A DIRT MILE RACE WITH A EUROPEAN FLAVOR AT QUEENSLAND TODAY
The 12th race at Queensland features the older dirt milers in the EAAA division Inter-residency challenge. Each of the 4 residencies have entered 3 horses in the race in hopes of earning maximum points to aid their goal of winning the competition.
Let’s take a look at today’s field:
1)ROYAL VICTORY(KY)—HAWKK6 (INDEPENDENT) (EAAA RACING)—23/1
This 4 year old mare out of CRAFTY PROSPECTOR enters this race with a record of 5-3-0-0 and lifetime earnings of $70,888. She is currently ranked 1289th in the older female dirt classic route division rankings. She was unraced as a 2 year old and began her career late not starting until August in her 3 year old season last year. After a pair of lacklustre starts she now enters this race on a 3 race win streak hilited by her last start in The Stupidly Star(IRE) Stakes in Sweden where she posted her lifetime best 109 speed rating over the 7.5 furlong dirt race. It marked the second triple digit speed rating in a row for this mare and her success seemed to come about with the change in running style with her being more agressive out of the gate now then she was in her first 2 lifetime starts. The rider for today’s race will be Singleton (0%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—106.
2)BENEATH THE STARS(IRE)—CALLE4 (NICKESYD) (IRELAND)—10/1
This 6 year old horse out of GRANDERA(IRE) enters this race with a record of 42-9-2-3 and lifetime earnings of $229,629. He is out of the mare VELVET JUNGLE(IRE) who was 3/27 at the track and who has 4 foals on record of which 2 are winners including 1 stakes winner. He is currently ranked 394th in the older male dirt classic route division rankings. This horse broke his maiden in his dirt debut as a 2 year old after running on the turf in his 1st race. He won 3 races including 2 stake races as a 3 year old and picked up a pair of allowance wins at 4, one on each surface. Last year he won 3 races including an overnite stake race in The No Reception SQ Cap where he posted his lifetime best 109 speed rating over the 8.5 furlong race. This closer had a rough start in his last race suggesting 9 furlongs is to far for him and hopes to rebound with a better effort today in representing the Ireland residency. The rider for today’s race will be Phillips (14.3%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—103.
3)LEAVENWORTH—CAERLEON (SNOWCHIEF) (ALPINE TURF CLUB)—8/1
This 7 year old horse out of ATTICUS enters this race with a record of 39-9-3-5 and lifetime earnings of $210,757. He is ranked 1027th in the older horse classic turf route division rankings. This horse broke his maiden as a 2 year old in 2003 and that would be his only win until after being picked up by a new owner in the auction in 2006. He would win his first race for his new owner a $2K claimer and would be claimed by his current connections out of that race. He has picked up 7 wins including 2 stake wins since that claim making it a very lucrative transaction for the Caerleon stable. He posted his lifetime best 107 speed rating this past summer while winning an open allowance dirt mile race in Washington. In his last race the ATC Dirt Championship he rallied well and just missed the win by a head to a teamate who is entered in this race as well. He is a closer who sits mid to back of the back and who starts his move in the backstretch. The rider for today’s race will be DeBerg (75%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—100.
4)BOBCAT BAY—MRVOICE (NEXTBONUS) (QUEENSLAND)—7/2
This 5 year old horse enters this race with a record of 28-7-11-2 and lifetime earnings of $269,633. He is currently ranked 212th in the old male classic dirt route division rankings. This horse raced once as a 2 year old and broke his maiden on the turf in his 3 year old debut race. He would add another turf allowance win that year before switching to the dirt where he would pick up a pair of allowance wins as well. Last year while racing on both surfaces he won 3 races, all on the dirt including 1 stake race in The Glen For Lord Cap where he posted a 111 speed rating just 3 points of his lifetime best he had posted in the race previous. His best success is when he shows early gate speed and is expected to either challenge or press the lead again here today. The rider for today’s race will be Cox (0%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—109.
5)THUNDER PUNCH(KY)—CREAM (TOPLIGHT) (EAAA RACING)—7/1
This 4 year old colt out of THUNDER GULCH enters this race with a record of 21-8-4-2 and lifetime earnings of $294,326. He is out of the mare OPEAONYA who was 5/40 at the track and who has 5 foals on record, all winners including 1 stakes winner. He is currently ranked 157th in the older male dirt classic route divisional rankings. He won 3 races as a 2 year old including 1 stakes race. Last year he won 5 races including 3 overnite stake races. He did not fare well in 3 Graded stake starts to date but this race should suit his class standards well. He posted his lifetime best 111 speed rating last year while winning The Fingers Lakes Mile Stakes over 8 furlongs on the dirt in Upper New York. He is a closer who can sit either mid pack or at the back of the pack early. The rider for today’s race will be Radke (18.2%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—107.
6)LUCKY’S CAPITAL(ENG)—WINORPLACE (MR LUCKY’S) (ALPINE TURF CLUB)—5/1
This 4 year old colt out of WITH APPROVAL enters this race with a record of 24-10-2-2 and lifetime earnings of $938,845. He is out of the mare DANCY DELIGHT(GB) who was 0/2 at the track and who has 3 foals on record of which 2 are winners including 1 Graded stake winner. He is currently ranked 6th in the older male dirt classic route divisional rankings. He won 3 races as a 2 year old, 2 on the dirt and another on the turf where he raced for most of the season. He was switched to the dirt last year and started the year with a bang by winning 4 races in a row, all stakes including The Grade II I’m Trying and The Grade I I Am Not A Crook Classic. He would add another pair of stake races to his record including The Grade II Buckeye Derby before winning The Alpine Turf Club dirt championship race to close off last year. He posted his lifetime best 114 speed rating while winning The Bored Mat Special last fall over 9 furlongs on the dirt. He is a closer who sits at the back of the pack early and has an impressive stretch run when he is on his game. The rider for today’s race will be Wyatt (25%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—107.
7)CHECK OUT ALI(SAF)—IREMAT (HILLBILLY RACE TEAM) (IRELAND)—24/1
This 4 year old colt out of VICTORY MOON(SAF) enters this race with a record of 20-3-7-3 and lifetime earnings of $70,329. He is out of the he-mare BARB’S LIBBY(IRE) who was 8/31 at the track. He is currently ranked 3491st in the old male dirt classic route division rankings. This colt won his debut race as a 2 year old and ended up changing hands for a $10K claiming tag last spring. He would pick up a starter allowance win before changing hands again with his current connections picking him up for a $20K tag last fall. He has raced twice for his new connections including an allowance race win last time out where he posted his lifetime best 103 speed rating over 8 furlongs on the dirt in North California. He has shown both the ability to close from the back as well as stalk from just behind the leaders which could come in handy as the race unfolds today. The rider for today’s race will be Perkins (0%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—99.
8)FESTIVE FIFTY—STORMCAT55 (FOXON) (ALPINE TURF CLUB)—7/1
This 5 year old horse out of SADLER’S WELLS enters this race with a record of 31-12-4-2 and lifetime earnings of $1,073,051. He is currently ranked 30th in the older male dirt classic route divisional rankings. This horse was unraced as a 2 year old and won 7 races as a 3 year old including a pair of overnite stake races. Last year he was very sharp in the first half of the season winning 5 stake races hilited by The Grade III Sand Castle Godolfin Mile, The Grade II Bluegrass Sprint where he would post his lifetime best 114 speed rating and The Grade I Cosmopolitan Handicap. He would lose form later in the year and hopes to make a come back in this challenge race today. He is a closer who sits well back early and charges hard in the stretch drive and is very capable at both sprint and the mile distances. The rider for today’s race will be Cameron (7.7%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—101.
9)BONNIE’S LIL BRO—BABY2272 (ACE) (IRELAND)—10/1
This 5 year old horse out of SEPTIEME CIEL enters this race with a record of 26-6-3-7 and lifetime earnings of $96,556. He is out of the mare DANCING THE STAR who was 1/6 at the track and who has 4 foals on record of which 3 are winners. This horse is ranked 4704th in the older male dirt classic route divisional rankings. This horse broke his maiden on the turf in his 7th lifetime start in a $2 Maiden Claimer and was picked up for the tag out of that race. He would race 4 times on the turf for his new connections before being picked up again this time for a $10K tag by his current owner. He has won 4 races since in the allowance and starter allowance ranks while racing on both the turf and dirt surfaces. He matched his lifetime best 106 speed rating 2 starts back in his only stakes start to date where he finished in 5th place over the 7.5 furlong dirt sprint. He is a closer who looks to be peaking career wise right now. The rider for today’s race will be Gann (0%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—105.
10)SMART QUEST—BIZOR (TREMBATH RACING) (QUEENSLAND)—11/1
This 6 year old horse out of SMART STRIKE enters this race with a record of 39-5-6-8 and lifetime earnings of $234,612. This horse is ranked 511th in the older male dirt classic route divisional rankings. This horse began his career on the turf and broke his maiden in his lifetime debut on that surface. He was switched to the dirt in his 3 year old season and picked up a pair of allowance wins that year. His only win as a 4 year old came in an overnite dirt mile stake race and last year he repeated that record when he posted his lifetime best 111 speed rating in his last start of the year, a win in The Jerry Wolf(SAF) Stakes in Maryland. He has shown himself to be a versatile runner able to both close and run on the front end and will probably see how the race unfolds today before committing to a running style. The rider for today’s race will be Carpenter (0%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—102.
11)PIVATING(GB)—GRAYWOLF6 (WOLF’S DEN) (QUEENSLAND)—10/1
This 5 year old horse out of PIVOTAL(GB) enters this race with a record of 30-7-6-9 and lifetime earnings of $140,172. He is out of the mare TURF IT OUT who was 1/10 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners. He is currently ranked 2565th in the older male dirt classic route divisional rankings. This horse raced on the turf as a 2 and 3 year old and most of last year and was claimed by his current connections for the lofty tag of $125,000 last fall. He was switched to the dirt after that pickup and has 1 allowance win in 6 starts since. He posted his lifetime best 111 speed rating last time out while finishing 2nd in a mile allowance race in Malaysia. He is a closer who makes his move early usually taking the lead at the top of the stretch. The rider for today’s race will be Jeter (0%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—107.
12)GOLD SACRIFICE—Z2912 (INDEPENDENT) (EAAA RACING)—8/1
This 6 year old horse out of SEEKING THE GOLD enters this race with a record of $37-12-2-2 and lifetime earnings of $243,471. He is out of the mare GRANNY EXALTED who was 16/48 at the track and who has 5 foals on record of which 4 are winners including 1 stakes winner. He is currently ranked 304th in the older male dirt classic route divisional rankings. This horse amassed 8 wins including an overnite stake win for his previous owners prior to being picked up for a $30K tag last summer. He has been undefeated in 4 races since the acquisition including his last start where he won The Spirit Tom Bonanza Stakes in Portugal. He has posted either a 106 or 107 speed rating in each of those 4 winning runs. He is a speedy runner and if he gets away from the outside post may just steal this race on the front end. The rider for today’s race will be Kays (14.3%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—106.
Well this should be a great race and with a mix of speed and closers should be a great race but I like the claim on #12 GOLD SACRIFICE and am going to take a shot that he gets a clear lead and goes wire to wire although I am sure BOBCAT BAY will have something to say about that. I am sure that many will disagree with me in this one as there are quite a few contenders for the top prize here.
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING
THEO