High-class Fillies Go Head-to-Head for the Wet Bikini Stakes.

High-class Fillies Go Head-to-Head for the Wet Bikini Stakes

                Each year, the Wet Bikini hosts some of the most promising young female turf gallopers, and it does not differ on this occasion. Greyville will play host to this edition of the grade one, and with clear skies promised for the race and a very competitive field, it won’t be one to miss. Let’s meet our horses.

Drawing the rail is KINGSHA, bred by and racing for the 3away stables. The two-year-old bay is by KINGMAN and out of one-time winner SHA BANG BANG, a mare that has now produced three winners from four starters, though no stakes winners. The English filly has won twice on thee starts, including a maiden win at five-and-a-half furlongs and a conditioned allowance at six-and-a-half. Her figure capped at 73 in said allowance, a somewhat competitive figure for this field, though a full nine points behind some of the favourites. This seems like too large a deficit to overcome to warrant a wager.

Second inside is IN BRUGES, one of the five undefeated runners in this field of fourteen. Owned by Babers Racing Stables, the filly by FED BIZ and out of race winner EXTRA TRUST broke her maiden first out in Cali, putting up a tepid 63 figure in her debut. She headed east for her second start in Kentucky, winning that NW2 state-bred allowance by almost two lengths. Most recently, on May twenty-seventh, the filly was in Texas for her first stakes event, and she took that one out too- posting a career best 78 speed figure and winning by one-and-a-half lengths. This one’s definitely in the running, but I like a few better here. I’m going to list her as my longshot play at 12-1, as I think she poses a real threat to the favourites.

In gate three is SADIE JANE for Bonk Stables, another member of the undefeated band- currently two-for-two. Also bred by Bonk, she’s by DECLARATION OF WAR and out of stakes winner, graded placed mare PROSPECTOR S., a producer of seven winners (of seven starters), including two stakes winners and two graded winners. The prestigious breeding came through for Bonk Stables, as the filly broke her maiden first out and was swiftly moved into stakes company, winning a listed stakes event in Italy over good turf with a strong 78 speed index. She’s the luke-warm 5-1 favourite, but I feel there are others that are just a bit better. I’ll take her out of the top three but include her in exotic plays.

From post four is KLASSIC SNITZEL, a maiden against winners. Bred and owned by different substables of top trainer Lightng99. This was the first offspring of maiden DARK ACCLAMATION, an unsuccessful racing mare, but bred with SNITZEL has produced a promising racing prospect. The rookie has never faced other non-winners: starting out against one-time victors in the NW2 class, the filly was beaten by just a fraction of a length and produced a relatively slow 63 figure. Unfazed, Lightng sent his filly to Norway for a listed stakes race, where she finished third behind PUSSY HAT, who will reappear in this event, and upping her figure to a 66. Again optimistic about his filly’s talents, Lighng gave her a G2 assignment for her next start on June 11. In another gritty effort, the Aussie bred made a move on the turn to hit second at one point, and toughed it out down the stretch to finish fifth by less than two lengths. Despite some impressive starts, she’s still yet to cross the line first, and is stretching out a furlong more than most of the field. I can’t recommend her for my tcket.

The fifth starter of the field is KADISSYA FLOWER, a two-time winner on five attempts. Bred and raced by NYCowboy Racing, it’s the first foal from non-winner WAVERING MOM (a mare who threw her best figure on dirt) and sired by DANSILI. Starting out two-for-two (though having the field’s third-worst debut figure), her streak was broken in Norway, mounting no charge and taking the last prize-paying position in fifth. Two back, on the same oval in use today, a better charge was made, and despite being half-of-a-length closer than her third run, she came home for seventh, still posting a career-best speed number. On June twenty-second, NYCowboy dropped her down to an easier field of non-winners of three allowance horses. The animal lost a tight one- fighting tooth and nail down the stretch to lose by a just quarter of a length. It’s an even tougher ask this time, but she does have the advantage of running the furthest of any of today’s field (seven furlongs last time). I still can’t see her taking down some of the top entrants.

Turf convert BABY MADDOX breaks from post six, a one-time winner from six races. By NONNO’S BOY, this is the thirteenth starter and eleventh winner out of grade three winner STING YEA. It’s a Graywolf trainee who switched from dirt to the grass after a disappointing grade three effort in her third start. Despite a slight improvement, the youngster had to drop to a $60,000 maiden claimer to break her maiden, and consistently runs uncompetitive figures. You can safely leave this one off your ticket.

DENMAN THE VOICE starts from the center and is another member of the unbeaten club, winning both lifetime starts. The Aussie filly owned and bred by Selurnivek Stables Inc. is by top Australian sire DENMAN and out of stakes placed mare COMMAND OF DEATH, who now has two stakes winners to her name. Raced in the US, the filly eked out a quarter length win in her first contest in NY, and was swiftly stepped up to stakes company. “Can do” said the bay rookie, as she passed SUSPICIOUS SLOTH late for a half-length victory and a sharp 79 speed rating, all while stretching out by two furlongs.  This is a talented filly, and based on her last performance coupled with prospects for improvement, as well as her early-pace capabilities in a field where it’s scarce, I’ll add her on as my fourth selection.

Another strong challenger is MAKERS DREAMS, a G3 winner who ran the field’s best figure in her last. The hidden entry from the Lightng99 Stable, it’s a filly by French sire VADAMOS and out of single race winner EXCEED THE NEED, who now has two winners from two starters. Moving late for a two length win in her debut, the filly was moved up to a stakes even forty days later. Fighting it out down the stretch, the filly got the better of a fellow closer, taking a quarter length win. In her strongest showing to date, the filly put up a superb 82 figure, just out-bobbing SHOCKED THERAPY, another competitor in this field. Each race the filly has shown guts and will, therefore I will be giving her the show nod.

Yet another stakes winner, CROOKEDANDCORRUPT will break from the nine-hole in today’s contest. A homebred owned by the Adschus03 operation, it’s a two-year-old by SEEK AGAIN and out of three-time winner POLITICSANDPOLICY, a six-year-old producing two winners to date. Impressively never racing against maidens, Adschus03 Stable confidently placed his horse in an open allowance, and the horse responded, taking home the top share of a $67,500 purse. Shipped to Wyoming, the filly showed even more talent, running home to a stakes win and a 69 speed figure and narrowly holding off the late-closing IN HAWK. Her last start was a bit less successful, finishing an unimpressive fifth, but improving to a 76 figure. Despite some good showings, others are preferred.

HISTORIC EAGLE competed in a G2 last out and steps up again for owner/breeder Nextbonus, hoping to be able to get there first this time. By top German sire ADLERFLUG and out of TAPIT mare HISTORIC FALCON, who never won a race and whose first progeny is this one. Despite a somewhat bargain sire and unproven mare, the filly has shown early signs of talent. She won her debut in dramatic fashion, with a 70 speed rating and a half length win. Last out at five furlongs was a bit tougher, as she sat a length further back than her race prior, and was pipped by a neck courtesy of rival PUSSY HAT. While the filly has given two strong performances, I like others better for my top three. This certainly is a competitive race, and one to spread for exotics players.

TOXIC LIGHTNING is the bid by Derbyfever sophomore DesertDog, who is quickly becoming a top-level trainer and hopes to pocket a G1 win here. A European-bred, this is a filly by British sire MAKFI and out of French mare TOXIC NONSENSE, a four-time winner and a producer of grade three winner PAYTON RED. Thrown into conditioned allowance company, TOXIC LIGHTING did not impress in her first start, running a respectable third over five furlongs, but put up a paltry 58 rating. In her second race, she definitely stepped it up, coming from just one length off the pace and winning by almost two lengths in a maiden event. DD showed no reluctance stepping her up, though the filly could not match other stakes fillies, falling short by seven lengths in her third lifetime entry. Making up for it, the French filly grabbed her allowance badge in a one length win over six furlongs, scoring a 73 facing only three rivals. It’s going to be a big task for the filly on race day, and she’ll be left off my tickets.

PUSSY HAT is the final undefeated starter, never worse than first to cross the line in three starts. Sired by OASIS DREAM and out of GALILEO mare GIRL IN QUESTION, this was one bred for success. With high expectations, Eminc Stables started out their new filly in an Irish listed stakes event which she handled with ease. The filly beat seven other maidens with a length separating her from second and gave a 69 speed figure. Second out was even better, throwing a 72 figure as she takes another stakes event, beating three winners this time out of ten starters, including two who she’ll revisit in this race. On June eleventh, we saw her best effort, beating several winners and taking a purse of $375,000 and running a 74. While she’s the only grade two winner, I’m going to take SHOCKED THERAPY for the winner’s circle picture and select PUSSY HAT for place.

Second from outside is SHOCKED THERAPY, a graded placed, two-for-three filly for the great Lenny connections. Another DANSILI entrant, she’s out of dirt-sprinting mare SHOCKSEEKER, a mare who has foaled five winners including a G1 winner and a stakes winner. The filly won her first two- a maiden event and a NW2 allowance, the standard for starting up a horse. A step up to the graded classes was on the cards, and SHOCKED THERAPY ran with ability, stalking second, and taking the lead briefly before engaging MAKERS DREAMS in a head-bob down the stretch only to lose by a head. Lenny’s got himself another talented filly here (doesn’t he have enough?) who I predict will take home the trophy barring any pace collapses. It’s the 5-1 co-favourite and my top pick.

Starting furthest outside is MARISETTE, going today for the Stable Champion is a one-time winner on three tries by SEPOY and out of SEATTLE SLEW mare ENOUGH TILL STORM. The latter won three races of ten lifetime and produced 2 stakes winners, 2 graded winners and several other allowance winners. Her first start on dirt was unsuccessful, prompting the Champion Stable to call the audible to the turf, and the filly responded well, taking a wire-to-wire win in a Berkshire local-bred maiden event. For her most recent, she was shipped in to Texas for a listed stakes race on May 27, but was caught this time for the lead and came home in second with a 75 speed figure. Her effort was not unsatisfactory, but isn’t enough to add her to the top four.

Selections

Win: SHOCKED THERAPY   13  

Place: PUSSY HAT    12   

Show: MAKERS DREAMS    8   

Fourth: DENMAN THE VOICE    7   

Longshot play: IN BRUGES |   2   |