THE EWC INVADES MINNESOTA IN SOPHOMRE DIRT SPRINT GRADE III FEATURE

For the 8th season in a row Lord Pye has brought his EWC residency on a road trip to Minnesota with the running of The Grade III Lord Pye’s EWC Tipping Stakes. Many of the Minnesota fans question why this happens every year but Minnesota Downs officials have stated that he is welcome to come to Minnesota Downs for this annual event as long as he covers the cost of the purse and the extra security required to make sure there is not trouble from the EWC members. 200 extra security will be on hand to control any troubles with the large crowd expected to be on hand. The race has only attracted a short field of 6 3 year olds this year who will sprint 5 1/2 furlongs on the dirt course chasing top share of the $125,000 purse.

Let’s take a look at today’s field:

1)GONE FOR ROYAL(KY)—4/1—jetster sends this colt out of GONE WEST with a record of 9-4-2-0 and lifetime earnings of $250,470. He is out of the mare ROYAL CAT who was 10/53 at the track and who has 3 foals on record, all winners including this Graded stake winning colt. This 35th divisional ranked colt races for Rbokies Spartan Racing Stables based at the Great Plains Residency. This colt won his second lifetime start last year as a freshman in the first of a 3 race win streak that was capped by a win in The Grade III MidSoil Stakes in Spain. He would add a WA turf sprint overnite stake win later in the year to his record before tiring in a Grade I dirt event to close off the 2007 season. He went back to the turf for his 2008 debut last time out cutting all the fractions before having to settle for 2nd place in a CN 6 furlong ovenite stake. His top speed rating of 89 was posted in that race which was one point higher than his top rating on the dirt surface. He is expected to cut the fractions in this race today and hopes the cut back to 5 1/2 furlongs will keep him in front when they cross the finish line. The rider for today’s race will be Bowen (15.8%).  PROJECTED SPEED RATING—86.

2)CROCODILE DUNDEY(KY)—6/1—wistful0 sends this colt out of STREET CRY(IRE) with a record of 9-2-1-1 and lifetime earnings of $81,950. He is out of the mare CANBERRA who was 3/20 at the track and this is the only foal on record to date. This colt was quick out of the box by winning his lifetime debut as a 2 year old and then becoming a stakes winner in his 3rd start when he won a NF dirt sprint. He has had his problems finding the winners circle since then losing ground in the stretch drive which prompted a turf start that did not result in an appealing speed rating. He seemed to improve with his 3 YO debut last time out by closing up to be 3rd in a CN overnite stake race posting his lifetime best 91 speed rating over the 6 furlong race. His connections hope he continues to improve with his first Graded start since the dissapointing Grade I Hoserhead run early last year. He is expected to be one of the closers here today in the stretch drive. The rider for today’s race will be Ballard (20%).   PROJECTED SPEED RATING—85.

3)FIRST WARRIOR(KY)—5/2—dora sends this colt out of FIRST SAMURAI with a record of 8-6-1-0 and lifetime earnings of $126,605. He is out of the he-mare MIKEY COOL who was 6/27 at the track. This 99th divisional ranked colt races for an independent stable based at the CR Racers. This colt won 5 of 7 starts as a 2 year old, all against allowance company. He did not run that well in his only stake run last year but made up for that with his 2008 debut race. He won The Pigeon Towing Challenge in Norway in that race posting his lifetime best 96 speed rating in the 6 furlong contest. He makes the long trip over the ocean to Minnesota this week for his Graded Stake race debut. This colt runs best as a stalker laying just behind the early speed and closing up the ground in the stretch drive. The rider for today’s race will be Cothill (15.1%).  PROJECTED SPEED RATING—95.

4)BELONG TO ANGEL(KY)—7/1—brawa sends this colt out of BELONG TO ME with a record of 9-3-2-0 and lifetime earnings of $97,505. He is out of the mare GANOTOWN who was 2/43 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners including this colt who is a stakes winner. This 112th divsional ranked colt races for an independent and unafilliated stable. This colt broke his maiden in his first start last year as a 2 year old and then became a stakes winner in his 3rd start when he won The Storm Rebel Special, a 5.5 furlong dirt sprint stake in NewMarket. He would have to settle for minor share cheques in the remainder of his freshman races. He has started in a pair of conditioned allowance races this year, winning his last start in NC by wiring a NW3L allowance field in a 4.5 furlong race where he posted his lifetime best 89 speed rating. This frontrunning colt will have to improve on that mark if he want to win his Graded Stake debut today but anything can happen this early in his sophomore season. The rider for today’s race will be Stinson (12.7%).   PROJECTED SPEED RATING—85.

5)WOETTE’S WALK(KY)—5/1—katinka sends this colt out of A.P. INDY with a record of 9-2-1-1 and lifetime earnings of $78,982. He is out of the mare MORAIME who was 4/31 at the track and this is the only foal on record to date. This 295th divisional ranked colt races for Woette’s The RoyalStables of Ostend based over at the Benelux residency. This colt won a Benelux MSW race to start off his career last year and picked up a condition allowance win in his 3rd start. He settled for minor share cheques in the remainder of his 2007 starts with the exception of his only Graded start where he ended up in a speed duel and tired to end up 7th at the wire. He tried the turf to start his 2008 season and finished 3rd of 5 in an allowance contest and my be a turf to dirt angle for some punters in this race today. His top speed rating of 88 was posted in his second to last race as a 2 year old last year. He seems to try to get the front in most of his races but usually has problems clearing suggesting perhaps a change in tactics may help this one out in the future. The rider for today’s race will be Urhausen (0%).  PROJECTED SPEED RATING—86.

6)BELONG TO WHO(KY)—8/5—dundey4 sends this colt out of BELONG TO ME with a record of 12-9-0-1 and lifetime earnings of $432,720. He is out of the mare COVER GLASS who was 3/24 at the track and who has 2 foals on record with this Graded Stake winner the only winner to date. This 9th divisional ranked colt races for Dundey Acres that is based right here at Minnesota Downs and will be the fan favorite for this race today. This horse has an interesting PP chart with the mix of brown and green showing that he is very capable of winning on either surface. All of his wins have come in sprints but her is 4/7 on the dirt and a perfect 5/5 on the turf. While much of that has come due to astute entering in soft field he is a Graded winnner when he won The Grade II High Rollers Juvenile in Nevada last season. His top speed rating of 99 was posted on the dirt with his top turf rating a 92. It is expected that he will sit just behind the pacesetter and then start challenging for the lead in the final turn. The rider for today’s race will be  Friar (25.2%).  PROJECTED SPEED RATING—95.

Well it looks like the morning line handicapper has picked it right on the nose for this start today and I am going to go with #6 BELONG TO WHO who will have the fan support at Minnesota behind him and also have the services of the top jockey who is winning at the amazing clip fo 25.2% so far in the 2008 season.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING

THEO