Mystery Buyer Buys Restrictive Grade I

 Mystery Buyer Buys Restrictive Grade I

California – The End Of Summer Special is a very restrictive Grade I race.  It carries a purse of $500,000 and will be run at a mile and a quarter over the main track.  It is for horses that are five years-old, no older, no younger – only five.  Nine horses were entered and unless it was Tracy that bought this race, I am sure that whoever did, was looking for some easy stakes points, a big move up the ladder in winnings and a ranking increase.  Whoever did buy this race probably didn’t expect much in the way of quality to show up,but quality did. Here is a look at the field and maybe we can figure out who needed some stakes points for next months Breeder’s Bowl.

On the rail is a son of Green Dessert named Like An Arrow (5/1).  Conditioned by Cjjonessz, Like An Arrow has some decent credentials behind him.  If you throw out his last the Grade I, California Classic, he has pretty much hit the board in every start.  He was second two back in The Cordell AP, but he will still have his work cut out for him on Saturday and even if he can get the job done, I don’t think he will make the Breeder’s Bowl so Cjjonessz Probably didn’t buy this race.

Solar Song (2/1) needs no introduction and as an Eclipse winner will almost certainly make the field of The Breeder’s Bowl.  Therefore, I feel confident that owner/trainer Squirrel4 took advantage of the conditions and is using this as a prep race for her # 11 ranked horse by Deputy Minister.  This is his favorite distance and with 17 wins, four of them this year, he has won over $10 million dollars.  His wins include, among others, the Grade III, Smackdown with a speed figure of 118, by far the best in the race.  I don’t expect to see this horse run his heart out on Saturday. So, no, I don’t think it was Tracy that bought this race although she has been known to hang out with some nefarious characters so it is possible.

Post three will hold Tsyndicate’s Bluewest Ted (18/1) a son of Gone West.  He’s eligible non three but has a decent form for a very solid allowance horse and he might really like the distance.  He finished a closing 4^th last time out in The Salted Tie with a very respectable speed figure of 101 at a shorter distance.  This horse might benefit from the longer distance but he’s making a big class jump and will not make the Breeder’s Bowl unless he ran every week from now until the end of October, winning them all.  No, I don’t believe Ted bought this race but his horse has a good shot on Saturday.

Mambo Bones (9/2), a son of Kingmambo, is trained by Jrougue5.  He is lightly raced with only 12 starts and he has won four of them.  Actually, he has only had one bad race recently and with his improving numbers is one to watch.  Unfortunately, he has had a heavy schedule and may be a tired horse. He won the Grade I, Brooke Lynn four back, and was second last time out in the Grade I, California Classic where he defeated others that he faces here on Saturday.  He’s ranked # 21 and definitely needs a few points to make the Breeder’s Bowl.   Trainer Jrogue5 could very well be the one who bought this race.

Fly Buda (8/1) is a son of Fusaichi Pegasus and will be saddled by Vicki.  He likes the distance but looks to be over matched in this one. He’s won seven of 20 and his best recent, was a second place finish two back.  He’s a nice horse and Vicki hangs around with some people who would buy a race like this but I don’t know……………

Act Of God (9/2) will be led up by Lenny13.  He’s ranked #42 so would really need the stakes points to have any shot at making The Breeder’s Bowl. In fact we would probably need to see this horse in quite a few more stakes between now and the end of October.  By Empire Maker, Act Of God has never ducked the competition, even though he has only won one race in the past nine months.  He’s got a wily trainer who I doubt would be above buying this restrictive a race.

 Monashee Mountain will be represented by Crypto Man (9/1) a former $40,000 claimer.  Coomer2 conditions this horse, which started a three race win streak last May.  This streak included a win in The Eskimo Joe Stakes.  He was second two back in The Pine Bone but he will need his best to get part and I don’t think his trainer paid for this race, just took advantage of the conditions.

Corza5 will saddle Buddha’s Undies (15/1) a nice looking son of Buddha.  He meets the age restriction but will need a big effort to get part of this on Saturday – like a 20 point jump in his speed figures.  He has been on a downhill slide since last March and I am sure Corza didn’t buy this race, just another who took advantage of the conditions.

Java Jack CB (11/1) by Java Gold will break on the outside.  Trained, as well as owned by Jackworm, Java Jack CB is a bit out of his league here, although he is a solid allowance horse.  He was a closing fourth last time out in a Puerto Rico allowance but he’s going to need some luck to get part of this.  He has won seven of his 20 starts but he is no where near a Breeder’s Bowl horse, at least this year. Jackworm is part of that infamous claim bandit group, so he could have bought the race, but not to get into the Breeder’s Bowl.

Fitting the conditions to a T – Mambo Bones looks like the winner to me with Act Of God giving him a workout.  Solar Song also fits these conditions perfectly but will canter home in third.  Of course I am the world’s worse handicapper so don’t take it to the bank unless you can afford to lose.  Now – for the big question…. who do I think paid the big bucks for this highly restricted race?   My money is on……. Jrogue5!  Mambo Bones and Solar Song both need the stakes points to make the big dance but I think Tracy wouldn’t do something like this.  It should be fun to watch – Good Luck to all.

Update – I just found out that it was Tracy that bought this race.

HA!  Sure fooled me.