Hard to predict full field in North-Dakota

Race ID:3343.7515
Middle Gournd Mile
Grade II

One Mile       
Fast dirt
$250,000
All horses, 3 years old and up

Welcome in North-Dakota for the yearly return of the Middle Gournd Mile. We have a full field that will be contending for the title and expect a time of 1.34.2/5 or below will be necessary for the win today.

PP         Age            Name                            Trainer              Odds            Pedigree

1          4M            SO SLEW ME                    babyfarms        9/1            Belong To Me x Seattle Slew x Storm Cat

Record: 32 races: 8-5-1

So Slew Me comes from 110SP earlier this year but had some tough races lately. His speeds are not too bad, but in his last 4 races he only ran in the money once. Did win the G2-Soupy Sails Classic in May and has proven he has a lot of speed. His last win over a mile dates back from February where he easily won an allowance in a time of 1.34.2/5 which will be necessary today to win the race 

2          5M            UNSECURE ACCOUNT        super11             8/1            Machiavellian x Green Desert x Nureyev

Record: 28 races: 9-4-2

This Machiavelliancolt out of the superstables only began racing at 3 and has been a very good and consistent allowancehorse ever since. That was until two races ago when, after posting the one +100 speed after the other, he was raised in level in a Stakes. He immediately won the EPIC CONQUEST memorial begin July. He was even stepped up further begin August and put in a good performance in the G3-Teeny Weenie Stakes where he just finished on the board and was still coming back. I think his future will depend on this race. If he comes close he might be stretched further in next races. A horse that seems to be at the peak of his career.

3          6M            KILLICK                            bredtosell         14/1            Broad Brush x Valid Appeal x Irish River

Record: 37 races: 10-4-7

In gate 3 and 4 we have two horses that seem to be very similar to eachother. The Broad Brush colt actually is a very good sprinter and only tried routing once in his entire career. He has been very lightly raced this year as it will be his fourth race of this season. Last race was in June: a Stakes over six furlongs which he won from wire-to-wire. Looks to be in form but I think the race will be a little too long for him today.

4          6M            SKANONYMOUS                 sighclone          7/1            Yonaguska x Deputy Minister x Halo

Record: 37 races: 14-6-3

Very good older sprintingcolt out of Yonaguska. He is on a roll winning two graded races in a row over 6 furlongs. Has been sprinting almost his entire career and only ran over a mile once and that was 3 and a half years ago. He then finished 5^th in an allowance but he was approaching the leader. If you look at his runningstyle you must admit he is not without a chance over a mile, but as he has been unproven over a mile it is very difficult to judge his chances today. He is six years of age but absolutely far from the end of his career. If he does not loose too much ground in the first half of the race he might be a strong closer.

5          4M            VETINARI’S VIXEN             mrhwi2              9/1            Gone West x Sadler’s Wells x Storm Cat

Record: 25 races: 9-3-5

This Gone West colt put in a great effort mid June when he seems to have been peaking, failing just to win the G1-Michael Strike Stakes. After that effort has been struggling on 10f and lost his form at 8 furlong. Maybe he was a bit overraced in June (3 races)? Begin this month his trainer cleverly entered him in an allowance and he looks to have found back his form as he posted a 109SP.  If you look at his speeds and it is unbelievable he only has won 1 Stakesrace (on 8f) before. Maybe he can show his real class in this race.

6          4M            SILVERGONE                    boeufcake         17/1            Silver Deputy x Gone West x AP Indy

Record: 37 races: 7-7-4

Very good and consistent allowance horse which was claimed in fall of last year by trainer Boeufcake. Since april of this year he has been starting posting speed figures of + 100 very regularily. End of August he was raised in class by entering the OUR FROWNS Stakes. He managed to post his highest Speed Figure ever and was placed only 2 lengths behind the winner. If you look closer at this last race one is tempted to say that this mile could be a little too short for him.

7          4M            HERE’S INDY BG               bobg7               7/1            Dehere x AP Indy x Storm Cat

Record: 36 races: 10-7-4

This speedy colt out of Dehere already won 2 Stakesraces early in his carreer at 2 and afterwards has been most successful at allowancelevel. It now looks like he has come to full maturity since he has been posting +100 speeds consistently this year. He is in form winning an allowance on an offtrack last race and a Stakes over 8f two races ago in his topspeed to date 113SP.

This will be another colt that will be part of the speedbattle early in this race.

8          4M            ARMED AND READY           zewango2         6/1             Coronado’s Quest x Strike the Gold x Private Account

Record: 22 races: 11-2-0

Armed and Ready is another very speedy horse in this field. Perhaps the speediest horse at this moment. Has been posting +100 speeds in his last 7 races of which he won 5. He is at full maturity now and at the high of his career. He comes off a very good G3 win on 8f in a time below 1.34 which could be fast enough for the win today. For me the horse with most chances today.

9          4M            UNNSTOPPABLE                 reallycute         13/1             Noactor x War Chant x Black Tie Affair

Record: 20 races: 9-2-3

This 4y old colt has a nice pedigree but is out of obscure sire Noactor. He likes to come off a bit off the pace and has been almost unstoppable in his last 5 races. He also is at the peak of his career, finishing within a length in his last race and posting a careerbest of 109SP. He has only been improving this year and showed he is capable of winning a graded race. After the speedbattle we will surely have in this race, this might be a good challenger if he can keep up with the frontrunners.

10         4M            ROMAN CONQUEST             lasthope          11/1            AP Indy x Sadler’s Wells x Buckpasser

Record: 24 races: 7-5-1

This bargain bred colt has known some ups and downs in his still young carreer. He seems to have been a frontrunner in the beginning of his carreer, but only started to perform better after changing his runningstyle. He broke his maiden in a maidenclaimer but could not confirm in allowances. In june he was stretched to 13f in a claimer which he won. He won another one and even won an allowance over 10f in a good 92 SPEED. Did fail in his first Stakesrace but that was on dirt. He gets another chance today and I think the ground will suit him more. Don’t be fooled by the low odds as I think he might surprise and even does have a chance for a third place.

11         5M            HARDER TO CATCH            black3car2       22/1            Elusive Quality x Souvenir Copy x Baptism

Record: 37 races: 6-2-3

With the lowest odds on the start of this race is this 5 y old colt who is the firstborn of dam ALMOST MUCH. His last win dates back from the end of last year and besides a show in his first race of this year (G2-Orangeton Handicap) he has not done too much on the track this year. He raced in Stakes this year but further than a fourth place he did not get. His last race was a big disappointment finishinging 13^th in a full Stakesfield. Will have to improve big time to make part of this race.

12         5M            MYLEDES                            ets9                  9/1            Grand Lodge x Storm Cat x Stage Door Johnny

Record: 44 races: 9-7-5

This colt out of the 50stable empire of Theo seems to be posting better speeds on an offtrack than on a fast track. Is in form, posting 4 +100Speeds in his latest races. Three races ago he managed to finish third in the G2-Abraham Lincoln Handicap. The last time he ran the mile was begin this year where he finished first and second in his usual speedy fashion. One to keep an eye on.

13         4M            K’S ARISTOKRATIC              sledwidth          13/1            Giant’s Causeway x Mr. Prospector x Buckpasser

Record: 18 races: 9-6-1

I hardly can’t believe the bookies only give this gently raced colt 13/1 in the morning ratings. In 15 of his 18 races he finished first or second. Seems to have a lot of speed at the end of the race and comes back on track from a win in his last race. They only thing that could be a problem in this race is the length. 8f might be a bit too short with all that early speed.

14         4M            ARMSTRONG                       paddy               15/1                  Afleet x Irish River x Secretariat

Record: 26 races: 6-6-3

Very imposing 4yo colt by Afleet who has won 6 of his 26 starts with six 100+ speed figures this year. He is no stranger to Graded races but failed 5 times although he had a super second in the G3-Star Athlete Handicap end of May. He was outrun last race but that was a G1 which was not really his cup of tea. Maybe he can pick up again his form in this race, although he will have a tough time in my opinion.