THIS WEEK IN MINNESOTA—WEEK 3406
This weeks 10th race feature at Minnesota Downs is The Skillfully Jam Memorial Stakes for 2 year olds sprinting 7 1/2 furlongs on the Supertoy 7 Marshall turf course that has been listed as firm for today’s race. A field of 7 have passed the entry box and will be chasing the top share from the $50,000 purse.
Let’s take a look at today’s field:
1)VICARATS(KORE)—6/1—didi sends this colt out of VICAR with a record of 9-3-3-0 and lifetime earnings of $90,315. This 130th divisional ranked colt races for the local Minnesota Downs based trainer Darnath with his popular purple and gold silks with everyones favorite rodent pictured on the front. This colt’s sire has a 55% winners rate with a 3.3% stakes winners rate. This year 50% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt was alternating between dirt and turf races early this year and actually broke his maiden on the dirt track. He has raced exclusively on the turf in his last 5 starts and has won his last 2 starts including a mile turf stakes race last time out. He posted his top speed rating of 80 2 starts back while winning a 7 furlong allowance turf race in North California. This colt has shown some running style versatility both running on the front end and coming off the pace which will come in handy as the race develops today. The rider for today’s race will be Stinson (8.9%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—79.
2)GEOLOGICAL SURVEY(AUS)—9/2—mav1764 sends this colt out of ENCOSTA DE LAGO(AUS) with a record of 2-2-0-0 and lifetime earnings of $37,320. He is out of the mare JUDI’S DREAM who was 1/19 at the track and this is the only foal on record to date. This divisional unranked colt races for Lender’s Deadinthelane stables based at the GR Simsters. This colts sire has a 63.1% winners rate with a 5.1% stakes winners rate and a 1.2% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 52.1% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt has begun his career with a perfect 2 for 2 in turf allowance races and posted his top speed rating of 75 last time out. He is a closer who sits midpack early and his style suggests he should be able to handle the extra distance for today’s race. The rider for today’s race will be Bowen (19.5%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—75.
3)I TAPPED IT(KY)—7/2—sdoza sends this colt out of TAPIT with a record of 5-1-1-1 and lifetime earnings of $18,642. He is out of the mare YOUR ROADS who was 1/4 at the track and who has 2 foals on record with this colt the only winner to date. This divisional unranked colt races for the local stables of Doza who will display his red and black silks proudly in today’s race. This colt’s sire has a 62.4% winners rate with a 4.6% stakes winners rate and a 0.9% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 40% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt’s only win came in his 2nd lifetime start in an MSW race in the slop. Since then he has picked up minor cheques in 3 allowance starts with a top speed rating of 79 and will be making both his turf and stakes debut in today’s race. He cuts back a half furlong today from his previous race and we will have to see if it helps him today. The rider for today’s race will be Geen (10.1%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—77.
4)KHAOS REVISITED(CAN)—23/1—gbcprime sends this colt out of FISHER POND with a record of 4-1-1-0 and lifetime earnings of $16,160. He is out of the mare KHAOS(AUS) who was 9/36 at the track and who has 2 foals on record with this colt the only winner to date. This divisional unranked colt races for the Chuckrock Conglomorate Stables who’s Blue, White and Orange silks are a big local mainstay at the Minnesota Downs backstretch. This colt’s sire has a 25% winners rate and has yet to sire a stakes winner. This year 33.3% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. While this colt won his lifetime debut race on the dirt his next 2 starts in allowance races were disappointing efforts with back to back finishes near the back of the pack. He tried the turf for the first time last time out and posted his lifetime best 69 speed rating in finishing 2nd in the 6.5 furlong allowance race. He was still coming at the wire suggesting he will be able to handle the extra ground today but will have to show an improvement in speed ratings here to match some of the others in this field. The rider for today’s race will be The Australian Flash Ritorto (12%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—69.
5)HIGH SKIES(IRE)—3/1—anniebarn sends this colt out of HIGH CHAPARRAL(IRE) with a record of 6-3-1-2 and lifetime earnings of $111,450. He is out of the mare MAMA RED who was 4/19 at the track and who has 5 foals on record, all winners including this colt who is a stakes winner. This 52nd divisional ranked colt races for the Libitfarms stables based in Vermont at The Pastures of Green. This colt’s sire has a 71.5% winners rate with a 12.8% stakes winners rate and a 2.2% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 27.2% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt won his first 3 starts of his career including a stakes win in The Long Lord Special stakes in Jamaica. He has run in 3 more stake races since posting top 3 finishes in each. He posted his top speed rating of 83 last time out in a 7.5 furlong turf sprint. He does sometimes have a problem carrying his speed all the way to the wire and perhaps would be better suited for some shorter routes at this stage of his career. The rider for today’s race will be Friar (17.9%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—82.
6)RIFIFI(KY)—4/1—super6 sends this colt out of GONE WEST with a record of 6-1-1-1 and lifetime earnings of $29,475. This divisional unranked colt races for Super’s More Evil Than The Evil Empire Stables based over at Del/Penn National. This colt’s sire has a 85.1% winners rate with a 16.1% stakes winners rate and a 3.5% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 58.3% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. After a pair of starts on the dirt this colt broke his maiden in his turf race debut. He has had a couple of top 3 finishes since but in his other start he could not compete in The Grade I High Flyer Stakes in Ireland where he posted his lifetime best 80 speed rating over the 8 furlong turf race. His speed and recent practice off giving up ground late in the stretch has prompted his connections to cut him back in distance today. The rider for today’s race will be Vandlandingham (11.3%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING —78.
7)PRAY FOR RAIN RYRY(KY)—7/2—ryry sends this colt out of PULPIT with a record of 6-3-0-2 and lifetime earnings of $91,640. He is out of the mare A DOZEN RED ROSES who was 8/40 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners including this colt who is a stakes winner. This 114th divisional ranked colt races for the local trainer Cothill who’s burgundy and white silks with the hockey puck on the front are a fan favorite at Minnesota Downs. This colt’s sire has a 80.7% winners rate with a 13.3% stakes winners rate and a 2.7% Graded stakes winners rate. This year 45.1% of his 2 year old starters have found the winners circle. This colt is another who won his turf debut after starting on the dirt course in his first 2 lifetime starts. He has picked up a pair of stakes wins since including posting his lifetime best 82 speed rating last time out in the 7. 5 furlong The Flash Flood Bonanza Stakes in New Jersey. The only race he has not hit the board was in a disappointing effort in the World Cup. This colt has a versatile running style that should suit him well as the race develops today. The rider for today’s race will be E R Cothill (15.1%) who will keep things in the family with this entry today. PROJECTED SPEED RATING—82.
NOTE #1 VICARATS(KORE), #3 I TAPPED IT(KY), #4 KHAOS REVISITED(CAN), #7 PRAY FOR RAIN RYRY(KY) ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE 200 CREDIT MINNESOTA DOWNS RESIDENCY PURSE SUPPLEMENT SHOULD THEY WIN THIS RACE TODAY.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE MINNESOTA DOWNS RESIDENCY THIS WEEK
Here are some contest updates as we near the end of the 2007 racing season.
In the Minnesota Homebred Championshiop Contest for resident Homebred’s Chuckrock currently holds the lead with 38 points over Doza with 35 and then Fred in 3rd with 24 points.
In the Minnesota Stallion Breeding Contest for Minnesota Stallion sired horses Darnath has the lead with Ghazrats with 26 points over Chuckrock’s Maximum Exertion who currently has 18 points which is 1 point ahead of Pazjazz’s Minnesota Prayer who has a score of 17 points.
The 3rd Game of the Minnesota Cup 07 contest is playing this week with both Tseals and Doza holding 2-0 leads in the best 3 out of 5 semi final series’s.
With 7 weeks to go in the latest Mountains of Money contest where you pick a horse each week and tally any payouts the horse generates, Bigrick has $174.40 and leads Doza who is in with $93.80 with many others within striking distance as all it takes is one longshot to come in and you are right in the ballgame.
Last weeks high speed rating contest winner was Theo with Theo’s Mesa(KY) who posted a 106 speed rating and took home the 200 credit prize.
This week’s Chuckrock horse of the week honors go to:
This week’s winner comes from the Theo Stables Inc . — Claiming Division. Fortunately for Theo CAPPERS CHOICE(KY), in Theodore12 looks to be anything but a claimer. In 4 runs the two year old colt has posted 4 80+ speeds, winning two time. This past week he won an Allowance in Illinois with R. Logan as the jockey. The 10 horse field was deep with 5 horses running 80 or better. Capper’s Choice was 4 lengths back at the second call but came on to win by 1.5 lengths. This brown colt by Seeking the Gold looks like he has a bright future. Congrats to Theo and Capper’s Choice.
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING
THEO