Do They Get Special Parking Privileges, Too?

Surprise, surprise! I took a week off from organizing my index cards to prepare a preview of the Blonde and Freckled Handicap. It’s a Grade III for $125,000 and will be contested by 3yo fillies over 7 furlongs of the Irish Turf course. Trust me, this race is a LOT tougher than a Grade III on paper, and I expect several of these to go on to bigger and better things from here. As always, breeding takes a special place in my everyday activities, so I’ll focus on some of the breeding information about the horses as well. I’ll spare you the details of my own particular breeding exploits, for the moment…

PP 1 is LIGHTSEEKER(IRE), #2 division ranked invader from the Evil Empire that is comprised of the powerful stables of the man known as Lenny. The North Light x Awesome Again x Seeking The Gold filly has impeccable credentials, scoring her first Grade I victory (and a triple-digit speed figure) in her last start on Smackdown day. Any reasonable showing today will push her lifetime earnings past the magic $1 million mark. Although she looks to be more suited to six furlongs, I am hard pressed to find any reason to exclude her from the exacta. Like the man says, “The rich get richer”. Generous 9-1 odds with Z. Kentucky (22%) in the irons. Bet early and often.

PP 2 is BLAZER(KY), currently ranked #9 in the division for Hot2trot’s phillyfarm stable. Love the pedigree on this gal, as she is from the first crop of modestly-priced sophomore sire Blazonry, out of the moderately-successful he-mare Hello Nasty (Brahms x Trempolino). The well traveled sprint specialist (never tried a route) already has 4 stakes wins and countless other placings in 22 lifetime starts…quite a bit for a 3yo. She has not cracked the top 3 in Graded company yet, but returns to a more reasonable distance today for another crack at it. Should be a pace factor looking to hold off closers at 14-1 with EC Doyle (11%).

Coming out of the 3 hole is Techranger’s BIBLE WARRIOR(KY), bred by his irshaman stable but running under the giveadarn banner. The War Chant filly out of the productive mare Prospector Dancer (dam of 5 winners, by Mr. Prospector x Green Dancer) has been brought along slowly, but apparently wisely so. Exhibiting the patience of Job, she made her stakes debut in her 12th lifetime start, promptly making light work of 8 listed stakes foes. She’s been steadily improving, loves the 7 furlong distance, and has shown the versatility to sit off a hot pace or go right to the front. C Rice(10%) gets the call; 11-1 on the morning line. A definite “user” in the exotic wagering.

“Ha ha ha HA ha!” No, it’s not Tex Avery…its sjmeola who sends out SJ’S WOODPECKER from the nafzger stable. The Woodman x Storm Bird x Halo scratch bred will emerge from PP 4 with B Barnes (10%) aboard, and an impressive 100% in-the-money record from 9 lifetime starts. She loves to be on the front end and carries her speed into the stretch, but could not hold off BIBLE WARRIOR when 2nd last time out. I’d be curious to try this girl on the dirt or in longer races, but why mess with success? This is her Graded Stakes debut as well, so she’ll have to step it up to keep her streak intact. 10-1 morning line odds in what is shaping up to be a highly competitive race.

The SIM’s version of Federico Tesio, namely Balata, sends out a talented filly by the name of FRONTNINER(JPN). Consistent with the golf theme that is her trainer’s trademark, she’s in the frontnine stable and boasts a blue-blooded pedigree (of course!) of Forty Niner out of Evidently (Beat Hollow x Storm Cat). Momma raked in nearly a quarter million bucks despite only one crack at stakes company (3rd at 2.) Not bad for a 15k claim. The kid has already exceeded those standards, with two listed stakes wins in seven lifetime starts, and still eligible for N3X conditions to boot. She may be looking for more ground over time, but a hot pace will help her improve on her sneaky-good 4th place finish in a GIII last out. E. Newcomb (10%) rides this not-so-sleepy sleeper from PP 5; 11-1 is a very nice price.

PP 6 holds sender’s scratch-bred MIRARI’S WAKE(IRE), who has proven to be one tough customer in the 3yo turf filly sprinter class (currently ranked #14). A steady diet of stakes races have been her billing for over a year now, and she has excelled at anything under a mile (8 wins, $500k, including a win in the tough GIII Ain’t No Bugs On Me in June). A close fourth in her last out against Lightseeker, the extra furlong today figures to help her if you like her past performances at the longer sprints. Bounce theory advocates may also jump on board since she regressed off a career best 104, winning by a head, before her latest effort (96). A lot to think about for the punters…is a magical win in the cards? F Dirks(12%) may make all the difference on a crowded front end.

PP 7 EYEOFTHEWORLD(IRE) was a fast closing second to Lightseeker in what looks to be a key race (3287.2908 for those who like to watch), and may have been the clear choice if that were her most recent start. Shamran has been forward with this precocious filly from the start, winning a GIII in her second lifetime effort, trying several distances and class levels, and not wasting time with her on the bench (15 lifetime starts, but this is her 4th in the last 7 weeks.) By Dubawi out of Sack the Castle (Sakhee x Kingmambo), she squeezed in a fast-closing 2nd to previously unheralded Suicidial Tendency(KY) only 2 weeks ago in a listed stake at 6 furlongs. She’s probably sharp, and she’s definitely got the talent, but this handicapper would have preferred to see a longer freshening before this tough tussle. A. Reed(17%) will try to make me eat my words, and you’ll get 6-1 on the #5 ranked filly to do it.

PP 8 BACK TO WORK(KY) took 3 tries to break her maiden, but was worth the wait as she reeled off three in a row, including a stakes win in her first try (7.5 furlongs, 92 SP rating). Interesting turf or dirt breeding, as she is by Swain out of the he-mare Johann Mach (Hennessey x Machiavellian), who was scooped up for $3500 by astute claimer pegasus14. Francsoir is the trainer of record here, who is looking for improvement off her last two races, both reasonable efforts in defeat, but with an asterisk. The first came off an 8 week break where she lost by a head, and the second was against the boys in open allowance company. No excuses today, in her Graded feature bow. T. Ranger up in the irons and a tempting 16-1 on the lightly-raced outsider.

PP 9 is the starting position for VROOM VROOM(ENG), three-time stakes winner and pride of the walshy stable of Pedro’s Racing Empire. He might want to think about casting a vote for Dubawi come retirement time, as she sports the same Sakhee x Kingmambo cross as successful rival Eyeoftheworld. Her dam Katima was a marathoning turfer as a 3yo and a good one at that, but the daughter has found a niche as a turf sprinter after breaking maiden on dirt and competing in route races early on in her career. She was beaten by a few of today’s foes in her last start, but always gives an honest closing try and we expect that today. 6-1 and D. Doyle is not enough to get my engine revved up, but the computer certainly likes her chances.

PP 10 belongs to REAL MEAN RAIDER(KY), who unlike the Oakland Raiders of recent years, has been synonymous with “winning, baby!” 10 wins (8 of them Stakes) in 19 tries establishes her as the most photogenic charge in the field. Surprisingly, the 10th ranked daughter of Golden Missile out of Loyal Harmony (Nureyev x Gone West) has not attempted the Graded ranks until today. Perhaps with nothing left to prove in the listed stake ranks, trainer Raider decided to put her to the challenge. Hard to gauge what she will do based on past performances, as her last two tries were losses as the odds-on favorite. Her only try at 7 furlongs was a runaway win in a 4 horse field, which experienced SIM’ers will tell you…doesn’t tell you a whole lot. Big question mark horse today despite the excellent training job so far, and with a 10 week layoff, I really don’t know! 10-1 MLO, L. Montgomery (5%) aboard.

PP 11 is the aptly named NOBODY KNOWS(IRE). “The trouble I seen” with desperado’s King’s Best filly is that she likes to go to the front, resulting in good but not great SP figures for the distance. Today we have a speed filled race, and she has little experience with a field of this quality (looking for her first stakes triumph). Produced from the xanderman (jrogue) mare Pooped Out (Danehill x North Bobbie, by Kris S.), she is to the Grade I winning Crabby Patties, a dirt sprinting specialist. Truly, nobody knows what will become of her, but a dirt try is not out of the question if today’s race doesn’t pan out. 19-1 shot gets D. Nickesy in the saddle.

The elusive Mepere sends out SHEMAKESMEBEGOOD(IRE) off a surprising win in the Princess Bow Stakes two weeks ago. Why so surprising? She had been out of the money in her previous 4 starts vs. 3yo’s, and was taking on older company. She defeated the likes of accomplished 4yo’s Ojai High and Giant Strides, as well as Graded Stakes winner High On Gabor. It may be that the latter was merely prepping for a bigger race, and handed this Theatrical x Docksider x Roanake filly the lead at the second call, but even the racing god(s) were fooled with her $37.20 win mutuel as the longest shot on the board. In fact, her best effort prior to that was a wire-to-wire score off a dismal effort, so that is the trend I am going to go with. Call me a skeptic, but PP12 and the full field will not allow her such a luxury today. I could be wrong, and if I am, Pu Jenkins (that’s his name!) (8%) will tell me I stink but reward you this time with 19-1 odds.

PP 13 is the tough-as-nails FAX AT DAWN(KY), pride of the Murray1 conglomerate, who also trains this year’s Oaks de English winner Set The Clock. The Roman Ruler filly based on Red and Vine (Red Ransom x Ela-Mana-Mou) is nothing if not versatile, winning on both surfaces (no SIM Polytrack yet) and at distances ranging from 5.5 to 9.5 furlongs! For now, this is her niche, and she has been knocking on the door at this same Grade III level for several starts now. The numbers are going up (101 SP), she beat many of these while chasing a lone speed last time out, and looks for revenge upon Eyeoftheworld after her narrow defeat in the Latonia Special that might have been her coming out party. The stars may align for her today. 6-1 with capable jock M. Russell (10%) aboard.

PP14 on the other side of the universe in this full field is LEMON IN LIME(IRE) from the Ladyssecret collection of stables. The three-time stakes winner is a solid performer but could not match strides with Mirari’s Wake when bumped up to the Graded level. Today’s race is a little longer, and her pedigree (Kalanisi o/o Lemon Kist, by Lemon Drop Kid o/o Your Deposit, by Danzig) suggests that she will not have trouble with any added ground introduced. A change of tactics may be in order, as the pace scenario and the outside post will make it difficult to achieve a stalking position. The beautiful roan will be easy to spot but needs to step it up a notch for a check today – watch for her on the stretchout! 15-1 on the tote, S. Collins on her back.

I suppose with all my training secrets recently exposed, there’s no sense in withholding my handicapping expertise from you as well…but that’s best left for another article, don’t you think? Instead I’ll just give you my trifecta box of 1-3-5-6-13. LIGHTSEEKER gets all the breaks and runs down a hard-luck FAX AT DAWN. MIRARI’S WAKE is right there too, a victim of the pace battle with a game BIBLE WARRIOR. FRONTNINER will be flying from downtown and could take down the whole pot if the hand plays out correctly. Oh wait, that’s a poker metaphor. Obviously, I’m not a golfer.