WHO WILL REIGN SPRINT KING IN THE CITY OF SIN
The 8th running of the Grade III Sin City Handicap will be run this saturday in California. A field of 13 3YO+ horses are entered in the 6 furlong dirt sprint and will by trying to capture the winner’s share of the $125,000 purse.
Let’s take a look at today’s field:
1)ALYCADET(GB)—17/1—be10der2me sends this 5 year old horse out of CADEAUX GENEREUX(GB) with a record of 20-5-1-4 and lifetime earnings of $68,953. He is out of the mare ALYBOTTOM who had a record of 4/16 at the track with one stakes win and has 4 foals to date with 3 winners albeit no stakes winners. He runs for the Manature group of stables based at the GR Simsters racing residence. This 522nd divisional ranked horse is 0/5 in lifetime stakes starts and will be making his Graded stakes debut today. His lifetime best speed rating is 105 that he posted in his 2006 final race while finishing 3rd in an Iowa overnite stakes race. He has 1 win in 4 starts this year that coming in an allowance sprint where he posted a 103 speed rating. He has failed to fire in his last 2 races. This closer is an inconsistant runner but can put up a good time now and again. Jones (7%) will be the jockey for this one today.
2)GRAND THIEVERY—10/1—lopo87 sends this 5 year old horse out of MACHIAVELLAN with a record of 32-8-7-4 and lifetime earnings of $329,888. This 52nd divisional ranked horse runs for the Given racing empire based at the GR Simsters racing residence. He won his 1st stake race last year at the age of 4, but the problem is that he has not found the winners circle since that race. He did move up to running against the top sprinters and has back to back 3rd place finishes in his last races last year against Graded company. He posted his lifebest 108 speed rating in his 4 year old finale in the Grade I Deep South Sprint in South Carolina. He has had a disappointing season so far this year where he has finished up the track in 2 Graded contests with a 2nd place restricted allowance finish in between. His speed ratings have dropped by around 15 points this year. This horse runs best on the front end and will be ridden by Pimental (10.3%) today.
3)GALLAHAD—17/1—br3stable sends this 4 year old colt out of SASHA’S PROSPECT with a record of 14-6-1-2 and lifetime earnings of $78,891. This 644th divisional ranked horse runs out of the Great Plains residency for his connections. He has been a solid allowance runner and will be making his stakes race debut today. He has earned that with back to back allowance wins while posting triple digit speed ratings in both, including a 104 rating in a Virginia allowance. This colt seems to run best on the lead and will be in the hands of Euler (7.1%) today.
4)ESCALADE—8/1—peeps1 sends this 5 year old horse out of MACHIAVELLIAN with a record of 34-8-3-3 and lifetime earnings of $319,578. This 186th divisional ranked horse run for the Cobra Kai outfit based out of the GR Simsters residency. This horse came alive last year at the GR Simsters Championships when he won the dirt sprint while posting his lifebest 109 speed rating. He came back to win another stakes right after that score. In 2007 he was cashing small share cheques until finally scoring a win last time out in an open allowance sprint in Eastern Kentucky where he posted a 106 speed rating in a stalking effort. This performance has prompted his connections to enter him in this Graded event today. He will be ridden by Brim (8.4%) today.
5)RAINBOW PHYL—9/1—sam sends this 4 year old colt out of RAINBOW QUEST with a record of 28-5-7-1 and lifetime earnings of $553,895. He is out of the mare BUDA QUEST who was 15/41 at the track with one stakes win and over $350K in earnings and has 2 foals on record both winners one a stake winner. This 146th divisional ranked colt runs for the purple and green silks of Theatrical who is based at the Down Under Residency. This colt began his career on the turf at 2 and that is where he won his only lifetime stakes race to date. He switched to the dirt in his 3 year old season and promptly posted 3 straight 2nd place finishes in Graded stakes company. It should be noted that all 3 of his dirt wins have come in allowance races. This colt does possess a great closing move but you are left guessing if he will bring his “A” game effort with him in any given race. He did post his lifetime best speed rating of 109 earlier this year while finishing 2nd in the Grade II Kentucky Breeders Bowl Sprint. Land (17.9%) who is having a career year with his winning rate this year double that of his career stats will guide this one and hopefully have him charging in the stretch drive.
6)LEICA TIGER—9/1—dkyoung4 sends this 5 year old horse out of STORM CAT with a record of 26-10-6-3 and lifetime earnings of $371,574. This 212th divisional ranked horse runs for the Kings Park group of stables. He was a double stakes winner at 2 years old. He became inconsistant at 3 years old while apparently trying different running styles. He rebounded in his 4 year old campaign winning 3 races after consistantly running closer to the pace. He posted his lifetime best 106 speed rating while winning an overnite stakes in China 2 starts back and finished midpack last time out in The Grade I Billy and Jimmy stakes in New York. Lombard (12.5%) will hopefully have this one sitting just behind the early speed in this race today.
7)RAZZMATAZZ T—14/1—tempstable sends this 5 year old horse out of GULCH with a record of 42-7-6-3 and lifetime earnings of $121,018. This 431st divisional ranked horse runs for the T Syndicate Group of stables based at the NWRC. This horse has had a busy schedule of racing having started 15 races in each of the last 2 years. He is 0/12 in stakes races and all of his wins have come in allowance company. He races best when stalking close to the early front runners. He matched his lifetime best 105 speed rating earlier this year while winning a “T” restricted allowance in Texas. He will be ridden by Ginzo (11.1%) for this race today.
8)ROMAN CONQUEST—10/1—lasthope sends this 4 year old colt out of A.P. INDY with a record of 20-6-4-0 and lifetime earnings of $319,544. This 1097th divisional ranked colt runs for the DixieDotCo outfit based in Vermont. He won his 1st 2 lifetime starts incuding a restricted stakes race. He was mainly run as a miler at 3 where he posted 3 allowance race victories. He posted his lifetime best 107 speed rating in his 2007 debut, a restricted allowance sprint. He has knocked at the door in his last 2 races, both second place finsishes including his last in an 8 furlong overnite stakes race in Oregon. He seems to be comfortable running a closer style of race and will be ridden by Lewis (15.5%) today.
9)CAT ACADEMY G—11/1—wassie sends this 6 year old horse out of STORM CAT with a record of 40-8-4-9 and lifetime earnings of $181,074. He is out of the mare ALYACADEMY ACADEMY who was 10/73 at the track with 7 stakes wins and over $490K in earnings. She has 5 foals on record of which 4 are winners with one of those a stakes winner. He runs for the PgPg group of stables and is based at Minnesota Downs. He was unraced as a 2 year old and won his 1st stakes race as a 4 year old. In 2007 has has 1 win and 3 thirds in 6 overnite stakes starts. He posted his lifebest speed rating of 107 in an overnite stake in Missori in his 2007 debut race which capped off a 3 race winning streak. While he appears to run best on the lead he has shown the ability to close as well in his past performances which will leave many options open for rider Dorsey (4.2%) who will be looking for his 3rd win of the season.
10)DUBAWI ROAD(IRE)—52/1—scooterd45 sends this 3 year old colt out of DUBAWI(IRE) with a record of 12-4-1-4 and lifetime earnings of $136,572. He is out of the mare SPEEDY DISCOVERY who was 7/55 at the track with no stakes wins and this is the only foal of record. He runs for the Eman One group of stables based at The Fun & Friends Stable Club. All of his lifetime wins were posted last year as a 2 year old including an overnite stakes victory in Alabama. He has cashed cheques in 4 out of 5 starts this year but his lifetime best 95 speed rating leaves him much behind his older competitors today which is the reason for his huge morning line odds. He would probably be better suited to run against his own age and restrictions at this point in his career. This closer will be ridden by Murano (16.7%) who has made the most of his limited starts so far this season.
11)JFK RFK MLK—5/1—bashbush sends this 4 year old colt out of SPEIGHTSTOWN with a record of 20-7-5-3 and lifetime earnings of $207,456. This 40th divisional ranked colt was unraced as a 2 year old. He won 4 allowance races at the age of 3. He has come into his own this season wiht 6 top 3 finishes in 6 overnite stakes races including 3 wins. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 110 last time out in the 7 furlong Whipped Ruler Stakes in South Carolina. He makes his Graded stakes debut today and the only question is can this closer get up in time to finish first in the 6 furlong distance of today’s race or will he need the 6.5 to 7 furlongs that he has been running at so far this year. Simcox(10.9%) will have that task today and it should be noted that he did ride this horse previously with a 2nd place finish in an allowance in his 2006 season final race.
12)POLISH REALITY—3/1—champions4 sends this 5 year old horse out of POLISH NAVY with a record of 33-15-9-1 and lifetime earnings of $1,414,720. He is out of the mare KNOWLEDGE who was 3/28 at the track with no stakes wins and has 4 foals on record of which 3 are winners with one of those a graded winner. This 2nd divisional ranked horse runs for the Stoners Group of Stables based at the DUR residence. This morning line favorite had 3 stakes wins as a 3 year old and came back to win 3 more in his 4 year old season including 2 back to back in Upper New York in the Grade II Dr Patches Handicap and the Grade I Count Fleet. In 2007 this speedster has 2 wins in 4 starts including his last, The Grade I Ethereal-Unreal-Spiritual Stakes in Dubai matching his lifebest 113 speed rating. He is a proven entity at the 6 furlong distance and will be ridden by Staples(15.5%) who is closing in on $3 Million in earnings for this season.
13)ECTON RATS—9/1—drdj sends out this 7 year old horse out of ECTON PARK with a record of 28-9-3-1 and lifetime earnings of $357,852. This 89th divisional ranked horse runs for the Darnath Group of stables based out of Minnesota Downs. This race oldtimer had 4 stakes victories in his 2 & 3 year old seasons. He was away from the track for almost 3 years for an unknown ailment only returning for one race in 2006. He has regained his winning form this season with 2 allowance wins and a Graded race victory. While his season best speed rating does not match his ifetime best from 2003, the 105 rating he posted while winning the Grade III Nasty N’ Bold Handicap in Norway earlier this year does put this speedster in the thick of things today. He may press the race favorite just enough to give the closers a shot at victory today. Donahue(15.4%) will be pushing this one out early today.
Well, a speedy bunch of sprinters here today but all may be hard pressed to catch the favorite #12 Polish Reality but if that one is pressured enough on the front end could leave the door open for one of the closers to get up at the wire.
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING
THEO