Full Field Looks For A Make Up
This week’s race card in Eastern Kentucky features the Grade III Make Up Exam Stakes, over seven and a half furlongs on the dirt. We have a full field of three-year-old fillies waiting excitedly to see who can win this one. Most of the field has met before in various locales, with five of the fourteen coming out of July 28th’s Grade I Exam Stakes. Why have a make up exam after this exam, you may ask? The Exam Stakes was run in New York on an extremely sloppy track, leading some to come here for a try on the fast dirt. Others, who ran well in the muck, may want to prove their versatility.
The slop in New York is not the only thing on some trainers’ minds. Eastern Kentucky has become one of the cutting edge places in track design, recently switching to “poly-pixels” for their dirt races. I tried to get a feel of how this may affect future races, asking various people around the barns for their opinions.
One groom, rumored to be “in the know” on just about every topic, was unconvinced that the poly-pixel track would make any difference. As he waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, he asked, “You DO know these are computer horses, right?” Despite his dismissiveness, I ran into a longtime race fan who swore up and down that the poly-pixel track had a completely different bias. “If I stare at my computer screen from, like, an inch away, I can totally see the new texture and the way rhe horses’ strides are different,” she said.
Time will tell if this new surface has any role to play. Fourteen fillies are here to try it, many in rematches with former opponants, many hitting their stride as they mature.
On the rail is Princessme’s Mochachino’s Quest. This Tale Of The Cat filly has been running well in stakes starts, winning the Teabag Special and the Vietnam Puke Stakes (mmm!). She was second in her last out in the Barely Learn Special after an unsuccessful try on the turf. Her best speed figures have come at seven and a half furlongs (hey, that’s the distance of this race!), a 102 and a 98. Mochachino’s Quest has gone to the lead before, but usually sits just off the pace. She is 24/1.
Starting second is Turf Angel from the Dokkie3 stable. She had a disappointing race in the Exam Stakes, finishing nearly 11 lengths back in 10th. She is quite a capable filly, however, with wins in the Grade II Pebbles Flintstone Stakes and the Grade III I Said Be Quiet Classic. This daughter of Rahy is the number 5 ranked dirt sprinter and is 8/1 today. Look for Turf Angel to have a big run here as she seeks to redeem herself.
The third starter is Bunny For Ranson, a Pientre Celebre filly who was second in her last start, the Uptown Weezy Challenge. She improved her speed figure from an 85 to a 102 in that start, leading Bunnyluv to give her a chance against this graded field. Bunny For Ranson is no stranger to graded races, running second in the Grade III Great Fiddle Sticks Handicap over eight and a half furlongs. She looks to be even better over the shorter distance and is 16/1.
Number four is Moreover. This filly by More Than Ready ran 8th in the Grade II Pebbles Flintstone Stakes and 2nd in the Grade III I Said Be Quiet Classes, both of which were won by Turf Angel. Moreover does have her own accomplishments, winning a Grade III and being ranked 13th dirt sprinter. With some confidence from a 3rd place finish in her last start, she could make a run against her rival here. Look for Hollyyih’s filly to come charging up the stretch past tiring leaders. She is 12/1.
Starting fifth is Kyjelly’s Storm Saar. This filly by Saarland won her last 4 starts, a stakes and three allowances, all at 8 or 8.5 furlongs and all in four horse fields. While any streak is impressive, she will have to get by a full field today, something she has rarely seen. Her most impressive speed figure is a 93 (although this was on a sloppy track), which is another concern as most of these fillies have broken 100. Storm Saar lost to Ziggy Indy in her last stakes sprint, and will have to improve for this start. She could be the early speed of the field and will probably go for the lead. She is our long shot of the day at 38/1.
In the six post is the A.P. Indy filly Ziggy Indy. Her only poor finish recently came in her last start, a disappointing 7th. She has done well in stakes, winning the See What She’s Got Stakes and the Prospect Dealing Challenge. Prior to her 7th place finish, her last graded start resulted in a third to Devil In Mrs Jones in the Grade III Thanks To An Exacta. Dontnagme’s filly will likely improve over her last start. Ziggy Indy is at 9/1 today.
In the middle of the field we find Needle In The Hay out of Eddie08’s barn. This Aptitude filly is another runner from the Exam Stakes, where she finished 6th. Needle In The Hay won the Save The Dancer Memorial and the Grade III Sixty In A Thirty Special, and her speeds have improved since returning to sprints. Will a 103 and 101 carry her in this race? We’ll find out. She is at 10/1.
In post eight is the favorite, Devil In Mrs Jones. This Smarty Jones filly is the second ranked dirt sprinter, and is the winner of the Exam Stakes. Sera returns with her filly today to prove that Devil In Mrs Jones can win at a different track in different weather. She also won the Grade II Fence Fryer Stakes and finished 3rd in the Grade II Pebbles Flintstone Stakes (beaten by Turf Angel). Her start in the Exam Stakes came with a 116 speed figure on the sloppy track. It will take a lot to beat this filly. She is at 3/1.
The ninth starter is Speedometer, Simsters1’s Storm Cat filly. In only eight starts, this filly has won 2 stakes and ran 2nd in the Grade II Fence Fryer Stakes (nearly two lengths behind Devil In Mrs Jones). She is the least experienced filly in this field, but has improved her speed figure from a 98 to a 108. Speedometer has been improving over the course of her short career and could make a big run today. She is 8/1.
Number ten is Super Lasix, the entrant from Super17. This daughter of Giant’s Causeway has been winning stakes, including the Irgun Defense Special and the A.R.S.E. Domination. Her last start in a graded race was a 6th in the Grade III Bob Barker Stakes, and Super Lasix returns to the graded stage today hoping for better. She is 11/1.
In the eleven spot is Song Of The Hawk. Sheikabner’s filly was also in the Exam Stakes where she ran 3rd. Her career has progressed from allowances to stakes to graded races, with this Unbridled’s Song filly rarely missing a beat. Song Of The Hawk won the Pine On The Pines Handicap and ran a 113 in the Exam Stakes; she will be one to look out for. She is usually a closer, so look for her to make a run down the stretch. She is 6/1 today.
Wearing number twelve is Worldwide’s filly Wheels Of Steel, the last of the Exam Stakes runners looking for a make up. Wheels Of Steel finished 9th in that start, and also lost to Mochachino’s Quest in the Teabag Special. This daughter of Cryptoclearance won the Alyluv Trick Special, was 2nd in the Grade III Dynamite Sprint, and has been improving her speed figures steadily. Hopefully she can improve more today. She is 12/1.
In slot thirteen is Grey Ice, a handsome filly by Johannesburg. Crandyiii’s entrant has several rivals in this field. She has lost to Speedometer at Smackdown III, Wheels Of Steel in the Alyluv Special, and Mochachino’s Quest in the Teabag Special, and a victory today could erase all of that. Grey Ice won the Grade II Yanta Snez Stakes, but has struggled since. She has managed to remain the 14th ranked dirt sprinter, and unlike most of these fillies sees full fields regularly. She is 24/1.
On the very outside is Andysakmar’s Holly Moly. This daughter of Pulpit has a career best speed of 98, which she will need to improve. Holly Moly won the Their Bow Memorial, and was 6th in her last start in the Emma’s Smile Challenge. This will be her first graded start and a major test for her. Look for her near the lead. She is at 18/1.
Questions abound in this crowded field. Will we see a repeat winner? Will any of these fillies outrun their rivals? Will the dirt sprint division disintegrate into a soap opera? Will the “poly-pixel” track have any affect?
All I can tell you is to look for Devil In Mrs Jones to be in front at the end. If any filly is going to outrun her, keep an eye on Turf Angel, Speedometer, and Song Of The Hawk.