The Grade II Fast Feline Stakes

Well welcome back to this edition of The Black Type Bugler, This week I have ventured back to New York for the first time.

This week I will be covering the Grade II Fast Feline Stakes. This race will be held over the 9 furlongs on the fast dirt.

This race is at Grade II level over the 9 furlongs on the Fast dirt course and worth $250,000 and open to all fillies, 3 years old.   

So let’s have a look through the field and assess their chances.

#1 Maruxa Mallo trained by Fernando2. Nice looking filly by Tiznow who has won 3 of her 14 races for $65k in stakes. She steps back in graded company this start after 1 run in allowance company. She won well last time out with a 95 speed figure over the 9 furlongs. She will look to settle just off the speed and then look to challenge and hold the late chargers off in the stretch. She is yet to win at stakes level and that is the concern but she is capable of taking the next step here.

#2 Texas Sunrise trained by Vegasfarms. Wonderfully bred filly here by Deputy Minister and a winner of 2 of her 15 races for $117k in earnings. This filly has solid form for this type of race, she was well held in the owner restricted race last time out, but forget that run and she looks a great chance. She has 2 solid graded races 3-4 starts back for a second and a third. Her latest in the Denny Tario she settled a little farther back than the trainer wanted but still held on strongly. She looks a contender here for the place money.

#3 Wild Cat Tales trained by Champions. Nice filly by Tale of the Cat who has won 5 of her 9 races for $287k in earnings. This filly has blossomed her past 4 runs with 100+ speed figures and with a Grade II win last time out. She looks like the extra distance will be in her favor and with consistent improvement her past 4 races look for further improvement here and she looks like the major contender here.

#4 Preferred Female trained by Bucking Bronco. Filly by Dajur and a winner of 1 of her 11 races for $56k in earnings. She is the outsider of the field and is eligible for much easier races. She has speed figures in the mid 80’s at best and was well held last time out in the Grade II race. Look for her to be outclassed here.

#5 Bucking Bronco trained by Coolk2. Super consistent filly here by Wild Again who has won 9 of her 15 races. Surprisingly has been sheltered in track restricted races for a number of her wins and is yet to be tested against come very classy opposition. So she could be seriously tested and found out here. She will look to jump straight to the front and she will set a hot pace and could run a cheeky race and be hard to catch, I suspect the class will rise here and she will be severely tested.

#6 Northerly Nicole trained by Skirom. Solid filly by Dynaformer and a winner of 6 of her 12 races for $250k in earnings. This filly ran a great race 8 starts back in the Snowbird stakes when she ran second. She has run her last 2 races very nicely for a head win last time out. She steps back to graded company here. She will need to pick up a few speed points here to get closer to the 100 mark but she looks a solid place chance.

#7 Cookie Barn trained by Baileybarn. Superbred filly by Kingmambo who has won 8 of her 16 starts for $273k in earnings. This filly really likes the route distance where 6 of her wins and 5 seconds have come. She has won her last 2 races with a 99 speed figure last time out. She was drawing away easily in the stretch and look for another super strong performance here. She looks like a significant contender here. The only real query is will she handle the step up to Graded company? Well I think she can, and will.

#8 Every Everything trained by Kaif031. Nice filly by Buddha who has won 3 of her 16 race for $75k in earnings. She is stepping into graded company for the first time, she does look to have ability though. She won 2 in a row with 99 speed figure for her last win. She ran solidly in the stretch to draw away and the extra distance should suit. A repeat of the 99 speed figure of some improvement will put her in with a chance here.

#9 God’s Fury trained by Saver. By super sire Sadler’s Wells and has won 4 of her 12 races for $509k in earnings. This mare could be something special. She is dropping back in distance slightly which is not in her favor after the Birmingham stakes. She likes this distance as she won over this trip 6 starts back with a 103 speed figure. She will settle back in the field and look for a solid pace so she can storm home in the stretch and claim the win. A significant contender here and one to watch in the future.

#10 Donner trained by Sam812218. Wonderful looking filly by Thunder Gulch and a winner of 6 of her 15 races and $900k in earnings. She is a Grade I winner 2 starts back in the Players Club National Oaks where she won by 3 lengths with a 104 speed figure. She was well held last time out when only 4 in the Birmingham Stakes. She will look to turn the tables here after that run and she definitely has the ability to do that. She looks to like slightly further than the 9 furlongs here and that could be against her slightly. She looks the significant contender and as favorite she must be respected.

Well a tough little race here with some contenders and pretenders. Going to tip with the proven graded form line, so #9 God’s Fury to win from #10 Donner who should run a bold race after the last start flop with #3 Wild Cat Tales for third.

Good luck to all runners.

Simon