Full Field Lines Up For North Fork Stakes
The fifteenth race on the card this week, and the race immediately following the Grade I highlight race of the Yellow Submarine Stakes will be the Grade II North Fork Stakes. The North Fork Stakes is open to all two year olds and is run over a distance of one mile on the dirt. The weather is favorable here in California and looks to hold out throughout the week and into the racing weekend. Look the the dirt track to be listed as fast at post time Saturday. A total of fourteen horses have drawn into this years running of the North Fork Stakes, lets take a look at each of the runners entered into the field.
Drawing the rail is the first of our co-favorites, Panhandling (A.P. Indy x Seeking The Gold x Northern Dancer), out of the Grade I race-winning dam Heaven’s Gate, who is trained by dixiedotco, owner of Dixiedotco Racing. The impeccably bred chestnut colt has had a total of four lifetime starts and has never finished worse than second. His debut race came in a maiden special over five furlongs in Vermont where the colt hung back out of the gate in fourth but charged forward in the stretch to go on to win by one and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of seventy-eight. His next two starts resulted in second place finishes in both the ungraded Sir Crafty Stakes and the ungraded Perfect Ant Cap. His most recent race came earlier this month in the eight and a half furlong Buckeye Juvenile (G3) where the colt broke third but moved quickly into second and crossed the wire second, back by three lengths.
In the second slot is Rahfleet (Northern Afleet x Rahy x Storm Cat), who is owned and trained by millerfar4, owner of Millerfarm Stables. The chestnut colt has had a total of three lifetime starts, of which his worse finish was third. His debut race came in a five and a half furlong sprint overseas in New South Wales where the colt broke out of the starting gate in fourth and quickly began to pick off front-running horses, eventually winning the race by one and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of eighty-one. His second start came in Finland over six and a half furlongs in the listed Grim Dancer Stakes where the colt finished two lengths back in second. The colts most recent start came in the mile long Trixy Delight’s Special (G3) where the colt broke towards the back of the field and rallied in the stretch to finish third.
At 9/1 is Clear The Lead (IRE) (Shamardal x Vindication x Gulch), out of the race-winning dam Electrifying Gulch, who is owned and trained by laserbarn, owner of Murray1 Stables. The Irish-bred chestnut has had a total of five lifetime starts with only one finish that was not on the board. His debut race came in a five furlong maiden special in Louisiana where he broke out of the gate in second but lost ground in the short sprint and finished fourth. The colt would break his maiden in his next start, a five and a half furlong maiden special, also in Louisiana. His most recent start came in the Grade I Getaway Stakes where the colt broke towards the back of the field in ninth and moved up as the race drew on to finish second. His most recent win, however, came in an allowance caliber start over six and a half furlongs in Alabama where he won by one and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of eighty in late June. This Saturday will be the colts first start at a distance of eight furlongs.
Next is Speedtown (Speighstown x Danzig x Seeking The Gold), out of the graded stakes-placed dam Queen Of Gold, who is trained by citation, owner of Citation Stables. The bay colt has had a total of six lifetime starts, including two career wins. The young colt has only had two finishes that did not result in finishes on the board. His most recent start came earlier this month here in California during the seven furlong Dell Computer Futurity (G2) where he broke mid-pack in seventh and made his move gradually in the stretch, to cross the wire in third. His most recent win came in early May during the six and a half furlong ungraded Tom’s Dawn Cap where the colt broke closer to the pace in third and overtook the two front running pace horses in the stretch to win by a head with a speed figure of eighty-one. This Saturday will be the colts first start at a distance greater than seven furlongs.
Following will be Credit Burner (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Seattle Slew x Northern Dancer), out of the dam Curious Dancer, who is trained by zjkij, owner of Rockriver Stables. The bay Australian-bred colt has had a total of six career starts, half of these starts resulting in wins for the two year old. His most recent start came in the seven and a half furlong ungraded Stupidly With Raul Cap in Texas where the colt broke out of the gate in fifth and made his move late in the stretch, going on to win the race in a nail bitting finish, defeating his rivals by a nose while recording a speed figure of eighty. This Saturday will be the colts first attempt at a mile, as well as his first attempt with graded stakes competition.
In the sixth post is Buda The Explorer (Seeking The Gold x Mineshaft x Unbridled), out of the stakes-winning dam Mining For Buda, who is owned and trained by lacostra, owner of Topicount Stables. The chestnut colt has been very lightly raced with only a total of two career starts to date. The colts first start came over a mile long maiden special in Delaware where he broke out of the gate in third but quickly found himself leading the field as they came into the stretch, winning his debut race by one and three-fourth lengths with a speed figure of seventy-eight. His most recent, and only other start came on the sloppy dirt track of The BTB Cup (G2). Here the colt broke out of the gate in second, but didn’t fire in the stretch, finishing third.
Our other co-favorite is Cheap Thrillers (IRE) (Danehill Dancer (IRE) x Fappiano x Northern Dancer), who is owned by worldwide, owner of More Evil Than The Evil Empire! The two year old bay has had a total of five career starts with two wins, two places and a show. The spectacular cold has never finished off the board in any race. The colts most recent start came in Upper New York over the mile long I Shall Avenge Thee Stakes (G2) where the colt broke out of the gate in fourth and gradually took down horses ahead of him and found himself in the lead in the early stretch and coming home towards the wire, but a deep closing contender shot past him in the final furlongs and the bay colt finished second, two and one-fourth lengths back. His most recent win came in late June during the five and a half furlong Montana Futurity (G3), where the bay colt was sent out of the gate in fifth, and once again, started to challenge other horses early on in the race, and eventually winning the start by a length with a speed figure of eighty-three.
In at odds of 14/1 is Severance (ENG) (Sakhee x Kingmambo x Private Account), out of the graded stakes winning dam Mississippi Count, and is trained by sdmf8, owner of Black Label Stables. The bay colt has had a total of five lifetime starts. His first race came in the four and a half furlong A-DP Early Bird Open Owner Restricted where the colt broke out of the gate in mid-pack and went on to win the race by a length with a speed figure of sixty-four in early March. The colts most recent start came in the seven furlong DelPenn Hopeful Restricted where the colt broke towards the back of the field and rallied for fourth in the stretch. The colt has had two previous graded starts. His first graded start came in the Irish Futurity (G2) where he finished seventh, and then later in the Midsoil Stakes (G3) where the colt finished fourth.
Next is Pro Mon (Maria’s Mon x Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector), is out of the race-winning dam Pro Cat, and is owned by mardigras, owner of Peirchinski Stables. The striking light gray colt has had a total of three lifetime starts. His debut start came in Louisiana during a five and a half furlong maiden special run on a good dirt track where the colt broke out of the gate in third and stalked the pace setters, going on to overtake them in the stretch and win by one and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of seventy-six. His next start came over six furlongs in the ungraded Skii Memorial where he finished off the board in third after breaking late out of the gate. His most recent start came last month in Massachusetts during the mile long Dancer Bluegrass Special where the colt finished one-fourth length back in second.
Following will be Kentucky-bred The Rock Quarry (Rock Hard Ten x Coronado’s Quest x Saint Ballado) who is owned by wfstables, owner of Willyam13 Stables. The impressive chestnut colt has a total of three lifetime starts and has never finished worse than third to date. His debut race came in a maiden special in Indiana over six furlongs which he went on to win after stalking in second by half a length. Next on the agenda came a six and a half furlong ungraded stakes in The Stormy Ton Handicap where the colt set off in third and never fired in the stretch, crossing the wire third. His third, and most recent race came in his homeland of Kentucky during the mile long Pea Patch Juvenile (G3) where the colt won the race in wire to wire fashion by one-fourth of a length with a speed figure of eighty-seven, a lifetime best for the colt.
Longshot Under And Thru (Orientate x Gulch x Majestic Light), out of the stakes-placed dam Over Around Gulch, who is owned and trained by corka, owner of Corza Stables is next in the field. The bay colt is one of the most experienced horses in the field with a total of six lifetime starts. The horses debut start came over six furlongs in an allowance caliber start in Ontario where the colt broke near last and rallied to finish fourth. He then spent three starts at maiden special caliber races where he finally won his fourth start by a head. His most recent start came in a mile long allowance caliber start in New York where the colt broke out of the gate seventh and began challenging other horses early on in the race, eventually taking the win by one and a half lengths with a speed figure of eighty-three. The colt has had one previous stakes start, in the ungraded Euan’s Peg Stakes, where he finished fifth. Saturday will be the colts first start in graded company.
In the twelve slot is Turkish-bred Banking Fever (Strike The Gold x Boston Harbor x Maria’s Mon) is out of the race-winning dam Banker Babe, and is trained and owned by dundy, owner of Dundey Acres. The bay colt has had a total of five career starts, of which four have resulted in wins. His one sole loss came in the ungraded Rigazzi Stakes where the colt finished third. The colts most recent start came in the seven and a half furlong November Launch Bonanza where the colt went wire to wire in the dirt sprint to win by two and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of eighty-eight. He also won his previous start, in the six and a half furlong Babe’s Plates Memorial. Two interesting things of note for this colt is that this is his first attempt at graded stakes competition as well as his first start in a dirt route.
Next is Thanksbb (Empire Maker x Pine Bluff x Bluebird), who is trained and owned by hoshaba, owner of Dentition Stables. The bay colt has only had two career starts and has won one and finished second in his only other start. His debut race came in a six furlong maiden special in North California where he broke towards the back of the field in tenth, but began to move up quickly on the other horses in the field, taking the win by two lengths with a speed figure of eighty on July 14 of this year. His only other race came earlier this month over eight furlongs in The Ivanyamil Special on the Dirt Owner Restricted where the colt, again went towards the back of the field to rally in the stretch, this time to finish second, back by just half a length.
Drawing the far outside post will be Exterminate (ENG) (Red Ransom x Fusaichi Pegasus x Raise A Native), who is owned by younggroup, owner of Tees Stables. The two year old colt has had a total of three career starts and has never finished worse than third. His debut came in a maiden special over five and a half furlongs in New York where he set out of the gate in third and moved up into second in the stretch. He crossed the wire second back by one and one-fourth lengths. His second start came in a maiden special over a mile in Kentucky which the colt won by a head and a speed figure of eighty-six. His most recent start came in Upper New York during the Grade II I Shall Avenge Thee Stakes where the colt was sent out of the gate in second but fell back in the late stretch and finished third.