The Witch By Night Stakes
The 3rd running of the Witch By Night Stakes drew a small field of only five fillies in this 3YO race going 6 ½ furlongs on the turf in
MELODRAMA (#167)
Theatrical x Deputy Commander
This little filly has five wins all on the turf and has been in the money in 11 of its 12 races. Melodrama was nicely brought up through the allowance ranks by O/T squirrel4. Its previous two stakes races resulted in one win at 7 furlongs last out. It’s a front runner who has increasing speed numbers in the last three races. This has always been a key ingredient in winning this non-graded stakes race that I’ve seen lately. I expect this horse to pop a 101 rating on Saturday as it duels with the other speedsters in this sprint.
IDOLATRIA (#228)
Buddha x Arazi
This filly has four wins in seventeen races and has finished in the money 14 times. O/T victoryrun wasted no time in jumping this horse right into the stakes races after breaking its maiden. As a 2YO it raced in four stakes races with a win and a couple seconds. This year it has raced in eight stakes races losing six of those races while fading badly. Three races back it was switched to allowance races in which won but still had the fade problem. In the Grade II SnowPhantom Appreciation it led into the stretch before fading badly to Samurai Mike and finishing a distant seventh. The drop in distance from 7 furlongs to today’s distance of 6 ½ will benefit this beauty. This front runner is expected to be challenged for the lead by Melodrama and should post a 102 rating tomorrow.
NEXT ONE HERE (#41)
Sandtrap x Explodent
This filly has won eight of its nine races on the turf with five of those being of the sprint variety. The first O/T struggled with this horse racing it in 8 races on the dirt but winning three races, yet when it dropped into the 5K claimers it was gobbled up by the current O/T hullwayne. This filly loved its new connections as can be seen by its first five races being winners including 3 stakes races. Those stakes wins range from 6 ½ furlongs to 1 1/16M. It has lost four of its last five races which were sprints. This horse has a huge big kick in the stretch and is in need of a speed by Melodrama and Idolatria for this favorite to win. I’m seeing it come up short one more time which will probably result in O/T hullwayne switching it to turf routes where I see it having better days ahead.
TREVIANA (#286)
Tale of the Cat x Dixieland Band
This filly has finished in the money in 12 of its seventeen races winning six with four of these being on the turf. This horse has shown the capability to handle both surfaces well with a third in the Grade III Booker T Handicap on the turf as a 2YO. It also has a third in the Grade III Honeymoon Special this year which was run on the dirt. The latest switch to turf has not been as rewarding as hope as seen by its one second in 3 races. The declining speed numbers is a problem also there was switch from its successful front running style to that of being a closer. I’m holding off on this filly until it switches back to the dirt races.
DANEHILL SEEKER (#402)
Danehill Dancer x Giant’s Causeway
This lightly raced allowance horse has four wins on the turf with it finishing in the money in six of its eight races. This horse could be discounted for its lack of stakes experience but there are some interesting signs that O/T trotter5 might have something here. In its last race it posted a nice speed rating of 98 that followed a six week rest and relaxation for this filly that it was in need of. Prior to its last race, which was 5 weeks ago, it had a series of 3 races in which it saw declining speed numbers. The rest was good and might be a sign of better times ahead for this 3YO.
The one thing I love about writing these small stakes race stories is once in awhile I find a bargain sire that if match right could result in future stakes horse in my barn. Of course I always think that and nothing so far, but there is always next week in the breeding barns. Today’s race is very interesting in that there should be a speed duel between Melodrama and Idolatria. This could help the favorite Next One Here come in first as expected, but I don’t see it that way.
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