Bob Resets the Circuit Breakers and They’re Off in the $100,000 ESR Bob the Brain Stakes

A Field on Twelve Older Horses enter the Big Apple starting for the $100,000 ESR Bob the Brain Stakes.  The race will be run at One Mile and a Sixteenth over the Turf Course.

SHIPMENT OF GOLD – the kingab trained 5 Year Old Light Grey Horse by Tiznow has feasted on horses racing at the Listed Stakes level over his past three starts with victories in the Silverwood Hawk Turf Route, Kangaroo Bob Turf Route, and the Hail Cesario Turf Special respectively, all three run at Saturday’s distance of 8.5-furlongs; the KY-bred’s average speed of 115 over those last three starts tops the field, leaving no doubt that this is just a cameo appearance before heading to the Golden State for the Grade 1 Parking Ticket on November 25…one to beat

BOJACK CADET – the first of two entered by the cadet racing stables; the 6 Year Old Bay Horse by Street Cry was a frequent participant at the Graded level when he was entered into four consecutive Graded Stakes from late December until late March, topping out with a second place finish in the One Mile G2 Al Tahiti Fort over the grass surface; the AUS-bred is still looking for his first win since November, but a strong showing in the Street Turf Sprint prompted a return to the Graded level in his last start where he ran evenly to finish sixth in the G2  Rennen Mile; connections are hoping to benefit from Saturday’s drop in class and get this winner of the Pure Quest Turf Mile his second stakes victory…chance off best

BAY OF DRAGONS – the second of the two, and perhaps the stronger half, entered from the cadet racing stables, this a 4 Year Old Bay Colt by Giant’s Causeway, winner of the Director Turf Route in November; the KY-bred raced just 11 days ago in the ESR Eleven Stakes where he demonstrated his usual early turn of foot from the gate, withstanding early pressure from TRINNI only to settle for a 4^th place finish after putting up a hard fought battle; while this 4yo has both the speed and ability to get the job done here on Saturday, he is coming back on short rest at less than his optimal distance suggesting connections are prepping for the G3 Farley in late October or the G3 Little River Band on November 25^th…one to catch

NYC – the frankster connections have elected to enter their 5 Year Old Chestnut Mare by City Zip against the boys in the ESR feature; the winner of the G3 Morning Julep is no stranger to racing against the boys, finishing third twice against them in theG2 Railweigh Stakes and G3 Race for harrylan respectively, both over a yielding grass surface; the KY-bred has re-established her top form with convincing Allowance victories in her last two starts and should be poised for a top effort at a distance where she does her best running…dangerous

FAMILY DISPUTE – there is no doubt that the pointblank trained 5 Year Old Bay Horse by Magician has been keeping good company over his last eleven appearances with nine of them coming at the Stakes level; although he has struggled to win races over the past year, his victory in the Sky Turn To Black Turf Route three races back followed by an impressive 4^th place finish in the 11-Furlong G1 Man Of War Stakes suggest re-energized 5yo with some good efforts still in front of him;  the KY-bred turns back in distance here on Saturday after a 4^th place finish in the 12-Furlong ESR Gate Stakes  LTO…chance off best

ONE SUN ONE MOON – perhaps the most eligible horse in this field to improve is the awkwardandchai trained 4 Year Old Bay Gelding by Lemon Drop Kid, the Ky-bred enters the ESR feature off a pair of dominating Allowance performances while posting a 112-speed figure in each event; the third place finisher in the G3 Summertime as a 2yo has excelled since being gelded, posting five wins in eight starts, but will have to improve on his poor effort in the Brush Of Grey Turf Mile, his only stakes effort since being gelded…chance off last two

SEPOY STAR – you have to be impressed with the training efforts of the bristolred racing stable and their 6 Year Old Bay Horse by Sepoy; after a more than 2-year layoff, the AUS-bred returned to the races in 2018 with an impressive victory in a NW1y Allowance in New Zealand; carefully placed, the 6yo went on to win 2 of his next 3 starts against restricted winners before turning in a solid 3^rd place finish in the Stormy Normy Turf Route LTO, his first stakes appearance in over 2 years; look for a top three finish once again from a horse ready to run a new top…ready to roll

YOUR JOY – I am not expecting much from my 4 Year Old Light Grey Colt by Kitten’s Joy who is looking for his first win in nine months;  while I expect a better run than his performance in the 9-furlong ESR Flea and the Acrobat Stakes in April while turning back to a mile and a sixteenth, back-to-back 90+ speed figures in his last two put him well below the rest of the field…look elsewhere

HARSH LIGHT OF DAY- seeking class relief is the spinround trained 5 Year Old Bay Horse by Galileo; the IRE-bred was beaten badly in his last two starts, the G2 Rising Sun Spring Cup and G2 Kakarazuka Tinen Cup respectively and returns to racing after a 16-month layoff; the second place finisher in the G1 Eclipsed Stakes last year certainly has the back class to be a factor in this field, the only question is whether he is going to need this start…your call

CASINO TITAN – after getting off the schneid in over a year, the casino trained 5 Year Old Bay Horse by Giant’s Causeway hopes to parlay that victory into his first stakes victory since last June in the Lexington Park Ii Turf Route; the 108-speed figure in his last start suggests a horse on the improve, but his 10^th place finish, a ¼ length behind YOUR JOY, in the ESR Flea and the Acrobat Stakes in April’ indicate a lot more work needs to be done…should move forward

MAYBRY’S STRIKE – the ace trained 5 Year Old Light Grey Horse by Mabry’s Boy got back to his winning ways LTO with a victory at the Local Level in an Allowance affair; the NY-bred has struggled in all three of his stakes appearances this year, perhaps the victim of a waning career and is making his 29^th career appearance; the veteran Local star still has some run in him but would have to turn back the clock to compete at this level once again…would surprise

EVIL D. – it’s difficult to get a read on what this beisbol trained 5 Year Old Bay Horse by Dubawi is best at on the racetrack, but judging from his effort in the G2 Dishpan two races back, he appears perfectly placed for his second start off the layoff; there is good Turf/Route form hidden between the HOT RACES, Sprint races, and Dirt races, the kind I like to back at the betting windows…chance at a price

Handicapping the Field

Although this is a somewhat modest field of runners in the ESR Bob the Brain Stakes, there are one or two that might be using the ESR feature to pave the way to a graded event in the November.  With Seven Graded Turf Route events carded on Breeder’s Bowl weekend and several more in the two weeks before and after, opportunity is knocking for everyone.

Two horses most likely to find themselves eligible for graded races mentioned above are SHIPMENT OF GOLD, who could certainly have his sights set on the Grade 1 Parking Ticket on November 25, and BAY OF DRAGONS who has his pick on any three 9-furlong graded races between October 20 and December 2.  SHIPMENT OF GOLD is easily the horse to beat in this field off his three spectacular Stakes victories while averaging the top speeds in this field.  I am suspect of BAY OF DRAGONS in this field while racing on short rest at a non-optimal distance. Connections are renowned for prepping horses in this manner, and I suspect this might be the case here on Saturday.  Can he win, absolutely, and that would be a bonus, but I anticipate a useful effort reserving something in the tank for a graded appearance.

BOJACK CADET is another that has ability to compete at the graded level and would benefit greatly from a confidence point of view with a victory here on Saturday, but winless in nine months has me concerned on what side of the form cycle he is on.

NYC takes on the boys, and in most cases that would keep me away at the betting windows, but she has proven herself against the opposite sex before and faces a field well within her ability.

SEPOY STAR hails from a top outfit and has all the characteristics of a horse ready to turn in a new top.

EVIL D. is intriguing and usually the kind of horse I am all over if the price is right.  There is some hidden form here with the potential of generous payday if he hits the board.

ONE SUN ONE MOON has never been better but must prove he can handle the next level of racing since being gelded.

FAMILY DISPUTE has indicated a return to top form, but an 0-8 record at a mile and a sixteenth is a red flag in my book.

HARSH LIGHT OF DAY has picked a tough spot for his return after a 16-month layoff and may need a race or two.

YOUR JOY and CASINO TITAN finished far back in the ESR Flea and the Acrobat Stakes, reason enough to draw a line through them in the Saturday feature.  MAYBRY’S STRIKE doesn’t score much higher and fills out the Also Rans.

The Picks

SHIPMENT OF GOLD – hello, goodbye

NYC – girl power

SEPOY STAR – top outfit with a horse in top form

Longshot

EVIL D. – could light up the exotics