Black Wood Nymph to Defend Her Title
– A clear, mild day is on tap for this edition of the W.D. Coal Special Stakes. A competitive group of 3 and up fillies has gathered for the 10 furlong trip over the main track. Track handicapper C.B. Shook notes that 4 of the 7 are coming in off career best SP #s and another ran her top figure just 2 races back.
Otto Overrated is a good looking Montjeu mare from the wilko division of the Pierchinski Stables. She ran a 104 last time out, bettering by 1 the SP she put up in her signature win in the Gr3 BB Undercard Filly Long Route stakes just over a year ago. She’s run well, if unspectacularly since then, but hasn’t quite managed to match that big win. Lights the board and picks up checks like clockwork, though. Pretty good bet she’ll do the same here and 5/1 are enticing odds.
Fabman sends Aussie Dynomite out from his ldstable. Fabman yanked her modestly-bred dam from the track after just 2 poor starts as a 2yo, spent the next 3 years feeding her, and then sent her to Dynaformer for her lone breeding to date. This runner ran a career-high 109 last time out but couldn’t maintain a lead she was unaccustomed to having. Draws top jock and should have something to chase down in the stretch this time. Deserving 5/2 favorite and the one to beat.
Neverwin sure wasn’t aptly named. 4yo Crafty Prospector mare comes in riding a 3 race winning streak, in fact. Argo claimed her for $150k back in July 2006 and she has rewarded his trust in her with 6 wins for his amer414 stable since then. She loves this distance and should get a trip to fit her closing style. 9/2 might be a little short on her as she’s coming in off a 2 month layoff. Entirely capable of winning here, but we’ll look elsewhere for the top spot.
Nagnagnag sends Bony Pony in from the head stable of the conglomerate. 4yo Moon Ballad mare was claimed just 3 races back and immediately stepped up in class. Another who posted a career best SP number last trip to the post – a 106 in a runner-up finish in the Gr 2 Jump Town Handicap. Lots of whispers around the backstretch about this one’s improvement since the barn switch but no one has yet brought forth any charges. Trainer and horse did make a quick exit from Kentucky shortly after last race. 18% jock helps chances. Great price at 6/1!
Black Wood Nymph returns to defend her victory in this race from last year. Rbokie’s Black Minnaloushe mare is the old lady of this group at 6 years of age. She’s still got some life left in those spindly legs based on her past couple of efforts. Had top jock Cahill last year but he blew off Rbokie this year in favor of Fabman’s entry. Not sure that she has quite enough early speed to keep up here and she doesn’t do well when she can’t keep close contact with the leader. Not a great bet at just 7/2 and a little difficult to include in exotics at that price though she very well could get a piece. Will just watch this one and see if she matures a bit.
Ozsteve brings Right Of Reply from his fairway stable to this dance. She’s the cheapest bred of all these girls with Oratory as her sire and Banker’s Gold and Search for Gold filling out her pedigree. She hasn’t let the lack of regal blood hold her back, though. Just a 3-year-old, she’s had trouble in her 3 tries against older keeping close enough contact to put her finishing kick to good use. 5% jock gets the mount to compound the matter further. At 4/1 she’s tempting to include underneath others in the exotics, but not terribly likely she’ll get there.
Quality Indy is the only other 3yo in the field and starts as the 15/1 long shot from the outside post. Elusive Quality filly from the gipper4 stable put up a 99 SP last time out in her first stakes try where she led by a full 9 lengths on the backside before tiring on the far turn. She’s in against older for the first time and she’s in pretty deep. If she can get the lead here, it will be interesting to see if 12 year veteran jock Riggs can get her to relax and just cruise a bit.