G2, The Stepson: 8f on the Turf in Queensland for the naughty boys.

Queensland-AUS (QLD)

Sunday, September 20, 2020 — 2:30:00 PM EST | Race ID : 2357501

The Stepson

Grade II / Group 2*CPU – Purse : $375,000

Restricted to 3 Year Olds and Older8 Furlongs | ~1600 Meters | One Mile Firm Turf

I am headed over to Queensland, Australia where we have a nice race on the card with the G2, The Stepson which will run on Sunday.  This race is restricted to three year old and older entries that will travel eight furlongs across a Firm Turf track.  There is only one three year old in this race and he will be headed out of gate number one at the start of the race.  This is a very competitive field of horses and this should make for a very good race.  The odds makers have posted their morning line and post positions have been drawn.  So let us take a look at the horses in this nine horse field that will be running in the G2, The Stepson Stakes.

Post Position: 1

Horse/Odds: Border Tribe  12/1

Sire: Curlin

Owner: brightvalr

Jockey: B Ball

This three year old son sired by Curlin is out of HOF mare, Blue Panther.  This colt is the eleventh foal for this mare that has produced five Graded winning foals.  This three year old has been kind to his owner and has picked up a Graded win the G2, The German 2000 Guineas back in April of this year.  He followed that up winning the G3, Swedish 2000 Guineas.  These performances insured a spot for him in the 2020 Equinics in the G1, Space Shuttle.  He ran 8 furlongs in that race and had a nice performance coming in third when he crossed the wire.  This young horse looks to have a promising career.  He is stepping up to face some older and more experienced horses in this race, but this youngling looks like he may be up to the challenge.  He will have jockey, B Ball from China that will come in and take to the saddle.  He has a nice young colt to work with here and with a good trip could find a trip to the boards or even the winners circle.  They will head out to their post representing the Midas residency.

Post Position: 2

Horse/Odds: More Than Major  5/1

Sire: More Than Ready

Owner: dkstables37

Jockey: K Ledwith

This five year old Brown Horse is a multiple GP badge earner but a trip to the winners circle in a Graded race has eluded him.  He had a nice run in the G2, The What The Who back in February of this year and came back in April and ran well in the G3, April Showers Cap.  Both of those races were at eight furlongs and were run in New Zealand.  His last trip to the track came on 06/19/2020 when he ran in South Korea in a Listed Stakes, His Knees Turf Memorial.  He broke from the eleventh gate and was never able to get his stride.  He lingered across the with back in eleventh place in this disappointing effort.  He will have jockey, K Ledwith from Japan coming in to take the ride up top for this race when they head out to a more favorable post to the sounds of a cheering crowd.

Post Position: 3

Horse/Odds: Thumping Dutch  9/1

Sire: Dutch Art

Owner: corza4

Jockey: M Humbo

This five year old Bay Horse is an Allowance winner and has not ran in a Graded race since early on in his career.  This horse has had only one trip to the winners circle this season and that came back in March going a distance of 5.5 furlongs in a $37,500 Allowance in Norway.  His last trip to the track came on 08/10/2020 when he ran seven furlongs in Denmark in a $14,600 NW3y Allowance of which he hit the boards in third.  This is going to be a big jump in Class for this horse when he goes out on Sunday here in Queensland.  He has shown that he can go the distance in past races, but his jockey, M Humbo coming in from Perth to take the irons in this race is a rookie jockey that will have his work cut out for him when they head out of the paddock and to their gate representing the Queensland Racecourse residency.

Post Position: 4

Horse/Odds: Divorce Horse  7/2

Sire: Honor Code

Owner: cner

Jockey: R Dowell

This four year old Bay Gelding was gelded back in August of 2019 and I guess that is when he got “Divorced”.  But the gelding seems to have sparked this horse to be more attentive on the track as he has been doing quite well for his owner.  He picked up a GP badge when he ran back in April in the G3, The Chester West Handicap in New York on the dirt.  He is making the switch to dirt for this race and we will have to see how he transitions to this change in surface.  He has shown he has the speed to compete on the dirt, but one must always question how this horse will do on the turf.  His last trip to the tack came on 07/18/2020 when he went 8.5 furlongs in Ontario in the G3, The Cultural Centre Cup.  This late closer tried to make an effort to close, but he did not have the legs that day to fire and get in tight.  He ended up eighth at the wire in a very disappointing performance.  He will look to rebound here in Queensland and prove he can maneuver across the turf with jockey, R Dowell from New South Wales to come in and guide this horse on Sunday.  This horse will need to show up with a better performance than is last race and show he can rebound in this race when they head out to their post position representing the Empire State Racing residency.

Post Position: 5

Horse/Odds: Munnings With Kirb  10/1

Sire: Munnings

Owner: karmafarm

Jockey: B Doherty

This four year old Bay Colt has ten career starts and has found his way to the boards in eight of those races which includes four trips to the winners circle.  He has yet to run in a Graded race, but his owner feels he is ready to give it a try here on Sunday.  He will be taking a big jump in Class to run in his first Graded attempt.  This Allowance winning colt has show he has the heart to win, but we will have to see if he can prove he has what it takes to run against some of the more experienced horses in this Graded field.  He last ran on 05/31/2020 in New Zealand on the dirt going 8 furlongs in a $60,000 Allowance of which he ran a 112 speed rating which was good enough to get him on the boards in second place.  He has only one career start on the turf and that also came in New Zealand going a 6.5 furlongs of which he got up for the win.  This horse tends to run just off the pace and that is where I would expect jockey, B Doherty from India to place him.  He will also need to show he can again handle this turf surface when they head out to their post draw representing the All-Stars Racing residency.

Post Position: 6

Horse/Odds: Summer Shudder  5/1

Sire: Shamardal

Owner: sremel

Jockey: E Newcomb

This four year old Bay Colt was met with a very unlucky result of which I am sure his owner was very disappointed when this horse for him ran in July in New Zealand in the G3, Cold Cup Cap.  This horse ran an impressive 117 speed in that race and ended up in a five way photo finish at the wire and just missed the boards coming in fourth.  After this heartbreaking result the owner send out this colt on 08/22/2020 in Norway going 9 furlongs in the G3, Marit Paulsens Memorial.   He did not fare as well in this race of which seems to possibly be a little long for him.  I think this step back down to 8 furlongs on Sunday will bode well for him.  This Stakes winning colt is still looking to hit the boards in a Graded event.  He may get his wish here in Queensland when jockey, E Newcomb comes in from Ireland to take to the mount up top.  This horse can vary in running style and it will be interesting to see how this jockey lets this horse run on Sunday when they head out to their post draw representing the Empire State Racing residency.

Post Position: 7

Horse/Odds: The new Danehill  3/1

Sire: New Approach

Owner: byronbay

Jockey: T Rharfoman

This six year old Bay Horse will be going off as the favorite in the morning line according to the odds makers.  But there are notable things to note in that this horse has not thus far ran his best races recently.  He has not hit the boards this season and his speed fractions have not been among his best.  His last trip to the track came on 05/03/2020 in Germany going 8 furlongs in the G3, The Bad Things Mile.  This late closer could not get things going and lingered across the wire back in seventh and more than seven lengths back.  He will have to show a better effort in this race if he is to hit the boards.  He will have a familiar jockey in T Rharfoman in the saddle with him when they take to the turf.  This jockey is coming in from New Zealand to take the mount and will leave the paddock on Sunday to represent the All-Stars Racing residency.

Post Position: 8

Horse/Odds: Star Of Gold Hope  15/1

Sire: Country Be Gold

Owner: graywolf46

Jockey: D Saylor

This five year old Bay Horse will be going off as the longest choice in the field according to the odds makers in their morning line.  This horse has had his struggles and thus I must conclude that the odds makers may be correct in their assessment.  This horse has experience running on both the dirt and turf surfaces.  All his trips to the track have been on dirt this season, but his owner brings him here to give him another try on the turf.  This horse has a top speed rating of 106 and I fear that is not going to be what it will take to hit the boards in this race.  His last trip to the track came on 07/24/2020 when he ran 10 furlongs in Indiana in a Local Championship Stakes.  He appeared to be having a good run up to the third call when he just did not have the legs to keep up with the other competitors in this field.  He fell back from second to sixth in that race and was more than eight lengths back when he crossed the wire.  His owner has placed the call to Denmark to find jockey, D Saylor available to come in and take to the saddle.  This jockey will need his bag of tricks and a snappy whip around the third call to spark the attention of this horse and ask him to put up his best effort.  This pairing will be headed out to their post draw on Sunday to the sounds of a cheering crowd.

Post Position: 9

Horse/Odds: Omdurman  6/1

Sire: Churchill

Owner: harasauxerre2

Jockey: M Zeus

This four year old Bay Colt went out and showed his stuff back in May of this season in Italy when he ran 8 furlongs in the G2, The Premium Stakes.  It was definitely the day for this late closing colt when he was eight lengths back at the third call and found a new gear to make a big closing run down the stretch and grab the wire by a nose for the win with a 117 speed rating.  His last trip to the track was not as successful with he ran in Newmarket in the G1, The Suffix Stakes.  He failed to fire and perform in his last outing and just never found his legs in his stretch run.  He crossed the wire in a disappointing eleventh place with a 104 speed rating.  He is taking a little step down in Class for this race which I feel will be favorable.  He is going have to rebound and come up with another good run here if he is going to find a trip to the boards.  His owner has placed the call to M Zeus from Spain that is a familiar jockey to this horse and should be able to give him a good trip.  He may have to call out his snappy whip at the third call to get this colts attention and keep his mind on the job he needs to do.  This familiar pairing will be headed out to the ninth gate on Sunday to represent the Universal Racing Club residency.

Good luck to all owners and horses!

Skippy’s Watch List

1-Border Tribe:  Has had three nice recent outings.  He is a threat here in Queensland.

2-More Than Major:  Needs to rebound after that last outing.  If he does he could be there.

9-Omdurman: He had a bad last outing in Newmarket.  A step down in Class could be the key.

Tarton’s Long Shot

5-Munnings With Kirb:  He has a good record coming into this race, but he is unproven in Graded company.  But at 10-1 in the morning line, if he has a good run he could make you some money on some exotic tickets.  Let’s give this guy a shot on Sunday.