Festive Fifty Off As Favorite In Cosmopolitan
The highlight race this weekend in New York is the Grade I Cosmopolitan Handicap, run over a mile on the dirt. The prestigious race is open to all horses or three years of age and older and this year, has drawn a total of twelve contenders to the field for Saturday’s race. The weather here in New York has been fair raining from crystal clear to semi-cloudy, however, no rain is in the forecast for this coming weekend, so the dirt track should be listed as fast for this weekends race. Lets take a brief look at the twelve horse that have drawn into this years field of the Cosmopolitan Handicap.
Drawing the rail is Zygote (A.P. Indy x Storm Cat x Seeking The Gold), who is owned and trained by isisbabe. The five year old bay horse has had a total of twenty-two lifetime starts, with ten of these, just short of half, resulting in wins for the royaly-bred horse. His most recent start came in Illinois during the Grade II Statewide Pinhead Guild Stakes where he was held off the pace in fourth but faded from there, finishing sixth. His most recent win came in March during the Grade III Winchester Cap where he was held further back in ninth and went on to win the start by one length with an impressive speed figure set of one hundred thirteen.
In the second post is Ke’Chara (Empire Maker x Nureyev x Secretariat), who is trained and owned by seekin49er. The impressively-bred chestnut horse has had a total of twenty lifetime starts, including six career wins. His most recent start came in late March during the Grade III Barkley Handicap where he was rated back in eighth and began to make his move on the field late in the stretch, crossing the wire fourth, just one and one-fourth lengths off the pace of the eventual winner. The horses most recent win came in September of last year during the ungraded For Old Times Sake Special where he again was held back in eighth but this time rallied in the stretch to win by three-fourths of a length with a speed figure of one hundred eight.
Next is Unprecedented (Hansel x Nureyev x Raise A Native), who is owned by catahoula. The seven year old veteran bay horse has had a total of thirty-seven lifetime starts including twelve wins and career earnings quickly approaching three million dollars. The horses most recent start came here in New York during the Grade I Gary Carter Handicap where he started out chasing the front-runners in fourth but faded early on in the race, finishing twelfth, back nine and a half lengths from the winner. His most recent win, under previous owner jockeymax, was an allowance caliber race in North Florida where he won by two and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of one hundred four. This Saturday will the the horses second start under new trainer catahoula.
Following will be One Wild Cat (Wild Again x Storm Cat x Seeking The Gold), who is out of the stakes-winning dam Grand Designs. The five year old dark gray horse is trained by sdmf5 and has had a total of thirty-six lifetime starts including an impressive twelve wins, all on the dirt. The horses most recent start came in late April during the Grade II Astroturf Sprint where the dark gray horse was rated in fourth and was sent up to third in the stretch, moving quickly just before the wire to take the win by three-fourths of a length with a speed figure of one hundred eleven.
At 9/1 is Shinkicker (SAF) (Horse Chestnut (SAF) x Cahill Road x Lyphard), who is owned and trained by galaxystar. The five year old bay mare, the only mare in the field, has had a total of twenty-seven starts with an impressive twenty-one finishes on the board, eleven of which have been wins. The mares most recent start came in British Columbia during the Grade III Boquet o’ Daisies Stakes where she held off just in second and gained the lead in the stretch, powering on to win by two and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure set of one hundred nine, a lifetime best for the mare.
K’s Rumor Has It (Sadler’s Wells x Seattle Slew x Nijinsky II), who is trained by kronus is next in the field. The four year old bay colt has had a total of seventeen lifetime starts, including eight wins. His most recent start came in the mile long Grade III Barkley Handicap where he was rated behind in sixth and picked up the pace in the stretch to cross the wire second, one and one-fourth lengths back. His most recent win came in late January during the Grade I Diplomat Way Handicap where he was held slightly further back in seventh and began to make his move much earlier and went on to win the start by three-fourths of a length with a speed figure of one hundred eight.
Longshot Mambo Bones (Kingmambo x Danehill x Le Fabuleux) who is out of the graded race-winning dam Dem Bones. The five year old chestnut is owned and trained by jrogue5 and has been very lightly race with a total of only seven career starts, three of which have been wins. The horses most recent start came in the ungraded Your Hunks Memorial in Hong Kong where he was rated back in ninth and made his move in the stretch, going on to win by two lengths with a speed figure of one hundred eight, a lifetime best for the colt. This Saturday’s running will mark the colts first attempt at any form of graded stakes race.
Favorite Festive Fifty (Sadler’s Wells x Gone West x A.P. Indy), trained and owned by stormcat55 is next in the line up. The four year old chestnut colt has had a total of twenty-three lifetime starts and an impressive eleven wins and a total of seventeen finishes on the board. The colts most recent start came earlier this month in the Grade II Bluegrass Sprint where he was held far off the pace in tenth and began to make his move just before the stretch going on to impressively win the race by one and a half lengths with a blistering speed figure of one hundred fourteen, yet another lifetime best speed figure.
Super12 trained San Pellegrino (War Chant x Pleasant Colony x Caerleon) is next in the field. The four year old bay colt has had a total of twenty-four lifetime starts with four wins and career earnings approaching one million dollars. His most recent start came in Dubai during the Grade III Ecliptic Stakes where here was set just off the pace in fifth, stalking the front runners and picking them off when they tired in the stretch, going on to win by two and three-fourth lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred twelve, a lifetime best speed figure for this impressive colt.
In the ten slot is Hemipshere (IRE) (Montjeu (IRE) x Geri x Mr. Prospector), who is owned and trained by volcano The six year old horse has been lightly raced with a total of eighteen lifetime starts including seven wins. The horses most recent start came here in New York during a six and a half furlong allowance caliber race in which he was set to stalk the pace in third, laying only one-fourth of a length of the leader until they got into the stretch where he took command of the field and went on to win by a length with a speed figure set of ninety-nine. His most recent graded stakes start came in late September of last year during the Grade I Bob Woodward Memorial where he looked to be going wire to wire in the nine furlong race but was caught at the wire and finished second, three lengths back.
Next is Musicality (Sadler’s Wells x Easy Goer x Key To The Mint), who is trained and owned by kevoman4. The four year old bay has had a total of twenty-four lifetime starts resulting in nine wins, six places and a show. His most recent start came in late April during the Grade III Fus Gonner handicap where he was held back in eighth and looked to be done for but had a sudden surge in the stretch as he rallied home for fourth, two and a half lengths off the pace from the eventual winner. His most recent win came in March during the Grade III Barkely Handicap where he was held further off the pace in thirteenth and moved up gradually in the stretch, eventually going on to win by one and one fourth lengths with a speed figure of one hundred seven.
On the outside is Unwilling (Orientate x Danzig x Green Dancer), who is out of the stakes-winning dam Yoshi. The four year old chestnut is owned by lender4 and has been lightly raced with a total of seventeen lifetime starts including six wins. The colts most recent start came overseas in Germany during the ungraded Aragon Ransom Special where he chased the main speed back in fifth and overtook the tiring horses in the stretch to go on to win by one and one-half lengths with a speed figure of one hundred eleven, adding yet another horse to the field that is coming off a run resulting in a lifetime best speed figure. The colts most recent graded start came in Ireland in March during the Grade II Saint Pats Legacy where he was held back in sixth and ran this race very similarly to the Aragon Ransom, though not able to get up to the wire in time, finishing second.