Woody’s Affairs Challenge showcases older female sprinters

Racing coverage returns to Virginia this week to have a look at older female turf sprinters, in the Woody’s Affairs Challenge. The race is for females, four years and older, and it will run over six furlongs of turf. The track is rated as firm for this outing, which carries a $40000 purse. This is the third running of the Challenge, which has become now a yearly event, after having missed the 2006 season. Last year’s winner was Tale Of Seattle, who posted a nice length and a half win after siting just off the early pace. This year’s race has drawn a healthy field of thirteen, representing young four year olds just looking to make their mark through well run verteran six year olds. Two of the top twenty female sprinters join us here, as well. Oddsmakers give us a three tiered breakdown, with the favorite going off at a relatively long 4/1, and six of the thirteen entries coming in at 7/1 or better odds. On the second tier, four horses come in between 14/1 and 18/1, and on the outside are three with odds beyond 30/1, backstopped by a longshot bid of 85/1 odds. With a long odds favorite and a wide open field, this one is a bettor’s race, and there could be some nice payouts to be had by the saavy handicapper.

PP 1) Taken On Me(AUS) Sired by Danasinga(AUS), Trained by cctoby. Taken On Me(AUS) is a modestly bred four year old filly, making only her eighth career start here. Her new trainer has jumped her from the mid-level claiming ranks off her first win, straight in to stakes competition. Her first seven starts, a mixture of maiden mpecial and mid-level maiden claims have netted her a record of 1-3-3-0-0, with a top speed of 89.0, earned two starts back. Her last start was a 35K maiden claim at a mile in New York, where she took a field of nine gate to wire for an impressive two and a quarter length victory. All seven career starts have been on turf, and she seems to like the surface, having never finished out of the top three. Five of eight starts have been in routes, and she seems more comfortable with a bit more real estate to establish a cushion than a shorter, speed based race. She generally makes a stalkers break, which to this point has seen her with at least a piece of the early lead in her last six starts. She’ll likely have an early challenge here, but it is the field chock full of closers behind her that she really has to worry about in this race. She will expend her energy early in this one, so look for the wolves to overrun this rabbit at the half.

PP 2) Three Taps(KY) Sired by Tapit, Trained by slewsback. Three Taps(KY) is a four year old filly making her first start of the season. This is her thirteenth career effort, and her first try at stakes, after moving up through most of her conditions over the course of last season. In eleven starts as a three year old, she garnered a record of 3-2-1-1-3, with a top speed figure of 99.6 earned in her last outing. That race was an A3L at this distance on a tough Kentucky track, where she eked out a thriller by a nose behind a powerful second half close. She made a token dirt run at the beginning of her three year old season, where she didn’t fare well, and has stayed on turf since, where she steadily improved over the course of her three year old season. She didn’t take well to routes, but the bulk of her success has come in longer sprints. She did post her top speed at this distance in her last outing, though. After spending her first several starts running from a stalker’s position, she has adopted a slower break over her last five races, and the difference has been noticeable. Her close has been a bit spotty, but her last run was textbook style. She could be poised for a big one here, but she has never faced the speed she is up against in this field. She will need another career best, and a bit of luck to bring this one home.

PP 3) More Slew(TUR) Sired by Mujtahid, Trained by phillipj. More Slew(TUR) is a well run four year hold filly, seeing action for the nineteenth time in this race. She is no stranger to stakes competition, having placed at graded level twice, but she has only a single stakes win to her credit, coming near the end of her two year old season. She made eleven starts in her three year old season, a mixture of allowance, stakes and graded stakes, posting a record of 1-4-1-1-0 with a best speed of 97.7 earned in a Grade 2 dirt race two starts back. Her last run was an A1n at a mile in Illinois, where she finished second after a late flurry in a field of six. She has spent the bulk of her career running on the grass, with only two dirt efforts. Both of her dirt runs came at graded level, and she acquited herself well. A seventh in her last dirt effort found her only four lengths out in a tough field of eleven. I would like to see her ytry dirt at open stakes level, but that being said, the bulk of her success has come on turf. Her best speeds have come in the seven to eight furlong range, but in this distance range, she has three wins and a place in four turf starts. Those shorter starts though came in her two year old and early in her three year old season, though, and this is her first shorter sprint since February of last year. She is a midpack to deep closer, but her close has been faltering since about the middle of last year. In that regard, the drop in distance could help here, but what won’t help is the field of verteran closers around her. I see her making an effort past the half, but getting caught in a too little too late scenario down the stretch.

PP 4) Pye Is Everywhere Sired by Rock Slide, Trained by lordpye. Pye Is Everywhere is a six year old mare, taking the gate for her forty second career start. She has three prior stakes wins, but the most recent of those was as a three year old in April of the 2005 season. In her last ten starts, she has put together a record of 0-2-2-1-2 with three 100+ speeds, capped by a 105.5 earned late last summer. Her last race was a six and a half furlong stakes in Ohio, where she finished fifth in a field of ten, her close running out of gas as they turned for home. She has a couple of dirt starts on her resume, but she has definitely proven herself to be more comfortable on turf. She generally prefers something a bit longer, with the bulk of her success coming in the seven to seven and a half furlong range. She has two wins and a place in nine starts in this distance range, but the latest of those came a year and a half ago. She is a midpack to deep closer, and her close has been fairly consistent at a mile or less, but she has shown an alarming tendency not being able to extend that close into the stretch. That will hurt her in what is predominately a field of closers in this one. Look for her in the mix at third call, but fading as they move down the stretch.

PP 5) Mendela(IRE) Sired by Alberto Giacometti(IRE), Trained by bossross. Mendela(IRE) is a four year old filly, and she will run in her twentieth career start here. She has five stakes wins to her credit, including a Grade 2 victory, with her latest coming in August of last year. This will be her four year old debut, after racing to a 3-1-3-1-1 record in twelve starts as a three year old. She had four 100+ speed numbers, all coming in her last five starts, with a best of 107.8 in a Grade 3 place last autumn. Her last start was in the pretigious DCPD Penn Debutante mile, where she finished a disappointing tenth in a tight field, seven and three quarters out at the wire. Her hooves have never touched the dirt track, but with fourteen top three finishes in nineteen starts, there hasn’t been the need for a shake up. She has posted wins from six through eight and a half furlongs. In this distance range she has two wins and a show in three tries, but her speeds are considerably better as she stretches out to a mile or longer. She likes to race from midpack, and her close has been up and down over her last several runs. Her down side has been mostly at graded level, and the drop in class benefits her here. What won’t benefit her, though, is the lack of real estate here. Her speeds have been some of the most consistent in the field, but she has shown the ability to get the kind of speed she needs in a race this short. She’s a very nice filly, but look for a disappointing midpack finish in this race.

PP 6) Geisha Memoir Sired by Kurofune, Trained by punisher. Geisha Memoir is a lightly raced five year old mare, racing in her eighteenth career start here. She has stakes experience, but she is still seeking that first elusive win at this level of competition. Her last ten starts have been a mixed bag, resulting in a 1-1-1-1-1 record, with a top speed of 104.4 earned in an A3x victory at a mile and a half late last summer. Her last start was a stakes race at nine furlongs in Ohio, where she never really got started, finishing seventh in a field of nine. About two thirds of her career starts have been on dirt, where she was an accomplished sprinter in her three year old season. She has never run a sprint this short on turf, and as she has matured, she has generally been more comfortable in the one mile range. She has taken quick jumps in her last three, and it has cost her late, especially on the softer turf surface, and she has fared better from just off the lead. Outside of a single victory, the closest she has ever come on turf is two lengths at the wire. The shorter race keeps her closer to striking distance in the second half, but the speed will most likely be her undoing. With a field of hungry closers behind her, any breathing room she has is likely to be shortlived.

PP 7) A.P. Geisha Sired by A.P. Indy, Trained by sera. A.P. Geisha is a six year old mare, making a field high forty fourth start in this race. She boasts a divisional rank of 43 among older fillies and mares, and she has fourteen stakes victories to her credit, including two at graded level, her latest coming two starts back. Her last ten starts have seen her lay claim to a 4-1-1-0-1 record, with seven 100+ speeds, capped by a 107.5 earned two starts back. Her last race was at DCPD, in a five and a half furlong where she finished a fading sixth, posting one of her lowest speeds in her last ten starts. After an excellent start to her career on dirt, she discovered turf in the latter half of her three year old season, and has gone on to post eighteen victories in thirty eight turf starts. She has shown herself capable anywhere from six to eight furlongs, with the majority of her success coming in the seven to seven and a half furlong range. In this distance range, she has five top three finishes in nine tries. She is a leader/stalker type, and tends to be at her best when she gets a piece of that early lead. She is not put off by an early speed duel, though it is not likely here. Look for her to open up a big cushion early, but the question mark is whether it will be big enough in this short sprint. She’ll definitely be a part of the trifecta, and if she has a length or two at the half, she could proved very hard to catch.

PP 8) Colorful Cadeaux(GB) Sired by Cadeaux General(GB), Trained by backnine. Colorful Cadeaux(GB) is a five year old mare, running in her twenty fourth career race. She brings a divisional ranking of 16 to the table, behind five stakes wins, two of them graded. Her last stakes win was two starts back. She carries a record of 3-1-1-2-0 out of her last ten, with five 100+ speeds. She topped out at 107.0 in a Grade 3 place at the midpoint of last season. Her last race was a five and a half furlong effort at DCPD, where she just never found her legs, finishing eighth. She has made one dirt run, acquitting herself admirably, but turf has always been her home field. She is a pure sprinter, and one of the only horses in this field to have the bulk of her success right here in this distance range, boasting eight wins and ten top three finishes in thirteen starts in this distance range. She is a midpack closer, and while her close has been fairly consistent, it has had some trouble getting her all the way there recently. A drop in class helps in that regard here. This is her bread and butter race, and she is licking her chops looking at the longer sprinters around her. She’ll be dangerous down the stretch.

PP 9) Ancient Giant(KY) Sired by Mingun, Trained by tullbrink2. Ancient Giant(KY) is a four year old filly, taking the gate for her twenty second career run in this race. She is experienced in stakes competition and has a pair of previous wins at this level, the last coming late in her two year old season. She made eleven starts as a three year old, with a record of 0-1-1-4-0 and a top speed of 96.6 earned in the middle of last season. Her last start was a seven furlong stakes in Kentucky, where she was never really a factor, finishing a long out sixth in a field of seven. After a pair of dirt starts to begin her career, she switched to the grass, reeling off top three finishes in her next seven, including four wins. She has four top three finishes in seven starts in this distance range, and it seems to be her best distance from a speed standpoint. She is a deep closer, but her close has been spotty, quite often simply just finding herself too far out to be effective. With the speed in this field, I don’t see this race to be an exception. She is going to need by far a career best and then some to be a factor in this one.

PP 10) Mode(KY) Sired by Smarty Jones, Trained by philpy. Mode(KY) is a four year old filly, and she will make her sixteenth career start in this run. She has three previous stakes victories, two of those coming on dirt, with her latest coming late last August. In eleven starts as a three year old, she ran to a 2-2-2-1-1 record, with 2 100+ speed figures, capped by a 107.8 in her last stakes victory. Her last start was a seven and a half furlong stakes in Maine, where she finished a hard closing third in a field of seven. This filly has predominately been a dirt runner, but a switched to turf has resulted in a nice speed boost. This will actually be the shortest start of her young career, with the majority of her starts coming in the seven to seven and a half furlong range. This filly is a deep closer, and her close has been the absolute picture of consistency. Unfortunately, it has had trouble getting her home, even though she has been regularly making up big gaps in the second half. I’m not sure that the shorter race here is going to be the answer for her. On the one hand, she shouldn’t find herself out quite as deep when they cross the half, but on the other hand, that wire is going to approach very quickly after that second call. A possibilty for the trifecta here with her late flurry, but I think she runs out of ground before she can cap this one.

PP 11) Ganglord Sired by Devil’s Bag, Trained by simsters6. Ganglord makes her twenty sixth career start in this race, racing in her five year old season. She proudly displays a number 6 divisional ranking, with career stakes victories, including three at Grade 1 level. Her last was a Grade 1 victory three starts back. In her last ten starts, she has earned a record of 3-1-2-1-1, with eight speed figures over the 100+ mark. She topped out at 107.9 in her Grade 1 triumph near the end of last season. Her last race was a five and a half furlong effort at DCPD, where she simply outlasted most of the field to grab third place honors. She has one dirt start, mostly just to say that she tried it, but her glory has come as a turf racer. She appears to be comfortable in any type of sprint, short or long, and in this distance range she has six top three finishes in eleven tries. She is a midpack closer, and her close has been pretty consistent. The short distance shouldn’t find her far off the lead as they cross the half, and with her speed, that will make her very dangerous as they head for home. She will be right there as they cross the wire in this one.

PP 12) Solita(KY) Sired by Speightstown, Trained by dreamscity. Solita(KY) is a four year old filly, gracing the track for her twentieth career start. She has three previous stakes wins, with her most recent coming in late September last year. She made fourteen starts as a three year old, putting together a record of 4-5-0-2-1 with four 100+ speeds. Her best speed number was 106.1 earned in her last stakes victory. She also shared that five and a half furlong race on DCPD in her last start, finishing a hard closing fourth. Her career has been pretty evenly divided between dirt and turf, and she owns 100+ speeds and stakes wins on both surfaces. Turf has been her payday though, accounting for the bulk of her earnings. She has one turf start in this distance range, and it resulted in a win, but the seven to seven and a half range has been her best striking distance so far, a happy medium between sprinting and routing. This filly is a power closer, showing the ability to chew up huge gaps in the second half of her races. The last two wins though have both been in races where she didn’t half quite as much ground to make up. If she makes her typical start here, the early speed could very possibly put her in a deeper hole than she’d like at the half. If she can stay under seven at the half, she could surprise them all here. I would definitely box her in your trifecta bets here.

PP 13) Sharon Sired by Storm Cat, Trained by braucht. Sharon is a regally bred five year old mare. She has been relatively lightly raced, making only her sixteenth career appearance here. This will be her third try at stakes level, and she is still seeking her first stakes win. She made only five starts last season, going 1-1-1-1-0, with a best speed of 95.1 over that stretch. She comes into this one after a long idle stretch, making her last run in July of last year in a six and a half furlong dirt stakes, where she made her move way too late, finishing seventh in a field of eight. She’s split her career between dirt and turf, with slightly more turf experience, and three of her four wins have come on the grass. She has two wins and a show in this distance range on turf, though not at anywhere near this level of competition, and her best speeds have come in slightly longer races. She is another power closer in this field, and she has been relatively consistent, but in her last two starts, she made her move far too late to be effective. Thus far, she hasn’t shown the speed she would need to be a real factor in this field, and on top of that she’ll have a lot of rust to shake off after a five month layoff. She has a good close, but I see her losing ground rather than gaining as they head for the wire here.