G2, The Dancing North Cup: 12 grueling furlongs across the Turf in Ontario.

Ontario-CAN (ON) Sunday, July 12, 2020 — 2:30:00 PM EST | Race ID : 2356556
The Dancing North Cup
Grade II / Group 2*CPU – Purse : $375,000
Restricted to 3 Year Olds and Older
12 Furlongs | ~2400 Meters | One Mile and a Half	Firm Turf

For the running of the G2, The Dancing North Cup in Ontario we will be find the course listed as Firm Turf and the sun will be shining over the track and those there to cheer their favorite horses on as the take to the course.  This race will be a grueling 12 furlongs of which the jockeys will need to be prepared and ready when they head out for the call of the race to make this mile and a half trip.  This field consists of eight horses that have come here to challenge one another and there is a filly in the crowd that has come to show what she’s got against the boys of which she has done many times in the past.  The odds have been set and post positions drawn for this event, so let us take a quick preview as to how they look for the G2, The Dancing North Cup.

Post Position: 1

Horse/Odds: Exbourne’s NR Five  7/2

Sire: War Chant

Owner: feuerbach

Jockey: W McClendon

This seven year old Bay Horse has shown he does have the talent to run at this distance.  However in his last two starts which were both G1 races he has had some difficulty.  Perhaps this small drop in Class will prove helpful.  His last time out he ran on 06/21/2020 going 11 furlongs in Japan in the Kakarazua Kinen Cup.  He failed to perform in that race and ran fairly flat to cross the wire back in eighth.  This horse has yet to find a trip to the winners circle at the Graded level but he has come close before.  Perhaps this will be his day when jockey W McClendon comes in from Vermont to take to the saddle for this trip with him.  The jockey may need to give this horse a couple of good taps to keep his attention.  They get a good gate draw to get this horse in position and should look to capitalize on that.  They will be heading out at post time to the cheers of their roaring fans.

Post Position: 2

Horse/Odds: Banh Mi  4/1

Sire: Scratch Bred (SEBRING x SADLER’S WELLS x ROBERTO)

Owner: urbanoz4

Jockey: P Munoz

For this four year old Bay Colt it has been since back in August of last year that he has traveled 12 furlong and has mainly been running in 10 furlong races.  He is a G3 badge earner, when he won the G3, National Stakes in New Zealand this past February.  After winning that race he moved up in Class and has ran his last two races at the G1 level without success.  Moving down in Class for this outing may be just what it takes to get back on the boards.  The owner has placed a call to jockey, P Munoz who is one of the top jockeys at the Illinois track.  This horse tends to like to run just off the lead in his best efforts and that is where we should see his jockey try to place him.  They will be headed out at post time to represent the Only Stayers residency.

Post Position: 3

Horse/Odds: Palace Princess 5/1

Sire: Scratch Bred (PALACE MALICE x RED RANSOM x HIGH CHAPARRAL)

Owner: studlatolderia

Jockey: M Blade

This four year old Bay Filly princess will grace the field being the only filly in this race.  She has proven to be a contender at this distance and she has not missed hitting the boards since back in August of last year.  She was claimed right here in Ontario on 05/01/2019 for $35,000.  The owner made a good claim grabbing her and she has went on under his ownership to be successful.  Her last outing came on 05/06/2020 in Kentucky when she ran 12 furlongs in a Local Championship Stakes against the boys.  She attempted to go gate to wire, but was caught down the stretch for home and ended up second in that race.  The owner places a call to a familiar jockey to this horse in M Blade from Wyoming.  He knows this horse is fast and likes to run up front.  I expect to see this horse out of the gate quick and head toward the front.

Post Position: 4

Horse/Odds: Cinnamon LV  3/1

Sire: Redoute’s Choice

Owner: jackworm

Jockey: L Radzinski

This six year old Bay Gelding has done very well in his career for this owner bringing home over five million dollars in earnings.  This G1 winning gelding will be the morning line favorite according to the odds makers.  But I must say I see a little kink in the armor that may give opportunity to others in the field.  This season in three starts he has failed to find a trip to the boards.  Will his owner along with jockey, L Radzinski coming in from Washington be able to snap this losing streak and get this horse back in form?  This jockey is very familiar to this horse and in this horses last trip to the track this jockey was in the saddle.  They ran on 05/29/2020 in Surrey at a distance of 12 furlongs in the G1, The Coronation Pilsner.  The horse never seemed to want to fire in this race and ran flat to cross the wire back in tenth.  In some of this horses best performance he likes closing fairly late, but he may need a couple of good pops of the whip to get his attention and fire around the third call.  This pairing will head out to their post on Saturday to represent the Only Stayers residency.

Post Position: 5

Horse/Odds: Rock The War  17/1

Sire: Rock Of Gibraltar

Owner: graywolf21

Jockey: M Staples

This five year old Roan Gelding finds himself the longest choice in the field at 17/1 according to the morning line odds makers.  He is a GP badge earner, but has yet to find that elusive trip to the winners circle in a Graded outing.  He has the ability to travel this grueling distance, but his lacking speed ratings maybe to his disadvantage in Saturdays race.  He last ran on 12/17/2019 in Florida going 11 furlongs in a $43,800 NW2y Allowance.  He was closing but his 101 speed rating was only good enough to cross the wire in second that day.  His owner then put this horse on a long rest period and this will be his first trip back to the track since running in Florida in December.  This rest may prove advantageous to this horse.  The owner places a call to California to contract the services of jockey, M Staples who if a familiar jockey in riding this gelding.  This pairing will be heading out in the post parade to represent the Queensland Racecourse residency.

Post Position: 6

Horse/Odds: Glenzig  7/2

Sire: Scratch Bred (GLENEAGLES x KRIS S. x DANZIG)

Owner: galwaystable

Jockey: B Scott

This five year old Bay Horse is coming off a nice win at the distance when on 06/06/2020 he went 12 furlongs in New York in a $47,700 NW1S Allowance race.  He was over seven lengths back at the third call and he found another gear to bolt to the wire and pick up the win by three lengths and a 109 speed rating.  He is going to need a flashy performance like that again here on Saturday against this field if he wishes to pick up another G2 win.  The owner has placed the call to jockey, B Scott from Massachusetts who is one of their top jockeys at that track to come in and take to the saddle and travel this long trip with his horse.  This horse likes to close late and that is what I would expect of him in this race.  He must give one of his best performances here to get a trip to the boards when they head out at post time to represent the Universal Racing Club residency.

Post Position: 7

Horse/Odds: Yarnathon  8/1

Sire: Scratch Bred (SUNS OUT GUNS OUT x SINGSPIEL (IRE) x BUSTINO)

Owner: meguire2nd

Jockey: M Romberg

This five year old Bay Horse is a prior G3 badge earner when back in October of last year he traveled 12 furlongs in Kentucky in the G3, The Sick No More stakes where he closed nicely for the win.  Since that time he has only found one more trip to the boards.  In this horses last outing he ran 11 furlongs on 06/12/2020 in Kansas in a Listed Stakes, Colorado Force Turf Stayer of which he ran a disappointing 97 speed rating and finished up sixth and over fifteen lengths back.  His owner heads over to the jocks room here in Ontario and finds that jockey, M Romberg is available to take the mount in this race.  This jockey being a familiar face here in Ontario could add some extra trips to the betting window from the fans.  This pair will head out to their post draw on Saturday to represent the Blazing Saddles residency.

Post Position: 8

Horse/Odds: Garrosh Hellscream  13/1

Sire: Giant’s Causeway

Owner: peeps3

Jockey: B Peeples

This four year old Brown Colt is a non stakes winner but he tends to be fairly consistent in his races.  He has never traveled 12 furlongs before but looking at prior races it kind of looks like he can go the added distance.  This horse last ran on 05/23/2020 in New York when he traveled 10.5 furlongs in a $75,000 Allowance.  The track was a little off that day due to precipitation, but he handled it well and made a late close to come in second when he seemed to run out of track.  The owner makes a call to California to find a familiar jockey to his horse available for the ride when jockey, B Peeples accepts the mount.  This horse has never raced in a Graded race before but I am going to say this pair should be giving it all they got for this one and could show up as a surprise on the boards at 13/1 odds when they head out representing the GR Simsters residency.

Good luck to all owners and horses!

Skippy’s Watch List

1-Exbourne’s NR Five: A drop in Class may be what this horse needs to get back to the boards

2-Banh Mi: Looks ready to go if he can handle the added distance from his last outing.

3-Palace Princess:  She knows how to handle the boys, but can she step up in Class and do it here?

Tarton’s Long Shot

8-Garrosh Hellscream: This horse looks like he is wanting added distance.  Although he is not a stakes winner and is jumping in Class I feel I have to add him to some of my exotic tickets at this 13/1 price.