NWRC CAVALCADE CUP MILE
This is the fourth running of THE CAVALCADE CUP MILE bringing together the best turf milers that the NWRC has to offer ( well the one’s not in real deal anyway ). The 2002 edition was won by Ken’s mare YOUR NOTEBOOKS(FR). The CAVALCADE series was not run in 2003 or 2004 but returned in 2005. The winner that year was Todd’s FRIENDOFTHEFAMILY who is still active today with 60 races under his belt. The winner in 2006 was Steve’s horse AWESOME GIANT(IRE) who is not entered this year. Steve and Todd do not have an entry this year but Ken’s here with FAX AT DAWN(KY).
For 2007 we have a ten horse field that’s wide open. Male, female, 3yo, 4yo, 5yo, 7yo, Cavalcade veterans and Cavalcade rookies are all represented and are listed by post position. Let’s take a look at their accomplishments.
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1) NEXIS CHAMPION psycho K Murano 9/1
Vett’s 7yo entry is the 4th leading earner from FANTASTIC LIGHT from 2002 and uses early speed. Although he’s had more starts ( 43 winning 9 ) than all our other entries his earnings of $904,455 dwarfs everyone else in the race. Back in his heyday, mid 2003 through 2004 he was putting up some solid numbers. In October of 2003 he posted his best fig, a 117 in CA’s GII CHERRY LIMB STAKES at nine furlongs. Can you believe that wasn’t good enough for the win? Led to the 3rd call and lost by four lengths to a 122 for a 2nd. About a half a year later came his crowning achievement, a May, 2004 gate to wire win in the GSR MILE in Italy netting him a handy little check of 600K. That’s the only two times he made the board in nine graded attempts but he made them count. His overall record in stakes is 14/1-2-1 and picked up 4th place checks in three. Since 2004 he’s been primarily an allowance horse and rested most of 2006 racing only twice and posting less than 90 in both. After a nine month layoff he reappeared in February of this year and seems to have found some new life. Of his 11 races this year 7 have produced figs in the mid to high 90s. His last four have been at this distance and he’s coming off a win at a 98. He ain’t done yet.
2) UNSTINTING bigmoose P Incay 8/1
Tracy’s 4yo entry is a very consistent colt out of SAKHEE earning $187,718. Seems to never throw a bad race and recently threw out his top fig of 103 in July’s the PEARL REDHEAD in BC at this distance for a hard trying 3rd. Has pulled a check in 16 of his 20 races ( 6 wins ) and 5 of 6 stakes attempts ( no wins ). Was an entry ( the only of this field ) in this event last year finishing a clear 3rd.
3) THEORY OF LOVE(KY) cub E Land 6/1
CV’s 3yo entry is a filly out of FORESTRY. Has only 11 races under her belt with 4 wins and is well on her way to high earnings with $169,890. Won a late June listed stakes, the CARBY’S REDHEAD MEMORIAL in MI which was a dirt mile. Her first three and only races as a 2yo were run on turf and in the middle one she broke her maiden. Her first seven races as a 3yo she did the surface switch with a record of 7/2-0-1 popping high 90s in the last three. Her last she tried the turf again and nearly stopped poor ole CV’s heart. An insane 109 with a stalking, scoring win in the SECRET H.(GB) BONANZA at a mile. Thus her entry here I would imagine, look out.
4) BRABASTORM brabant R Simcox 3/1
Rafa’s 4yo entry is a son of STORM CAT and ranked #105 in the route/turf division earning $240,864. A STORM CAT colt as a favorite, that’s unusual. Originally slated for a dirt career he really flourished after the surface switch in July of 2006 and has never looked back. Early speed is the ticket and he’s used it to compile 6 wins in 25 attempts. Four of these have come on grass including two listed events, last November’s the BEATEN TOW BONAZA in SA at a mile and last May’s the SUCKING SUDAFED MEMORIAL in South Korea at 9 furlongs which was his last win. Since the SSM has stepped up in class. In June he gave a good account of himself in the GII GOLDEN PLATTER HANDICAP in North California at 10 panels holding the front until the third call before lasting for a 3rd. In July he took a stab at SMACKDOWN III at a mile in TX and got 4th despite not having the front. His last two were graded races including the WORLD CUP at a mile in which he faded badly. This field may have one ticked off colt on their hands.
5) AVENGING RAIDER bagpuss C Euler 11/1
Lissa’s 5yo entry is a mare out of LEMON DROP KID and a winner of 7 of 39. Since breaking her maiden has run in nothing but allowances, a stretch of 34 races. That hasn’t stopped her earning power though at $151,371. Her best fig came in May of 2006, a 101 at nine furlongs and her only century mark. She has high 90s in two of her last three and her last 11 races have been sprints in which she’s won three.
6) ELEVEN EUROS(KY) bird S Ball 18/1
Roy’s 3yo entry out of EUROSILVER is an up and coming closer earning $50,734. He’s 11 of 17 on the board with two wins. Did not make the board in his three stakes trys but did pull two checks. Was an entry in the CAVALCADE CUP JUVENILE TURF in 2006 but did not fare well finishing out and double digits back. In his last two races has found some speed posting his best two figs both mid to high 90s.
7) FAX AT DAWN(KY) paydirt41 L Jones 6/1
Ken’s 3yo entry is a filly ranked 19th in the sprint/turf division and the 3rd highest earner from 2006 out of ROMAN RULER. She’s won 7 of 23 and 5 as a 2yo. She’s run in only stakes events since August of 2006, a stretch of 19 races. She’s won four listed stakes in the 19. Eight of her last nine have been graded events compiling a record of 8/0-2-2 and missing a check in only one. Not bad for a filly who’s got a top fig of 101 ( twice ). Has earned a whopping $349,180. Bold and beautiful, shows what good placement can do.
P.S. Ken’s YOUR NOTEBOOKS(FR) won the very first CAVALCADE CUP MILE in 2002. She was retired sometime after her last race in August of 2004 winning 15 of 48 in her career. She has since produced but one horse.
8) BIGTATE FORT bigtate02 F Ford 24/1
Terrel’s 4yo entry is ranked #141 in the long/turf division and the top earner from CATIENUS from 2005 netting $264,935. Not bad for a horse with just 4 wins of 37 and never hit triple digits. Made the wins count as most of the dough came from three stakes victories. He won two owner-restricted stake sprints in a row ( at long odds ) back in September of 2006 and his last win in March of this year, hung on in the ten furlong GREEN STUBBLE HANDICAP in CA. Was a Cavalcade Cup entrant in 2005 and 2006 as well. In 2005 got a 3rd in the JUVENILE TURF and last year fired too late in the TURF SPRINT and finished out. Seems to be in a major funk since the GREEN STUBBLE. In the seven races since he’s got a 2nd and a 5th but hasn’t posted a 90. That may be due to distance and difficulty. They’ve all been at 10 furlongs or more and include three GIs and an entry in SMACKDOWN III in which he finished over twenty back. Finds himself as todays longshot but bettors have got to like the step back in distance. this may be just the ticket with probably a field more to his liking.
9) A.P. MAGPIE(IRE) phantom2 M Staples 9/2
Gavin’s 4yo entry is out of THEATRICAL(IRE) and a winner of 5 of 19 earning $79,571. A solid mid 90s runner until inexplicably busting out in an early June open allowance at a mile winning a wonderful stretch duel and posting his personal best 107. Gavin didn’t waste any time getting him in the ALONE BETWEEN ROBE HANDICAP later that month in ND at a mile. He stalked and scored late for the win. In the three races since it hasn’t gone as well, all stakes events at 8 or 8 1/2. Strangely the only one of those he made money in was the classiest. He got a hard closing 5th in the GII FRIED RICE MILE in JP in the middle race.
10) PROVINCIAL WALL broadbrush O Brim 9/2
Sharon’s 5yo entry out of RAHY has just found new life on the grass. His last four races are his first
four turf attempts and all good, compiling a 4/1-2-1 record hitting the century mark three times. Career
high point was back in Sept/Oct of 2006. He won the PINKY’S CUTS ( 8.5D ), an owner-restricted stakes,
followed by the NWRC MB MARATHON ( 9D ), an owner-restricted allowance. That streak Was broken in the
2006 Cavalcade Cup CLASSIC where he was never in it. He’s hit the board in 18 of 28 with 6 wins and
failed to collect in only 5. He’s earned $212,184.
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Questions to be answered:
Can BIGTATE FORT get back to form?
Can UNSTINTING repeat his board making performance of last year?
Can PROVINCIAL WALL continue his grass success?
Will BRABASTORM take the frustration of his last two races out on the hides of this field?
Can one of the three females pull it off?
Has graybeard NEXIS CHAMPION got one more left in him?
Was THEORY OF LOVE(KY)’s last race a fluke?
Why not check Saturday and find out.