WHO WILL SIP THE BUBBLY IN THE WINNERS CIRCLE IN NEW YORK GRADE I
The last race on this weekends card at New York is the 3rd Grade I feature of the day. The juveniles will be stretching out to 8.5 furlongs on the dirt in what may turn out to be a prep for the upcoming BB stakes in 4 weeks time. A field of 13 have entered and will be chasing down the top share of the $500,000 purse.
Let’s take a look at today’s field:
1)RUN FOR PRESIDENT(KY)—7/1—barba sends this colt out of JOHANNESBURG with a record of 3-2-0-1 and lifetime earnings of $57,700. He is out of the mare WHAT A WILDCAT who was 5/29 at the track and who has only this 1 foal on record to date. This 39th divisional ranked colt races for The Kobra Stables based at the NWRC residency. This colts sire has a 76.7% winners rate with a 9.2% stakes winners rate and a 1.4% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 41.3% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt won his first 2 starts of the year in allowance company displaying a knack for having a huge late kick in the race. He stretched out to 8 furlongs last time out in The Grade II Camel Juvenile where he was a late closing 3rd just missing the win by 3/4 of a length posting his second straight 87 speed figure. It would appear that he will enjoy the extra ground in today’s race. The rider for today’s race will be Painter (11%).
2)SUITED AK(JPN)—9/1—chilichili sends this colt out of DAVID JUNIOR with a record of 6-3-1-0 and lifetime earnings of $83,300. He is out of the mare INCREDISHELL who was 5/27 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners including 1 stakes winner. This 34th divisional ranked colt races for the Great Plains Division of the Chilimac stables who is a current quarterfinalist in the Simcup07 contest. This colt’s sire has a 25% winners rate with a 2.5% stakes winners rate and he has yet to sire a Graded stakes winner in this his first season standing at stud. He had a pretty unimpressive debut on the dirt which prompted a switch to the turf for a pair of races and while he did break his maiden on the lawn he was switched back to the dirt for his last 3 races where he has shown remarkable improvement. He has posted back to back 85 speed ratings in his last 2 starts including a win in The Momentary Quest Memorial Stakes in Alabama last time out in Alabama. He has shown himself to be a closer who will sit in midpack early in the race. The rider for today’s race will be Child (13.4%).
3)ROSES IN MARIA(JPN)—23/1—pudj1 sends this colt out of ROSES IN MAY with a record of 4-1-0-2 and lifetime earnings of $16,131. He is out of the mare FABULOUS MONARCH who was 2/13 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners. This unranked colt races for the Pilgrim Stables based at the GR Simsters. Ths colt’s sire has a 51.7% winners rate with a 3.4% stakes winners rate and he has yet to sire a Graded stakes winner in 2 season standing at stud. This year 30.4% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This horse broke his maiden last time out in his 4th try posting his lifetime best 77 speed rating over the 7 furlong long sprint race. He takes a huge class hike here today along with the added distance and should he upset some others would provide a huge return for his backers. While it is always tough to say how well 2 year olds will respond this one may be better suited for an allowance or overnite stakes start before trying Grade I company. The rider for today’s race will be Israel (12.75).
4)WILD TO THE TOUCH(KY)—5/1—fortywalt sends this colt out of TOUCH GOLD with a record of 4-2-1-1 and lifetime earnings of $200,230. He is out of the mare CLOUD WATCHING who was 6/44 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners including this colt who is a Graded winner. This 46th divisional ranked colt races for Lsumark Stables based in Ireland. This colt’s sire has a 71.9% winners rate with a 10% stakes winners rate and a 1.7% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 32.8% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt won his debut MSW race and has raced in 3 Graded races since refuting my comments to the previous horse in this column. He has progressed from a 3rd place to a 2nd place to a 1st place finish in each of those starts. He won The Grade III Little Tree Stakes in New Jersey last time out posting an 89 speed rating over the 6 furlong race. While showing speed by pressing the pace in his first starts he had a tendency to fade late in the stretch and in his last start he seemed to wait longer before making his move which may have him prepared for the added ground in his first route start today. The rider for today’s race will be Jenkins (6.8%).
5)CRAZED(KY)—5/1—malekfarms sends this colt out of EMPIRE MAKER with a record of 3-2-0-0 and lifetime earnings of $58,024. He is out of the he-mare TRAVIS BICKLE who was 10/43 at the track. This 158th divisional ranked colt races for the Afc stables based at the Del/Penn National residency. This colt’s sire has a 75.6% winners rate with a11.3% stakes winners rate and a 3.3% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 23.2% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. After a so-so debut on an off track in Eastern Kentucky this colt has posted back to back wins over the 8 furlong distance in allowance races posting a pair of 87 speed ratings. Both of his races have been wire to wire efforts and he seems ready to handle the class rise to stakes company today. One might notice that he has lost ground in the late stretch in both of his wins but he was probably being hand ridden home with his comfortable leads in the stretch and hopefully he will be able to keep his mind on business with the extra half furlong in today’s race. The rider for today’s race will be Haffner (7.7%).
6)CREASE INFRACTION(ENG)—10/1—rhfarms sends this colt out of DUBAI DESTINATION with a record of 5-1-3-1 and lifetime earnings of $90,385. He is out of the mare DOWN UNDER(IRE) who was 9/41 at the track and who has only this 1 foal on record to date. This 14th divisional ranked colt races for the Bigrick Stables based over at the Minnesota Downs residency. This colt’s sire has a 59.7% winners rate with a 5.1% stakes winners rate and a 0.8% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 25% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt won his MSW race in his 2nd lifetime start and has stretched out ot 8 furlongs in his last 2 starts. In both of those races, which were stakes races, he has jumped out to the lead and cut the early fractions before having to settle for 2nd place each time. He posted his lifetime best 87 speed rating last time out while finishing 2nd in The Grade II Camel Juvenile in Dubai. He will need to reverse that trend of faultering late in the stretch if he plans on getting the win here today. The rider for today’s race will be Lawton (23.2%).
7)DESERTRY(KY)—13/1—twister sends this colt out of FORESTRY with a record of 2-1-0-1 and lifetime earnings of $15,360. He is out of the mare YOMAMBO who was 4/36 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners. This unranked colt races for Randy’s Oneworld stables based over at the Minnesota Downs racing residency. This colt’s sire has a 78.5% winners rate with a 10% stakes winners rate and a 1.7% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 45.6% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. He won his debut MSW race over 6.5 furlongs by stalking the pace and passing the frontrunners in the stretch drive. He came back in an overnite stakes race where he ran an even 3rd around the track in the 7 furlong race posting his lifetime best 74 speed rating. He takes a rise in class here today and will hopefully continue the trend of improving his speed ratings as he stretches out to the route distance today. The rider for today’s race will be Michaels (10.4%).
8)SHETAN(KY)—9/2—cdragon sends this 2 year old colt out of STORM CAT with a record of 2-2-0-0 and lifetime earnings of $58,980. He is out of the he-mare BUCEPHALLUS who was 3/31 at the track. This 47th divisional ranked colt races for the GR Simsters division of the Twoofus Stables. This colt’s sire has a 90.6% winners rate with a 19.3% stakes winners rate and a 5.2% Graded Stakes winners rate. This year 66.2% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. He made a big move around the far turn in winning his debut MSW race over 7 furlongs on the dirt and then came back to strech out in an 8.5 furlong overnite stakes race. In that race he sat back early in the small 6 horse field and closed best in the stretch to win posting his lifetime best 87 speed rating. He makes the class rise to Graded stakes and will be the early line favorite for today’s race. The rider for today’s race will be Williams (15%).
9)WHIM(KY)—21/1—alysalley sends this colt out of CACTUS RIDGE with a record of 4-3-0-0 and lifetime earnings of $43,160. This 137th divisional ranked colt races for the unafilliated At The Wire Thoroughbreds. This colt’s sire has a 53.7% winners rate with a 2.4% stakes winners rate and he has not sired a Graded stakes winner in 4 years standings at stud. This year 40% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt won his first 2 lifetime start and after regressing a little in his 3rd start came on to win The King Guapo Memorial Stakes in Mexico last time out over 7 furlongs on the dirt where he matched his lifetime best 80 speed rating. He has shown an ability to close in short field sprint races so far in his career and will be stretching out to a route here today against a large 13 horse contingent. If he can transfer his closing abilities to the longer distances he may be the price horse in today’s race. The rider for today’s race will be Dirks (12.4%).
10)ZABEEL WARRIOR(AUS)—14/1—hewett sends this colt out of UKOK WARRIOR(AUS) with a record of 6-2-2-2 and lifetime earnings of $101,880. This 56th divisional ranked colt races for Ladofmanor’s Brian Breeding & Racing Empire based at the EAAA racing association. This colt’s sire has an 11.1% winners rate and has yet to sire a stakes winner in this his first season standing at stud. This colt broke his maiden on the turf in his lifetime debut and was switched to the dirt in his next start which he also was victorious in. He has races in 4 overnite dirt stake races since and while not winning any yet has managed to finish in the top 3 every time. He stretched out to 8.5 furlongs last time out and while he did not gain any ground he also did not lose any while racing 2nd around the track for the entire race. He has posted 83 speed ratings in each of his last 3 starts and his connections hope that is not the peak of this colt’s abilities. He should be stalking the early pacesetters today and will need to be able to find an extra gear in the stretch in order to turn his top 3 finishes into wins. The rider for today’s race will be Davis (11.6%).
11)MOON OF QUEENSLAND(JPN)—15/1—graywolf5 sends this colt out of MOON BALLAD(IRE) with a record of 7-1-4-0 and lifetime earnings of $54,385. He is out of the mare WOLF OF QUEENSLAND who was 5/41 at the track and who has 4 foals on record, all winners. This 371st divisional ranked colt races for an unafilliated stable from the Wolf’s Den. This colt’s sire has a 67.6% winners rate with a 3.7% stakes winners rate and a 0.5% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 20% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt won his 2nd lifetime start to break his maiden and while he has not won again since has managed to pick up several 2nd place finishes, 3 of which have come in overnite stakes races. But, his connections have not been happy with his progress as they have decided to switch him to the dirt for the first time in today’s race. He does have a lifetime best 80 speed rating so far in his career and has run the 8.5 furlong distance already but in his last few starts he has cut all the early fractions but been unable to hang on when the real running started in the late stretch. It still remains to be seen how he will handle the surface change for this race today. The rider for today’s race will be Jantzen (3.4%).
12)BRAVE BIRDIE(ENG)—9/1—jsimpson sends this colt out of GREEN DESERT with a record of 5-2-2-0 and lifetime earnings of $132,340. He is out of the mare CAPTAIN’S CATS who was 7/60 at the track and who has 3 foals on record, all winners including 1 Graded stakes winner. This 38th divisional ranked colt races for the unafilliated Mv4ever Stables. This colt’s sire has a 78.6% winners rate with a 9.4% stakes winners rate and a 1.6% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 41.4% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt started his career on the turf where he broke his maiden in his debut start but then faltered when he came back to run in a Grade II turf stakes. He was switched to the dirt where he won his first start on that surface and has progressed nicely with 2 starts since including his last where he finished 2nd in The Grade II Dell Computer Futurity where he posted a lifetime best 85 speed rating in the 7 furlong sprint. He did race over 8.5 furlongs in his race previous also finishing 2nd but like others here will need to reverse the trend of getting to the front and cutting the early fractions before giving away the lead in the late stretch. The rider for today’s race will be Cunningham (9.4%).
13)ELUSIVE PREDATOR(KY)—11/1—madmanlopo sends this colt out of ELUSIVE QUALITY with a record of 3-1-0-1 and lifetime earnings of $21,950. He is out of the he-mare ULTIMATE PREDATOR who was 2/13 at the track. This divisional unranked colt races for the Sunshine Stables based at the GR Simsters. This colt’s sire has a 73.8% winners rate with a 7.9% stakes winners rate and a 1.5% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 38.2% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. He broke his maiden in a 6 furlong MSW race in his lifetime debut by closing well and he has continued that stradegy in 2 overnite stakes races since. In both of those sprint efforts he has been closing at the wire albeit falling short in his bid settling for minor shares of the purse money. His connections have stretched him out for todays race and hope the added ground is what will be needed to best utilize his running abilities. The rider for today’s race will be Foster (10%).
Handicapping 2 year old races is so very very difficult and I am not even going to try here. There are so many in here who could win this race with just the slightest of improvements on their form and whoever you pick I hope they come thru for you today.
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING
THEO