Big Race Recap 3343
Wassie’s Star G scored a minor upset as she finally is running to her pedigree on the surface change. In the two juvenile races it was Xtra Dynaform and Crezzino who won their respective races. Both runners rise quickly towards the tops of their classes and could be impact runners at the Breeder’s Bowl.
Race: 3343.3315 Queen Ascot Stakes – Grade I – $750,000
Track:
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
Distance: One mile on the Turf
Wassie’s Star G scored an upset catching the favorite Cosmo Girl in the final strides for her first grade one win. After toiling away running on the dirt in her first eleven starts she managed a win and a place, not very good considering her royal pedigree (Sadler’s Wells X A.P. Indy). She ran solid speed figures on dirt and when switched to the turf she responded with a win. Now five races later she has gone from barely earning a check in non winners of one other than allowances to cashing in her first Grade One Win!
Wassie’s Star G has won five of six on the green stuff with her only blemish coming on an off turf course. Today she a spectacular closing kick sitting near the back early on in the race and absolutely flying through the stretch to catch the favorite. She made up six lengths in the stretch to win by just a half a length. She has not earned enough points to make the Breeder’s Bowl where she would have to face the boys. Keep an eye on this one though she looks to be a top mare turf miler.
Cosmo Girl did everything right. She stalked the early pace from third, when the pace setter was done she promptly took over the pace setting duties. She held a commanding three and a half length lead entering the stretch. It took a monster effort to beat her as she stayed on well in the stretch just getting caught in the final stages by the ten to one long shot. Cosmo Girl has been a top filly turf miler this spring and summer. This was her second 111 speed figure in the last few months.
Alberta Gold gave another honest effort in finishing third. The crafty veteran stalked just behind Cosmo Girl in the early stages of the race. She was not able to catch up to Cosmo Girl once she turned on the jets but she was not loosing much ground either. She finished four and three quarter lengths behind the winner and was nearly three lengths better than the fourth place finisher. This was her twelfth graded stakes placing in her career. She has won a G1, a G2 and a pair of G3 races.
Race: 3343.3314 Filly Grand Prix – Grade I – $500,000
Track:
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 2 years old
Distance: One mile on the Turf
Xtra Dynaform rose to the occasion on the stretch out and with that she is now the number one ranked two year old turf filly. She really moved up on the stretch out improving fifteen points on her previous speed figure. She sat at the back of the pack early on in the race and was nine lengths off the early pace. She made a sweeping move as the runners entered the stretch quickly passing runners and getting the lead in the deep stretch. She would pull away at the wire to win by a length and three quarters. She is now set up well for the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile Filly Turf. The only question for her will be time between races.
She may only have one career win but her ticket is punched for the Breeder’s Bowl with this second place finish. Miesque’s Gold took an early position near the back of the field. She was not too far off the early pace though just five lengths back. She made a strong bid into the stretch and while she could not fend off the winner she dug in late holding off Single White Pat at the wire.
Single White Pat should also be in a position to make the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile Filly Turf field after a nice third place effort. She was one of the favored runners in a field that was really wide open. She seemed to respond really well to the stretch out coming from off the pace. She was gaining ground on the second place runner the whole stretch just running out of ground in the end. She was third also just a length and three quarters behind the winner.
Race: 3343.5915 Nationwide Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 2 years old
Distance: Seven furlongs on the Turf
Crezzino jumps from the gates and never looks back wiring this field of juveniles to earn his first grade one win. This makes three wins from four starts in his young career. His only defeat came at the Smackdown. Today he was full of run early on slipping away to a length and a quarter lead. He then pushed that to a two and a half length lead entering the stretch and made every inch of the advantage count getting to the wire just three quarters of a length ahead of King of Indy. His dam ran much the same way and was solid at a mile. He could be a player at the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile Turf but the distance could pose a challenge to him.
King of Indy ran his seventh race as a two year old today. He has two wins and now a runner up finish in a grade one. He should probably really flourish as the distances get longer but he will likely not have enough stakes points to qualify for the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile Turf. Today he was toward the back early in ninth position but not too far off the early pace more than six lengths back. He worked his way toward the front and made a strong move through the stretch really putting pressure on the winner in the late stages.
Arcangelo was a little further off the pace here than he had been in his previous starts and that may have cost him a bit. In the early stages he was in good position sitting mid pack but was more than a length further off the pace than usual. He moved passed tiring runners but struggled to keep up with the top two in the stretch. He could be in a decent position to make the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile Turf. He is currently eighth and it is pretty safe to say he will not be in the top fourteen in late October. He should be close though and with a couple of defections could find himself in the field.