Full Field Battle It Out in DelPenn Juvenile

Just a mere two hours away from the main event, DelPenn is gearing up for its DelPenn Breeders’ Cup races, one of the bigger days on the residency’s calendar. The backstretch turns into a veritable arms race, as each trainer seeks to gain an edge, by almost any means available, to garner glory. “The ends justify the means” come to mind.

In what promises to be a rough-n-tumble bumper cars event, 20 juvenile colts are set to contest the rich $500,000 DelPenn Juvenile Stakes. A case can be made for just about every one of the entrants, so it may simply come down to who has the cleanest trip, in what is certainly a handicapping challenge. In post position order, here are the runners:

1. Classic Tornado, (Bernardini x Deputy Minister x Gone West)
After slumming with the GR Simsters earlier this season, texasace02 came to his senses and returns to his DelPenn roots [note: the author has stables with both residencies], and, as usual, has a good deal of talent in his barn. The Tornado went unbeaten in his first two starts, including a win in a California allowance with an 87 SF. He stepped it up in terms of speed figure last time out, with a 90 SF against graded stakes company, good enough only for fifth on that day, but the best speed figure posted by any of the contenders in this race. It is unclear how he’ll do with the added distance, as he faded a little in the stretch, but he’s certainly bred for it, and a win here would be no surprise.

2. Avenger’s Pulpit, (Pulpit x Seattle Slew x Honor Grades)
Vigilante has somewhat of a dark horse in this race. The colt had been knockingon the door in a series of DelPenn races,and even finished third with an 80 SF at a flat mile two starts back, looking like he’d want even more distance, but it took a cutback to 5 ½ furlongs to get the job done for his first victory. Not entirely sure if he’s a true sprinter with a late kick, or a router. This race may shed some light as to which is the right answer.

3. Durkin, (War Chant x Fusaichi Pegasus x Chief’s Crown)
Drinkwater’s homebred careth not for either short sprint or the slop, but given a fast track and a route of ground, and wham! A flashy 87 SF and a 1 3/4 length victory are the result. Improving quickly, and that speed figure puts him in the thick of the hunt.

4. Indy Evil, (A.P. Indy x Machiavellian x Damascus)
Royally bred colt hails from the afc3 barn, winning at first asking with an 85 SF in a DelPenn resident maiden, then hung on for second in a one mile stakes with an 82 SF. Main knock on this blueblood is the fact that he seems to tire late, and that doesn’t bode well for a race that is a 1/16th of a mile longer than he has ever gone before. Still, he has the pedigree, the connections and the speed figures to end up in the winners’ circle.

5. Tournament, (Dehere x Seeking the Gold x Storm Bird)
Bred and trained by yours truly, this colt put up the best race of his career last time out, closing for second in a one mile allowance with an 80 SF. Will need to take another step forward, particularly against the colts who are already in the 90 range, but the extra distance looks right up his alley.

6. Hookah, (Unbridled’s Song x Gone West x Sadler’s Wells)
Zwango1’s well bred colt sizzled to a one length win last time out with an eye-catching 88 SF at a flat mile. He’d been knocking on the door in two earlier races, and put it all together. Looks to improve with extra distance, and a serious threat Saturday.

7. Proyectista, (Forest Wildcat x Deputy Minister x Miner’s Mark)
OK, I had to look up this name because I had to know what it meant. It can be interpreted in English to mean a planner, designer or projectionist. So, there’s your lesson for the day. End of public service announcement. Anyway, the first half of the jibaro entry has flashed some solid speed, including an 86 SF when second in the One Devil Memorial last time out, but he never really threatened the winner, and the colt spit the bit out the only time he tried more than a mile. Has talent, but ultimately may be a better sprinter than router.

8. Shoot for the Gold, (Cacique x Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector)
First of several super entries. Yet another entry in the field who perked up with added distance, this guy broke his maiden last out with an 85SF when stretched out to 7 ½ furlongs, and his deep closing style suggests he wants even farther. May actually grab the gold in what would be a 21/1 upset.

9. Sunsetsonrome, (Roman Ruler x Summer Squall x Broad Brush)
The colt gets dismissed at 15/1, mostly on lack of routing experience. The sweetnan homebred has won three of five starts, including two stakes, but has yet to go farther than six furlongs. That said, he closed nicely in several of his races, before making a mild rally in the G1 World Cup Juvenile Sprint. If he can stretch out, he’ll pay a nice price, but there’s that “if” to get past. Very nice colt.

10. Rhone, (Giant’s Causeway x Unbridled x Pleasant Colony)
The second colt from the super conglomerate is lightly raced, with only two starts under his belt, but he has already flashed talent, finishing second in his debut, a DelPenn maiden, before getting up to win by a head in a one mile maiden (84 SF) last time out. Eligible to improve, and the extra distance should suit.

11. Raider King, (Proud Citizen x Storm Cat x Angle Light)
Raider bred and trains this colt through his banditman division. After a solid win at first asking over a flat mile, the colt sizzled through a one mile maiden with an 89 SF, second fastest speed figure by any of the entrants in the field. In each race, he’s been drawing off, and is eligible to take another step forward here. His 16/1 odds are somewhat of a surprise, and he could prove to be the value play of the race.

12. Big Giant Arse, (Giant’s Causeway x Sadler’s Wells x Rainbow Quest)
This name cracks me up. On a more serious note, arse2007 with its first entrant in this race pulls a surface switch, trying this colt on the main track for the first time. On the turf, BGA (not to be confused with the PGA) won a stakes, but hasn’t posted the fastest of times. For $500k, it’s worth experimenting, and from his running style and past performances, while the surface is a question mark, the extra distance appears to be right up his alley. If you think he can move up on the dirt, there’s a nice 24/1 payoff waiting for you.

13. Narrador, (Afleet Alex x Sunday Silence x Wild Again)
The second half of the jibaro entry was making all the right moves, winning at 7 furlongs with an 82 SF, finishing second in a one mile stakes with an 85 SF . . . . until his latest effort. Never really engaged in the race, the colt was a dull fifth, with a mere 77 SF. Was that a one off, or a sign of a downward turn in form? On his best day, he fits right in with all of the other contenders.

14. This Calling, (Sadler’s Wells x Alydar x Buckpasser)
The second entrant from arse2007 really hasn’t lived up to his royal bloodlines, at least to date. On the plus side, his lone win came at today’s distance, so he’s proven over a route of ground, but his speed figure (79 SF) was a little on the light side, compared to the rest of the field. Eligible to improve, distance not a question, but will need to step it up, and ultimately, I wouldn’t be surprised if his best distance (and races) were next season, at 10 furlongs or beyond.

15. Gun Hill, (Gone West x Unfuwain x Blushing Groom
Third super entrant pulls a surface and distance switch. Looked great in his debut, then disappointed, never running a step against G1 competition. Huge question mark here, but Triple Crown hero I Seek U came from a similar cross, and this past year’s Derby winner was also by Gone West, so who knows?

16. Mr Forest, (Forestry x Sadler’s Wells x Mr. Prospector)
Amybab1’s homebred colt hated every bit of the slop last time out, and may very well have suffered an injury in the process, as it has been 10 weeks since he last answered the call to the post. Prior to that, had a nice win in a one mile maiden event with an 87 SF. That figure is competitive here, but may need a race after the extended layoff.

17. Avenger Unbridled, (Unbridled’s Song x Theatrical x M. Prospector)
Third arse2007 entrant tries a route of ground after flopping in his last two sprint efforts. Still, I don’t like the way he was going backwards, not forwards in his seven furlong effort. Kind of like to see what he could do on the turf.

18. Severance, (Sakhee x Kingmambo x Private Account)
Sdmf8’s charge began his career with a bang, and his running style seemed to suggest that he’d relish the extra distance. However, while his speed figures have steadily improved, including an 87 SF at a flat mile last time out, the kick hasn’t really gotten more powerful. Like Avenger’s Pulpit, not sure if he’s a sprinter with a good late kick, or whether he simply needs even farther than what he got. Is also bred to like the turf, so that might also be an option. Has some competitive speed figures, but will need to step it up to threaten those that look flashier on paper.

19. Avenger Thunder, (Thunder Gulch x Danzig x Mr. Prospector)
Bred and trained by the ever dashing theavenger, this nicely bred colt beat a DelPenn maiden field over five furlongs, but really hasn’t moved forward off of that effort. Makes his routing debut here, but would need to put forth a career effort to hit the board in this spot.

20. Raider Empire, (Stephen Got Even x Seeking the Gold x Groovy)
Parked on the outside is raider93’s colt, who was bred by another division of raider stables. Talented colt is used to a crowd, defeating a 20 horse DelPenn maiden field in his debut with an 85 SF for the mile, then had to settle for second in a one mile maiden. Will need to get a smart ride from Mia not to be carried too far on the turns from this disadvantageous post, but is eligible to get the job done.

Good luck to all!