Full Field Draws In For Million Dollar John Scott Appreciation Stakes

The highlight race this weekend here in Victoria will come on the fifteenth race of this coming Saturday’s card in the John Scott Appreciation Stakes. The prestigious Grade 1 caliber race is open to all horses of the age of four or older and is run over a mile and a half on the turf. The total purse is an impressive one million. Fortunately for many of our contenders this Saturday it looks as though the skies will likely be clear and the turf will be listed as firm at post time on Saturday. A full field of fifteen horses have drawn into this years John Scott Appreciation Stakes. Lets take a look at this years contenders for the John Scott Appreciation Stakes.

Drawing the rail will be Simulation King (IRE) (Desert King (IRE) x With Approval x Alleged), who is owned by champions4, owner of Support Our Military. The five year old stunning light gray horse has been lightly raced throughout his career with a total of seventeen lifetime starts. Eight of these starts have ended in wins for the gray horse. In addition, the light gray horse has also accomplished three second place finishes. All of these on the board finishes have come over the turf for the horse. His most recent start came in February during the listed Pricey Courage Challenge where the colt broke out of the inside gate and hung back in seventh until the turn where he started to make his move on the rail. He came up just a little short in the stretch, crossing the wire second just three-fourth lengths off the winner, while setting a speed figure of one hundred five. The horses most recent win came under previous owner legends2 in the Lots of Luck (G1) where the colt won by an impressive five and a half lengths after settling back mid-pack for the majority of the twelve furlong turf race.

In the number two slot will be Creepshow (IRE) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) x Deputy Minister x Seeking The Gold), who is out of the stakes-placed dam Deputy Flanders, and is trained by lenny28, owner of The Evil Empire. This five year old horse has had been fairly lightly raced throughout his career with a total of twenty-six lifetime starts for the striking bay horse. The horse has won a total of thirteen of his career starts, all of these over a turf track. Throughout his career the five year old horse has amassed a total of almost six million dollars worth of career earnings. The horses most recent start came last month in the listed Raw Robe (GB) Memorial on a good turf track over ten and a half furlongs. The horse broke out of the start gate and slid into sixth mid field in the race. He started making his move in the turn and was up into second on the outside, going around horses. He went forward like a rocket in the stretch, winning the race by two and a half lengths with a recorded speed figure of one hundred fifteen. The horses most recent graded start came in December of last year during the Pennsylvania Handicap (G1) where the horse finished just off the board in fourth.

Next would be Celebrity Swain (IRE) (Swain (IRE) x Peintre Celebre (IRE) x Affirmed), who is out of the race-winning dam Valdiva, and is trained and owned by boldrule99, owner of Goody Stables. This five year old bay horse has had a total of twenty-eight career starts during his years of racing. Only four of these starts have ended in victory for the bay horse, but all four of the wins have come over the turf. His most recent start came last month in the eleven furlong Mean Joe Green Classic (G3) where the horse broke out of the starting gate and was held back in fifth on the outside of horses. In the turn the colt started to make his move and snuck up into third. In the stretch the colt caught fire and flew past other horses, going on to win the race by a narrow three-fourths of a length over the second place finisher, with the brown horse setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven.

Following will be the 15/1 shot Gold Doors (Touch Gold x Once Wild x Stage Door Johnny), who is owned by crowbar, owner of Ace Stables – Ireland Division. This five year old bay horse has been relatively lightly raced throughout his career with a total of thirty-one lifetime starts. The impressive horse has won a total of eight starts in his lifetime. Seven of these wins came over the turf for the horse, but with the horse also securing a single win over the dirt. The horses most recent start came last month in Ireland during the sixteen furlong listed EAAA Division Inter-Residency Challenge Owner Restricted. Here the horse broke out of one of the outside posts and was pulled back towards the rear of the field to be settled in tenth. The horse made his move in the turn and ran along in sixth until the stretch where the horse started making his move, but came up short crossing the wire in fourth with a speed figure of ninety-three. The horses most recent victory came last year during the sixteen furlong listen Thor’s Cake Stakes where the horse broke out of the gate and settled into mid pack in sixth. In the turn he’d moved up into third and made his bid for the lead in the stretch. The horse took home the win by an impressive three and three-fourth lengths. The colts most recent graded start came over the good turf in the At Night Cap (G2) where the horse finished just out of the money in sixth.

Drawing the fifth post is Nasu Mountain (IRE) (Alberto Giacometti (IRE) x Monashee Mountain (IRE) x Kris S), who is out of the stakes-winning dam Misty Mountain and is owned by beefcake6, owner of Beefcake Stables. The four year old bay Irish colt has had a total of nineteen career starts. Seven of this colts career starts have ended in wins, with all of the horses on the board placements coming over the turf. His most recent start came earlier this month in a fourteen furlong allowance caliber start in Epsom where the colt took off out of the gate and into third just off the pace of the front runners. In the turn the colt made his move and rocketed up to the lead and never looked back. The colt crossed the wire in the lead by half a length, setting a speed figure of ninety-nine for the race. This Saturday will be the colts first attempt at any kind of stakes competition, graded or otherwise in his career.

Next will be Good To Be King (Smarty Jones x A.P. Indy x Sadler’s Wells), who is trained by super21, owner of More Evil Than The Evil Empire. The five year old bay horse has thirty races worth of experience in his lifetime. Five of his races have ended in wins, all of which have come over the turf. His most recent win came last month on an off-track during the thirteen furlong listed Just Eric Stakes where the horse broke out of the gate and was held back in seventh. The horse moved up immediately in the race and into fifth but was shuffled back at the turn. The horse made a valiant effort down the stretch but finished a well-beaten sixth while setting a speed figure of ninety-three. The horses most recent win came last September during the Horseshoe Falls Stakes (G2) where the horse broke out of the start gate and slid into sixth in the field. He began to challenge other horses early on. By the time they reached the turn the bay horse was in fourth. He flew down the stretch, passing other horses like they were standing still, to just get in a win by a length.

Next up is a late entry, The Blade (Sky Classic x Lyphard x Troy (GB)), who is owned by bevronii, owner of Crandy Stables. This bay four year old has had a total of twenty-one lifetime starts in his racing career. Just three of these races have ended in wins. All of these wins, as well as three place finishes and two shows have occurred over the turf. The horses most recent start came in a thirteen furlong allowance caliber start in Ascot where the horse broke out of the gate and went up with the leaders in second. In the turn the horse started to tire and began to drop back, ultimately crossing the wire in sixth with a speed figure of eighty-six. The horses most recent win came in another allowance caliber start shortly before the afore mentioned, this in Hong Kong. The horse won in wire to to wire fashion by one and one-fourth lengths.

Next up is the pre-race favored Black Coin (Sadler’s Wells x Key To The Mint x Round Table), who is owned by kool4katz, owner of Coolk Stables. This five year old bay horse has been lightly raced with a total of seventeen lifetime starts decorating his racing career. An impressive eleven of these starts have ended in victories for the spectacular horse. To date the horse has only had two races in which he did not finish on the board. The horses most recent start came earlier this month in South Africa during the twelve furlong listed Greek Spring Handicap where the colt broke midpack in the field and charged up into third, sitting just off the pace of the leaders. Early on he overtook the second place runner. The the turn he was flying and quickly went to the lead, winning the race easily going away by three and three-fourth lengths. His most recent graded start came in the Pennsylvania Handicap (G1) where the horse finished second. Should the horse win again this Saturday, it will be his third consecutive win following the Greek Spring Handicap and the EAAA Inter-Residency Challenge.

In the nine spot will beLucky’s Cent (IRE) (King’s Best (IRE) x Niniski x Galliapiat), who is owned and trained by truly, owner of Tigertrack Stables. The five year old horse has had a total of thirty-one career starts in his lifetime. Fifteen of these starts have ended in wins for the brown horse. Along with these fifteen wins the horse also has five places and won show, all of which have come over the dirt for the brown horse. His most recent start came in Argentina earlier this month during the listed Zig Zag Connection Memorial where the horse broke out of the fourth post position and went straight to the lead by an astonishing ten length margin. He lost ground throughout the race but still managed to hold off all other contenders by five and one-fourth lengths when he crossed the wire setting a speed figure of one hundred two. This Saturday will be the horses first attempt at graded stakes caliber races.

At morning line odds of 10/1 is Max California (Rock Hard Ten x Secretariat x Danzig), who is trained by buff5, owner of Winterfell Racing. The four year old Kentucky-bred chestnut colt has had a total of seventeen starts in his racing career. Six of these have ended in victory for the son of Rock Hard Ten, all of them coming over a turf track. The colts most recent start came last month in the fourteen furlong listed Rank Cactus Handicap where the chestnut colt broke out of an inside post and moved up into fifth just behind the the pacesetters waiting to strike. He began picking off other horses early on in the race, but came up short by some three lengths in the stretch to finish second while setting a speed figure of one hundred. The colts most recent win came last year during the Coalminer Cup (G1) where the colt broke out of the gate and was held off the pace in ninth. Again however, the colt began to go after other horses early on in the race, this time catapulting down the stretch and winning by a nose in a photo finish of the twelve furlong race.

Following will be Questing Beast (ENG) (Rainbow Quest x Sadler’s Wells x Storm Bird), who is out of the race-winning dam Pump Lactose, and is owned and trained by catspaw, owner of Elenalag Stables. This four year old English-bred colt has been lightly raced with a total of eighteen lifetime starts. The colt has won four times in his racing career, two of these ins came over the turf, the other two on the dirt. The colts most recent start came earlier this month in the twelve furlong listed New Zealand Memorial Route. The colt burst out of the starting gate and slid into mid pack in the field. He made his move in the turn and slowly edged up into third. He gave his all in the stretch but came up short and crossed the wire in second recording a speed figure of one hundred six. His most recent win came last month during an allowance caliber start in Ohio where the colt won the race by three and one-fourth lengths after setting back in the middle of the field for most of the race. The colts most recent graded start came on an off-dirt track in the Flat Land Derby (G2) where the colt finished twelfth. To date, the colt has not had a graded start over the turf.

At 14/1 in gate twelve is Crimson Sky (Forty Niner x Kingmambo x Nureyev), who is proudly owned by blackswan, owner of Blackswan Stables. This five year old horse is spectacularly bred and lightly raced with only twenty-two career starts throughout his lifetime. The horse has won seven times in his career, all of these, along with two places, coming on the turf. The horse has also finished third twice, once on the turf and once on the dirt. The horses most recent start came last September during the fourteen furlong listed Steve Puppet Stakes where the horse broke out of gate four and was held back just off the pace in fifth. In the turn the horse started to make a slight move and snuck up into fourth. Then he fired as the field came down the stretch and the bay horse went on to win the fourteen furlong race by two and three-fourth lengths with a speed figure of one hundred seven. The biggest question with this horse may be, is how will he handle the long layoff? His most recent graded start came in August of last year, this in the Fusahoochie Turf Classic (G3) where the horse finished nine and one-fourth lengths back just in the money in fifth.

Next will be the 99/1 longshot Model J (IRE) (River Keen (IRE) x Shelter Half x Manshood), who is trained by 12047, owner of Sherman’s Upper New York Stables. This chestnut four year old has had a total of thirty lifetime races throughout his career. Four of these races have ended in wins for the chestnut Irish-bred colt. All four of these starts, as well as all of the on the board finishes for the colt, have come over the turf. His most recent start came earlier this month in Ireland on the dirt during The Warsaw Classic (G3) where the colt got out a beat slow from the gate and settled back into eighth. His standings never improved though as the colt continued to drop back, ultimately finishing a well distanced tenth with a speed figure of fifty-three. The colts most recent win came in a six and a half furlong claiming race in Italy under previous owner indigo2, where the colt won by two and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of eighty-six back last year. To date the colts best finish in a stakes race was in the Senor Starke Cap where the colt finished fifth in the five horse field with a speed figure of fifty-seven.

Drawing the final post to the far outside is Roadhouse Blues (Java Gold x Unbridled x Turn-To), who is owned and trained by twinoaks, owner of More Evil Than The Evil Empire. This bay five year old has had a total of thirty-four lifetime starts throughout his racing career. The horse has emerged victorious in thirty-four starts a total of eight times. All of the horses eight wins have come over a turf track. The horses most recent start came last month in the eleven furlong Buck Dharma Handicap (G3) where the colt broke out of one of the outside posts and slid into ninth on the outside of horses. He began to pick off front-runners early on in the race and was soon passing up others to his inside. In the turn the horse had made it up into fourth and was just five and a half lengths back off the lead. He flew down the stretch but didn’t have enough to cinch the win and finished second with a speed figure of one hundred ten. His most recent win came just the race before, this coming in December of last year during the DPCD 10F Turf Restricted where the horse won impressively by three and a half lengths after setting back in seventh out of the gate.