Equinics 2018 Amanda Jane

South Korea (SKO) Saturday, February 24, 2018 — 4:40:00 PM EST | Race ID : 2049021
2018 Equinics
Grade I / Group 1 – Sponsored – Purse : $1,250,000
Restricted to 4 Year Olds and Older, Fillies and Mares Only	Owner Restricted
14 Furlongs | ~2800 Meters | One Mile and Three Quarters	Firm Turf

Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to Seoul, South Korea for what is one of the most exciting times in all of Derbyfever, the Olympics of horse racing the Equinics! What wonderful day it will be with the Turf races being run at the fantastic facilities, know as Seoul Race Park. We have a capacity crowd of 80,000 expected despite the extremely cold temperatures. A field of 14 will be lining up to compete in the Amanda Jane run over 14 furlongs (2800m) for the fillies and mares. All 14 horses owners have had to survive the nervous process of having the honour of representing there residency and will now take centre stage for Sim bragging rights and the honour of being compared to the great 3 time Grade 1 winner and Hall of Famer, Amanda Jane.

 

1

SUMINAGASHI

KY

5F

brayden

J Wilson

21

6

57%

$234,976

14/1

Residency: Midas

Trainer: Davarto

GIANT’S CAUSEWAY x A.P. INDY x SEEKING THE GOLD

Davato’s very well named Suminagashi heads over to South Korea for her 2^nd Grade 1 race, in her 1^st grade 1 she ran 5^th out of 10, beaten 36.25 lengths, but that was on a very wet Dirt track over 16F in Italy 2 starts back. Previous to that she ran a nice 2^nd again over 16F with an SP of 106 in the Grade 3 Floor it stakes. Last start she was put back to allowance level and could only run 4^th with an SP of 100 beaten 12.5 lengths over 13 Furlongs, It looks like Sumimagashi is going to have its work cut out to get a medal. 

2

ROYAL BLESSING

KY

6F

equistable

J Ledwith

23

8

78%

$1,371,630

7/1

Residency: Empire State Racing

Trainer: Frankster

GIANT’S CAUSEWAY x GALILEO (IRE) x DYNAFORMER

Royal Blessing is the daughter of of 5 time grade 1 winner and hall of famer, Magniforma. This is her 2^nd Equinics, last time she picked up a silver medal over this trip at the summer games 2 years ago and will be looking to go 1 better this time around. Frankster her trainer was happy with her when I spoke to him at Tuesday’s press conference as she had badly missed the start over 11F in the breeders bowl, frankster decided to give her a long break and then gave her a quick tune up with a win in allowance company over 14F on the 2^nd of Feb. At her best she has ran 116 sp over the distance, but that was in May last year, for me she will be fighting it out for Bronze.

3

MARKET DRAYTON

IRE

4F

royalatw

R Truitt

15

3

47%

$1,190,356

20/1

Residency: East-West connection

Trainer: ATTHEWIRE

EXCEED AND EXCEL x AUTHORIZED x MR. GREELEY

East-West connection have sent Market Drayton over to South Korea for the big race, the 4yo filly has been competing at the highest level since early in her 3yo campaign. Her crowning moment come in the Oaks De English which she won defeating Atomic Avenger by 1.25 lengths. At her next start she seemed to struggle and has been trying to take the next step that she needs to from her 3yo to her 4yo campaign. So far her best run was an 8^th over 11 Furlongs at the breeders bowl. Today she faces the acid test by running 14 Furlongs for the first time, and since her sire was a 7 furlong specialist I can’t see her staying the distance.

4

PANDA PANDA PANDA

ENG

4F

redhill25

D Ledwith

13

6

77%

$550,770

12/1

Residency: Blazing Saddles

Trainer: Redhill

FRANKEL (GB) x KINGMAMBO x STORM CAT

Panda Panda Panda, is a beautifully breed Frankel filly from the Blazing Saddles Residency, 3 starts back she ran a stunning SP of 109 in winning the 14 Furlong Brake Hill stakes but the step up in class and the shorter distance meant that Panda was never in the Vicky Derby. Redhill then gave her a nice 2 month holiday before sending her up to Queensland to tackle the 14F Rainbow Ruler stayers race, it seemed as though fitness played a part as she was not able to reach the lead and faded over the concluding stages, If Redhill has managed to get her fit enough she is one of many that can pinch the Bronze.

5

HOW THEY SHINE

IRE

5F

temp1

W Cahill

15

10

93%

$2,555,995

5/1

 

Residency: Pastures Of Green

 

Trainer: DIXIEDOTCO

 

SEA THE STARS x DANEHILL x KINGMAMBO

How they Shine is the quintessential blue blood and boy does she run like one. She has managed to win 5 of her last 6 races including her 1^st grade 1, this was achieved last time out in the winter cup over 13 furlongs, she ran an SP of 115 but thats not what made the win so special, it was the fact that she beat the boy’s and beat them convincingly. She has now moved up to the number 2 ranked long distance female in the Sim. The previous start she met her main rival Koko’s Kitten at grade 1 level in the breeders bowl over 11 furlongs and was beaten by 4 lengths, but at the more suitable 14 furlongs I believe that she can turn the tables and win a gold medal for Pastures of Green. The speed map says she will get a head start on Koko, can she hold her off?

6

FIORE

AUS

5F

jbcri59

J Selden

21

9

76%

$291,847

8/1

 

Residency: Elite

 

Trainer: JBCRI09

 

FIORENTE (IRE) x HEART’S CRY (JPN) x SKY CLASSIC

Fiore comes into today’s race as an unknown quantity at 14 Furlongs. Her sire Fiorente was a Melbourne Cup winner so there is every hope that she will be better over the marathon distances. Fiore was claimed for just 15K about 18 months ago has not missed a place since. Most of her runs have been in Allowance grade, but her 2 stakes runs she was able to ran boldly to finish 2^nd in both. She is now stepping up to Grade 1 company for the 1^st time, and she should relish the extra trip, where she is a genuine chance for a medal. 

7

WISHING WELL CH

AUS

4F

chevry

Z Kentucky

18

4

39%

$198,330

7.50

15/1

Residency: Minnesota Testbarn Residency

Trainer: Cothill

LONHRO x OASIS DREAM (GB) x SADLER’S WELLS

Wishing Well CH has travelled over from Kentucky for today’s race to represent, Minnesota Testbarn Residency, she has been been slowly been making his way through the grades and was able to achieve a great success 3 starts ago, in the 10 Furlong, The Wake up Stakes (Grade 3). This was however, a 3yo only race and Wishing Well CH has since struggled to make the next step into open company. She comes into the race as an unknown quantity over 14 Furlongs, but signs point to her enjoying the extra trip as in the only two 12 Furlong races, she ran career best SP’s of 106 and 107. If she can take to the 14 Furlongs she is one of many in the running for the Bronze.

8

CAMPANIA STORM

IRE

6F

sportoking

W McClendon

40

1

20%

$84,909

353/1

Residency: NWRC

Trainer: Crandy

HURRICANE RUN x LEMON DROP KID x COZZENE

I would have to say that Campania Storm is this years version of Eddie the Eagle, or Eric The Eel, she is clearly the social media Darling of the Equinics, she is such a beautiful horse, she has been compared to human counterpart and budding golfer Paige Spirinac. To her credit she did beat out a large number of nominations from NWRC, however her last race over 14 furlongs was poor as she was too busy with the paparazzi to care about running, and put in an SP of just 67 over last start. Can she pull off a Steven Bradbury Moment? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYUjmEH9NNk I Doubt it.

9

LUMINOSA

ENG

5F

pato10

O Osbourne

13

4

62%

$147,181

14/1

Residency: Sim Hispano

Trainer: Pato7

MEDICEAN (GB) x LYPHARD x SECRETARIAT

Sim Hispano, are sending a very interesting horse in Luminosa. Luminosa is a very lightly raced 5yo has been brought along slowly by her trainer Pato7, it was just over a year ago that she broke her maiden status over 11 Furlongs. She has since been slowly rising in trip and has remained consistent. It was 3 starts ago that Pato7 decided to go for broke and step her up from Allowance grade to Grade 1 level, where she ran 5^th over 12 Furlongs in the Vermillion Stakes, running 106 SP. She then dropped back in class running 106 in a 14 Furlong Allowance. Then this is where the genius of her trainer Pato7 come in, after these 2 tough runs instead of running in another tough race he decided to put her in a HOT RACE over 14F in South Korea, this means she will not have lost as much energy as a normal race and will do no traveling as she is already in South Korea. Can she win today? I would say no, but a medal is a possibility.

10

KOKO’S KITTEN

KY

5F

givenfinal

N Lawton

20

11

95%

$3,117,645

7/2

Residency: GR Simsters

Trainer: Given

KITTEN’S JOY x MR. PROSPECTOR x DANEHILL

Koko’s kitten comes into this race in superb form winning at her last 4 starts between 12 furlongs and 16 furlongs, of those 4 wins she has managed to pick up a couple of grade 1 wins, running an SP of 114 at the breeders bowl and 115 in the LA turf cup. Those 4 wins come off a nice break of a couple of months and she looks to be primed for a peak performance. Looking at the speed map she will get right to the back of the field and will be looking surge to the front as they hit the wire. At the Tuesday morning press conference, Given was very upbeat about her prospects saying ‘a Medal is a certainty for the great GM Simsters, but gold is all that matters!’

11

YENNEFER’S KITTEN

KY

5F

durkastan11

R Whisper

20

6

75%

$321,049

10/1

Residency: Universal Racing Club

Trainer: DURKASTAN

KITTEN’S JOY x KINGMAMBO x DEPUTY MINISTER

Yennefer’s Kitten is one horse that looks to be on the improve, last start she ran a career best speed figure of 108 in the grade 2 Miami Beach Turf stayers despite settling much further back than her previous starts, but as she was well up in class she could still only manage to finish 6^th beaten 9.5 lengths. She did win over 13F at stakes level just 2 starts ago and if she can improve she may be able to steal a medal. It will be interesting to see if she will be on the pace or sitting back of midfield like last start.

 

12

GALILEO ON FORM

IRE

5F

primus3

N Bonus

24

12

67%

$462,019

14/1

Residency: All Stars Racing

Trainer: JACKLAD

GALILEO (IRE) x MONSUN x DYNAFORMER

Galileo on form is living up to her name as she has won her past 5 starts, 3 of which have been at stakes level. Last start she won over 16 furlongs leading all of the way, as she has done in all her wins. The problem is she is so hard to evaluate as she has a career high SP of just 103, added to that she is stepping up to Grade 1 company for the first time. Potentially she could be good enough to win a medal, but she needs to have a nice lead at the half way point. 

13

VOUCHMENT

JPN

5F

wideonturns

K Proehl

24

10

92%

$426,688

8/1

 

Residency: Megalopolis

 

Trainer: Fastnfirm

 

WORKFORCE x EL PRADO x RAINBOW QUEST

Vouchment is a very interesting runner, she has only been in the fastnfirm stables since October. She was previously a stakes winner over 14 Furlongs, only 3 starts before being sold at Auction by Stoners stables, since then she has had 4 starts for Fastnfirm all at allowance level winning 3 of them, the only problem is they none of the wins were on Turf and none over 14 furlongs. I honestly don’t know how good she is but she looks to have improved since changing stables, however there is the distinct possibility that she is a better runner on the Dirt. She is an outside medal hope.

14

DANCING SHIRLEY

AUS

5F

chino5

A Hudson

20

8

70%

$381,005

13/1

Residency: Racing HQ

Trainer: Chino

SPINNING WORLD x SHIRLEY HEIGHTS x DANCING BRAVE

Dancing Shirley is a late maturing mare, who looked as though she had the world at her feet when she ran a very fast finishing 2^nd in the Angry Dragon Grade 2 ( SP 111) back in October, but she has since put together a couple of sub par runs over 12F, In the Hong Kong Vase Grade 1 she was beaten 15.5 Lengths by Dolly’s Boy and 11.75 lengths by You’re Such a Card over 16F at Grade 2 level. She has had 17 starts over the past 2 years and may be looking for a break. With 3 wins from 3 on the wet this may be her best hope, if she is at her best she can pinch a medal for Racing HQ, but I’m looking elsewhere.

 

Realistically to win todays race it is going to take an SP of at least 115 and that being the case I think only 2 horses are capable of winning and that is How they Shine and Koko’s Kitten. Looking at the speed map I’m going to give the edge to How they Shine, Even though Koko bead How they shine over 11 Furlongs at the Breeders Bowl I think that How they shine may be better suited to the 14 Furlongs. Looking at the speed map she will get a head start on Koko’s Kitten and may be able to hold her off in the dying stages. This could be determined by the amount of speed in the race, we have 4 horses that like to lead or right on the speed in Galileo on Form, Luminosa, Yennerfer’s Kitten and Fiore. The more speed that is on the more chance Koko has of overhauling How they shine.

The battle for the Bronze is so difficult to predict as there are 6 or 7 horses that could win the bronze medal. Galileo on form has shown much improvement over the last 3 starts and has won 5 races in a row, but will need to improve at least 5 pints to capture a medal, and I think the speed battle could bring her undone. I believe Pato7 has done the smart thing with Luminosa, by placing her in a hot race in the lead up, she will be well rested but again the speed battle with Galileo on form could hurt.

 

Vouchment has 3 wins in a row but none on the turf but she will get a nice run mid pack, as will Panda Panda Panda, who is proven at the distance. It is hard to tell where Yennefer’s Kitten will be during the race but last start proved she was able to stay on well. I’m personally going to go with Royal Blessing who has ran a 116SP at the trip although it was May last year, and even if she is not at her best she can run at least in the 107-110 sp range, which should be enough to take the bronze.