A Slippery Field in Margarine GII Stakes!

The Margarine Stakes
Grade II
A mile and one sixteenth on the Fast Dirt Track
$250,000
Fillies and mares, 2 years old
Stakes Record – Rosella, 2001 – 93.2

We have six of the top thirty ranked fillies here in lovely Ontario. Usually, the two year olds are starting to stretch it out and weed out the pretenders at this point. This is an incredibly balanced field and it is amazing how many of these young ladies have a chance to win here. I am really excited about this race so let’s take a look:

#1 SAINTE CHAPPELLE(KY) trainer – Whitby, ( 13/1), Jockey – Mo.Johnson (7%), Earnings – $81,230
This filly is out of ASPIRATION ME who was equally good on both surfaces. She just missed a Graded win last time out by a head and had a nice 85 SPF. She’s never finished off the board and her stalking style lends itself well to this post position although she has never run as long as a mile. She has Johnson in the leather who has been struggling this year but she may be able to overcome that.

#2 NEHI ORANGE(KY) trainer – HillHouse, ( 8/1), Jockey – V.Townsend (14%), Earnings – $101,210
In five races this filly has never finished lower than second but second it was in the three Stakes outings, never able to quite get it done. It is going to happen sooner or later and this may be the place. She has a number 23 ranking and has a chance to jump that up considerably for trainer HillHouse. Townsend is in the irons and quite capable with these young ladies.

#3 JUEGO DEL FUEGO(AUS) trainer – JackWorld, ( 8/1), Jockey – J.Iginla (13%), Earnings – $123,012
This hot filly’s name translates to GAME OF THE FIRE and she is that hot. She is coming in on a two win Stakes winning streak but did struggle in her only Graded outing before that. She is putting out a good effort for trainer JackWorld and he would love to see her make it over that Graded hump. Her stalking ways will help her from this post and with Iginla holding the reins she should be in the mix at the end although she hasn’t run further than six and a half before this.

#4 GRAUPOINT(KY) trainer – Xanderman, ( 10/1), Jockey – S.Dawson (8%), Earnings – $24,680
With only two races under her belt, it is a bit tough handicapping this filly especially with her lone win being on an off track. Trainer Xanderman has jumped her up to Graded company and she could surprise but I want to see her a couple of times before I could recommend her. Dawson is up on this one and has been struggling this year. Could be a tough race for this team.

#5 TEN YEAR STORM(KY) trainer – Wtas02, ( 10/1), Jockey – N.Linville (23%), Earnings – $167,500
This filly has given trainer Wtas everything that has been asked for with three wins and a close second in four tries. All three wins have been in Stakes and the near miss was a Graded. The SPFs haven’t been as high as some but there is no disputing the results. There appears to be generous morning line odds on this one, especially with the magic hands of jockey Linville holding the reins. This could easily be the race that she makes up for that close second. The one drawback is that she has never run longer than six furlongs and this is quite a jump.

#6 SON OF A PROPHET(KY) trainer – TheProphet8, ( 13/1), Jockey – P.Kelly (18%), Earnings- $100,565
Another filly with nothing less than a second place finish and a two race win streak coming in including the EAST BETWEEN STORM Stakes last time out. Trainer ThePropet8 has stretched her out nicely and her experience at a mile should certainly help here. Kelly is in the leather and should help out as well. This could be a live team in the race.

#7 BREWTALICIOUS(KY) trainer – Arse2007, ( 9/1), Jockey – M.Judge (9%), Earnings – $51,330
Although her best race was at mile, trainer Arse2007 knows that she will definitely have to bump up her SPF to compete with this crowd. She struggled in her one Stakes outing and has to overcome the lackluster season of Jockey Judge. It will be interesting to see if she can make the jump.

#8 OFFICE BUSTER(KY) trainer – OkieSlew, ( 22/1), Jockey – C.Muncie (8%), Earnings – $121,876
There is really a lot of good and bad with this filly. First, she has won four in a row including two Stakes races. None of them were at a mile or more, that is bad. Her highest SPF to date is a 78 and that is probably not fast enough here. She has Muncie on her back and his 8% Win Percentage isn’t too good. However, trainer OkieSlew’s 13% win percentage ain’t too bad. All in all this one is all over the board and I really have no idea!

#9 AZZA MUSS(AUS) trainer – Sadlier, ( 9/1), Jockey – B.Coleman (10%), Earnings – $56,391
This will be the first Stakes outing for this pretty brown filly but she threw a sizzling 88 SPF last time out that should put her in contention in most Stakes races. That is one of the fastest here and at a mile so with the capable hands of Coleman up in the saddle, there is no reason for trainer Sadlier to think that this filly can’d compete here. I tend to agree!

#10 JUSTIFY(KY) trainer – Zwango1, ( 9/1), Jockey – D.Conrad (13%), Earnings – $136,740
You don’t need any more ‘justification’ for this filly as she has proved her worth to trainer Zwango1 with a nice ranking, over $100k in earnings and just a quarter length from being undefeated in five races including two Stakes wins in a row coming in. With Conrad on board, his deft handling of young fillies should shine through and this team ought to be there at the end. The outside post may hurt her front running style but he should get her to the rail early.

#11 INCREDIBLE CAUSE(KY) trainer – TG, ( 19/1), Jockey – K.McCafferty (12%), Earnings – $90,575
One of the most experienced fillies with six races but will be her first turn at a mile or more. She won her first Stakes last time out but with a sub par 78 SPF and it will take a bit more than that to compete here. She is guided by jockey McCafferty who is having a very solid year and you never know that this horse may even be better at this slightly longer distance. Trainer TG surely hopes so.

#12 NEW BOLTON(KY) trainer – Paddy, ( 12/1), Jockey – K.Cogswell (15%), Earnings – $56,305
After struggling mightily for trainer Paddy in two straight Stakes races, she was stretched out to a mile and responded with a nice Stakes win and an 80 SPF. She seems to like the extra distance and stretching out a bit further here may even work better. She has Cogswell sitting on her back and his 14 years of experience are translating into his best season yet. Hopefully he can capitalize on that.

#13 PORN STARR(KY) trainer – Korn, ( 5/1), Jockey – J.Allen (10%), Earnings- $107,805
This nicely bred filly has the eye of the Morning Line going off as our favorite. She hasn’t yet run a mile though and you wonder how she will respond for trainer Korn. Her breeding should hold up to that though and she has enough speed to be in the mix with this group. Allen is capable in the leather and this team should make things interesting.

#14 SAARAHY(KY) trainer – Simond2, (10/1), Jockey – T.King (11%), Earnings – $67,600
And finally, on the far outside we have another interesting choice. This nice looking filly ran a mile for the first time last time out and she blew away the short Stakes field with an 87 SPF. Trainer Simond2 has to be happy with that outing and has contracted jockey King to bring her to the front. That last race was the first that she took the lead early and with the outside post you have to wonder if she can get there again. If she can get there without expending too much energy she might be able to hold on.