded win in the Ferris Bueller Stakes- G3.  He took that race with a surprising 108 SP and came from first to last.  The infield crowd went nuts and you could almost make out them singing “when Ferris was in Eygpt land…let my Ferris go!”  Sorry, couldn’t help that.  At any rate, he’s still stiffed with 11/1 odds despite that strong win but he seems to be getting better adjusted with age and the spring has been good to him.  Look for him to continue to develop.