Gracepointe Prayer narrowly favored in Farewell To CryptoZot Stakes
For the past five years, the Texas track has hosted a Grade 1 stakes that continues to draw questions from simmers around the world. After all, the standard purse for a G1 is $500k, but this particular race, run in early August every year, features prize money of just $7600. This reporter was unable to learn why the purse is that low by press-time, but we do know the history of the Farewell to CryptoZot Stakes.
CryptoZot was one of those really cool horses that any sim owner would love to have gracing his barn. Rock63 campaigned his Cryptoclearance colt to 5 stakes wins including a G2. But that’s not what makes the ‘Zot so notable. No, what makes this horse standout, and what earned him his place in sim history, is his incredible longevity on the track. CryptoZot was the very first sim horse to reach 100 starts. Even better, he started his career with a win, and went out with a win. And so in CryptoZot’s memory, we have a Grade 1 run at 10f on the dirt that will always standout on a horse’s past performances page.
The stakes record was set by Bound For Destiny in 2003. The record time is 2:00.1. It’s fitting that Bound For Destiny ran out of the Bigtexan stable, which is owned by Rock63, owner of the infamous ‘Zot.
In the 2007 edition of the Farewell, we have 11 quality older horses running for top honors. The narrow morning line favorite is Pazfour’s 4yo colt Gracepointe Prayer. He scored his first graded win last time out in the G2 Abraham Lincoln with a smart midpack run. The 107SP he earned for the 2 1/4 length victory was among his best. This is a strong horse that has had a great year. Distance should be easy, as he’s 2:1-1-0 at 10f. The more observant bettors may notice that Prayer was sired by Cryptoclearance, making him both a good candidate for the win and a sentimental choice. This is a horse on the verge of the big time. A win here gets the notice of fans of the older classic division.
At 9-2 is Ydrbargain’s New Found Cyclone. The 4yo Newfoundland colt just posted his best SP (111) ever by running third in Smackdown. He’s a darn good horse that rarely fails to pick up a paycheck at 10f at the highest levels. NFC can run from midpack or more forwardly-placed, making him a big threat in this race. If he wins, it’d be his first in almost a year, and would pretty much seal up a second bid at the Breeders Bowl Classic. Notable about NFC is how he prepped for Smackdown. He went second in a 10f G2 on the grass (losing by just a quarter-length) to post a 105SP. If he does make a Breeders Bowl run, he could potentially go in any of three different divisions. Regardless of which the trainer chooses, a turf prep looks to be a very good idea.
Also coming straight out of Smackdown on a two-week turnaround is Geewestink’s Endurance Key. The 4yo Sakhee colt finished sixth of 15, but that doesn’t tell just how good he can be. Key is a stakes winner from 9.5 to 16f, and placed second in his only graded attempt (the G2 Peach State Classic at 10f where he hit a high SP of 113). This is a colt loves that love to be on the lead, but will settle for stalking position if he has to. Should get a good jump out of the gate to set the early pace. he’s vulnerable to a late charge, but you’ve got to respect horse that’s earned a paycheck in all but two races November 2005.
Chbrown’s Emily’s Best is the first of three at 7-1. The 4yo Pleasant Tap colt has six wins from 19 starts, but took over a year on the track to start showing what he’s capable of. He’s just posted five straight 100+ SPs, perhaps indicating he’s ready to bust into the bigtime. Major concerns are his handling of the distance and the class. he is a two-time stakes winner (in early 2006), but in two graded tries has run seventh twice. He’s tried 10f once (in March 2006), but ran last. That can be explained by making his first start against elders, but even so it’s worrisome. What might help is his skill at 9f; Best just posted a 109 in winning a 9f allowance by two lengths with a really nice closing drive. His running style does tend to work well in this kind of race, but the class issue is a real concern.
Forty Nine Lives II really doesn’t need that many. Bertaal’s 6yo son of Storm Cat has an excellent 10 wins from 36 starts for over $650k in earnings. He’s twice a G2 winner, with the first happening in just his third lifetime start. He’s also got a G3 to his credit. He hasn’t managed over a 110 in about 18 months, and hasn’t been running with the big boys much lately, but he can’t be counted out. With 5 weeks off coming into this race, he’s better rested than most of the field. While he didn’t get a chance to stretch his legs over 10f until this year, he’s still managed to earn a 3-for-4 record earning 103-106SPs each time. He’s not quite in the same league SP-wise as New Found Cyclone or Gracepointe Prayer, but he’s close enough that this should be a heck of a race. Only major concern is that he wasn’t able to hit the board in his only 10f G1 (the Out of the City Handicap last time out).
I wonder if the DelPenners gave trainer Soulbleed some well-deserved ribbing after the G1 Out of the City Handicap in June. Given how good many Deputy Minister offspring are at 10f, waiting 35 starts to let Miracle To Me try that distance is an off decision. Of course, when you have a horse that wins multiple times at 16f (including a G3), you might be hesitant to drop it down in distance. Miracle posted a lifetime high 110SP in notching his first G1 by just under a length. He closed from way back to just edge out millionaire Sinanju (not running today). Miracle looks to be in top shape for this race, and this race will be his chance to show whether he’s a true classic horse. It would also push him over $950k in earnings.
Roaringnative is the first of two at 8-1 on the morning line. Crandy’s 4yo Roar colt has amassed a good record of five wins from 21 starts for about $140k in earnings. He only has one stakes win to his credit, but the colt did place in the G3 Pablo Cruz at 7f in March. He’s been off the board since. Roar babies tend to be sprinters, and Roaringnative seems to be no exception. He has won at a mile, but in two tries going longer (once on each surface) has finished nowhere near the leader. Nice colt, but no going to pick up his first graded score here.
The 4yo Aldebaran colt Exciting Moment comes into this race off three straight wins at 10 in allowance company. Targetfarm’s entry makes his graded debut off the strength of four successively faster (SP-wise) races at 10, yet in two stakes tries has just one placing (at 16f). While he’s unproven at this level he’s demonstrated success at this distance and is clearly getting better as he matures. Wouldn’t surprise me if he hit the board.
Khalasar2 has a nice entry in the 4yo colt Dragonstone. He’s in at 11-1, but that 109SP he popped last time out says he’s better than the odds show. He’s run five of his last seven at 12f, essentially depressing his average speed figures. The cutback to 10 should work out well. In three runs at 10, he’s hit the board three times. Stills searching for a win at this distance, but he is a stakes winner (at 11f). This is his graded debut. One might be cautious of a bounce after that 109, but I suspect we’ll instead find out that it was simply a reaction to the Kingmambo colt getting a more favored stretch of ground.
While he’s 19-1 on the odds board, Malachi Constant is a colt on the rise. The 4yo son of Cozzene is fresh off three straight 10f allowance win, the two most recent representing 101 and 104SPs. Ih8u’s colt has only tested stakes company once, and that was in a 14f G3 last September. I like the move back into stakes at this point in the colt’s career, and if the owner wanted to try a G1, this isn’t a bad place to go for it. He’s a deep closer, which may mean that the more experienced runners who like to come from that position will have the best of Malachi. It’ll be interesting to see how he responds to the challenge.
The field longshot at 40-1 is Sirbear’s Empowered Empire. The 5yo son of Empire Maker was claimed out of a DelPenn race in December for $50k. He hasn’t yet made back that amount, but for breeding purposes alone it was a smart claim. And if he wins here, it ends up being a super-smart claim. But can the colt win? It would certainly be a challenge. The horse has never gone 10f. He has tried 12, and placed a nicely closing second in allowance company. He’s never been in a stake. His last win was 18 months ago. he has just 2 wins in 31 starts. To cap it off, his top SP is just 100 (earned at a mile). Nice colt will probably enjoy the distance, but this isn’t the place to try a stake.
Miracle To Me seems the best shot for the win, but Gracepointe Prayer and New Found Cyclone have great chances as well. Exciting Moment could act as a sleeper horse, stealing a piece of the $7600 pie.