Four colts to do battle in North The Baby Bonanza
The juveniles hold onto the spotlight this week in Virginia’s stakes offering, the North The Baby Bonanza. Entries are open to all two year olds, and is set to run over seven and a half furlongs of firm turf. A $55000 purse waits at the finish line to be divided among the best of them. This will be the third year that Viriginia will host this stakes, and the first two runnings have been a jumping off point for several future stakes winners. Last year’s event was won by Carolina Quickstep(JPN), the middle effort in a string of three straight stakes wins for the young colt. He has gone on to be ranked in the top 20 among three year old turf classic runners. This year’s race has drawn a short field of four colts including three stakes winners and one unraced wildcard entry. Odds are all over the board here, with an even odds favorite backed by a 6/5 second choice. The field is rounded out with a 3/1 shot, and a long odds bet for the maiden at a 23/1 mark. There is still going to need to be some major surprises to generate any kind of decent payouts.
PP 1) The Twister(AUS) Sired by Markane, Trained by wildwest. The Twister(AUS) is making his fifth career start here. He has one stakes win to his credit. His first four starts have have seen him go 2-1-1-0-0 with a best speed number of 74.4, which he duplicated in his last two starts. His last start was a six furlong turf stakes right here in Virginia, where he finished third in a field of seven, never really threatening in the race. All four previous career starts have been on the grass, and with four top three finishes, there hasn’t been much reason to do a surface switch. This will be his longest start to date by a furlong and a half. He hasn’t seemed to be looking for more distance, but he does seem to be losing a step at the six furlong range as this year’s juvenile crop starts to mature. His sire is a freshman out of the Red Ransom line, which should lend him some stamina, but he has a strong sprint influence coming throuhg the dam side. To this point, he has done his best work as a stalker, and has shown the ability to close short distances at need. That is pretty much the dispostion of this field as a whole, which could very well involve him in an early speed duel. How he handles the additional distance will be the question for him here. His speeds are comparable for the most part with this field, and if he can handle the extra real estate he could be a threat here.
PP 2) Soul Of Sioux(KY) Sired by Cherokee Run, Trained by rocket34. Soul Of Sioux(KY) takes the gate for his fifth career time here. He has one previous stakes win on his resume. He has posted a 3-0-0-0-0 record in his first four, with a best speed of 79.0, which he earned two starts back. His last race was a seven furlong stakes in DC, where he soundly beat a field of four by just over two lengths. He tried dirt in his second start, but that was his only stumble. On turf he has three wins in three starts. He stretches an additional half furlong over his previous long, but it doesn’t look like that should be a big factor here, with his running style and the lack of apparent breakout early speed. He breaks as a midpack to deep closer, and his turf close has been nothing short of stellar. He shouldn’t be far off the lead at the half, and his close could very well make him the one to beat in this race.
PP 3) Authentic Fable(ENG) Sired by Singspiel(IRE), Trained by mahvaros. Authentic Fable(ENG) makes a field high eight career start, and he gets the oddsmakers’ nod here. He already has three prior stakes wins, and looks to take number four here. Through his first seven he boasts a record of 4-1-1-0-0 with a top speed of 79.6 earned in his last start. That race was an eight furlong staked race in Delaware, where he closed too little, too late, settling for third in a short field of four. His first run was a dirt run, and it was lackluster enough that many trainers would have cut him loose then and there. A switch to turf appeared to be just what the doctor ordered, and he has been in the top three in all six turf starts. He stretched to eight in his last, and it wasn’t his finest day. It was only his first time stretching out, but he seems much more comfortable in a shorter sprint. He runs a midpack closer’s pace, and in sprints his close has been excellent. His last start leaves a big question mark about distance though. The good news for him is the lack of early speed here, which shouldn’t leave him out quite as deep as he found himself last time. If he can handle the extra furlong, he’ll be right in the mix. If his last was an indication, it could be a long day for him.
PP 4) Danish Ace(AUS) Sired by Foxhound, Trained by virus316. Every race needs a wild card, and Danish Ace(AUS) fits the bill here. He enters this race as an unraced maiden. He looks to jump straight to the bigtime here. His sire is Foxhound, out of Danzig, who has been relatively lightly used over the last five years. His limited pool of offspring seem to be a mixed bag, overall displaying a slight preference for dirt sprinting. He doesn’t number a single stakes winner among his thirty three progeny in the last five years. His dam sire, Revoque(IRE) is also lightly used, with only seven progeny through his female lines. Those have shown a strong preference for turf sprinting. He also has not had a stakes winner. Everything appears to be against him here, and his odds reflect that. Can’t recommend even a longshot bet until I see him run.