THIS WEEK IN MINNESOTA—WEEK 3280
The 2 year old division is being hilited in this weeks Minnesota Downs 10th race stake feature with the 3rd running of The Royal Louis Bonanza Stakes. This 2 year old open stake is run 6 furlongs on the dirt course and offers a purse of $55,000.
Let’s take a look at today’s field:
1)ONE FROM OJAI(FL)—6/1—oneojai sends this colt out of MACHO UNO with a record of 3-3-0-0 and $28,800 in lifetime earnings. He is out of the mare OJAI SURPRISE who was 4/38 at the track and who has 3 foals on record that are all winners with two of them stakes winners. This colt runs for the Ojai Valley Stables who have a big presence here on the Minnesota Downs backstretch although this colt is being shipped in from the NWRC division of the outfit for this race. After starting his career with back to back wins in the allowance ranks in North Dakota he moved up to an overnite stakes start last time out and won his 3rd straight race while winning The Natural Stallion Cap in Utah. In that race he posted his best speed rating of 81 so far in his young career. One big thing of note was the change of riding style as in his first two starts he displayed early speed and set the pace but in his last start he settled in at the back of the field early and came from behind to capture the race in the stretch drive. That will leave the options open for Friar (19%), one of the best riders on the local circuit.
2)SEATTLE MAMBO(KY)—9/5—bicuspid sends this colt out of KINGMAMBO with a record of 2-1-1-0 and $38,420 in lifetime earnings. He runs for the Dentition *No Do Claima’s * Stables based in the DelPenn area. Both of his lifetime starts have been MSW races in Kentucky where he cut the early fractions and displayed speed. While getting caught in his debut race in the stretch he came back and went wire to wire in his second start where he posted an 80 speed rating over the 6 furlong race. This will be his stakes debut today and he will be ridden by Green (9.2%). The role of heavy morning line favorite has been put upon this colt mainly due to his blue blood breeding.
3)ORDER SIXY SIX(KY)—4/1—earthsong sends this colt out of SEEKING THE GOLD with a record of 2-1-1-0 and $21,555 in lifetime earnings. He is out of the mare JO ANN’S NASKRA who was 0/15 at the track and who has 4 foals on record of which all are winners with one stakes winner. He runs for the NWRC divsion of the Barndog Farms Racing Stables Inc. This colt debuted in Arkansas with a MSW win where he made a big move in the turn and won breezing. He came back last time out and ran an even race pressing the pace and finished 2nd posting a 72 speed rating in a North Dakota restricted allowance sprint. This will be his first stakes start and his connections are hoping that this one continues to improve with every start. Adams (8.9%) should have this one running in the mid pack early and then start to move thru the final turn.
4)EMMITSBURG ROAD(KY)—9/2—1i2 sends this colt out of WAR CHANT with a record of 4-1-2-1 and $26,223 in lifetime earnings. This colt is homebases in Ohio and has made the trip to Minnesota for today’s start. He started his career this spring racing in Jamaica where he had 1 win in 3 tries at the MSW level. He moved up a spot from third to second to first with every race. He came back up to the USA in his last start in Missori where he cut the early fractions and held on for a second place finish in The Vrad A. P. Handicap Stakes where he posted a season best 78 speed rating. He has cut the fractions in his last 3 starts and should be one that is rushed out of the gate early today. I like the fact that his speed rating numbers are going in the upward direction with each start. It will be up to Bowen (18.9%) the other top rider on the local circuit to rate this colt on the front end to ensure he has enough to get to the wire first.
5)HOFFNUNG(JPN)—6/1—stefanus sends this colt out of ROSES IN MAY with a record of 3-1-0-0 and $27,120 in lifetime earnings. He is out of the mare PROSPECTOR SEATTLE who was 5/35 at the track and who has 5 foals on record of which all are winners. This colt runs out of The Das Doppelte Lottchen group based in Ireland. This colt came out big in his debut race posting a 72 speed rating while winning a MSW 5.5 furlong race in Kentucky. He has regressed in his last couple of starts a Grade III stakes start and a NW1X allowance contest. Perhaps the Graded STakes start was a little to much to soon for this horse and hopefully he can find his winning way’s here again today. Wabbington (6.5%) will be in the irons today.
6)JOHNNY ATTACK(KORE)—14/1—superdog7 sends this colt out of YANKEE VICTOR with a record of 4-2-1-0 and $39,290 in lifetime earnings. This colt runs for the unaffiliated Superdog Stables. This colt has posted 2 wins in 4 starts so far to date with both wins coming at the allowance levels. He is another who is coming here out of The Vrad A. P. Handicap Stakes and while he was closing in the end, he did finish in 4th some 5 length behind the winner. That race may indicate that this one may enjoy longer races in future starts perhaps at 8 furlongs plus. Apprentice jockey O Man (14.7%), the leading apprentice at Minnesota so far this year should have this one settled back early and then come charging in the latter stages of the race.
7)TRULY A RAT(KY)—9/1—drdi sends this colt out of YES IT’S TRUE with a record of 5-1-4-0 and $27,215 in lifetime earnings. This colt represents the local colony as he runs for the Darnath stables who are located in Barn #17 in the Minnesota Backstretch. This barn is kept far far away from all of the other barns in the backstretch as this stable seems to have a large amount of rats and vermin hanging around their horses. But the purple and gold silks with the ferocious varmint are becoming a popular and succesfull orgainization on the local racing scene. This colt has has a case of seconditius since starting his career but on a positive note you can say that he has yet to finish worse than second in any race. He will be making his stakes debut here on his local track today. He is another closer who looks like he should handle the six furlong distance today after racing in short sprints in his last 2 starts. The veteran Stinson (10%) will handle this local entry today.
8)TOLLIVER(KY)—9/1—blackswan0 sends this colt out of CAME HOME with a record of 1-1-0-0 and $16,500 in lifetime earnings. This colt runs out of the unaffiliated Black Swan Group of Stables. This colt enters the stake scence in his second lifetime start after winning a MSW race in Illinois last month. He displayed a closing style and ran a 71 speed rating in his 6 furlong race debut. He is the most unexperienced runner in the field but if he improves on his first start he should be right there at the wire. Boothroy (9.4%) will be the man in the saddle today.
#7 TRULY A RAT(KY) IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE 200 CREDIT MINNESOTA DOWNS RESIDENCY PURSE BONUS IF HE SHOULD WIN THIS RACE
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE MINNESOTA DOWNS RESIDENCE THIS WEEK
Wenlock just narrowly missed sweeping all 3 top spots in the 13 week trainers contest that ended last week. Doza slipped by him into 2nd place to split the Wenlock entries. Wenlock’s Indigo2 stable took top spot with 118 points, Doza’s Remedy stable came in second with 97 points and Wenlock’s appropriately named Wenlock stable came in third with 94 points. The new 13 week contest starts this week and the stable list has been updated.
The second leg of the Minnesota Last Man Standing contest runs as the 16th race on Saturday’s card, if you finish last you are out. The last horse standing at the end of the series will win 1000 credits for the stable owner.
Randy won the high speed rating contest last week with Cozz I’m Flying who posted a 104 speed rating and took home the 200 credit prize.
There was no winner in the pick 4 contest and this weeks jackpot is at 550 credits.
This weeks Chuckrock’s Minnesota Horse of the Week is Lyndhurst from Doza’s stable. This week’s winner hails from Doza’s remedy stable.LYNDHURST won the 7th race in Minnesota this week posting a 103 speed figure. Doza claimed this mare last year and she has won 7 times since. last week she won an open allowance, showing no ill effects from a stakes try in her previous outing in which she came in third. Congrats to doza and lyndhurst. In replying to the award Doza stated “Wow, I’m shocked to be recognized. Thanks a bunch CHuckrock! That was a huge win for me. It was a tough race, and if she didn’t at least run top 3, then Wenlock would have swept all top 3 places in the Trainer’s Standings.”
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING
THEO