The CR Racers Eternal Gratitude Special

This week marks the first running of the CR Racers Eternal Gratitude Special, a $125,000 Owner restricted Stakes race for two-year-olds going a distance of one mile on the Dirt.

While this may not necessarily your typical Stakes class field, only one horse from the field ever being entered in a Stakes event, it is a very promising field of 2yo’s on the verge of making their open stakes debut.

RENIUS – breaking from the rail, kingab sends this wonderfully bred 2yo son of Storm Cat post-ward boasting a perfect two wins in two career starts, the last an impressive 1 ¼ length victory over the Victoria oval, while flashing an eye-catching 87 speed figure for the 7 ½ furlongs.  Perfectly placed for his two-turn debut, this exceptional looking colt gains the service of Eastern Kentucky’s leading jockey in J. Caves, and has been listed as the morning line favorite at 3-1…major player.

SMELLY PASSING – making her first two-turn start over the dirt course, inzy enters his Pikepass hopeful into the starting gate on Saturday off of a fast closing maiden victory over the Indiana racing surface at 7 furlongs in her last start.  Throw out that two-turn race over a yielding turf , she just didn’t like getting her feet wet, but this promising young filly has displayed some late foot and appears ideally suited for this mile over the dirt course…chance off best. 

CANNES – winter’s Irish bred filly out of Footstepsinthesand(IRE) enters this field off of a respectable 5^th place finish against similar in her last start over this same oval, and is eligible to improve off of that outing.  Another filly that likes to put it in gear in the final yards, look for her to pass some tiring horses down the stretch and be right in the mix should the speed falter…stretch factor.

KODIAC CHARM(IRE) –in what is starting to look more like a race for fillies and mares, ace is taking her best shot with this 2yo daughter of Kodiac.  Four times in the money in five starts, this consistent filly has also improved speeds with every outing, and makes her two-turn and U.S. debut against this field.  While she is making a considerable jump in class, this young hopeful certainly knows how to stay in the mix and is offering a generous 16-1 for her backers on Saturday…bettor’s chance.

GLASS BLUE COW – sounding more like something that you’d find on grandma’s mantle, lostorf enters this first time starting Mingun filly for a waltz around the eastern Kentucky grounds.  In tough, this nicely bred filly will benefit from this outing, and should be considered in her next start against her own kind…tab for later.

SILVER’S JOY – silver tries the dirt for the first time for this very impressive 2yo Kitten’s Joy colt, which just might be the horse to catch in a field that appears void of speed.  Gate-to-wire winner in his last start, while posting an 87 speed figure for the mile over the Delaware turf, the top contenders better keep this speedball well within striking distance or they may find themselves racing for second place honors…one to catch.

APPLESGOTYOUPIE – trotter’s Silver Train colt, this is the fields only entrant stakes proven contender with a win in the 7 ½ furlong MALICIOUSLY SMELL Bonanza two starts back.  Disappointed in last when missing by a nose against similar in his last start leaves him vulnerable against these, but still has to be considered a major player on Saturday…one to beat.

PROMISED SO MUCH – making his two-turn debut, ross enters this talented son of Dixie Union into Saturday’s overnight.  In the money in three of his four starts this propitious 2yo has never finished more than 1 ½ lengths from the leader in any start and will not be frightened off by more accomplished rivals in this field 😉 (thought I missed that in the chat, didn’t you 🙂

HAWK SMASH(IRE) – lids enters yet another filly into this Saturday’s CR feature.  This 2yo Hawk Wing(IRE) filly will look to pressure Silver Joy in the early going, and if she can hold on like she did in her previous two sprints, could soften up Silver Joy, but I’m not sure she could hold off the rest of the field after extending herself in the early going.  Could benefit from a turn-back in her next start however, something to tab for the future…must show more.

HOLY SWORD – slew enters a first time Holy Bull starter against this promising young field, and despite being the 5^th foal of a stakes winning, stakes producing mare, may be looking only to school this nicely bred colt for future endeavors.  Tall order on Saturday…look elsewhere

CRAFTY GALLOP – looks like ads may have found the real deal in this yet another filly, this 2yo Crafty Prospector gal has been all business since day one finishing no worse than 2^nd in her three career starts while posting speed of 76, 80, and 82 respectively.  Will take a modest jump in class with most of her success coming over  moderate racing ovals, but she’s improved her speeds in every start, and if she handles her two-turn debut is capable of pulling off an upset on Saturday…may be this good.

NORTHERN SEEKER – no telling how good balata’s 2yo Seeking the Gold entrant is going to be, but off of his recent outing over the Kentucky racetrack at today’s distance, he just might be the best 2yo to come out of this field and join the ranks of the top 2yo’s in the world…take some beating.

This is a race that on paper, looks like a toss up between the three top choices of RENIUS, APPLESGOTYOUPIE, and NORTHERN SEEKER.  However, if  SILVER’S JOY is allowed an uncontested lead, she could wire this field leaving the big three to fight it out for the place money.  CRAFTY GALLOP is a very nice looking filly, and while her speeds are very competitive with the top runners in this field, I expect the competition will be tougher than what she’s been facing in DC and New Hampshire, and while I wouldn’t rule her out, I’d like to see more from her at this level before backing her at the window in this race.