Born To Battle(G1) with Dance Seeker, Northern Pulp
Florida– We got loads and loads of speed in the Grade 1 $500,000 Born To Battle Stakes. From pacesetters to jolly ol’ stalkers, it’s a frontrunners duel here over nine furlongs on turf. A fine mix of gals too with racetime fave Dance Seeker stretching out to the distance. She’s a marvelous millionairess around one-turn. Northern Pulp returns to action after her 7-race win streak was snapped earlier this month. Graded winner Bad Scene has won 2 of her last 3 and postively adores this distance.
Let’s parade our heroines to the Born To Battle post…….
On the rail, Sign Here (5/1) joins the pacesetter’s hunt. The 5yo Rainbow Quest daughter hails from Beefcake Stables (bustag). For much of career, Sign Here kept company predominantly in the allowance ranks. There was a minbior interlude in a claiming race where Beefcake won the $75k shake a couple years back. The mare’s been a points earner ever since, winning 7 of 29 lifetime.
Three weeks ago, Sign Here made only her 2nd lifetime stakes attempt. The mare led easy peasy on the lead in the 10f contest, finishing runnerup. Sign Here brings solid speed figures to the table. Big step up in class can go either way with inexperienced stakes level horses. There are a lot of nice stalker and speedsters here too — difficult assignment, but worth a shot considering the lite field.
Next up, we have the wonderful racemare Dance Seeker (5/2) from Rockriver Stables of the Great Plains Residency. That is, “racefilly” — Dance Seeker’s only a 4yo, but wow, she’s accomplished much with a 15 for 25 lifetime record. The Seeking The Gold royal dame began her career actually over the dirt as a ’05 freshman. She didn’t kick up her heels over the green stuff till her sophomore debut which she won for fun. The win began a 7-race victory streak — she would eventually win four graded races in 2006 from sprints to 8.5f.
Dance Seeker lost her first two starts this year, but has since been on a roll, gobbling up three straight one-turn grades. This filly just might be the heir apparent to champion Elsinore. An overall lack of female turf sprints probably pushed Rockriver to enter the ‘Seeker here. Digging into her PPs, she’s won up to 9f, but over short fields eons ago. Her closing style totally this speedy group though. Cross your fingers — can go either way. Classy gal though must be respected.
Raceland Acres sends out Doubtful Affair (8/1), a 4yo Dubai Destination starlet. The filly has won much, presenting a 5-for-19 lifetime record, mostly in ALW company. The speedster did turn over a new leaf this year though, winning a 9f listed stakes in her ’07 debut. Looks like her trainer took her further off the pace in her subsequent outings this spring. Doubtful Affair shortens up from a classic distance experiment LTO. Should be up close to Sign Here near the front. Kind of a wildcard gal, but a decent one to play the spoiler. Needs her lifetime best effort so far. Possible for a minor share if she shows up with her best stuff. You’d like to see a filly conquer the listed level before attmepting the graded leap. Still, this filly’s not too bad of a longshot.
CR Racers residency is represented by that sizzling Northern Pulp (3/1). Robsscoobi Stables trains the junior daughter of Pulpit. Like Dance Seeker, Northern Pulp also began her career over the main track as a ’05 freshman. The filly wound up on the lawn sooner rather than later in her 3yo season, making steady splashes in the ALW ranks. While Dance Seeker found her way to the graded ranks, Northern Pulp instead stayed at the lesser level. She pocketed her first black type victory last September and hasn’t looked back since.
Northern Pulp carried seven straight stakes victories (including 2 grades!) with ferocious pride till finally hitting the wall LTO. BTW — toss that last race out, please. She didn’t like the 10f in the Virgin Mary(G1). Nope, Northern Pulp prefers 8f to 9f. I wonder how she’d do in a grass sprint too?!!? Four week rest and I can very well see her and Dance Seeker in a head-to-head stretch drive between the ralliers. Great spot for Northern Pulp to burst out onto the Sim scene.
Waremblem4 of Winterfell Racing enters the recently-blossoming Buffy The Chosen (11/1). This 4yo daughter of Awesome Again is one of two who carry the hopes of the GR Simsters club. Again, Buffy The Chosen also began her career in 2005 over the main track. She closed out the year though with a MSW score over the green stuff and became a stakes winner by her second outing at age 3. The filly made an appearance in the year’s classic Adelaide Oaks(G2) and pretty much stayed the ground in her sophomore season with mixed results.But waremblem shortened up Buffy The Chosen a tad this season and the filly 3-for-5 with a confidence-boosting 103 SP# stakes score over 9.5f last month. This gal’s pretty versatile too — she can sit behind the leaders or rally from about midpack. I like how you can see the considerable rise in speed figures with the recent cutback in distance. She was 3 for 4 under 9.5f early on as a 3yo before waremblem tried to make her into a stayer. Difficult leap up in class, but very interesting. I like her a lot over 9f and try sprint too sometime with Glitterman x Danzig female family. A live sleeper.
The longest shot on the board Living Well(IRE) (19/1) breaks from post 6. Ck2stable from At The Wire Thoroughbreds trains the Rock Of Gibraltar(IRE) 4yo. Living Well was a claimer off and on for two different trainers last season. Average 70-80 SP#s saw the poor gal bounce around until Ck2stable won the 10k shake for her in January ’07.
Ck2stable managed to garner a NW1x over 10f turf score with the filly as well as a couple of short field listed company stakes placings. Living Well’s highest SP# so far in 97 over 9.5f. She prefers to set the lead, but has shown rating ability. Huge class leap of course tosses this gal out on paper. Anything can and will go though in the shortened field. Flip a coin, but possible for minor money if some fo the faves flop badly.
Lucky post #7 goes to jake’s Wet Paint (5/1) who is our second filly sired by Awesome Again. Wet Pain checks in as the most “inexperienced” in field with only 15 lifetime calls to the post. However, the filly makes up for it on promise — she was lightning stike last season over the lawn, eating up allowances before finishing up the year with a third-place finish in the He’s A Charmer(G3-9fT). The speedster proved that that race was no fluke, placing again at the graded level in her 4yo debut and going on to win 5 of her next 6 listed stakes starts.
What a promising starlet! She cuts back a furlong here from her normal 10f classic distance. Gonna be interesting to see if she hits the board or better — jake’s still trying to find this gal’s best course of ground. I expect Wet Paint to sit behind Sign Here and Doudtful Affair’s pace. She can survive a speed duel though and thensome if you’re worried. Only three weeks rest, but Saturday could see her tasting graded glory for the very first time. Excellent shot.
Finally, GR Simsters’ Lennmeister Empire gets in on the action with Bad Scene (5/1). Lenny has this Pleasantly Perfect 4yo going near perfet, winning a pair of Grade 3 turf grades this season. Bad Scene herself was a major sophomore turf starlet, winning three grades. Just a solid speedster filly — if you toss out her off-track and dirt course attempts, this gal’s 10-for-15 lifetime with over $700k in the bank. Mmhmm.Nine furlongs appears to be Bad Scene’s stamina limit. No worries — she totally specializes in the mighty nine and soaked up the Tai-Bo’s(G3) 8.5f LTO too. Bet this gal would be just as good again over a flat, so that’ll open up your options if you needed a 2nd opinion, Lenny. LOL. There’s some honest and solid speed in this race though — longshots Sign Here. Doubtful Affair will be pressed by Wet Paint. Bad Scene enters this frontrunning fray. Gonna be quite a showdown. Great shot if she can overcome mad dash.
Snowchief’s Picks:
I think all of these fillies have merit for the winner’s circle. However, the faves should sweep the board here. Take your pick which fave it shall be — both Bad Scene and Wet Paint might find themselves stalking more Saturday. They’re both capable of whipping the pants of the field.
Northern Pulp on the other hand could knock out everybody’s lights with a late rally aimed at tiring speed. You can very well imagine Dance Seeker closing with Northern Pulp — she’s a sprinter of late though and sometimes the switch in distance can go south in a hurry. Still, Dance Seeker has proven backclass around two-turns so I’ll think we’ll see her around the wire.
Buffy The Chosen is the best of the outsiders. I think her trainer’s right on the money cutting her back in distance — I expect her to run a bang-up race. Doubtful Affair could durprise on the board, but is probably more likely for minor money. Sign Here and Living Well have to bring they’re running shows, stepping up to the highest level. Sign Here could get some money if she can hang on after setting the lead.
I’ll gonna throw caution to the wind and select Buffy The Chosen on a hunch after two in a row. Northern Pulp falls short for the victory. Wet Paint noses out Dance Seeker and Bad Scene for the show spot. If Buffy falls, the Northern Pulp should romp.
Win: Buffy The Chosen
Place: Northern Pulp
Show: Wet Paint
Good to all!