Big Race Recap

Do we have some three year olds to watch or what? Kirby’s Best Yet, undefeated, Awesome Force wins two of the three legs of the triple both looking great again this weekend. We had more three year old action with the fillies as well on dirt and turf. We had a lively grade one for fillies and mares on the dirt and a test at a mile and a quarter on the turf for older males.  

Race: 3245.3414 Derby de English – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: Epsom
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf

Kirby’s Best Yet dominates them yet again. What a very impressive and special start to this young horse’s career. He has yet to feel the sting of defeat as he win impressively this week by five and three quarter lengths. He was toward the front of the pack in the early stages while not far off the lead I would not say he was stalking at six and a half lengths off the pace. He steadily made his way to the front and by the top of the stretch he was full of run still and only a half length from the lead. He pulled away in the stretch and this one was not in doubt from that point on. What a great run for Kirby’s Best Yet.

Rural Law was a runner I thought might have a chance in the preview and he finished second best today. He was mid pack early but well off the early pace. Sitting eleven and a half lengths off the early pace, Rural Law had his work cut out for him. He made a good run from the six furlong mark and was third entering the stretch. He managed to make up about a quarter length the entire stretch never threatening the winner but was keeping pace. A little improvement from him and we could have a nice rivalry in the making.

Galactic Bomber, by one of the more unlikely long distance turf sires Orientate, topped of a spring that saw him do nothing but improve. He had won five races in a row coming into this race, four of those listed stakes and he took another step up running third here. He was a little further back early than the top two runners sitting twelve and a half lengths off the pace. Galactic Bomber made up his ground before they got the stretch and once there he could only manage to keep pace with the winner finishing seven and a quarter lengths back.   

Race: 3245.0415 The New Yorker – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Dirt

Awesome Force takes the third leg of the triple crown, taking two of the three races. He looked great in the Middle Jewel and he carried that form into this race. He was well off the early pace early on fourteen and a half lengths back. He waited patiently gaining ground around the turn for home to the stretch. Once in the stretch he was finding his best stride and was blowing by horses gobbling up ground. He would strike the front in deep stretch and pull away to a very impressive two and three quarter length victory. He has to be considered the top three year old dirt runner right now, and you have to wonder what happened in the Bluegrass?

Severe Warning was a newcomer to the triple races. He is a quick horse that had set the pace in most of his races and he did just that in this race. He set a powerful pace getting away by three lengths on the field early. He built a six length lead entering the stretch but was not able to maintain that pace through the stretch. To his credit only one runner caught him and he was two and a half lengths better than the third place finisher. A really nice run for this long shot it will be interesting to see how he develops from here.

Ataun finished out the triple with another on the board finish. This time it was not as dramatic for him. He was mid pack early but still more than ten lengths off the pace. He really was not able to make up much ground between the half way point and the stretch. That cost him a chance in this race, at the top of the stretch he picked it up a bit but was no match when Awesome Force went by and could not run down the pace setter settling for third five and a quarter lengths behind the winner.

Race: 3245.0414 Chestnut Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and three eighths on the Dirt

Black Tuesday successfully made the jump from listed stakes winner to grade one winner taking the third leg of the filly triple. This deep closing daughter of Storm Cat was well off the early pace dead last twelve lengths off the pace setter. She made up a ton of ground before she got to the stretch sitting only four and a half from the lead. Oaks winner Love Never Die had the jump on the pace setter sitting second entering the stretch and taking a short lead once in the stretch. That lead would be short lived with Black Tuesday taking control in the stretch drawing off to win by three and a half lengths at the wire.

Nancy’s Boots  was another runner new to the triple trail and experienced at the longer distances. That experience paid off for her. She was near the back of the pack early but not too far off the pace only seven and a half lengths back. She made a nice move to the front and was in fourth just two and a half from the lead. She would move through the stretch well but had no response for the winner. He run carried her into second finishing two lengths better than the third place finisher.

Love Never Die was well positioned at the top of the stretch but ran out of gas from there. She stalked the early pace only four and a half lengths back early. Took up a good striking position as they entered the stretch where she took a short lead. She just did not have enough in the tank to hold off the closers finishing third capping off a pretty good run for her in the triple series for fillies.

Race: 3145.3415 Oaks de English – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Epsom
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf

Set the Clock takes the Oaks out dueling The Deuce to the wire in a very exciting finish. Kneel Before Zod never fired today. Set the Clock was making her first run at this distance. She had been contesting races a couple of furlongs less than this distance. She was successful there but now has taken a big step forward in her career. She was near the back of the pack early ten and a half lengths. She would make up a lot of ground to get into striking distance in the stretch less than five lengths back.

Meanwhile The Deuce stalked the early pace from fourth position less than three lengths from the early pace setter. When asked, The Deuce picked up the pace and had grabbed the lead right at the top of the stretch. The stage was set The Deuce was on the lead, Set the Clock was more than four lengths back and picking up ground with each stride. Set the Clock looked like she would get there, uh oh The Deuce looks like she might hold on, there were few finger nails left as these two got to deep stretch. Set the Clock got there in the nick of time while The Deuce had to settle for second.

Danzing Theatre is a runner that has been running the longer distances for several races now. She had competed in four mile and three eighths races coming into this race, so as far as experience at the distance goes she was one of the best in the field. She had not run at this level and she responded well running her best speed figure. She was near the back of the pack early but not too far off the pace eight and a half lengths back. She moved up into contention around the turn for home but flattened out in the stretch. She stayed on well moving into third but could not gain significant ground on the top two settling for third three and a quarter lengths behind the winner.

Race: 3245.0915 Bumblebee Classic – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New Jersey
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
Distance: One mile on the Dirt

This evenly matched group of fillies did not disappoint. Espresso D’Italia charged from dead last to get up late for the win. Espresso had been doing well at this distance at the grade two level but had yet to break through with a win. Today she was last almost twelve lengths off the early pace. She moved up a bit around the turn for him but did her best running in the stretch. She would explode in the stretch picking up huge amounts of ground getting to the front in deep stretch to win by a length and a half.

Swift Kick is a savvy veteran whose bet days are behind her. That does not mean she is not running at a high level as she proved here today. She had to take a step back in class in her recent races to regain her form and looked like her old self here. She stalked the early pace from second with a group of runners less than three lengths off the early pace. She moved up when asked and made a bid in the stretch taking a short lead in deep stretch. When passed late she responded a bit hold second finishing a half a length in front of the third place finisher.  

Prospector’s Rose was a shock at forty-four to one. Part of the long odds was this was a three year old filly taking on her older rivals. She was a listed stakes winner in three year old company and her speed figures were not as good as her older rivals. She also had no graded tries until now. If this is an indication of what is to come keep an eye on this young filly. She was toward the back early seven and a half lengths back and made a steady run to the front through the stretch to get third two lengths off the winner.

Race: 3245.0413 NY Island Cap – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Turf

K’s Okkasion does his thing running another solid race this time winning his first grade one race by almost three lengths. He has been a consistent horse through out his career thus far. Today K’s Okkasion was fifth early five and a half lengths off the early pace. He made his move around the turn into the stretch getting to within a length of the pace setter. From there he would take the lead and slowly pull away through the stretch to win by almost three lengths.

Giantsbane took another step forward in his career. Today he stalked the early pace from third two and three quarter lengths off the early pace. He moved up around the turn for home and took the lead entering the stretch. He could not keep pace with K’s Okkasion but stayed on well through the stretch holding second. He is a grade two winner and this was his best finish at the grade one level so far in his career.

St. Agur has done well since switching to the turf. He ran well on the dirt but never ventured out beyond a mile before being claimed. Now he has made a successful surface switch and seems to run better at longer distances. He was mid pack early on seven lengths off the pace. He made a bid around the turn for home and held his ground well in the stretch. He was just not able to make up ground on the winner finishing three lengths back.