G1 Allied Assault Handicap

I am truly honored to be covering this race as I welcome you all to Pennsylvania for the 12th race on the card, the $2,000,000 G1 Allied Assault Handicap open to all horses 3yo and up on turf at 12f.

It is Del Penn Champions Day and boy do we have two great champions here in Lex Luthor and the legendary Horseshoe Bay. Lex Luthor is the 2006 3yo turf colt Eclipse winner and future hall of fame inductee, whilst Horseshoe Bay has four Eclipse awards; 2005 turf horse, 2005 3yo colt, 2005 HOTY and 2006 older turf horse not to mention also a future hall of famer. Lex is in the mix for HOTY honors with Horseshoe being one of my favorite horses. Others of note that have arrived include the multiple 2nd placed G1 Japan Classic, G1 Breeders Bowl and G1 Coalminer Cup runner in Ottoman Turks, the G1 Japan Classic and G1 World Cup winner in Rural Law and the 5yo war horse Balerion.

A good field has assembled for what looks to be a great race with many chances from a few of the sims major big time trainers in texasace, given, stoners, nextbonus, peeps, tyedye and of course lenny who has had a runner in every G1 race I have covered.

I can promise a great race with Lex, Rural Law and Balerion all trying to hold off the fast finishing grandfather of 12f turf, Horseshoe Bay.

Lets take a look at how they will line up…

PP #1 – Galactic Bomber – ORIENTATE x THEATRICAL(IRE) x STORM BIRD 17/1

3yo colt who ran the race of his career to nail the G1 Man Of War stakes in 3336 posting a 111 SP at 11f to beat Another Tenpin Tap. Then made a small amount of ground late in the Breeders Bowl but looked well outclassed before a rattling run home in G2 company last time out coming from 13 lengths down to loose by 3 to Harrison’s Clocks. He really must relive his run in the G1 Man Of War to fire a shot here against such great champions. Jockey aboard W McClendon is going great guns this year on 26% winners up from his usual 20% lifetime. All credit must go to his trainer Nextbonus as he has been placed perfectly in races he can compete with 7 wins from 18 starts and another 8 placings. Will be his toughest assignment to date but what a great time to put him in against such a good field.

PP #2 – Rosenthal – ROCK OF GIBRALTAR (IRE) x CAERLEON x MILL REEF 8/1

Lenny presents this 4yo colt and boy what a job he has done. There are some great trainers in this game and this is one of them. 8 starts for 2 wins and 5 placings including placings in Smackdown behind Freeze, G1 Tullbrink and G1 Prince Of Whales both behind Rapid Grey and the G1 Eclipse Stakes last time out behind Exclusive Habitat. Has the ability to post high SP figures and run good time but my query is whether he is able to get 12f quicker than the champions? I would be more confident against this field at 10f as he appears better at the trip and his running style close to the speed suits a little better. Having said that however, he did give Exclusive Habitat more ground than usual last time out and recover quickly and if he gets a little way back this week, the extra 2f will certainly help.

PP #3 – S R Awareness – TIROL(IRE) x HARD WORK x PHARLY(FR) 17/1

Tyedye brings us this 4yo colt who has stepped up in distance his last two runs with a degree of success. Best career run in the G1 Coalminer behind Max California and Ottoman Turks two starts back but did concede ground late dropping 6 lengths in the run home to go down by 9. Sat 2nd last time out in the Coffeefeilds Cup for most of the run and held on well on soft ground to place 4th to get some of the $3,000,000 on offer. Did loose 7 lengths in the run home to go down to Creepshow with Balerion in 2nd place, 10 lengths ahead of S R Awareness. Would not rate him in the top 6 chances for this as I think the trip is of some concern and the opposition are well above him however he does show a lot of fight in the stretch.

PP #4 – Jazztown – A.P. INDY x MR. PROSPECTOR x NORTHFIELDS 14/1

An amazing story behind this 8yo horse who was left for dead in 2003 after a modest 3 and 4yo career seeing him win stakes and place at graded level. He has had 6 races back as a 8yo and has now won his last 4 races including two stakes races at 12f. Posted a 111 SP two starts back in his last 12f race and then won a 14f stakes race last time out. If he can replicate his 12f run, he may just cause hassles for sim legends Lex and Horseshoe. His breeding doesn’t scream 12f, his racing career certainly doesn’t scream G1 12f turf winner beating Lex Luthor, Horseshoe Bay, Rural Law or Ottoman Turks but somehow his trainer has got him into this race and he certainly doesn’t look out of it. Cinderella story!!!

PP #5 – Ottoman Turks – EMPIRE MAKER X SADLER’S WELLS X BUCKPASSER 6/1

Stoners has done an amazing job training this 4yo colt who has had only 16 starts for 8 wins and 5 2nd placings. Ottoman Turks is flying at the moment and looks to be one of the most promising colts to take on Lex Luthor next year. The difference between being a champion and a good horse has been felt in his last three runs placing 2nd in all three races. Had he won all three races instead of finishing 2nd, he would have added an extra $2,275,000 to the $2,419,200 he currently has, making his career earnings $4,694,200. Great jockey P Wright aboard will defiantly help his cause with 27.7% winners this year. Has pumped out high triple figures of late and will most likely stalk Lex in the run. If he can do this well, he is in with a great chance at winning this race as they will no doubt be controlling the tempo up front. Great place chance.

PP #6 – Northern Gibraltar – ROCK OF GIBRALTAR (IRE) x A.P. INDY x SADLER’S WELLS 34/1

Certainly not a 34/1 chance for a start. Ozsteve has done a ripper job with this 3yo blue blood colt after getting him for what looks a hefty claim mid-year. He has won 3 of his 6 starts for the stable including a last start 10 length win at 14f in listed stakes company posting a massive 106 SP. It would be scary to think what he would have done had he been pushed. 12f is a great move as he has shown he can go wire to wire at 14f so why not go for a $2,000,000 G1 at 12f? The form is there, breeding suggest he will hit 12f nicely and this is just a great move by a great former DUR member. The most interesting part of this race will be played by this 3yo colt and the king in waiting Lex Luthor to see who will lead the field to the first turn. From then on, Northern Gibraltar has got to be careful not to get into a speed dual with Lex as his 7.2 million and 7 G1 wins may just be his downfall.

PP #7 – Rural Law – LAW SOCIETY (IRE) x TAKE RISKS(FR) x SEMIPALATINSK 8/1

Vettori presents us with this giant killing 3yo colt who has taken the turf routing ranks by storm this year. 14 races in 2007 have seen him win 6 and place in 5 times. He has won the G1 Adelaide Derby beating Exclusive Habitat, the G1 Owners Stakes beating Galactic Bomber in 3rd, the G1 World Cup beating Darkdoun in 2nd and Rosenthal in 5th and has also won the G1 Japan Classic last time out beating Ottoman Turks (2nd) Another Tenpin Tap (4th) and Horseshoe Bay (7th). That last run was the run of his life as he posted a 115 SP and showed that if need be, he is capable of running with any horse in this field. Ranked 2nd in this field only behind Lex and ranked 1st in the 3yo turf routing colt division, Rural Law is a serious race horse and can win this race!

PP #8 – Balerion – MINESHAFT x UNBRIDLED x SECRETARIAT 7/1

One of the sims best trainers Given presents this 5yo war horse who has had an interesting year with this his 10th start. It is amazing that he has amassed 2.4 million in earnings and has only won the 2 G1’s but it is his consistency that is the key. He has shown that consistency this year with his passion for racing and dueling with horses at an all time high highlighted by his 2nd placed efforts in the G1 Doomben Cup behind Puppet Regime, G2 Bluegrass Cup Turf and his gallant effort in the G1 Coffeefields Cup behind the 5.7 million Creepshow. It will be interesting to see how he is ridden this week as both Lex Luthor and Northern Gibraltar appear destined for a speed duel for the lead. Balerion took up a position further back last time out and was made to pay in the G1 Eclipse Stakes loosing to Exclusive Habitat and finishing 6 lengths behind Rosenthal who was 2nd. Would love to see him run a top race.

PP #9 – Horseshoe Bay – RED RANSOM X WOODMAN X RAISE A NATIVE 6/1

I am not being a lazy reporter; it’s just that anything I say about this amazing sim legend cannot do his career justice. I will not go on and on but sixteen G1 victories including two Breeders Bowls, a Sydney, Adelaide, English and Irish Derby, a John Scott, Ark de Triumph and a Sand Castle Golden Turf is just phenomenal. Admittedly out of touch in his last three runs but importantly, he has made good ground on the leaders in each of those runs including coming from 13 ¾ lengths behind in the stretch to close to within 3 ¾ lengths on the line in the Breeders Bowl against Lex and almost consuming Ottoman Turks. A win here would bring him to within one G1 win of the record set by Sunnybank Memorial at 18 and would take him to 11.7 Million in earnings chasing the $13,510,891record holder Joe Cayenne. The question is can he stay close enough to Lex to run him down this week or will the young Jedi defy his master yet again?

PP #10 – Another Tenpin Tap – SEEKING THE GOLD x NIJINSKY II x BLUSHING GROOM(FR) 7/1

This 4yo colt is not here to make up the numbers. He has had a huge year after destroying allowance company last year in what has been a terrific training effort from the Rockriver Stables. Although he has won just the one G1 this year, he has placed 2nd in the G1 Tower Bridge behind Lex Luthor, 2nd in the G1 King Geoff and Queen B eth’s Emerald Stakes beating Lex Luthor in 3rd and 2nd in the G1 Man Of War behind Galactic Bomber. He has also placed 3rd in the G1 Doomben Cup and ran a gallant race to place 4th last time out in the G1 Japan Classic beaten by Rural Law and Ottoman Turks but finishing ahead of Horseshoe Bay. Can post the high SP’s required to win this and will be perfectly placed in the run sitting back of the pace but close enough to do damage. Is a chance for sure but really must run up to his best to place, and the race of his life to win it.

PP #11 – Harrison’s Clocks – DYNAFORMER x SADLER’S WELLS x HABITAT 12/1

The Tulloch Stables as part of the residency of the moment RASH present this 5yo horse has smashed into the best form of his career of late after spending a lot of time in allowance company. Has raced 4 times the last half of this year for 2 stakes wins and a G2 Flying Handicap win last time out beating G1 Man Of War winner Galactic Bomber by three lengths. Has show brilliant versatility buy coming from 10 lengths back last time out to win and also winning stakes races whilst running from the front. He must not run from the front this week otherwise he will be nailed by the big boys. If he can drop back and attempt to go with Horseshoe Bay when he moves he is a chance to run in the first half of this field.

PP #12 – Lex Luthor – EMPIRE MAKER X THEATRICAL(IRE) X`SEEKING THE GOLD 9/1

As I stated in the intro, Lex is flying and has been (without doubt) the number 1 turf routing horse in the sim this year. He has four G1’s to his name this year including the prestigious Ark de Triumph and the Breeders Bowl Turf. Geoff has selected his races carefully this year, missing the World Cup, then not entering to defend his 2006 Smackdown title or the Japan Classic. Has had 10 races this year winning 8 and was most likely set at 0.90 for his initial race this year and in his 3rd placed G1 run before the Ark and BB. He is the number 1 ranked horse in this division and will run triple figures if need be to win this race. A win would see his earnings rocket to 8.4 Million and his status as a sim legend enhanced. Has beaten the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th ranked horses in this race this year it goes without saying that he certainly looks capable of retaining that record here. It is a shame that Sunnybank Memorial has been retired as one last dual with the three champions would have been great to finish the year, however there is still some depth in this that he must be careful of. Is a 2/1 chance not 9/1.

PP #13 – Kneel Before Zod – ROCK HARD TEN x FORTY NINER x ROBERTO 15/1

The only female in this race and a 3yo at that which for the Australians reminds me of Miss Finland taking on the massive colts and horses in the Cox Plate. Certainly not a 12f G1 turf pedigree that I would pick. Despite all of this she is a serious 3yo turf routing filly who has had a bumper year winning the G1 Adelaide Oaks at 12f, Smackdown at 12f, and placing 3rd in the Breeders Bowl Distaff after coming from almost 16 lengths down to finish 4 lengths off the winner 2.9 million dollar winning 5yo mare and number 1 ranked Magical Mia at 11f. Perfect lead up run showing that 12f is defiantly needed to place here. She can take on older mares but the question remains, can she take on the males horses and furthermore, can she compete against Lex Luthor, Rural Law and Horseshoe Bay? If she can follow Horseshoe Bay through the race and stay close to him she will be a great chance to run top 5. Her 111 SP last time out in G1 company proves that and with a nice big break after Breeders Bowl, she looks great.

PP #14 – Darkdoun – GALILEO (IRE) x PEINTRE CELEBRE (IRE) x CAERLEON 12/1

4yo colt who has been ultra consistent in his last 4 runs running the best race of his career when placing 2nd in the G1 World Cup behind Rural Law. Another that likes to lead but would be a suicidal move to do so this week. He must re-produce his World Cup effort to fire a shot here with the class level a big problem for him here. Did beat Jumpin Java and Otto Oh No last time out but this is a whole new ball game. Has ability but will find the going tough against some of these.

So there we have it, some truly great horses and some very interesting battles.

My tips,

Lex, Horseshoe, Rural Law and Ottoman are the class runners and on of these will win it.

For some value, Northern Gibraltar is amazing at 34/1.

It is a very hard race as Kneel Before Zod, Another Tenpin, Balerion, Galactic and Rosenthal all have good claims to steal a place.

Jazztown may also be a sneaky runner in the mix.

My sentimental would be Horseshoe Bay, balerion and Kneel Before Zod.

So in closing my tip would be to choose 2 of my top picks and box trifecta with the next four…… or just don’t bet!!!