Fourteen Vie For Grade I In New York
Who among us would not want to win a Grade I? Or, having won one, who would not want to win another? And another, and another? Keeping this in mind, is it any wonder that the Grade I Princess Di Cap has attracted a full field of fourteen mares?
Although advertised as a race for three-year-olds and up, there is not a single three-year-old in sight. I checked birth certificates and Jockey Club records, but all of these ladies are definitely 4, 5, or 6. They will be running 9 furlongs over the turf course for honor, glory, and a $500,000 purse. Five entrants have met before at Smackdown III, with A Perfect Sunday finishing second. Four ran in the Grade I Rich And Famous Handicap, with Wet Paint winning that one. Can either of them run that well again? Let’s find out.
Breaking from the one post is Angel Girl, Mizuno’s six-year-old daughter of Geri. Angel Girl is the 15th ranked turf classic runner and seems to run best at this distance. She has won two Grade IIIs in impressive fashion and was 3rd in the Grade III Breeders Bowl Game. Her only unfortunate recent finish came at Smackdown where she was 7th. Look for this mare to be one of several closers who will drop back early. She is at 6/1.
In the second spot is Gallorette’s Otto You Do It. This War Chant mare is a mere $290 away from earning a million. She won her last three starts: an allowance, the Tsultress Challenge, and the Queen Unique Challenge (although she has won graded races before). Otto You Do It was dropped down in class after a distant finish in the Grade I Flower Pot Stakes last October, but she seems to have recovered her form. She usually runs over a little more distance than a mile and a sixteenth, and is 10/1 today.
The third starter is Swift Kick, owned my Sdmf2. At over four million dollars in earnings, she is the richest mare in the field. Swift Kick was 2nd in the Grade I Bumblebee Classic and the Grade II Beer Pitcher Handicap (in which she ran a 110 speed figure). However, this daughter of Summer Squall had her last two victories in allowance races. Her connections hope she can find the stakes winner’s circle again today, and she is the favorite at 5/1.
Next door in the fourth spot is Wet Paint, winner of the Grade I Rich And Famous Handicap and Born To Battle Stakes. Jake’s four-year-old is the 3rd ranked turf classic runner, and despite a poor finish in the Grade II Empire State Cap, she came back to finish second in her last start. Twice in her career, Wet Paint has had streaks of five wins in a row, and would no doubt love to start another one. She usually has more distance, but this daughter of Awesome Again has won allowances at 8.5 furlongs. She is 7/1.
Starting fifth is High Ransom, a Red Ransom filly who won the Grade I Cedora D Stakes in her first graded start. Batesy started High Ransom on the dirt, where she ran well before switching to turf in her fourth race. With only 14 starts she is the novice of the field, but after running a 109 in her last start she looks poised to be an impressive runner. She is 9/1, and will be an interesting outsider in this race.
The number six starter is Pocket8’s Im No Error. This Northern Regent mare has been running in allowance and stakes at longer dstances; her last start was at thirteen furlongs. She was once a claimer for prices as low as $3,500 and has obviously come a long way to make it here today. Im No Error is one of three who may go to the lead, providing some early speed in the race. She is the longshot at 58/1.
At the seventh post is Dynamin, a Dynaformer four-year-old from the Leesnyder stables. She won the Grade III Lil’ Drummer Boy Handicap, showing that she has plenty of talent. Dynamin finished 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in fourteen races in a row until running 6th at Smackdown, several lengths behind A Perfect Sunday. This is her chance to get back on that streak. She is 7/1.
Starting eighth is Unshaded99’s A Perfect Sunday, who lost Smackdown by a head to Deputy Hunter. The Sadler’s Wells mare is the 7th ranked turf classic runner, and is the winner of the Grade III Misfired Bogie Stakes and Exploding Outhouse Stakes. A Perfect Sunday was a disappointing 10th in her last start, and hopes for better here today. She is 12/1.
Wearing number nine is Lenny6’s Bad Scene. This daughter of Pleasantly Perfect won the Grade III Tai-bo Stakes and OK Bayou BB Handicap, holding off late closers in both. She ran a poor 7th in the Grade I Rich And Famous, 15 lengths behind Wet Paint, and was given a month and a half off afterwards. The rest seems to have helped, as Bad Scene came back to run 2nd in the Grade III Other Spa BB Stakes (only a length and a quarter behind Angel Girl). She will be found on or near the lead, and is 10/1.
In the tenth spot is Miss Haack from the Ottox stable. Miss Haack, by Daylami, had her only recent win in the My Peg Challenge. She finished poorly in the Grade I Rich And Famous, and has been trying different distances to find a good fit. Will this race be a good spot for her? If it is, look for this four-year-old to make a late run from the back of the field. She is 27/1.
The eleventh starter is Dyna Shore, Poppoptwo’s four-year-old by Green Desert. Dyna Shore’s only recent wins have come in restricted stakes and allowances, so this will be a step up for her. Her two previous graded finishes were a 6th and a 9th, and her trainer clearly believes she is more capable than the record shows. This filly is a closer who may surprise tiring leaders. She is 12/1.
Breaking from the twelve post is Aim For Paradise, an Awesome Again mare owned by Sparadise. She has run well in stakes, winning the Prospector Bluffy Handicap. Aim For Paradise is another runner from the Grade I Rich And Famous (finishing 6th) and has not finished better than 4th in a graded race. She gets another chance today to make that leap, and is another deep closer. She is 18/1.
In the thirteenth spot is Mesa Dream. Jerkstable’s five-year-old by Sky Mesa has won four stakes in a row, and was only a few lengths behind A Perfect Sunday at Smackdown. Her only graded start was a 7th in the Grade III Other Spa BB Stakes behind Angel Girl, but now Mesa Dream knows what to expect and can improve. Look for her on or near the lead. She is 8/1.
On the outside we have Red Royal, a Royal Academy filly who ran in both the Grade I Rich And Famous and at Smackdown. Romeshome looks for her to improve from both of those starts. Red Royal is the winner of the Grade III Queenston Handicap and hopes to return to that form here. She is 11/1.
Wet Paint looks to be the class of this field today, but Swift Kick will no doubt give her a run for her money. Look for High Ransom to run well in this race and probably improve still more in the future. Remember, with a Grade I on the line, anything can happen.