Fourteen Two-Year-Olds Take On Six Furlong Middlepark Stakes

The Grade 1 Middlepark Stakes will be run over 6 furlongs this weekend in Surrey.  14 two-year-olds will take to the grass in hopes of taking home the largest share of the $750,000 purse.  The field presents a wide variety of horses with one filly, five Graded winners (including two with the coveted G1 badge already), and a few 10/1+ odds horses that you will want to keep an eye on.  As always, we have all of your pre-race information below including information on each horse and their dams.  Good luck to all trainers this weekend.

Name                                      Owner                         Sire                                   Odds

1. Get My Money Right        desertdog17                I Am Invincible           9/2

Dam Background: Scratchbred (I Am Invincible X Zabeel X Kingmambo)

Racing Background:  Broke his maiden in a $5,000 HOT race back in April, but ran an impressive 72 speed figure first time out.  Don’t make anything of the race “only” being a HOT as it looks like it was some SIM Chat challenge and the race has already produced a graded placed filly in the given stables as well.  Working his way up the ladder, he ran in a NW2L allowance race in May and bested that field by just over a length and improved his speed figure to an 84.  He would take about two months off and come back in July moving up in distance to 7 furlongs and “losing” his first race of his career coming in 3^rd.   He would take another couple of months off and come back strong last time out in just two weeks ago on September 20^th.  He would win that Grade 2 running a 90 speed figure at the 6F distance.  It’ll be a quick turnaround for a horse that is used to getting 1-2 months between races, but the distance looks to suit him.

Race Predicted Position:  He’s sat just off the pace in all three of his wins, while he went to the lead in his only race outside of the winner circle.  Look for him to sit just off the pace in the 3^rd-5^th positions before making a little move at about the 3 furlong mark of the race.  He’ll probably want to avoid the lead right off, and not get too far back in the field.  Placement will be key for him Saturday.

2. Kivotal                               lightng101                   Zelzal                          13/1

Dam Background:  Out of a Dam named Grauribot (Pivotal X Danzig).  Racing career wasn’t all that great going 1-1-4 in just 13 starts.  Never won more than her maiden race, and most of her place and show races came early in her career.  However, she has done really well in the shed including producing two Graded placed runners and a Stakes winner prior to Kovotal.

Racing Background:  Won first time out in January at the 5 furlong distance.  Would follow that up with a 3^rd place allowance finish in February and two second place stakes finishes in April and May.  He is pretty heavily raced so far running seven races as a two-year-old.  He would take his first shot at Graded company in June and run 6^th in the Norfellow Stakes.  His last two races, both Grade 3, were struggles as well finishing 5^th and 9^th respectfully.  You can probably throw the 9^th place finish out in August as he was attempting a route for the first time.  His best races, finish wise, have come at the 5-6 furlong distance.  However, the step up in class in his last two sprint races hasn’t been friendly to him.

Race Predicted Position:  In his only win, he set the pace and was able to hold off all other challengers first time out.  Hasn’t had a ton of success coming from off the pace, though one of his second place stakes finishes he came from mid-pack to take 2^nd.  It will be delicate in terms of positioning.  His first race setting the pace was his only win, but I don’t know that that would be the best strategy here today.  His best spot will probably be sitting 3-4 horses off the pace and looking to make a run in the stretch.

3. Twenty Jukes                    bets                             Jukebox Jury                83/1

Dam Background:  Out of a dam names Silvano’s Reward (Silvano X Good Reward).  An ok racing career going 5-2-3 in 18 total races.  He also earned over $100,000 on the track and won three allowance races at the conditional level.  Has foaled six horses over her six year dam period including three allowance level winners.  Her last two foals haven’t produced like her first three foals, however.

Racing Background:  Started his career in a $5,000 HOT maiden in February winning the race by 2 lengths.  His second race in March, he ran in a NW2L allowance race and, while improving his speed five points to a 60, he ran just 11^th.  He was then moved out of the justcards barn and into the bets barn where he ran just 9^th in his first NW2L allowance start.  He would try the G2 Bobby Papin.  That race, coming off about a 3 month rest, resulted in just a 57 speed figure and 11^th place finish.  He would then take another 2 months off and come back trying his first dirt race in September.  Unfortunately, he would finish 4^th in a four horse field in that race last time out. 

Race Predicted Position:  Is probably going to want to sit closer to the pace in this one if he wants to finish ITM.  In his first race, he managed to come back from the win, but was only 2 lengths off the pace.  Since then, he hasn’t been closer than over 5 lengths off the pace and hasn’t been able to come back in any of those races.  His best bet is probably going to be looking to sit no more than two lengths back if not setting the pace to put himself in the best position.

4. Rat Bones                         whalebones                Maximus Mischief       15/1

Dam Background: Out of a dam named Bonescatter (Connect X Danehill).  Had a pretty decent racing career finishing 5-5-4 in 20 total races.  Won multiple conditional allwaonce races and finished just one spot back from earning a stakes placed badge in his only start in a listed stakes race.  Best part of her career was on the grass.  Though she did finish 5/6 ITM on the dirt, she never was able to win a race on the dirt.  Rat Bones is the first foal for Bonescatter.

Racing Background:  His first race was back in April and was a 5 furlong maiden on the grass.  He would falter to second after leading for most of the race.  His next two starts, both at 5 furlongs and both in May would also result in leads that would fade to a 2^nd place finish.  After three straight 2^nd place finishes to start his career, he would finally break his maiden running a career best speed figure of 72 in July.  He would make it two in a row in August besting a NW1X allowance field and speeds remained consistent.  His last time out, in September, he would run another career best speed figure of 84 in the Grade 2 Flying Children Stakes.  He, like his first three career races, just couldn’t hold on and would falter to a second place finish after going right for the lead.

Race Predicted Position:  Look for him to jump right to the lead.  There hasn’t been a single career race where he hasn’t jumped to the lead and he’s 2/4 in holding those leads.  He’s never failed to hit the board in all six races finishing 2^nd in the four races he hasn’t won.  I don’t anticipate he will want to come from behind any time soon, so it will be important to set the pace if he wants a chance at the win.  Biggest question will be the increase in distance as he hasn’t ran over the 5.5 furlong distance in his career.  Will he be able to hold on to a lead with an added ½ furlong.

5. Tax A Cross                       darkstars16                 Shooting To Win          9/1

Dam Background:  Run A Cross (Hurricane Run X Cape Cross) was a Grade 3 winner at two-years-old that didn’t do much after her two-year-old campaign.  Finished her career 2-0-1 in 19 total starts.  After winning a Grade 3 in July of her two-year-old campaign, she would fail to hit the board in all eight other attempts at the Graded level and wouldn’t finish in the money in the rest of her career.

Racing Background:  Following in his dam’s footsteps, Tax A Cross became a Grade 3 winner at two-years-old last time out in the Grade 3 M.L. Trophy.  He started his career in February breaking his maiden.  He would immediately jump into the stakes ranks and best a list stakes field two months later.  His first start in a Grade 3 in late May would prove a more difficult task and he would falter from 2^nd to 4^th in that race.  He would attempt two dirt races (both in July just two weeks apart) in which he would finish 3^rd and 7^th respectively.  The first of the two dirt races would prove to provide his then-career best speed figure of 84.  After taking about six-weeks off, he would make the move back to the grass and, as mentioned above, best that Grade 3 field on the grass running his newest career best speed figure of 88. 

Race Predicted Position:  He’s won multiple ways including setting the pace (in his first race) and coming from just off the pace in both his stakes and Grade 3 win.  It looks like his preferred method is to sit just off the pace, but he could run into a crowded field there as we have quite a few horses that like this position.  His sweet spot looks to be in the 2-4 position and no more than 3-4 lengths off the pace by the mid-way point.  If he can find himself here, he has just as good a shot as any in this field.

6. My Thoughts                     beng                            Dark Angel                    9/1

Dam Background: My Wild Mambo (Myboycharlie X Forest Wildcat) was a Grade 2 winner on the grass at four-years-old and earning over 1 million dollars on the track in her career.  Her 31 race career wrapped up with a record of 13-7-2 with the majority of wins and races coming in grass sprints.  She didn’t do much in her two-year-old career winning just two of her five starts.  She has produced three foals including a stakes placed foal in 2019. 

Racing Background:  Racing career started in February of this year and he would finish 4^th in a maiden race.  A month and a half later he would come up just short in another maiden race at the same 5 furlong distance.  In May, he made the switch to the poly track where he would break his maiden but more importantly run at a little longer distance than the 5 furlong mark.  This would be the beginning of a three race win streak which saw him best a NW2L allowance field in June and a listed stakes field in May.  Speeds have increased in each of the last four races including last time out where he came up just ½ length short in the Grade 1 Nonethorpe.  His career best speed figure of 86 also came last time out on the grass.  While he did finish 2^nd last time out, his best races have come at 6 furlongs or more, so this distance should suit her.

Race Predicted Position: This is our first runner who likes to sit a little further off of the pace. Expect My Thoughts to sit mid-pack before making a push at the end.  While he will want to sit mid-pack, expect him no more than five or so lengths off the pace like his race last time out.  The added furlong in distance should help in not running out of ground this time around.  Certainly one that should be in your exotics here.

7. Moor Autumn                   mano2                         The Autumn Sun         7/1

Dam Background:  Ready Moor (Giant’s Causeway X More Than Ready) raced 39 times in her career finishing 17-8-1 in those races.  Her best wins came in the open allowance ranks but she didn’t do much in her two stakes attempts.  She did eclipse the $500,000 mark in her career, and won multiple races, including multiple allowance races, as a two-year-old.  At one point in her career, she won 11 straight allowance races at the 6 furlong mark.

Racing Background:  His first career start was on the dirt where he actually broke his maiden back in February.  He then made the switch to the grass and bested an open allowance field of 8 horses in April.  After taking about six weeks off, Moor Autumn returned in late May and ran in his first ever Grade 3 race and he again bested the field with a career best 85 speed figure.  He attempted a route Grade 3 in July, but was unable to do much finishing 4^th in that race.  His last time out, he ran another 85 speed figure and finished 3^rd at the six furlong distance in yet another Grade 3 on the grass.  Speeds have increased since making the switch to turf after the first race, and his best speeds have come at the six furlong distance.

Race Predicted Position: Moor Autumn look comfortable setting the pace or running just off of the pace.  In his only race not in the money, he tried to set the pace and couldn’t hold on at eight furlongs.  As previously mentioned, there will be a slew of horses looking to sit just off the pace and Moor Autumn will be one of those horses.  If he falls behind too much early, he won’t have a shot.  Likewise, I think there is enough “pace” in this race that going for the lead might prove too tough to hold on as well.  The six furlong distance has been kind to him, so he certainly has a shot Saturday.

8. Brazen Nile                       liam25                         Brazen Beau               12/1

Dam Background: Secret of the Nile (Pioneer of the Nile X Gone West) had 15 career lifetime races and finished just 2-0-2 in those races.  Her wins and ITM’s were split between the dirt and turf having two on each surface.  Her best races and speeds came at over the mile distance, and the best speed that she ran under one mile has already been bested by Brazen Nile.  She has been great in the shed though producing four offspring.  All four offspring have eclipsed the 100K raised mark, and include a stakes winner and stakes placed horse.

Racing Background:  One of just two Grade 1 winners in this race, his four wins were split in half by a 3^rd place finish in his 3^rd start.  Beginning his career in January, he would best a $5,000 HOT maiden race and would follow that up with beating an open allowance field of 12.  The open allowance race was a local bred race, however.  After his first two starts in January and February, he would head to the fam and not race again until a listed stakes attempt in May where he didn’t have enough ground to come back and finished 3^rd after sitting well off of the pace.  That wouldn’t stop liam25 from heading to the Graded ranks though.  His last two races, a Grade 3 and Grade 1 in June and August were both first place finishes and saw his two career best speed figures of 80 and 84 last time out.  Both previous races have been at the 6 furlong distance, and this is certainly one to watch at 12/1.  He’s already nearing the $600K mark and is looking to make it three in a row.

Race Predicted Position:  Another horse that could really benefit from all of the horses that want to sit on or near the pace.  Look for this colt to sit well off of the pace, maybe even as far as six lengths back.  He has shown multiple times that he can come back at this distance even with sitting so far off of the pace.  I’d look for him to sit near the back of the pack as they get ready to head into the final turn before making a late push.  There is a lot of speed in front of him, so it will be important not to get too far back at the beginning of the race.

9. Zalyria                               astapor                        Zoustar                          9/1

Dam Background: Valyria (Sadler’s Wells X Mr. Prospector) was consistently in the top three of her 22 career races, but finished with just two wins.  Her career numbers finished 2-3-10 and she just struggled to find the winners circle.  Most of her career was spent on the grass with just 3 races (all of which she didn’t finish in the money) on the dirt.  Zalyria is the 12^th foal out of this mare who has produced one Graded winner, four Stakes winners, and six horses to have placed in a Stakes or Graded race.  All but one foal has reached $100,000 career dollars earned.

Racing Background:  Started his career by breaking his maiden first time out in April.  He then made the immediate jump into the stakes ranks where he ran 3^rd but did improve his speed figure.  He would take about 6 weeks off before coming back and besting a NW2L allowance field in mid-July at the 6 furlong mark.  His next race, one month later, would prove that he likes the six furlong distance as he took down a field of six in a listed stakes.  This will be his 1^st race since the latter part of August.  His 80 speed figure last time out is the best speed of his career and he is looking to make it three in a row as we head into this weekend.

Race Predicted Position:  One that likes to sit mid pack, look for his best position to be about 6-8 horses off the lead.  He has come from behind in each of his wins so far, and the only race he didn’t win, he ran out of ground charging hard at the wire.  With most of the field looking to sit a little closer to the pace, he may find himself further back than mid-pack but the opportunity will be there to make a charge even if that’s the case.

10. I Like Breakfast           jdawg                          Johannesburg                  33/1

Dam Background: Scratchbred (Johannesburg X Campanologist X Daaher)

Racing Background:  Just three races so far for this son of Johannesburg.  His first two career races were on the dirt, both at the maiden level.  He ran a 60 and 71 speed figure in those two races, but finished no better than 7^th in each of the races.  Those races occurred in April and July.  After a 6 week break, he made the switch to the grass in a maiden race in August and that proved to be the difference.  He improved his speed figure from 71 to 80 and bested a 10 horse field for his first win.  His win did come at the 7.5 furlong mark, so the decrease in distance could play a factor here this weekend.

Race Predicted Position:  While the switch to grass was a good start, the decrease in distance could play a factor here.  This one looks like he likes to come from the back.  While that could play a factor in this one with so much early speed, he will need a great trip as he will probably be near the back of the pack.  He’ll also need to be closer to the pace as he will lose 1.5 furlongs from his winning distance.

11. Charibert Of Laon       latinlover                     Dark Angel                    10/1

Dam Background:  Bertrada of Laon (Frankel X Sea The Stars) had a decent career going 4-5-2 in 14 career starts.  The majority of her career was spent on the dirt, though she did have some success (1-1-0 in four starts) on the grass.  Dark Angel is a classic turf sprint sire and it’s not surprising to see the foal take to the grass.  Charibert of Laon is the first foal out of the mare and is a stakes winner.

Racing Background:  Started her career with three straight wins before coming up short in the Equinics back in August.  She broke her maiden in February and bested a NW2L allowance field two months later.  She would take another couple of months off and come back to best a listed stakes field in June.  Her Equinics run was pretty good even though she wasn’t able to finish in the money.  Speeds have been steadily increasing so far going from 68-70-75-82 in her four career races.  An interesting tidbit in this one will be that this is her first time running against the boys.  While she has ran well against the girls, this will be a whole new class and a whole new ball game for her. 

Race Predicted Position:  Doesn’t seem to mind sitting just off the pace or further back in the field and making a push at the end.  Though she finished 4^th in the Equinics race, she was only 3 ½ back at the halfway point in the race and finished just ¼ length back from the winner.  Look for her to sit mid-pack to the back and make a charge at the end.  Going against the boys will be tough, but with a lot of early speed, she could be able to swoop in and catch a few of these boys by surprise at the end.

12. Cape Freak                  lostkey5                       Tavistock                        12/1

Dam Background:  Lady Caleria (Cape Cross X Dubawi) had a long racing career running 39 times and finishing 10-7-8 in those 39 starts.  Her career was pretty much split running 23 races on the grass and 15 on the dirt.  She had success on each surface winning six turf races and 4 dirt races.  Likewise, she split her time between sprints and routes finishing her career with 21 route races and 18 sprint races.  Cape Freak is her 5^th foal and looks to become the 2^nd foal to win a Graded race.  He is also the third foal to place in a Graded race.

Racing Background:  A pretty heavily raced two-year-old with seven races under his belt.  After struggling first time out in a maiden on the grass, he broke his maiden one month later on the grass at the six furlong mark.  He would make the jump to the stakes ranks and finish 4^th in a 14 horse field in April.  One month later, he would come up just short against an open allowance field at the 6 furlong mark once again.  He would take a six week break before making the jump into the Graded ranks and once again come up just short finishing 2^nd in a 12 horse field.  His next race was a struggle once again at the Grade 3 level but he did increase the distance to seven furlongs.  After taking another six week break, he came back at the end of August and tried his first dirt race but only managing an 8^th place finish.  His best distance looks to be the six furlong mark, so the distance shouldn’t be a problem.

Race Predicted Position:  Most likely to be near or at the back of the pack and make a late charge.  In each in the money race so far, he was at least halfway back in the pack if not near the end of the pack.  Knowing the field is pretty early speed heavy, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him sitting 10^th or higher as we are heading into the final turn.  However, with a limited number of late runners, I don’t think he’ll have trouble making a late run.

13. Aladdins Bone Lamp   whaleboned                Satono Aladdin             18/1

Dam Background:  Seabone Bluff (Seabring X Pine Bluff) had a nice racing career finishing 5-6-2 in 20 starts.  The majority of her career was on the dirt as she only tried the grass once and finished last.  Seabone Bluff never ran over six furlongs in her career and those two races were both in her first couple of starts.  She has produced five foals with each one winning an allowance race, two stakes winners, and one that placed at the Graded level.

Racing Background:  Started her career by besting a $5,000 HOT field in January.  He came back in April running 4^th in an open allowance field before besting a NW1X field in May of the following month.  His career best speed figure came in June where he beat 10 other horses in a listed stakes field.  One month later in July, he would take on his first Graded competition but manage just a 4^th place finish in the Bobby Papin.  He would take a couple of months off before coming back last month to take on a field of 10 in the Grade 3 Aaron Burr.  Once again, he struggled and finished just 6^th in the field.

Race Predicted Position:  Looks to be another that either sets the pace or will sit very close to the pace setter.  He hasn’t been able to hang on in each of his Graded attempts and this will be his first race since April at the six furlong mark.  He ran 4^th in that race as well.  With a lot of early speed, it will be in his best interest to be as close to the pace setter as possible and hope that there isn’t much coming up behind him in the stretch.

14. King Zous                    summerset5               Zoustar                           9/2

Dam Background:  Protection Plan (Giant’s Causeway X A.P. Indy) was a Graded winner at three years old finishing her 24 races at 7-4-3 and coming up just $85K shy of the $500K mark.  The best part of her career came on the grass where she won all seven of her races.  She did have a few in the money races on the dirt.  She has produced four foals including a few allowance winners.  However, King Zous is her first Graded winner.

Racing Background:  Four races in his career has resulted in four wins for the colt.  After breaking his maiden in February, he would make the jump to the listed stakes ranks in April and best a 9 horse field.  He would take another couple of months off before taking on a full field of 14 in the Grade 3 Triple P.  His last time out, he bested the entire field in the 2020 Equinics Eiffel Tower race at the six furlong distance.  Speeds have been consistently increasing as well going from 74 in his maiden win to 79-81-92 in the next three races.  The most impressive race has to be the Equinics race as those always draw a very strong field of 14 runners.  He will be looking to make it five for five this Saturday. 

Race Predicted Position:  This is an interesting one as it looks like he doesn’t mind sitting near the pace setter or off the pace quite a bit.  With some early speed in this one, you can expect him to be sitting mid-pack at the halfway point before making a strong push in the stretch.  The six furlong distance shouldn’t be a problem to make the late run and he will certainly have enough ground to take the race.  There’s a little bit of other late speed that will be pushing him in the race, but I don’t expect him to be close to the pace setter as they break from the gates.

My Top Four:

14-1-5-8