The St. Leggs Maraton
The St. Leggs
By: fisher37
He’s got Legs too.
3231.5315
The 8th annual running of $125,000 G3, St. Leggs Marathon, will be held this Saturday in
ELITE WARRIOR (22-1) PP1 is bred from DYNAFORMER x DUBAI MILLENNIUM x DEPUTY MINISTER and trained by boscoyawp. A former 20k claimer this 5yo horse has only run in 5 stakes in his lifetime, with only one in the money finish. He has shown the ability to run 14F but has done so with SP ratings in the mid 80s. Seems to be outclassed in this field and will attempt to close from the back but may not be able to get very close to the leaders.
BAD BAD RONALD (8-1) PP2 is bred from ERINS ISLE x WARNING X LOST CODE and trained by bewitched. At the end of last year and beginning of this season this 7yo horse had some nice 100 SP ratings in mile and a quarter to mile and a half races. Has one win and 2 in the money finishes in 6 stakes races, but all were shorter than 14F. Ran first in a 14F Allowance last time out but only had an 89 SP rating in his only try at 14F. Looks best stalking, and with at least 5 horses in this field all looking to set the pace this horse may have a decent shot riding just behind that group. This horse is one of only a handful of horses in the sim sired by bargain sire ERINS ISLE.
BLAZING LIGHTS (9-1) PP3 is bred from SADLER”S WELLS x
JUMPIN’JAVA (9-5) PP4 is bred from JAVA GOLD x SEEKING THE GOLD x SPECTACULAR BID and trained by waradmiral. A 6yo horse with 21 career stakes races and 15 of those finished in the money. Has shown the ability to win at G3, G2, and G1 level over 11F and 12F distances, but only has one run at 14F, which was a 4th place finish in a stakes race a year ago. Goes off as the favorite and has the advantage of the tracks leading jockey, D Evans, on board but has to prove he can go the 14F.
DESTINY DANCE (7-1) PP5 is bred from DUBAI DESTINATION x DANEHILL x LYPHARD’S WISH and trained by topicountb. This 4yo colt has packed 17 stakes races into his rather short career, finishing in the money in 6 of them. A pace setter, has won at 13F in G3 company, but has lost ground in each of the last 4 races over 12F, 13f, and 14F in G3 and stakes starts, although SP ratings were in the 90s and 100s.
TETE DEPARTURE (9-1) PP6 is bred from DIESIS x KAYF TATA x DARSHAAN and trained by racelord. This 4yo colt has an amazing career record of 20 of 23 finishes in the money. The only 3 times out of the money have been is stakes races the last three times out. Has a 1st place stakes finish over 14F at a SP rating of 97, four races back. Seems to like to set the pace or be just off of it, and in this field that seems to be the most popular riding tactic.
WESTERN SCULPTURE (7-1) PP7 is bred from STATUE OF LIBERTY x GONE WEST x UNFUWAIN and trained by dorrin. This 5yo’s sire STATUE OF LIBERTY has about 15 times the progeny racing in the sim as does ERINS ISLE. A former 5k claimer this horse has now run in 13 stakes races with 3 wins including a G1 at 12F with a SP rating of 106. He has two wins over 14F in stakes with SP ratings from 90-97 as a pace setter he joins a group of about 5 in this race that seem to like that tactic. One of the track’s top jockeys, J Kohlmorgen, will try to separate his horse from the others.
WORLDFLY’S WELLS (10-1) PP8 is bred from SPINNING WORLD x SADLER’S WELLS x BLUSHING GROOM and trained by dawnrun. A 6yo with a career 30 of 35 races in the money this horse is the 2006 winner of this race and at 10-1 seems to not be getting much respect. Has a string of 3 straight 1st place finishes in 14F stakes in last races. Has shown that with pace setting speed can win at 14F and 16F and all the way up to G1 company. These odds are the longest this horse has seen in over 6 months.
ACID (7-1) PP9 is bred from WOODMAN x ELA-MANA-MOU x BOLDNESIAN and trained by tbgifted2. This 5yo has 23 stakes races with just of 1/3 of them (8) finishing in the money. Recently has won 3 times of 13F in stakes and has a couple of respectable closing from behind finishes in G2 and G1 races over 12F. Has shown consistent SP ratings recently in the 90s and up to 100 and so you can’t count out this horse who likes to come from behind in the stretch.
SPANISH HEART (11-1) PP10 is bred from SPANISH STEPS X SEA OF SECRETS X SEATTLE SLEW and trained by noia. This 4yo’s sire SPANISH STEPS also is a bargain sire in the sim and has a small crop of only 26 runners. Another former 5k claimer, this horse has 12 stakes runs with 9 in the money finishes. Finished 1st last time out in a 14F stakes with a 91 SP rating, this will be his first G3 run. Happens to be yet another pacesetter in this field.
Prediction
It will be interesting to see if there are 5 or so horses battling to set the pace or if some trainers will alter tactics in this field. The early pace setters figure to be SPANISH HEART, WORLDFLY’S WELLS, WESTERN SCULPTURE, TETE DEPARTURE, and DESTINY”S DANCE with BAD BAD RONALD just off the pace and ACID, ELITE WARRIOR, BLAZING LIGHTS and JUMPIN’ JAVA bringing up the rear. Of the pace setters SPANISH HEART figures to be the weakest and ELITE WARRIOR the weakest closer, I think that WORLDFLY”S WELLS odds are too long and he will be still going strong at the finish with BLAZING LIGHTS coming from behind. Not sure how to sort out the rest but if JUMPIN’ JAVA doesn’t fire then the trifecta will be a nice one, perhaps ACID, TETE DEPARTURE, WESTERN SCULPTURE, or DESTINY’S DANCE would fill out a winning bet.