G2, The Angry Dragon: Japan will make them go a grueling 12 furlongs on the turf on Sunday.
Japan (JPN)
Sunday, October 11, 2020 — 2:30:00 PM EST | Race ID : 2357858
The Angry Dragon
Grade II / Group 2*CPU – Purse : $375,000
Restricted to 3 Year Olds and Older 12 Furlongs | ~2400 Meters | One Mile and a Half Firm Turf
I happened to find this Grade 2 race on the card on Sunday over in Japan. It only drew a small field of seven horses for this race of which will be on the Firm Turf going a distance of 12 furlongs. A filly and a mare have shown up for this running of The Angry Dragon to show their goods against the boys. This is a fairly tight field according to the morning line odds which should make for an exciting race here in Japan. The turf looks well taken care of and ready for this event. The horses that will be in this race look good over at the barns while last minute preparations are being made by the owners, trainers and jockeys. Let us now take a little time to preview this field of horses that will be running on Sunday afternoon in the G2, The Angry Dragon.
| 1 | CADET NEEDS CREDIT | ENG | 4M | cadet5 | R Dowell | 15 | 4 | 53% | $113,796 | 1.63 | 4/1 |
This four year old Bay Colt is a scratch bred (DANSILI (GB) x MONSUN x KINGMAMBO) and seems to like the added distance his owner is starting to give him on the track. He has been running Allowance races most recently and will be jumping up in Class for this outing on Sunday. He seemed to like the distance of 10 furlongs in his last trip, but he has never traveled beyond that in the past. He appears he may like a little added distance again. He last ran on 09/05/2020 in Dubai going 10 furlongs in a $48,700 NW4L Allowance. He was over five lengths back in sixth place at the third call when he found some extra fire in his legs in the stretch and got up for a nice win at the wire. He will have jockey, R Dowell in the saddle that is flying in from New South Wales to take the mount up top. They will be head out to the turf on Sunday representing the Empire State Racing residency.
| 2 | CREEPYPASTA | IRE | 4F | correction | D Evans | 21 | 10 | 76% | $412,334 | 45.50 | 7/2 |
Next in the lineup is this Mastercraftman Light Grey Filly that has been showing her owner that she has the desire to compete at the Graded levels. She has gone the distance before and has done well. She won the G3, The Stutenpreis in Germany back in August and then came back out on 09/12/2020 to run 12 furlongs in the G1, Vermillion Stakes in Paris. At the third call she tried to make a big closing effort from 9 lengths back. She was making up ground but found herself on the boards in third when she crossed the wire. This was still an impressive effort by this filly of which I am sure her owner was happy. The owner of this filly has put in a call to Victoria, Australia to once again secure the services of jockey, D Evans that rode her in the Vermillion Stakes. He will ride this G3 winning filly I am sure much the same as he did in their last race together. They will be headed out of the paddock to their gate draw representing the Midas residency.
| 3 | GALILEO’S KID | IRE | 5M | dkstables27 | K Ledwith | 22 | 4 | 36% | $380,578 | 32.00 | 9/2 |
Next we have this five year old Bay Horse sired by Galileo who won the G3, The Freer Stakes at a distance of 13 furlongs back in August of 2019. Since that time he has not seen the winners circle again but has come close a couple of times. His last trip to the track came on 08/22/2020 in Deauville when he ran in the G2, The Deauville Stakes at a distance of 13 furlongs. He came out of the gate and was cruising along up front, but then he got gobbled up at the third call and fell back to finish in eighth place over fifteen off when he lingered across the wire. For this race the owner made his way over to the jocks room to find local jockey, K Ledwith available to take to the saddle for this outing. This fan favorite jockey will need to find the right pace for this horse and I expect he will take him to the front early. They will be heading out at post time to their gate draw to the sounds of a cheering crowd.
| 4 | SHADY POND | KY | 4G | plunk | J Harzheim | 12 | 3 | 58% | $485,614 | 112.00 | 9/5 |
This four year old Bay Gelding is sired by Giant’s Causeway and is the top money winner in this field and will be going off as the favorite in the morning line at 9/5 odds. This nice looking gelding is a prior G2 winner. He got up for a gate to wire win in June of this year over in Germany in the G2, The Einstein Stakes. He then made a trip back to the track for his most recent outing here in Japan in the G2, Shimko Classic going a distance of 11.5 furlongs. He had stretched out a nice lead by almost six lengths at the third call. But it was not to be when he got caught in the stretch and crossed the wire in third with a nice 115 speed rating. The owner has placed the call to jockey, J Harzheim from Tasmania to come in and take to the saddle for this trip across the turf. They will be in the hunt for another trip to the winners circle and could be tough contenders in this race when the break from their gate to the roar of an excited crowd.
| 5 | SECRET MISCHIEF | KY | 8M | dicko5 | W Ratzlaff | 35 | 5 | 37% | $94,273 | 0.00 | 37/1 |
This eight year old Bay Horse is a scratch bred (INTO MISCHIEF x DUBAI MILLENNIUM x SECRETARIAT) that gets no love in the morning line from the odds makers. I must conclude that I see their concerns and thus making this horse the longest choice in the field. I think this horse in the right race can go the distance, but coming out of a long list of Claiming races I fear this horse may be jumping up in Class into deep waters. His last outing came in Dubai on 09/27/2020 going 11.5 furlongs in a $2,000 NW1t Claiming race on an off turf track. He was unable to find his way to the boards that day when he crossed the wire back in sixth place. The owner went over to the jocks room and found that jockey, W Ratzlaff was free for Sundays race and will take to the saddle up top. He will need to bring a snappy whip and a bag of tricks and get more fire power out of this horse when they break from their gate to the sounds of a cheering crowd.
| 6 | RULER OF THE MOON | IRE | 5G | keystables | M Cameron | 25 | 4 | 68% | $326,710 | 52.00 | 5/1 |
Breaking from gate six will be this five year old Bay Gelding who was sired by Ruler Of The World. This horse won a Local Championship Stakes in Ireland at a distance of 16 furlongs back in November of 2019. He has not made a trip to the winners circle since that time. He did show up with a nice performance for his owner in June of this year when he came in second in the G2, The Longstickgoboom Stakes in Berkshire going a distance of 12 furlongs. This horses most recent trip to the track came on 08/08/2020 in Deauville when he went 14 furlongs in the G2, The Kergorlay. This 14 furlong distance was not to this horses liking and the owner has decided to bring him back down in distance and see if his horse can rebound from that last outing with a better performance here in Japan. The owner finds a favorite jockey of this horse available when he placed a call to Queensland and got jockey, M Cameron to fly in and take the ride with his horse again. The jockey is going to see if he can again get this gelding a clean trip as he likes to run up front and take the lead quick. This pairing will be headed out in the post parade representing the Only Stayers residency.
| 7 | BLUSHING MILLENIA | KY | 5F | fourtees | M Zeus | 22 | 7 | 59% | $239,518 | 2.94 | 8/1 |
Rounding out our field will be this five year old Bay Mare who is a scratch bred (ENGLISH CHANNEL x DUBAI MILLENNIUM x BLUSHING GROOM). She is a non stakes winner and has been running a lot of races on the dirt. But she made a return to the turf in her last trip to the track on 09/05/2020 in Ontario when she traveled 11 furlongs in a $29,200 NW2s Allowance of which she closed nicely down the stretch to get up for a nice win by 2 ¾ lengths. She ran a 107 speed rating that day and will need to bring that forward with her on Sunday and perhaps find a little more leg to show. She will be getting the help and services of jockey, M Zeus who is coming in from Spain to take the mount up top of this mare. This pair will be head out to the far gate in this race and when they break they will be representing the All-Stars Racing residency.
Good luck to all owners and horses!
Skippy’s Watch List
1-Cadet Needs Credit: Not proven for distance or Class. But I want to give him a look here.
2-Creepypasta: This filly will run against the boys for the first time. Don’t discount her.
4-Shady Pond: Has been running well in his last three outings. I expect more of the same.
Tarton’s Long Shot
7-Blushing Millenia: She will really need to step up her game against this field. She is coming off a nice Allowance win when she returned to the turf in her last trip to the track. I am going to give her a shot to prove she has something to show. Let’s put her on a few exotic tickets at the betting window.