Hello Race fans and welcome to Epsom Downs for an exciting week of racing . Whilst most eyes are turned westward in anticipation of a HUGE Breeders Bowl week , the best kept secret in Turf Sprinting is about to commence .
The Epsom Sophomore Special Stakes is a Grade II challenge for all horses 3 years old over 7 furlongs of Epsom emerald green grass for the hefty purse of $ 250,000 Sim bucks . A FULL field has converged to challenge for bragging rights this weekend and it’s a talented one at that . The SUPER conglomerate has sent 2 challengers , the Keeley trained Paper Jesus has shipped in to make a statement ; Queensland based Champion Lodge has flown in Credit Addiction and the ever formidable World Cup Long Sprint Champion : Legendary Lemon has flown in from Texas to attempt another Dominating performance equal to his eye popping performance just weeks ago . To top off the icing on the cake is World Cup Sprint Champion : Jenna’s Deputy(JPN)
Coomer3 Stables has sent their # 94 Ranked 18 / 1 runner ELIJAH’S RAIN(KY) . Connections have contracted G Nuemann for iron duties and feel they have the best man aboard for their colt .
R W P S EARNINGS
Career 18 3 4 3 $ 122,801
Turf 13 3 3 1 $ 113,468
With a lone Stakes win on the season and still waiting to hit the board in Graded company , this colt is swimming with sharks this weekend . The first foal of multiple Stakes winning mare END OF THE REIGN , he looks to be a solid Stakes performer and should do well in that company … but isn’t truly a threat today .
Hunter Valley Stables sends # 4 Ranked Turf Sprinter
JENNA’S DEPUTY(JPN) 12 / 1 via
sub
stable
DOWELLY2 to Epsom with Top youngster A Edwards contracted for jockey duties .
R W P S EARNINGS
Career 24 10 5 3 $ 737,630
Turf 23 10 5 3 $ 737,630
World Cup Turf Sprint Champion and Highly regarded as the best at 6 furlongs , he makes his bid to knock off past rivals and claim the # 1 position in the Turf Sprint Division . His front running style normally burns up the competition and I don’t expect today to be any different . The real question is if the field can catch him at the wire . He’s coming off a lackluster performance at 5 furlongs October 6 th in the G II Longchamp Sprint but looked fit on Wednesdays final training session .
Dokki Stables will have their # 48 Ranked Turf Sprint Division runner POWER FORWARD(GB) 12 / 1 breaking from the 3 hole with competent journeyman E Eleniak aboard .
R W P S EARNINGS
Career 13 6 1 1 $ 180,252
Turf 8 5 1 1 $ 170,592
Breaking his maiden on dirt , the switch to grass has seen this colt blossom into a confident contender winning four of his last 5 starts from firm to yielding turf . His last outing in Iowa’s SnowPhantom Appreciation-G II he came on late and narrowly ran out of ground . I like this horse because he is comfortable running any style over any condition of turf and should make a race of it when they turn for home .
Infinity Farms headed up by Master trainer
Legions sends their # 14 Ranked
Turf Sprint Division contender
SING SYMFONIC(IRE) 9 / 1 to break from post 4 with respected journeyman F Flav in the irons .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 14 6 2 0 $ 276,324
Turf 12 6 2 0 $ 275,350
With SIX wins under his belt this season , SING SYMFONIC(IRE) has battled head to head with some of the best the Turf Sprint Division has to offer . This week assistant trainer DANCARDS has been directed to take on the best in the Division to see whether their colt is Great or just super nice . Three Stakes wins on the season with 5 Starts at 100+ SPf efforts has brought him to the Cusp of a truly nice career .
Super Stables sends # 69 Ranked
Turf Sprint Division contender
WAYNE’S DEAD BODY(KY) 15 / 1 from post 5 . Steady journeyman jockey J Lawler has been exercising this colt the last month so connections felt he earned the job and will be riding today .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 14 4 2 0 $ 154,825
Turf 11 3 2 0 $ 126,195
A winner first asking on dirt ; this colt has made the switch to turf smoothly and has managed 3 wins this season , 2 in Stakes company . Once more into the breach dear friends !! One more stab at a Graded race this week for a talented and fiery Stakes horse whom is truly more comfortable at a lower level . Look for him to stalk the pace early and pray he has enough in the tank at the top of the stretch .
Galileo Stables via assistant trainer
Rohirrim sends
SAMURAI MIKE(CA) 12 / 1 into the fray with the cantankerous S Ledwith hired for riding duties .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 14 8 1 1 $ 256,914
Turf 13 8 1 1 $ 255,914
A winner of his first 2 starts last season , he kinda got stuck in limbo and didn’t mature as connections thought he would . Fast forward to Sophomore season and BAM !! He is undefeated in his last 6 starts and is improving at every turn . His latest triumph coming by way of September 29 th edition of the SnowPhantom Appreciation-G II where he highlighted his quick turn of foot down the stretch and winning his first Graded contest . Ranked # 15 in the Turf Sprint Division , this colt is looking to make a move up the rankings . His Joe Cool running style suits the field of competition and I won’t be surprised to see his name on the board at the end of this race .
Keeley’s Stables will be sending her beloved
PAPER JESUS(NM) 7 / 1 via assistant trainer
TROY5 with the venerable F Sharlow aboard .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 18 5 4 3 $ 542,060
Turf 17 5 4 3 $ 542,060
A winner of his first 2 starts , this colt looked promising and even eventually ran in the Breeders Bowl Juvenile last season . This season connections put him back sprinting and he had come on brilliantly winning 3 in a row including the Alec and Stephen Stakes-G III March 3rd . Since then it’s been a bit of a dry spell winless in his last 6 yet managing to hit the board in 4 of them . Ranked # 6 in the Turf Sprint Division , he will boldly contend once again with foes new and old for dominance .
Smubs Stables has shipped in their # 201 Ranked Turf Sprint Division contender CONCEIVE(IRE) 11 / 1 to break from post 8 . Connections feel the young C Spoerer is the right fit for today’s engagement and look forward to a revisit of his current workouts with this new rider aboard .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 13 5 2 0 $ 147,785
Turf 12 5 2 0 $ 147,785
Coming off a spectacular 4 th place finish September 22 nd in Sweden’s Jockey Club Classic-G II , He has managed 4 wins on the season from 7.5 – 9.5 furlongs . Two of his last 4 starts were in the high 100+ SPf category and a return to that kind of effort will put him in contention for winning today .
Hardnfast Stables sends it’s favored son , # 1 Ranked Turf Sprint Division 3 yo and current reigning World Cup Long Turf Sprint Champion : LEGENDARY LEMON(KY) 7 / 2 . Owner / Trainer Hardnfast has spared no expense in acquiring the services of the spectacular rookie jock D Aniel for today’s contest .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 16 10 2 2 $ 853,260
Turf 16 10 2 2 $ 853,260
A winner of 4 of his first 5 races , this colt has shone in 4 Graded and 4 Stakes victories to date and has earned his lofty status as the # 1 Ranked Turf Sprint Division 3 yo . He has won 3 of his last 4 including a scintillating performance September 22 nd in the World Cup Long Turf Sprint– G I , all which have resulted in 104 – 113 SPf efforts in Graded company . Another win here will go a long way towards locking in an Equinics berth for 2008 . Watch for him to lay right off the pace early and make his patented strong move at the top of the lane and come storming home like a freight train .
The Conglomerate sends
RUTHLESS KING(KY) 12 / 1 to break from post 10 today . Assistant trainer PERKO111 has arranged for crash-n-burn specialist T Smith to jump in the irons for today’s festivities .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 21 5 3 4 $ 128,454
Turf 19 5 3 3 $ 127,622
This colt is the sole progeny of 100 race runner King Ruthless . He has 4 wins on the season including a Stakes in Louisiana June 30 th . His last 2 races have seen him break into the 100 SPf category and improvement coming into a big race is always a good thing and will definitely benefit him today . Look for this colt to hang right off the pace early try to hang tuff with all the early speed .
Flurgen Stables via Inzy6 barn has sent their # 20 Ranked
Turf Sprint Division contender
SAUCIE(JPN) 19 / 1 and scraped up veteran T Liverson to ride in today’s race .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 16 5 5 3 $ 165,471
Turf 14 4 4 3 $ 152,111
A winner on both surfaces , this filly prefers the lawn . She has 3 wins on the season and certainly has no qualms about taking on the boys when duty calls . A dedicated front runner from the start , currently she likes stalking the pace and it seems to serve her much better . She turned up the heat last outing in Iowa’s SnowPhantom Appreciation-G II where she showed her grit and determination closing on the winner and taking 2nd . That’s the kind of trip she needs today , her last 2 races have broken into the 100 SPf category and the running style change has made her all the more dangerous .
Champion Lodge has sent the gritty
CREDIT ADDICTION(IRE) 8 / 1 to break from post 12 . Journeyman J Diggs has been in a funk this year but Champion Lodge brass think he’s due and give the nod .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 14 6 2 2 $ 310,615
Turf 12 6 2 1 $ 310,615
Ranked # 13 in the Turf Sprint Division , this colt was a Stakes winning juvenile last season and managed to get back on track in March this year . Four Stakes wins this season coupled with 3 of his last 4 races in the 100 + SPf category has him braced to bust out in a big way . He closed strongly last race and lost by a mere 1 1/4 lengths in the World Cup Turf Sprint – G I September 22 nd . With the added 1/8 mile and all the early speed he may just find his groove today and make his mark in the Turf Sprint Division .
Whisper Stables is the proud owner of the Budweiser Longshot
BLACK BEASTIE(IRE) 43 / 1 and ridden by G. Montoya and breaking from post 13 .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 9 2 1 2 $ 67,160
Turf 6 1 1 2 $ 48,460
By far the best to date progeny of the formidable Graded winning mare Beastie Prospector , he won first asking and was Stakes placed as a Juvenile . Testing Graded waters in January this year over this very same track , he has been bouncing between dirt and turf and has managed to pick up a Stakes win on dirt going 12 panels before going on a short break for the summer to beat the heat . The prep race in Mexico smells like a sleeper race to me and we should see the real runner today as he takes on the best of his generation .
The Supers send their # 11 Ranked
Turf Sprint Division contender and second runner for this race :
FRENZY(KY) 7 / 1 from post 14 with stellar journeyman jockey R Poulin in the irons .
R W P S EARNINGS Career 17 5 3 2 $ 246,250
Turf 10 3 3 2 $ 197,490
Exclusively a dirt runner as a juvenile , the switch to turf has unleashed the beast so to speak resulting in 3 wins and seven consecutive 100+ SPf efforts leading up to today’s contest . His last run in Iowa’s SnowPhantom Appreciation-G II revealed a new running style that nearly resulted in his first Graded win and should do well for him today . A plethora of early speed should set him up nicely for a run for the wire when the field turns for home .