ESR Enters Another Dimension in the $100,000 ESR Holly, Jolly Stakes

A full field of fifteen starters, restricted to 4 -Year Old’s and Older take the field for the $100,000 ESR Holly, Jolly Stakes.  The race will be run at Seven Furlongs over the Dirt Course.  The field feature Graded winners POKE THE BEAR, GOTHAM CITY CADET, and AYUNTAMIENTO.

POKE THE BEAR – the irisharse stables are aiming high in their return to ESR action with this 4-Year Old Bay Colt by Hussonet out of G2 winning, multi graded stakes producing mare WAKE THE PREACHER (MR. Greeley), Dam to the G3 winning DUFFY SQUARE; the AUS bred standout is the winner of the G3 Jacob Hirsch and the G3 Dirty Shore respectively, and exits the G3 Count Three Fingers Sprint with a third place finish; lone 7-furlong start came as a 2yo where he finished 10^th in the G2 Big Hill Stakes, a race that produced 5 graded winners and 8 Listed Stakes winners; faces a tough field in the Saturday feature, but the results will determine if the distance is his downfall or was it the mishandling by his previous caretaker…dangerous

GOTHAM CITY CADET – the cadet trained 6-Year Old Brown scratch-bred horse by More Than Ready out of a Carson City x Wild Again mare makes his first start of the 2018 season after his 7^th place finish in the G1 Breeders Bowl Spring; the G2 winner of the 7-furlong Foolish Tom is the Class of the field and specializes at this distance; he will prove to be a formidable foe if he can shake off the rust and bring his A-game in his seasonal debut…one to beat

AWESOME CAFÉ – the first of two entries by the frankster racing stables, the 5-Year Old Light Grey Horse by Medaglia D’oro out of the G3 winning, multi-stakes producing mare LACY (Awesome Again) is winless in nine months and will be making his second start off a layoff; the KY Bred should be well-poised for a top effort off of his fast closing second place finish in Open Allowance, while posting a 109 speed figure in his return;  there is no reason to believe that the winner of the Thunder Monte Dirt Sprint will won’t be at his best here on Saturday…sharp off last

APPROACH THE VIPER –  the kingab trained 4-Year Old Bay Colt by New Approach out of the multi-stakes producing mare CLEO’S ASP, Dam to the G1 winning DEADLY DE LAGO; boasts an impressive 6-13 lifetime mark with his first stakes victory coming in his last start in the 7-furlong Rocky Z. Dirt Sprint, a race where he posted an eye-catching 115 speed figure; the lightly raced ENG defies his sires turf pedigree and continues his influence from his Dam’s side whose best performers all exceeded on the Dirt; the winner of 6 of his last 7 starts is at the top of his game will be a handful in the ESR feature…major player

DIXIE TAKES CHARGE – the scratch-bred 4-Year Old Roan Colt by Will Take Charge out of a Dixie Union x Northern Dancer mare has shown patches of brilliance over his 18 race career but often fails to bring his A-Game to the big dance; the KY Bred winner of 7-18 does own a stakes victory in the Watsons Bungholes Dirt Sprint back in September, but looks a notch below the top ESR rivals here on Saturday and would need a career best to beat them all to the wire…chance off best

BUGLE BROADTOWN – the lightly raced scratch-bred 4-Year Old Bay Gelding by Speightstown out of a Broad Brush x Danzig mare is looking for his first stakes victory, and if his last start is any indication, a 3^rd place finish in the Royalty Mario Dirt Sprint, he could be opening that door very soon in the ESR feature here on Saturday; the spinround trained KY Bred will be easy to find once they leave the starting gate, having gained the lead in all but one of his 13 career starts; his last three outings suggest a more focused runner, while his best starts have come over this distance…never better

SHERPA RAY’S TAP – the ace trained 4-Year Old Roan Colt by Tapit out of the G2 winning, multi-stakes producing mare RAY’S CAUSEWAY (Giant’s Causeway) is quickly becoming known as an ESR Race specialist, making his fourth consecutive start against his ESR rivals;  toss out his last where he tired late in the 9-furlong ESR Vanishing of Will Byers Stakes and you are looking at a serious contender for this week’s ESR feature; five times first or second in sprints, while doing his best racing around that 7-furlong distance, expect a big effort from the big sired Colt as he benefits from his turnback in distance…sitting on a top

ROULETTE WAR – the 4-Year Old Bay Colt by War Front out of a Malibu Moon mare makes his first start since his impressive Open Allowance victory in October where he posted a career best 108 speed figure for the 7.5-furlongs; the impressive KY Bred boasts a 6-10 career record and seeks his first stakes victory for the casino racing stables; 3-3 lifetime at the 7-7.5-furlong distance, expect a strong effort from this lightly raced Colt if he comes back running…chance if ready

ACONTECIMIENTO – the first of two from the ivanyamil stables, this 5-Year Old Brown Horse by Dialed In out of the multi-stakes producing mare MANY LAUNCH (Gone West) seeks his first stakes victory in his sixth try; determined to crack their ESR Maiden, connections are pulling out all the stops as they ship both his entries from Europe in an effort to take down an ESR victory; never off the board at the 7-7.5 distance, the KY bred enters this field off a strong showing in his last start, preceded by an all out victory against limited ALW winners while posting an impressive 108 speed figure…in top form

FB INDY – the second of the frankster trained entries, this a 4-Year Old Brown Colt by Big Drama out of Distorted Humor mare employs a big closing kick to run down his rivals as evidenced in his 6 victories in 13 starts; having failed to hit the board in his two previous sprints to start his career the lightly raced FL Bred turns back into a sprint after 11 consecutive route appearances and will be seeking the first one turn victory of his career,; this guy has one big run in him, and if the pace is quick enough, he will certainly be a factor turning for home…a must use in exotics

EVIL D. – when the donnyb racing stables make an ESR appearance it is usually with good intention, so keep an open mind to the 5-Year Old scratch bred Bay Horse by Dubawi out of a Danehill x Dynaformer mare as he makes only his second sprint appearance of his 20 race career; the ENG bred has recorded triple digit speed figures in 12 of his 13 starts for the beisol connections, but still seeks that elusive first stakes victory; turning back into a sprint while employing a Turf to Dirt angle in the ESR feature makes for an interesting play at what should be generous odds…your call

ARCHIAVELLIAN – the lbailey racing stables flashes the scarlet and grey colors of the Ohio State Buckeyes in his ESR debut with his scratch-bred 4-Year Old Bay Colt by Arch out of a Machiavellian x Lure mare; the KY bred turns back into a sprint for the first time since his 2yo season with the hopes of parlaying his career best 108 speed figure in an Allowance victory LTO into his first stakes victory in his first stakes appearance; tasked with a tough chore here on Saturday against more accomplished rivals, the KY bred has never been better and could be the recipient of a little beginners luck…happy with part

AYUNTAMIENTO – the second of the ivanyamil entry, this 6-Year Old Roan Horse by Mastercraftsman out of the multi-stakes producing mare GALLOPER (Unbridled’s Song) is the most experienced horse in the field recording 34 career starts; the one time Equinics representative is an accomplished sprinter on both turf and dirt, and if he can catch a little lightning in a bottle, could be very dangerous at a distance where he recorded a victory in the G3 Saint Vincent and 2^nd place finish in the G2 Stephen Wood as a 3yo; sure the old boy hasn’t won a race on the dirt in almost 2 years, but just might enjoy his return to the dirt after 9 consecutive turf appearances…might surprise

SOUL RULERS – the deeprock trained 4 Year Old Bay Colt by Ruler of the World out of a Hurricane Run mare makes his first dirt appearance after 11 career starts over the Turf Course; tried his hand in marathon events, as most rock trained horses do, but the experiment didn’t quite go as planned, losing both events by a combined 45 lengths; switches back to a sprint, and in experiment two, gives it a go on the dirt; he just might be well-suited to the dirt, but eligible for non-winners of two lifetime while attempting a surface for the first time is an ambitious task…not with these

FEELS LIKE VICTORY – after spending almost three years on the bench, the recent nextbonus private purchase of the 9-Year Old Brown Horse by Cape Cross out of the multi-stakes producing VICTORY MY WAY (Giant’s Causeway), Dam to the G3 winning ASTEROID MY WAY, stepped back onto the racetrack without missing a beat; he can run, as evidenced by his 7 wins in 19 career starts, in fact the IRE bred has only been off the board in 4 starts, all coming at the stakes level; sure this is his first Dirt start, and sure he’s a 9yo, and sure there is a lot of rust on that old engine, but wouldn’t it make a great story…dreamer’s chance

Handicapping the Field

A full field of fifteen ESR runners, three with Graded victories, another five with Stakes wins, and we have one of the most contested ESR fields in some time. Having said that, three horses stand out amongst the rest, POKE THE BEAR, GOTHAM CITY CADET, and APPROACH THE VIPER, but these three are not bullet proof.  POKE THE BEAR could be vulnerable at the 7-furlongs while GOTHAM CITY CADET will have to shake off the rust of a four-month layoff.  APPROACH THE VIPER may the toughest of the three to poke a few holes through, having won his last start at the stakes level while posting a sizzling 115 speed figure.  Can he bounce, sure, but he gives the appearance of a horse only beginning to scratch the surface and gets top vote in the trio of top contenders.

SHERPA RAY’S TAP has been through the ESR trenches and should love returning to this distance.  AWESOME CAFÉ certainly has the credentials and should be well prepared in his second start off a layoff.  Slight nod to ace’s Tapit Colt over the next group of contenders, but both of these horses head the list to upset the field.

DIXIE TAKES CHARGE, and BUGLE BROADTOWN make up the rest of the next level of contenders.  BUGLE BROADTOWN is the horse to catch but must not yield, while DIXIE TAKES CHARGE must show more to compete with this group.

ROULETTE WAR – has been away from the races since October and might need a race despite an impressive career record.

FB INDY would get top consideration but is better suited to the route.

EVIL D. is an interesting runner, but there are too many unanswered questions for me to go all in.

AYUNTAMIENTO has probably left his best racing behind, but he has the experience to compete with these and should enjoy returning to the dirt.

FEELS LIKE VICTORY, ACONTECIMIENTO, and ARCHIAVELLIAN all have merit but appear just a level below this competition.

SOUL RULERS faces’ the toughest task of all.

The Picks

APPROACH THE VIPER – sorry kingab I got to call it as I see it

SHERPA RAY’S TAP- I can’t get past this one

AWESOME CAFÉ – appears well-poised for a big run

BUGLE BROADTOWN – speed kills