Fillies Stretch To Prep

            And so another huge week of racing is upon us in sunny New York. The remnants from the storm earlier this week have long passed and the tracks have dried up to become fast and firm. Races nine through sixteen are of stakes nature this week, with several being graded races. One of them just happens to be the Making The Grade, GIII for two year old fillies running a mile on the dirt. Fourteen fillies are ready to run for the $125,000 purse and the chance to get them closer to the Breeder’s Bowl in just two months! An interesting group is assembling in the paddock; let’s go see how they look pre-race.

            Elena Hollandia, a bright red chestnut filly from the haddock stables has drawn the rail. The one time allowance winner is the daughter of Pine Bluff, out of Shamouti, a Pioneering mare. She seems quite relaxed in the paddock as see is lead around, like most closers usually act. In four starts she has a win, place and two shows. Last time out she broke her maiden in an allowance field going six and a half furlongs over a sloppy track, and ran a 71. At 21/1 she’s t huge odds and the added distance looks like a good suit for her. However, can she handle some extra speed in the race?

            The super12 stable is invading the race with That Right (IRE). The stakes winner is a fiery red filly by Giant’s Causeway out of an unnamed Fappiano mare. She is playfully nipping her groom as she walks in monotonous circles, obviously bored with her current surroundings. In four starts she has three wins. Last time out she placed fourth in a grade 2 effort. She loves to come from behind, so eight furlongs may be up her alley. At 6/1 her speed figure keeps increasing, and kicks in late so she’s a good choice to bet on.

            Lasthope1’s Air California, a petite bay filly has already beaten the boys, now she wants to beat some winners and even stakes winners. The daughter of A.P. Indy is out of Golden Reward, a Sadler’s Wells mare. She has only race twice, winning and showing once. She should lay off the pace, but not too far off. At 7/1 she’s only run five and a half furlongs and stays fairly close. Her most recent speed figure was competitive, but it’s a big jump in distance.

            Canisminor sends out Tasmanian Tiger, a chunky dark bay filly, with a bit of spirit in her step. With similar breeding as Air California she is a stakes winner daughter of A.P. Indy out of Battleground, a Sadler’s Wells mare. In five starts she has two wins and a show. In her last start she ran into a monster who won the race with a 92, while she finished with a 76. An 80 marks her best speed figure to date, and she gets those figures by closely pressing the pace. She didn’t break well last time out and never got up to contention. At 7/1 I think a mile may be just too long for her.

            Gosome has chosen to make Riding To the Ridge (IRE)’s dirt debut in a graded race. The dark chocolate colored filly has been cow kicking when she gets close to another horse today. She is the daughter of Indian Ridge, out of Bucket Beleon, a Sadler’s Wells “mare.” In four starts she has one win and a place. She is a close to the pace type runner, that won her maiden by being on the lead the majority of the time. At 13/1 she has slower speed figures, doesn’t seem to need a mile, and has no dirt experience.

            Dkyoung thinks that Quagaars proved herself well enough in her maiden debut to warrant a try in a grade three this week. The light bay daughter of Hennessy out of Matinee, a Nureyev mare has been putting up a little bit of a fit in the walking ring. The jockey’s valet is trying to help saddle her, but she keeps bolting away. Now the assistant trainer is on her offside and the groom on the other and she is begrudgingly standing for the saddle to be tightened. She has run once and won with a 71, by laying a few lengths off the pace. At 10/1 she looks nice, but a maiden to a graded against stakes winners is a big step up. Also I’m not sure if she’ll like a mile or not.

            Right smack dab in the middle of the field is my favorite horse in the field, easygoer1’s Indylead. The tall, but muscular mud colored bay is the daughter of A.P. Indy, out of Zigattle a Danzig mare. She has been the calmest filly of them all today just walking easily beside her handler. When the saddle went on she didn’t even blow up that much. She has two wins and a show in three starts, won last time out with an 83 in allowance going seven and a half furlongs. She however does press the lead too closely at times which could make even a half of a furlong longer difficult. In her last start she did lay off the pace by a length or more which is good. At 5/1 as long as she can stay relaxed she could very well be the one to beat.

            Wilko, the owner not the horse has Cappa Felucca a plain bay filly ready to run for her graded debut. The daughter of Cape Canaveral out of Cherokee Top, a Storm Cat mare has two wins and a place in four starts. Most recently she showed that she can either lie slightly off the pace, or press the pace by winning a seven furlong allowance pressing the pace hard. She won easily with a 79. At 13/1 she needs to not press the pace too hard, so that she had enough in the tank to hold off closers at the wire.

            Rintintin has gone from cop life, to the training life, with Baldo Hollandia. Baldo is a dark chestnut colored filly by Pure Prize, out of an unnamed Secretariat mare. With three races under her belt she has one win and a show. She too likes to win up close to the pace, but has shown that she may be able to close as well. She isn’t new to the graded stakes which is probably why she’s only pricked her ears a few times at the paddock commotion. At 9/1 her speed figures are average, but I just don’t see anything standout about her.

            Oscar21 has his hands full with maiden Beste’s Belly. We sure are seeing a lot of this filly’s belly since she’s reared about four times since arriving in the paddock. The dark bay filly is by Soul of the Matter, out of Straight Belly, a Danzig mare. In her maiden she closed well from the back of the pack to finish third, but that certainly doesn’t warrant a graded run. At 21/1 I think she would like the mile, but she’s facing winners of better speeds.

            The pace of the race should come from the conor stable entry of Shovelhead (AUS). A sweet looking dark bay, almost black filly she is small in stature, but has strong legs. She is the daughter of Shovhog (AUS), out of Briny, a Lear Fan mare. In six starts she has four wins and a place. She loves to go to the lead and if she doesn’t get it, she doesn’t win. At 9/1 a sharp break is necessary for her to do well; also controlling the pace of the race will be necessary if she is going to wire the field going eight furlongs.

            Sunkitten has Smarty Spanker who is being a handful as an entry. The dirt colored bay filly keeps trying to get lose, and has just succeeded in her task. As her handlers try to grab her she wheels around on her haunches and takes off in the other direction, giving out a swift kick, nailing the hot walker in the leg. One of the paddock judges has now grabbed the filly and is bringing her back to her connections. The daughter of Birdstone is out of Darksideofthemoon, a Giant’s Causeway mare. She has two wins and a place in four starts. She is another one that needs to be on the lead to run her best. She however has won at this distance which is a good sign. Her speed figures actually went up 8 points when she increased the distance. At 16/1 she too is at a nice price and could show well. As long as she doesn’t get into a heated duel with another front runner she could pull an upset.

            Corpus Christi (IRE) makes her fifth start for owner/trainer wistful2. The lanky bay filly is by Century City (IRE), out of Tex’s Stocks, a Mr. Prospector mare. In four starts she’s found the winner’s circle twice, and earned the place and show honors once each. She’s an interesting filly, breaking her maiden slowly on the turf after fading in two previous dirt tries. After winning her maiden she tried a mile on the slop and won by coming off the pace, increasing her MSW speed figure by 22 points. At 19/1 she’s a confusing girl and I don’t know what to think of her.

            Rounding out the field is stlcards3’s Tale Of The Crypt. The delicate brownie color bay filly is by Tale of the Cat, out of Clear Account, a Cryptoclearance mare. In four starts she has one win, one place and a show. She seems to come from off the pace most times, but has gone to the lead once before. In her last start she was closing well, but the wire beat her. At 11/1 a mile will only do her good if she closes at the right time.

            Well that’s the field, not too much chaos for a two year old field. My picks for the race, as they head to the track are; Indylead, That Right (IRE) and let’s throw in Tale Of The Crypt. Good luck to all may your horses run their best and return to the stable safely.