Pursuit for the Horse Of The Year
The race for the Horse of the Year (HOTY) is heating up. Two-thirds of the race season is over which means the horses are entering the final turn!
For those that are new to the game, there is only one Horse of the Year and it is based on annual earnings from stake races. In order to have the HOTY, you need a horse that can rake in the dough by picking up wins in some of the top races offered in the game.
Here’s a look at our TOP 10 runners right now:
1. GENERAL CROOK $5,497,500 is owned by Pleasnttap and is the son of Union Rags. He is a three-year-old and started the year with a third in the G2 Land’s End. Much of his riches came from his chase to become a Triple Crown winner as he took the first two legs, the Bluegrass Derby and the Middle Jewel but could not stich the crown together when he finished fifth in the final leg, the New Yorker. His last race was in the Equinics where he dropped to 6th. Currently, he is scheduled to run in an allowance race in just over a month which looks like an opportunity to refresh this top running colt.
2. KING OF THEIVES $4,577,000 is owned by Pboy20 and is the three-year-old son of Flintshire. He has become a long-distance runner, finding his niche at 12 furlongs as well as wins in the Sydney Derby and the Derby de English. His last start was in the Owner’s Stakes where he finished third. He’s scheduled to run this coming weekend in the $3 million Saint Legend, and a win here will push him to the top seat.
3. CAIRO BLIZZARD $4,218,000 is a four year old and owned by Astin. He was fathered by American Pharoah and kicked 2020 off with wins in the G2 Toilet Scrubbers Anonymous Handicap and the rich purse of $6 million in the Sand Castle Classic. Things have quieted down since these wins with a pair of fourths in a listed stake and G1 Movieland Shiny Cup. He ran at the end of August in the Western Ocean CA Classic (on the slop) where he crossed the line in third. He’s currently pointed to the Breeders’ Bowl Classic, which has a rich purse of $7 million.
4 BOLDEN BIDDER $3,000,000 is the oldest horse in the top ten at age five and is a gelding out of Teofilo and owned by Stoners. He has amassed over $15 million over his career as a turf runner. He’s raced three times this year at distances of 11- and 12-furlongs bringing home wins in the San Francisco Captain Handicap and the Kakarazuka Kinen Cup with a second in the Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic tossed in between those wins, a race he missed winning by a quarter stride. He’s currently being trained to run in early October in the $6 million Ark de ComicDog, a race that he won last year and is hopeful in having a repeat performance.
5. FLAGSTRIKER $2,805,000 is a three year owned by Lenny271 and was sired by U S Navy Flag. Flagstriker is the only G1 winner out of this sire and has found his stride at the mile distance and netted five wins this season. He started the year with a 4-race win streak with wins in the G3 Jellyton, a listed win, the G3 Irish 2000 Guineas Trial and the G1 2000 Guineas. The streak was busted with a fifth in the G1 Jean Brat, but the Equinics brought home a photo-finish win in early August. He’s currently being pointed to the $750,000 Sourball Mile in early October.
6. MERCHANT OF MOGO $2,775,000 is a four-year-old colt that is owned by Deyoto. He has raced six times this season and pulled out wins in the 10 furlongs Mr. Met Cap and the Aussie Queen. He held on to get a third in July in the Man Of War Stakes, but was off the board in the other three starts, including his most recent outing in the Windy City Turf Classic (7th). Merchant of Magoo’s is set to run again at the end of September in the Classic Turf Stakes.
7. HOPKINSON FLYER $2,760,000 has been sired by Arrogate and is owned by Cadet. This three-year-old became a Bluegrass Derby hopeful after storming from way back to win the Vermont is 4 Lovers by half a stride back in February. Another win followed in a listed stake prep race for the Bluegrass Derby, which he qualified for. He again used his late kick in the big Bluegrass event but ran out of room and finished third. He took on the New Yorker and fell flat, finishing 9th. But Hopkinson would come right back with a solid victory in the Eddie Haskell. He returned to New York to race in the Travelers and had no late run and finished a disappointing 10th in his recent race. His next stop is scheduled for early October in the G2 Usain Bolt with a purse of $375,000.
8. AMORE MISTERIOSO $2,700,000 is owned by Dixiedotcom and is the three year old son out of Galileo. This colt has just recent came on the radar as a HOTY hopeful back in May when he won the lions share of a $3 million purse in the Japanese Derby. He followed that up with a win in the Irish Derby using his early speed to go gate to wire in both races. He’s been on a bit of a rest since the win in June and is now being prepped for a late September run in the Classic Turf with a purse of $750,000.
9. LIFE POINT ENTRY $2,535,000 is a four year old gelding who was sired by Point of Entry and is owned by Tyedye. He has been on a hot streak winning his last three starts, all at 12 furlongs. This streak started in may where he won by 4 (after trailing by as much as 16 lengths) in the G2 Carlsbad Lessons. He had another large winning margin (this time by over 5 lengths) in the Saint Cloud Grand Prix. His most recent race was a win in what may be the longest G1 named race in the King Geoff and Queen Beth’s Emerald Stakes. He’s currently scheduled to compete in early October in the Ark De ComicDog and seeking to cash in on the purse worth $6 million.
10. FLAVORS OF MAYEM $2,310,000 is a three year old colt out of Uncle Mo and is owned by Lenny271, and is the second of his horses in the top 10 shooting for the HOTY. During 2020, he has picked up wins in a pair of listed stake races but did find some sizeable paychecks in the G1 Dreams of Zambia which helped him earn an entry later on into the Bluegrass Derby, where he tired and finished 6th. But he did find a nice payday in the 12f New Yorker wiring the field to win by less than a stride. His last start was in the Travelers and he was passed by a few horses in the stretch and finished fourth. We won’t be seeing him for a while as he is being rested for a run in the November’s Breeders’ Bowl Classic with eyes set on the rich $7 million purse.
ALSO IN THE HUNT (with over $2 million):
LEVER ZERRETT $2,275,000 – Won three grade level races this year, including last two starts.
GIANT’S KASH $2,193,750 – Last Years HOTY has been ITM in 4 graded this year, with win in last.
VOYAGE OF CHARON $2,175,000- On the board in last 2 G1 races with a second and a win in last.
IMPACTXIA $2,085,000 – Has listed and G1 win; ITM in two other graded races.
PARISH HILL $2,085,000 – Five straight wins starting with listed, G2 and three G1’s.
BEP $2,035,000 – Two wins and second in listed; won last two grade level stakes.
Thanks Ken unique article a good read ??