It’s Cool Runnings for Nine Older Horses in the $100,000 ESR Bobsled Stakes

A field on Nine older horses 4 Year Old’s and Up will enter the Big Apple starting gate in the $100,000 ESR Bobsled Stakes. The race will be run at Seven Furlongs over the Dirt Course.

SYNC – the 5-Year Old Bay Horse by War Front is the first of two representing the bonk racing stables; after achieving moderate success over the Turf Course, connections returned the KY to the dirt where a convincing victory in a 6.5-furlong Allowance prompted a start in the My Sheba T Dirt Memorial LTO where his 112-speed figure was only good enough for a third-place finish; it won’t get any easier facing these, but his last two make him a contender…in good form

SWANSEA RUNNAH – the bristolred trained 4-Year Old Bay Colt by War Front enters this field after trying the Turf for the first time in his last start; often times trainers will switch surfaces because they are frustrated with a horses performance, but his six wins in thirteen starts suggests his last was more of a wake-up call to help him break through at the stakes level, where he had to settle for the lesser prize finishing a combined 7 lengths behind the winner’s in 4 career Stakes appearances…graduation day

IM DOWN LIAM – the second of the bonk entry, the 5-Year Old Bay Horse by Curlin has achieved most of his success racing over the Turf Course, however, his last start saw him switch to the Dirt after seven consecutive Turf appearances and record an impressive Allowance victory where he keenly turned in a career best 114-speed figure which prompts his first career stakes appearance…might be this good

THE BANDIT KING – the 5-Year Old Bay Horse by Birdstone was a last-minute entry from the trotter1 connections; the KY-bred has established himself as an off-track/poly specialist, and with clear skies in the forecast his chances become somewhat diminished; although he has recorded victories over a dry dirt surface, his 5^th place finish behind SYNC in the My Sheba T Dirt Memorial make him a less likely candidate to visit the winner’s circle on Saturday …needs divine intervention

SEEKING GOLD AGAIN – the kingab trained 5 Year Old Bay Gelding by American Pharoah has earned six of his seven career wins at today’s distance, winning two of them at the stakes level, one coming in the ESR Run for the Asters Race Day Stakes with a career best 118-speed-figure against a field that was considerable tougher than the likes of today’s competitors; despite off the board finishes in his last pair, both Grade 3 appearances, his losses in the Strong Leader, where he finished behind IWASBORNAWINNER, a horse that went on to finish second in his next start in the Grade 1 Cavalier before he romped home in the G3 Wicker Sofa Stakes, and a loss in his last start in the Grade 3 Kenny Joe Stakes to the spinround trained SHOW YOUR CRAFT, where his connections opted to run him in the Grade 2 Pablo Cruz Handicap in February, he is properly listed as the early morning favorite…one to beat

SONDER CADET – successful in a move from the Turf Course in the Back Door Man Turf Sprint Stakes to a victory over the Dirt Course at the Allowance level in March of last year, the cadet connections employ a similar angle for the ESR feature after the 5-Year Old Bay Gelding by Makfi turned in a solid 2^nd place finish over the Turf Course in the Alum Bay Turf Mile LTO; the JPN-bred has won 4 of his 5 seven-furlong starts and appears well conditioned for his connections 2021 ESR debut…well poised

TWIST OF EVIL – having spent the better part of the last yearracing at distances of less than 6-furlongs, the big question here is will this 6-Year Old Bay Horse by Hard Spun like the added distance of today’s ESR feature? Yes, he has recorded victories beyond six panels, but his 4 ITM finishes at 7-furlongs and beyond in 11 starts have all come at the Allowance level; the casino trained KY bred is battle tested, and is a stakes winner in two of his last three starts so he just might have enough moxie to pull off the upset…your call

HOURS AGO – the spinround trained 5-Year Old Chestnut Horse by Jimmy Creed enters this field on a four-race winning streak, the last, posting a career best 111-speed figure; sure, the streak has come at the claiming and starter level, but a winning form has no limits, and this AUS bred has certainly found his best stride…never better

JAYMZ AND WALLY – the ace trained 5-Year Old Bay Horse by Bodemeister might just be the most interesting horse in this field after a dominating performance at the Allowance level in his last start while posting a career best 119-speed figure, in fact it is the fastest recorded speed figure of any horse in this entire field; victimized by SEEKING GOLD AGAIN in the ESR Run for the Asters Race Day Stakes the KY-bred enters the field well-rested after a two-month layoff and could be the most likely contender to turn the tables on his main rival…dangerous

HANDICAPPING THE FIELD

For all the reasons stated above, SEEKING GOLD AGAIN is the clear choice in today’s ESR Bobsled Stakes.  The kingab trainee has been facing much better, has a victory in ESR competition, is a specialist at the distance, and his 3-1 odds, comparatively speaking, make this selection a profitable investment.

SONDER CADET and JAYMZ AND WALLY both pique my interest, however the latter might need a race, while I am relying on a Turf to Dirt angle for SONDER CADET to get the job done.

I like the IM DOWN LIAM part of the bonk entry, whose been on the board in 8 consecutive starts and has a dominating win in his last start, over his entry-mate SYNC, who has only visited the winners circle once in the past year.

SWANSEA RUNNAH scares me a bit in this field and at 17-1 I’m compelled to use him in all my exotics.  The connections are always dangerous and the KY-bred has some sneaky form.

I’m not sure TWIST OF EVIL can get the job done at this distance despite exiting a pair of stakes wins in two of his last three outings.

Despite a four-race winning streak, HOURS AGO will have a lot to overcome against this field, and THE BANDIT KING will have to steal away some rain clouds if he is to have a chance.

The Picks

SEEKING GOLD AGAIN – much the best

SONDER CADET – like the connections and going to trust the angle

SWANSEA RUNNAH – just a gut feeling on a horse hailing from solid connections