The Original Margarita Invitational
THE ORIGINAL MARGARITA INVITATIONAL
Sunday, March 4, 2018 at 3:00 PM EST.
GRADE 1 – PURSE $750,000
Restricted to 4 year olds and up Fillies and Mares Only
9 Furlongs – One Mile and a Quarter
CALIFORNIA – DIRT
This Grade 1 race has attracted a red hot field to the California Dirt. We have 8 Kentucky bred entries, 1 from Louisiana, 1 from Australia and 1 from Japan. Seven Mares and five Fillies make up the field. While two Million dollar earners have entered, four of these ladies have previously won at the graded stakes level.
NOW A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HORSES:
1- LEYA 16-1 JASTABLES T. ACE
4- Brown Filly. Kentucky Scratchbred. LEA x STREET SENSE out of SHIZZLE STREET. Has over 1 million in career earnings with 3 graded stakes wins out of her 5 lifetime wins. Has been off since November after winning the G2- Hunted by Lions from post #14 putting up a 110 SP. In 2016 won the G1- Getaway Stakes
2- SETTING STANDARDS 5-1 MTK76 MJ KELLY
5- Light Grey Mare. Kentucky Scratchbred. TAPIT x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY out of IMMENSELEY. 3 weeks ago, finished 5th in G1- Santa Marina Handicap here at California. Has career victories and has made 5 Graded starts. Has had a posted SP of 114 four different races, including G1-Steadhemp over a sloppy track
3- SEALITWITHAKISS 12-1 POINTBLANK M. CLOOCH
4- Bay Filly. Kentucky bred. TALE OF THE CAT x FORTY NINER x DANZIG
Has only 3 victories in her 17 races but has went to the gate 9 times in Graded Stakes. Last time out placed 2nd in G2- Encino Man right here on California dirt posting a 112 SP. Last win came in AP Reef Dirt Filly Route in July.
4- WAR ETIQUETTE 5-1 MEGABLAZE2 M. KELLY
5- Bay Mare. Kentucky Scratchbred. WAR FRONT x STREET CRY out of STREET ETIQUETTE. Has counted 2 graded among her 7 career victories. Last win was in this very race last year posting a 117 SP over a sloppy track. Last race was beaten 2nd as huge ML favorite in a 10f NW1n allowance at Japan.
5- GROWING STRONG 6-1 DAVARTO F. GOSSETT
6- Bay Mare. Japan Bred. TANINO GIMLET x SEEKING THE GOLD x NORTHERN DANCER. She has 10 career graded starts with a victory in G2- D Day Distaff in July. Has not raced in almost 6 months after finishing 10th in the G1- Great Dame at New York. Has posted 113 SP at 2 different tracks.
6- AFFIRMED EASY 7-1 SNOWCHIEF R. RADZINSKI
5- Chestnut Mare. Kentucky Bred. SCAT DADDY x AFFIRMED x EASY GOER. Will be making her graded stakes debut and comes in on a 4 race winning streak- 3 out which were named stakes races. Likes to run out in front of the pack and has a best SP of 114. Has 9 wins in 18 career starts.
7- SUENO AMERICANA 16-1 MTK76 T. KELLY
4- Light Grey Filly. Kentucky Scratchbred. TAPIT x DYNAFORMER out of GOING MEDIEVAL. Has the fewest starts in the field with 11 but has claimed 4 victories. This will be her first graded race. In last race won the Fumascus Dirt Mare Memorial. Has a career best 111 SP.
8- PALLAS ATHENA 10-1 WAREMBLEM5 E. SEIFERT
4- Bay Filly. Kentucky Scratchbred. PIONEEROF THE NILE x CURLIN out of ATHENA ELISHA. This will be her third start in 2018. 3 weeks ago ran second in the G2- Canada coming from off the pace with a 118 SP right here at California. Has hit the board in 12 of 13 career starts. Has 2 prior graded starts.
9- CAJUN CUSTOM 11-1 ZZOMBIE Q. SIMIEN
5- Bay Mare. Louisiana Scratchbred. CUSTOM FOR CARLOS x CURLIN out of WAVY. Won first outing of 2018 in January a 75k allowance posting up a 108 SP Has 8 career victories but has not had the winning groove in any of her 8 previous graded races. Has 5 wins in 19 starts for the current owner.
10- INTIATE DIALOG 13-1 LADOFMANOR D. GIVINS
4- Bay Filly. Australian Scratchbred. CHOISIR x FORTY NINER out of PUSHING FORTY. Hit the board third in both previous graded races and has 6 wins in 12 career outings. Last race was in November coming home 2nd in G2- Hunted by Lions. Last win came in a 60k allowance at Indiana with a 109 SP.
11- COGNITIVE BIAS 9/2 TSEALS1 OA HAACK
5- Light Grey Mare. Kentucky Scratchbred. MORE THAN READY x UNBRIDLED’S SON out of INCANDESENCE. Has 3 straight victories all coming at the 10f distance, one being the G3- Girls Cap coming from mid pack to grab a 116 SP in her only prior graded race. In January bested an allowance field as the ML favorite. Has 8 career victories.
12- SANDWICHES 13-1 TROOPER7 C. WINTER
5- Bay Mare. Kentucky Scratchbred. BRILLIANT SPEED x EMPIRE MAKER out of SEARCH THE EMPIRE. Has 6 career wins and has only missed the board once in 9 starts since changing owners. Won last outing the Fuengirola Dirt Mare Route posting a 112 SP. Has won 3 of last 4 but is making first graded start.
MY CHOICES:
2- SETTING STANDARDS
8- PALLAS ATHENA
6- AFFIRMED EASY