Equinics: Fourteen Seek the Summit of Mount Everest

2020 Equinics – Mount Everest

Grade 1

Four and Up, Dirt, 12 Furlongs

The Mount Everest is a race full of opportunity not only for the competing residencies but also the competitors with several worthy challengers at long odds. A single Grade 1 winner and a total of three graded winners in the field means opportunities abound for one tough horse to add a G1 badge to their resume. Your morning line favorite is Effin Squall who will be representing Universal Racing Club with co-second choice honors falling to Myrrh Cadet for Empire State Racing and A Special Street for East-West Connection. The race includes four fillies and mares headlined by Grade 1 winner Grunsmann’s Bow for GR Simster. Let’s take a deeper dive into the field of hopefuls!

PP 1,  18/1  Midnight Swagger, 5yr old Horse

(Into Mischief x Dynaformer x Gone West)

Trainer: despholdin                         Residency: Blazing Saddles

Midnight Swagger is the first horse in line. A lightly raced 5 year old son of Into Mischief, he will be making his graded stakes debut and stretching out to 12 furlongs for the first time. Despholdin has been nothing but patient allowing him to mature and re-enter the racing scene as a 5 year old. Since the return, Midnight Swagger is 3 for 4 in the win department. There is no lack of class in his pedigree either as his dam, Open Range, is a Grade 1 winner at 14F. Looking forward to seeing how this horse handles the added distance and jump in class, the ingredients are there.

PP 2,  17/1  Premium Product, 6yr old Mare

(Sea the Stars x Kingmambo x Nijinsky 2nd)

Trainer: verdugote                          Residency: Hispano Parlente

The first of four fillies and mares challenging their male counterparts is a daughter of Sea the Stars, Premium Product. She is entering the race following a 2 1/2 length score in the listed Alyluck Dirt Mare Stayer at the same 12F distance as today’s race. In her lone attempt in graded company she tried the distance of 16F and found it not to her liking. Today she will be at a distance that she clearly enjoys and a truer test of her talents. There are several hurdles to overcome but if she brings her A game she shouldn’t embarrass.

PP 3,  18/1  No Sure Thing, 5yr old Horse

(Novellist x King Kamehameha x Sunday Silence)

Trainer: bigtate                                 Residency: North West Racing Circuit

In the 3 hole is dual surface runner No Sure Thing making his graded stakes debut and stretching out to 12F for the first time. After tossing out a poor performance in a 6.5f restricted turf claimer event last out, he looks to be a better competitor after a 2nd place effort in a 11f restricted dirt claimer where he posted a 107sf. No Sure Thing will need to put in a top performance Sunday to prove that he belongs in this group.

PP 4,  8/1  Chromecast, 5yr old Horse

(California Chrome x Broad Brush x Affirmed) Scratchbred

Trainer: 42away                                Residency: All-Stars Racing

Next up is Chromecast a 5 year old son of California Chrome and tough competitor in the race. Earlier this year he skipped home to take down the Grade 3 TV Stakes at 12F while also posting a career high 116sf. In the process he Last out in the 14F Grade 1 Razorback Route he never got rolling finishing a disappointing 7th. The cut back to 12F in the Mount Everest should play in his favor and the only worry should be translating his Grade 3 success into Grade 1 competition.

PP 5,  6/1  Myrrh Cadet, 5yr old Gelding

(Tiznow x King Kamehameha x Dynaformer)

Trainer: 42away                                Residency: Empire State Racing

Co-second choice on the morning line is Myrrh Cadet, a 5 year old gelded son of Tiznow. He will be entering fresh off the first graded score of his career in the 12F Grade 2 Crooklyn Handicap where he held on by a neck posting a career high 114sf. A legitimate contender in the race, Myrrh Cadet is an impressive 4 for 5 at 12F. While second choice, he will need to repeat his performance from last out and improve to take home the prize and is fully worthy of a play in the exotics.

PP 6,  12/1  Grunsmann’s Bow, 4yr old Filly

(Awesome Again x Sadler’s Wells x Alydar)

Trainer: lennyelite                           Residency: GR Simster

The second filly in the field. Grunsmann’s Bow, is a 4 year old daughter of Awesome Again and out of Hall of Fame mare Across the Sunrise. Last out she easily handled 10 rivals in the Grade 1 Make Kami Proud at 12F and posted a career high 113sf. She has won 3 out of 4 outings at the 12F distance only falling short over a good track earlier this year. Grunsmann’s pedigree is full of class but much like fellow competitor Myrrh Cadet, she will need to replicate her performance last out and find something extra if she wants to add a second Grade 1 to her resume.

PP 7,  30/1  Dalabon Dreamer, 4yr old Colt

(Bandbox x War Pass x Green Desert)

Trainer: mattbarn                            Residency: Only Stayers

4 year old Dalabon Dreamer is entering this race with the hope of continuing a 4 race win streak and becoming his sire Bandbox’s first graded stakes. A $7500 claim only a year ago, Dalabon Dreamer has found his comfort zone routing for his new connections. While he hasn’t made the step into stakes company, he has been cleaning up in the starter ranks including a 6 length score last out going 12F with a career high sf of 109. The big question for this runner is, can he translate his starter success to not only stakes company, but graded stakes company.

PP 8,  7/1  Madhouse City, 4yr old Colt

(Tapit x Street Cry x Deputy Minister) Scratchbred

Trainer: futurestar                           Residency: Midas

After two strong efforts in graded stakes company over the turf at 12F, Madhouse City is making a return to dirt. In December of last year the 4 year old son of Tapit brought home his first stakes win in the listed Dusty Dance Dirt Challenge at 11.5F where he posted an impressive 121sf. The switch back to dirt should work in his favor and if he can return to the form that landed him his first stakes win, he could easily find himself in the winner’s circle Sunday.

PP 9,  9/1  Testigo Clave, 5yr old Horse

(Midshipman x Medaglia D’Oro x A.P. Indy)

Trainer: puroguiso                           Residency: Latinos Del Mundo

Making his first start in graded stakes competition and at the 12F distance is Testigo Clave. While he has experience going 14F and 16F, the 5 year old son of Midshipman has done some of his best running at 9 to 11 furlongs. In his last two races he has closed to win easily posting 102 and 110sf, both at the distance of 11F. The big question for Testigo Clave is if he can handle the jump into graded company. He has two tries in listed stakes where he has fallen short by a combined 23 1/4 lengths. While he is 9/1 I have serious concerns about the distance and the step up in class but I hope he proves me wrong.

PP 10,  20/1  Whoz Next, 4yr old Filly

(Curlin x Nureyev x Seattle Slew) Scratchbred

Trainer: summerset7                      Residency: Elite Racing Club

The third filly in the field is the 4 year old daughter of Curlin, Whoz Next. Since breaking her maiden, Whoz Next has won 6 in her last 7 outings including two consecutive listed stake wins at 13F. Sunday’s race will mark her first venture into graded competition. While she doesn’t have the most flashy speed figures compared to some in the field, she hasn’t needed it to get the job done. If she handles the step up in class, the 20 to 1 odds may provide some potential for big numbers in the exotics.

PP 11,  7/2  Effin Squall, 5yr old Horse

(Effinex x Summer Squall x Affirmed) Scratchbred

Trainer: urcbest                                Residency: Universal Racing Club

The fourth time may be the charm for race favorite Effin Squall who is continuing the search for his first graded stakes win. The 5 year old son of the late Effinex is a 4 time listed stake winner at 11 and 11.5F and has posted impressive and consistent speed figures in his last 4 outings. If Effin Squall repeats the performance he gave in his last two races and handles the class of the race then the fourth time will indeed be the charm.

PP 12,  8/1  Unbridled Channel, 5yr old Horse

(English Channel x Unbridled’s Song x Seattle Slew)

Trainer: kroth9                  Residency: Minnesota Testbarn Residency

From post 12 breaks Unbridled Channel, a seasoned campaigner making his 30th start. The 5 year old son of English Channel enters the Mount Everest off what appears to be a paid work in a hot over 7.5 furlongs. While he didn’t make the winners circle that day he was clearly being set up for a crack at bringing home his first graded victory. Unbridled Channel is a stake winner at 11.5F and ran 2nd to fellow contender Chromecast in the Grade 3 TV Stakes in May. His recent speed figures fit the field and he should make a good showing on Sunday.

PP 13,  6/1  A Special Street, 4yr old Gelding

(Special Week x Street Cry x French Deputy) Scratchbred

Trainer: millerfarm                          Residency: East-West Connection

Co-second choice in the Mount Everest goes to the gelded son of Special Week, A Special Street. 3 time listed stake winner at 11 and 11.5F he is no stranger to the 12F distance winning twice in four tries with the other two efforts finding himself second. Last out in open allowance company going 12F he caught a salty field of stake winners running second with a 115sf. If A Special Street can ration his speed on the front end he might be able to hold off the late charge of closers that will be surely coming. Don’t count him out, he has the ability to hit the board if not steal the race altogether.

PP 14,  99/1  Curlin to Chestnut, 5yr old Mare

(Curlin to Mischief x Horse Chestnut (SAF) x Mr. Prospector)

Trainer: slowroll24                           Residency: Hoosier Racing

The final Mare in the line up and the longest shot on the board is Curlin to Chestnut. The lightly raced 5 year old daughter of Curlin to Mischief will be placing her 8 race win streak on the line as she makes her graded stakes debut. Primarily sticking to restricted competition, Curlin to Chestnut produced an impressive 106sf at 13F when stretching beyond 10F for the first time in March. In the race she toyed with the field posting a 3 1/2 length victory. Her trainer looked to be prepping in her last race, a hot at 7.5F in which she cruised home by 5. While she is a longshot for a reason, don’t be surprised to see her run a big race if she takes to the graded competition.

Safe trips and best of luck to all the contenders and residencies!