Kiss 2007 Goodbye with the Grade I Mistletoe

MISTLETOE

Grade I

A mile and one sixteenth

Fast Dirt

$500,000

Fillies and mares, 2 years old

1 73663 TAKING THE RAP(KY)  camilla  T Bates  5/1

This First Samurai filly took to the route trip the first chance she had, winning the The STORM OVER SEATTLE Special in Iowa.  She was already her freshman sire’s first stakeswinner (ARRIVE ALIVE TED(KY) became the second last week) and now arrives with a three-race winning skein.  His he-mare BLACK MINESHAFT was stakes-placed and a solid allowance horse.  She’s a solid filly with a solid chance.

2 77989 MINEES(KY)  shamran5  O Brim  14/1   

She is pretty close to being bargain-bred, and this is probably why she snuck through the curious $5k maiden claimer in which she made her winning debut in August (the owner-restricted EAAA King of the Castle Maiden Claimer Special).  Her sire, Kafwain, could run a bit in real life, so her 94 speed number in an 8-furlong Spanish stakes last out should not have surprised.  A bet at long odds if she can repeat that last race.

3 82968 TERRI IRWIN(KY)  hardygirl  F Allen  8/1    

This Langfuhr filly owns two stakes placings at sprint distances and exits an allowance win in Louisiana at 6.5 panels.  In her lone route try, she gave up a sizeable lead to get nipped at the wire, so the widow of Steve Irwin might not be counted on to win this route contest.  While she does not absolutely need the lead to win, a tough pace duel could leave her gasping.

4 30928 EE BRIGHT LIGHT(JPN)  autumnwind  F Gossett  8/1  

You can’t blame her trainer for trying turf for the first time after her Grade 1 Frickazee win; after all, sire Fantastic Light gets some turf monsters.  She managed only a third place finish, so it’s back to the dirt.  She already has close to a half million in the bank and gets a great jockey in Gossett.  Gossett should be able to harness her tracking speed and put her in a position to win.  Her speed numbers are lower than some of these, but she’s had a few months to mature off of those, so don’t count her out.

5 137168 NEW BOLTON(KY)  paddy  M Lannoo  13/1  

She’s a Dynaformer scratch-bred who scored her first dirt win in an August stakes in Ohio.  She stumbled home last in the Grade 2 Margarine next, then got nearly two months off.  She managed fifth in the tough Grade 2 Mistaken Soda Identity Stakes in November (although the winner, SARACEN(KY), disappointed last week in a Grade 1).  If the Mistaken Soda is a true measure of her ability, she has a chance here; if not, she is up against it.

6 88245 BATTLE MUSIC(KY)  2ofus  M Billig  8/1  

This one’s deep closing style is starting to find some traction, as she finished in front of NEW BOLTON(KY) in the Mistaken Soda and third to EE BRIGHT LIGHT(JPN) in the Frickazee.  She’s an Unbridled’s Song product, but she may have gotten her running style from mom, BATTLE SONG.  She closed nearly six lengths in the stretch last time, and if she is that close to the leaders this time, she could win.

7 135817 BAMANA(KY)  billleex  N Bonus  10/1

A lightly raced Hold That Tiger, she got her stakes win back in June.  She has not moved forward in fall racing, so her trainer is likely looking back to her 86 speed back in July at seven furlongs and taking a spin here.  She’s had two months off since her eighth place finish in the Simsters Juvy Dirt Fillies last out, so low-percentage jock Bonus should have a fresh filly to ride in this one.

8 40611 TAKHISIS(KY)  spqr3rd  R Simcox  7/2    

She’s an A.P. Indy who suffered her first career defeat when checking in third in the Mistaken Soda in Arizona last month.  She shows progressing speed figures, a tracking style with strong finishes, and a decent jock in Simcox.  She deserves her favoritism in this contest.

9 91053 FIRE FOR DEATH(KY)  khalasar  A Lewis  7/1    

Overseas runner just got up in the Bulladonna last time, closing from last in a short field.  She is as well-bred for distance as you can get in this game (GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (IRE) x A.P. INDY x SADLER’S WELLS), so the fact that this is her first route race does not look troubling.  She’ll have to step up her game to be in this one, as the 88 speed number she earned last time is her fastest yet.  A ten-horse field may not present too many traffic problems, so she could be right there at the finish and add to her 4-for-5 record.

10 49673 AZZA MUSS(AUS)  sadlier  M Staples  4/1    

Dam YALUCKY MENTUCKY was merely a moderately talented Capote, but the daughter by Desert King is now a Grade 1 winner.  She blew by them all and posted a 97 speed number in the Golden Red Stakes in Nebraska Thanksgiving week.  Considering that, in her three route races, she has finished only behind Breeders Bowl Juvenile Filly winner TEN YEAR STORM(KY), she is a strong challenger under good jockey Staples.