Darsparkle Primed to Shine in Man of War

Eleven older horses and geldings are set to take part in 11-furlong, $750,000 Man of War Stakes (G1) in New York, where both short-priced favorites appear vulnerable. Sunday’s race will be conducted on firm turf in New York.

Merchant of Mogo‘s career earnings of nearly $3.4-million towers over the field, with this 4-year-old earning most of that with his recent wins in the Aussie Queen (G1) in April and the Mr. Met Cap (G1) in February. Since that double, Deyoto10’s son of Fastnet Rock finished sixth in the Prince of Whales in early June. All those races were at 10 furlongs, as was his win last season in the Early Months Stakes (G2). The frontrunning Merchant of Mogo has tried the 11 furlong distance on one prior occasion, building up a lead of over six lengths before tiring to finish second in the Hogwarts (G2) in April 2019. He followed that with a well-beaten fifth-place finish in the Derby de English (G1) at 12 furlongs. The scratchbred, with Nureyev and Roberto completing the pedigree, is fast and talented and that could go a long way to alleviating distance concerns if he’s on his best form. Merchant of Mogo was installed as the 5/1 second-wagering choice and will be ridden by R. Dogs from post 10.

While Merchant of Mogo has yet to taste success beyond 10 furlongs, Cgk2’s Star Writer earned his first stakes win in last year’s San Juan Invitational at 14 furlongs. He added the 12-furlong Classic Turf Stakes (G1) to his tally in September but enters here on a five-race losing streak that started with a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf (G1). As he stretched out in distance in allowance races in his run up to the San Juan win, he skipped from 10 furlongs (a maiden race win and a fifth-place in an initial allowance condition) to 12 and 13.5 furlongs, where he found success but leaving us to ponder if 11 furlongs is a bit sharper of a trip than his ideal distance. The late-running son of Sea the Stars has finished fifth in each of his races this season, including the Carlsbad Lessons (G2) last time out. Jockey F. Gossett is very familiar with the horse and the favored pair (4/1) drew post five.

So there are question marks surrounding the field’s two previous grade one winners. Will Sunday’s race give the Sim a new top flight winner?

Hurto Intelectual finished third in last year’s renewal of this race, which was won by End of Year award winner Mr. Mayhem. The son of Shamardal has a top speed figure of 121 earned in his final 2018 start (a win in the 10.5-furlong Lipstick Gold Cup (G3) and won the Capitols Major Price (G3) and the 11-furlong Spankie-Sho All Comers (G2) last season. This season, Zardeltajo’s 7-year-old has yet to win from three allowance race starts, including a dull fourth-place finish when stretched out to 14 furlongs in late May. The race distance suits this bay horse who should be unwinding his late kick in the stretch if he can reprise his best races from last season. Hurto Intelectual is 6/1 on the board and will be ridden from the six hole by K. Ledwith.

Darsparkle is available at generous odds of 9/1 thanks to darkened recent form courtesy of two races at 12 furlongs. The 4-year-old son of Choisir may be a narrow distance specialist, that distance being 11 furlongs. When raced at that distance for the first time in December. he made a long, sustained move to win the Manatee Cup by 2 1/2 lengths while earning his top speed figure of 118. Next time out he nearly won the Jai Alai Park Turf (G1), also at 11 furlongs, closing well but just missing the loose on the lead Rockbone Castle. Darsparkle is the first foal from Monsun dam Alright I Meant It and has two wins from 16 career starts. C. Word has the mount, with the pair leaving from gate seven.

Save for a pair of outings on off tracks Beisbol’s Noir really turned a corner last October when he popped a career high 112 speed figure when finishing second in an allowance race. This year, the two off track races behind him, he has won four of five races (a $75,000 claimer and three romping allowance races) and will make his stakes debut Sunday. The 5-year-old son of Black Tide (a son of Sunday Silence available for 48 breeding points at this writing) got back to his top speed figure in his early June win last time out and his most recent two races have seen him win at the Man of War distance. The gelding will likely have company on the front end here so it will be interesting to see if his allowance form translates to grade one company. D. Givens will be up as Noir breaks from post nine at odds of 10/1.

Salamander’s Motorboat Kitten won the 11-furlong Buck Dharma Handicap (G2) to start his 5-year-old season and followed that with a 1/2-length score in the Sandy Ray Handicap (G2) over an additional furlong, earning a career-best speed figure of 116. A tilt in grade one company last time out didn’t work so well with the son of Kitten’s Joy finishing seventh in the Grand Brazilian. Motorboat Kitten’s second highest speed figure (113) came in a listed stakes win at 11 furlongs in November, so there is a lot to like here. He possesses tactical speed — generally racing towards the front — but dropped far back early in the Buck Dharma, and jockey Q. Cassell may elect to utilize that gambit again on Sunday. He starts from post two at odds of 6/1.

Seagrove Hill is an enigmatic sort. He’s won his two most recent races, earning a 114 speed figure in a listed stakes race at 1 3/16-miles and a 112 speed figure in an allowance win at six furlongs. While he’s three-for-eight in sprints and two-for-four in routes, his speed figures have generally been better in the route races. In this race, Massatoga15’s 4-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid will stretch out to the longest distance of his career. His grade one winning dam by Danehill was a sprinter all the way and has produced a series of listed stakes winners. Seagrove Hill (10/1) likes to press the early pace, a tactic that may not carry the day in this spot, but with a rail draw jockey N. Lawton may not have much choice in the matter.

Pallasator’s Starveyor finished behind Motorboat Kitten in both the Buck Dharma and Sandy Ray before going wire-to-wire in the CEO Classic (G3) in April. The 4-year-old son of Galileo (out of a Duke of Marmalade mare) most recently finished a well-beaten sixth in the Coronation Pilsener (G1) in late May. He’s another one that runs from the bell but has shown an ability to rate on occasion (see his Autumn Stakes (G3) win from last September, for example). The 11 furlongs may suit Starveyor (9/1) but he has yet to hit the board in three tries in grade one races. T. Small will have to figure out a way to save ground starting from the outside post 11.

Victoryland’s The Valkyrie has led at the first three calls in each of his last 10 races, winning four of them including a listed stakes race at 12 furlongs. in the midst of that run, he nearly pulled off a win in the King Kong Vase (G1) utilizing those tactics despite intense pressure from a rival. In that December race, he gradually edged away from the pace presser before being engulfed late by Cinnamon LV. The 6-year-old son of Awesome Again will try to take them all the way again in his 29th career start. The Valkyrie (9/1) will be ridden by Z. Ayya from post four.

One who might capitalize on all this early speed is Fastnsara’s Cross St. Market, a 5-year-old son of Cape Cross who has yet to win a stakes race. His last win on grass came last July in an 11-furlong allowance race which he won by 2 1/4 lengths while earning a 112 speed figure (his top, which he has equalled on two other occasions). While not a stakes winner, he did finish third in the 11-furlong Winchester Park Cup (G3) and a listed stakes at this distance. All that gives him a chance to at least hit the board here at odds of 8/1. Jockey W. Kewmwa rides and the pair will depart from post three.

Since Mkbargain switched War Worm to turf after his first five starts, the 4-year-old son of Gormley has finished in the exacta in all seven of his races, winning two (both of those allowance races earlier this year). He has yet to race as far as 11 furlongs but his performances in his last three races (each at 10 furlongs) suggest the experiment is worth attempting. He equalled his top speed figure of 106 in his most recent race where he closed from over 15 lengths back to miss the win by just a neck. He’d need a sudden jump over his top speed figure to be competitive here but with the race shape in his favor he has a shot to hit the board at odds of 21/1. He is from the same female family as 2012 Eclipsed Stakes (G1) winner Consumed By Chaos, who also won the 11-furlong Einstein Stakes (G2). M. Kelly rides and the pair will leave from post eight.

The fictional bankroll stands at $1,913.95 with bets pending from Saturday’s French Grand Prix. I’m focusing my wagers here on Darsparkle (#7, 9/1) and heavily using Motorboat Kitten (#2, 6/1) and Hurto Intelectual (#6, 6/1). I’ll start by placing $20 across the board on Darsparkle and do a $2-exacta box of that three-horse group. Then $1 exactas with Darsparkle keyed over and under Motorboat Kitten, Cross St. Market, Star Writer, Hurto Intelectual, Noir, Merchant of Mogo and Starveyor. Then a $.50 trifecta keying War Worm in the third place spot and using my top three picks in the top slot and that three plus the other exacta horses in the second spot. So that’s a grand total of $96.50 in fresh wagers taking the bankroll  down to $1,817.45 with two races pending.