I’ll Meet You Half Way Stakes
Saturday will be the inaugural running of the Grade I I’ll Meet You Half Way Stakes for 3YO fillies going 6 ½ furlongs on the turf in New Hampshire. The big question after this race will be why did Mirari’s Wake run this week and not wait until next week’s Grade I Breeder’s Bowl Turf Sprint.
FREEZING (#408)
Zabeel x Barathea
This lowly ranked filly has finished in the money in eight of its 11 races with four wins all being on the turf. As a 3YO it has won three of its last four including a stakes race at 1 1/8M. The last two races have resulted in a 103.5 average speed rating. This front runner has a tendency to fade in races over 1M and today’s distance will definitely benefit this horse. It finished third in the Grade III Prabha Special and this will be its first sprint since it started by breaking its maiden at today’s distance.
NIGHT WITCH (#413)
Pulpit x Unfuwain
This is another lowly ranked filly in this graded stakes who will be attempting its first stakes race tomorrow. It has three wins all on the turf in 12 races while finishing in the money in ten of those races. O/T wemblem switched this horse to the sprints two races back resulting in two allowance wins. The distance is good for this horse to pop a 100 speed rating.
CAT ON HOLD (#299)
Hold For Gold x Storm Cat
This is a big step up for this filly who has won only at the Allowance NW1X level. It did try two previous stakes races as a 2YO but without much success. It has lost its last five races and tomorrow should only get a 90 or so rating.
DIXIELAND CAT (#302)
Tale of the Cat x Dixieland Band
It has three wins in 10 races with two of those being on the turf. This lightly raced 3YO has won at the Allowance NW2X level that could easily bring in a 97 rating tomorrow. It hopes to be mid-pack about third or fourth hoping to sneak in and steal the victory.
TORREDEMBARRA (#205)
Awesome Again x Fusaichi Pegasus
This filly has five wins in 14 races with only one being on the turf. It already has two stakes wins on the dirt and the switch to turf by O/T triska two races back resulted in a stakes win with a 102 rating. Its last race was in the Grade I Sun State Cup in which it was overmatched with a 10th place finish last out. There’s not much in this race other than Mirari’s Wake so it could finish in the money.
Forestry x Seeking the Gold
Here is another interesting 3YO filly that hopes to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the year. O/T loubrown started her on the dirt in its first nine races moving up through the allowance ranks with four wins. The switch to turf 3 races back has resulted in a win and a second in the Grade II Wilted Petals Stakes. In that graded stakes race this closer was ninth at one point and slowly moved up to sixth and then fell just short losing by 1 ½ as it ran of room at 6 furlongs. Today’s distance will be a benefit as I expect it to run a 102 and come up fast in the homestretch.
MIRARI’S WAKE (#2)
North Light x
That is not a misprint, this is the second ranked turf sprinter who is not running in next week’s BC. This 3YO filly has 9 turf wins in 15 starts while finishing in the money in thirteen of its races. It has already earned 834K for O/T sender and with a win it will cruise past the $1M mark. As a 2YO it had four wins in seven starts including two stakes wins. As 3YO it has continued to be terror on the turf with five wins, three of those being stakes races and two graded stakes wins. The graded wins include the Grade III Ain’t No Bugs On Me (probably run in
This race was decided the minute Mirari’s Wake entered the race. The only hope for this field is if Freezing can duel with Mirari’s Wake creating an opportunity for Fort Golden S to race by the tiring leaders. I don’t see that happening and the question as to why this week will have to be answered by O/T sender. Oh well a Grade I win is a Grade I win; unless Freezing and Fort Golden S are ready to shock the SIM world tomorrow.
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