Will I Watch Another Horse OT Year Get Upset?
The COURAGEOUS BELL Memorial Stakes
A mile and three sixteenths on the Fast Dirt Course
$65,000
All horses, 4 years old and up
Stakes record – 2005 – SIR DISTURBED , 1:54 2/5, SPF 110.963
I was in Ireland this week visiting the Ireland Residency and decided that I had better try to stay in Europe for this week’s races as Roys back at the BTB has already been going through my expense reports with a fine toothed comb. My next residency visit will also be in Europe so I find myself in at the Hipodromo Costa del Sol, just outside of lovely Madrid, Spain for a fine afternoon of racing. The Hipodromo was first built as a tourist attraction under the auspices of the local authority, however, to sustain viability, it needed expertise intimately involved with racing. Luckily it came forward in the shape of European money and European expertise and today the Hipodromo is proud of its 450 quality horses stabled there, which are often taken to international events and big races in the U.K., Ireland and France, such as Cagnes-sur-Mer. Today they have one of the top horses to ever race in the Sim visiting to soak in the the Spanish sun himself in SOLAR SONG. You could tell that the Spanish people were very excited to have an equine celebrity in their midst this week as everywhere that SOLAR SONG went there was sure to be a crowd of paparazzi following close behind with cameras and cheers. This beautiful chestnut horse is used to the hubbub and will certainly be ready to settle down to business on Saturday with a worthy field to challenge him in the race. When you are one of the top racers anywhere, you have a large target on your back. He is usually up to that challenge so let’s take a look:
1 – A.P. PLEASURE(KY) ODDS OWNER WIN% JOCKEY WIN% TOP SPEED EARNINGS RANK 14/1 KindOne2 5.5% V.Bowser 21 – 3 – 2 – 2 – 14% 107.74 $135,370 501
(R C INDY GO x MENIFEE x SKIP AWAY out of SKIPPIN PLEASURE) Interesting and inexpensive breeding line on this four year old colt who was bred by the owner and trainer, KindOne. The big colt has only won three of twenty seven but had a nice run of high SPFs late last year that may translate into an increasing maturity that could carry on for some time. He has a solid jockey in the leather in Bowser who has been winning at a 14% clip this year. Although he’s never actually won a Stakes race, he has come close several times. He would love to see a few rain drops as he is undefeated in his only foray onto off tracks. With that history, you almost find it surprising that he has never tried the grass as that usually translates well to the turf. He likes to be on or near the lead and with the rail should have no problem leading the race early.
| 2 – RENEGADE RIDER(KY) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/2 | Champions6 | 22.1% | G.Carter | 57 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 4% | 112.30 | $145,530 | 1151 |
(SAINT LIAM x SILVER DEPUTY x RAISE A NATIVE) This lightly races charcoal four year old colt really seemed to come on the last half of his three year old campaign. He has now won five of eight and four of his last five. His SPFs continue to improve with four straight over the century mark. Bred by HogsHead but always owned by trainer Champion6 of the Support Our Military Stables, he ran his first race in May of his three year old campaign. This will be his first Stakes outing but Champions6 has really brought him along patiently and he looks to be ready to step up. I am a bit disappointed in the jockey choice as Carter has really been struggling this year. This is his nineteenth year in the saddle and it appears that the wear and tear are finally starting to catch up. This is by far his worst start with only two wins in fifty seven races. This flashy colt loves the lead and will probably battle it out with A.P.PLEASURE for first dibs on the front end. If he can keep those quick speeds up and keep from looking over his shoulder down the stretch, he has a chance to unseat the champion.
| 3 – AWESOME PLEASURE | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/2 | Bardo | 20.0% | T.Monk | 108 – 20 – 27 – 17 – 19% | 109.29 | $200,330 | 164 |
(AWESOME AGAIN x FOOLISH PLEASURE x BOLD RULER) A battle tested chestnut horse, this six year old continues to run strong and is looking for that elusive tenth lifetime win. He has really been running strong since trainer Bardo claimed him in June of last year. He runs every couple of weeks and in twelve races has six wins and ten century mark speed figures. He is really consistent and runs every race with a huge heart. He has one Stakes win during that run and that alone is worth of the faith that the Fortune 500 Stable puts in him. They have a hot jockey up in the experienced Monk with a 20% win and nearly 60% in the money run this year. The big horse is a late closer that will need to stay ahead of SOLAR SONG on the trip to the front from way in the back. If he catches the champ on a bad day, he could bring home the win.
| 4 – SOLAR SONG | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/5 | Squirrel4 | 20.1% | M.Zeus | 120 – 38 – 17 – 18 – 32% | 118.75 | $ 14,663,450 | 3 |
( DEPUTY MINISTER x NUREYEV x BOLD RULER) So what can you say about the reigning two time Sim Horse of the Year that hasn’t already been said? Owned, bred and trained by Squirrel, this big chestnut six year old has all of the honors and nearly Fifteen Million Dollars in earnings to back up his talent. I personally watched “SONG” destroy two of my best horses in the Breeders Bowl Classic last fall then was lucky enough again to watch him mop up the field in the GI TOPICOUNT SPECIAL during the DelPenn Race Day. His first race this year he finished third in the GIII MAXED PLATINUM PLATE CAP and it is generally agreed that he prefers the ten furlong distance so that he can stay near the back of the field and thrill us all with his dramatic stretch runs. But seriously folks, we art talking about a horse that has won 21 of his 42 starts against some of the best talent the Sim has to offer. Could that first race this year be a bit of slippage with another year under his girth? Jockey Zeus who this year is exceeding even his gaudy stats will make sure to keep this big fellow focused and give him plenty of time to catch up to the front runners. I am looking forward once again to watching this Super Champion do his stuff.
| 5 – REDWOOD SKY | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/1 | Jacklad | 14.0% | R.Usoz | 59 – 5 – 9 – 4 – 8% | 107.35 | $ 233,258 | 291 |
( RED RANSOM x WOODMAN x NIJINSKY II) This five year old horse has only 23 starts on the clay and has finished on the board in thirteen of them. Owned and trained by the JackLad Empire, he has consistently finished top five but has never really established a distance preference routinely running anything from a mile to fourteen furlongs. He seemed to have his best SPFs at the mid point of those more in the 9.5 to 11 furlongs range. His last race out was a bit of a disappointment with an eighth place finish and nearly 12 lengths separating himself and the winner in the SIR MANTA MEMORIAL STAKES. With the extra distance here, it is hoped to get him back on track with his top five ways. Jockey Usoz is in the irons and he has struggled a bit this year which is out of character for his eight years of experience. Hopefully he and this talented horse can both get it all together in this race.
| 6 – BOATSWAIN(IRE) | ODDS | OWNER | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/1 | BigFive | 9.2% | C.Puschel | 91 – 10 – 6 – 14 – 11% | 107.76 | $159,932 | 433 |
( SWAIN (IRE) x SEATTLE SLEW x BLAKENEY(GB) out of THEIR SEASONS) This four year old chestnut colt has run only ten races on the dirt and since the switch has looked really sharp. Owner and trainer moved him after a seventeen race stint on the green stuff and showed immediate results. Foaled by Broodmare THEIR SEASONS who is an interesting story herself in that she only ran one race in her career with a 47 SPF and a tenth place finish and yet has thrown two Stakes winners and this nice colt to the tune of over $600k in earnings. This colt has the capable hands of Puschel on the reins and the outside post shouldn’t interfere with his normal practice of following everyone early then putting on a late charge. His other siblings were late developers in their careers, it may be time for this big guy to start that same push.
Morning Line = 4-3-2-5-6-1
Paz Picks = 4-2-3-1-5-6
Last week I saw a virtually unbeatable horse in MIESQUE’S GOLD get upset in a race that I did not believe that would happen. It just goes to show what can happen in this racing world. I think that the best chance to unseat the champion will fall to either RENEGADE RIDER or AWESOME PLEASURE and I have them pegged for second and third in that order. I still don’t see anyone here that should be able to beat SOLAR SONG on paper but as the old saying goes…that’s why they don’t run the races on paper. I am looking forward to watching the old champ race again.
Good luck to all runners!
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