Big Race Recap 3518

Trading Jack jumps to the top of lists of top Bluegrass Derby contenders with his impressive performance this week. Alberta Gold extended her winning streak in turf sprints and Stonebridge Knight becomes a top Guineas contender with his win.  

Race: 3518.0514 All Saints Derby — Derby Lock Prep – Grade II – $500,000
Track: Louisiana
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one sixteenth on the Dirt

Trading Jack has now fully burst onto the scene with a thrilling run earning him a spot in the Bluegrass derby. Trading Jack is undefeated and has to be considered one of the top three contenders for the Bluegrass Derby. In the early stages of the race Trading Jack found himself well off the early pace almost fourteen lengths behind the early pace. At that point he only had three horses beat but began his run at the half mile pole. Around the turn for home Trading Jack made a move that put him within six and a half lengths of the pace setter. He carried that momentum through the stretch eating up ground. He did not take the lead until deep stretch drawing away to win by a length and a quarter. More impressively was that he was six and a half lengths ahead of the third place finisher.

Lucky’s Carpet fired a huge race but had to settle for second this week. Coming into this race Lucky’s Carpet ran third in the grade one Arizona Diamond as a two year old. He took some time off and last time out he had an evenly run fourth place three year old debut. In his second start off the layoff he betters his career best speed figure by twelve points. Lucky;s Capital was mid pack early seven lengths off the pace. He had the jump on the fading speed and look to be in good position as he took the lead in the stretch. While he ran huge it was not big enough. He still has work to do to earn points to make the Derby field but appears to be well positioned to do so.

The true contest in this race was the race for third. Sahara Desert stalked the early pace from fifth position, moving up to fourth two and a half lengths from the lead at the top of the stretch. He did not have the big kick in him losing ground to the top two but persevering in the stretch. Cash Due was next to Sahara desert for most of the race and was right by his side persevering in the stretch. Good Bad Ugly was towards the back of the pack early nine and a half lengths off the early pace. He had made a good move into the stretch but did not have the same momentum of the top two runners but was still gaining on Sahara Desert and Cash Due. These three runners where battling it out in deep stretch and in the photo it was Sahara Desert who got his nose down for third. Good Bad Ugly had to settle for third and Cash Due was a hard luck fifth.

Race: 3518.0116 The MOUNTAIN THAT RIDES Battle – Grade I – $500,000
Track: California
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: One mile on the Turf

Stonebridge Knight used his graded stakes racing experience to turn this into a very nice victory. Stonebridge can set the pace but today he sat off the pace stalking from third. That tactic was close to being a mistake. Stonebridge Knight took his position in third three and a half lengths off of a horse on the lead by himself. At the half mile pole he moved forward taking over second going into the stretch two and a half lengths off the pace setter. Stonebridge Knight kicked it up a notch in the stretch and was gaining ground on the pace setter. He wore away at the pace setter needing every inch of ground in the stretch to finally catch him getting his head down in the final strides to the wire. The win places Stonebridge Knight in excellent position to make a run at the 1000 Guineas.

Top Form was the horse that got loose on the early lead and nearly wired the field. This was Top Form’s graded stakes debut. He had flashed his speed in allowance and listed stakes company a few times but until today never really earned a high enough speed figure to make you think he belonged at this level. He scooted away from the gates early and established a two and a half length on the field which he carried into the stretch. He did not slow much in the stretch making Stonebridge Knight really work to get by him. Top Form’s gutsy performance earned him a second place finish in a grade I which puts him in a position to also make the 1000 Guineas.

You will not see very many George Washington sired runners in the sim. Washinsky is doing his late sire proud. Washinsky is a grade three winner and has multiple placings in graded stakes in his young career. Today he was mid pack about six and a half lengths off the early pace. He did not make up much ground around the turn but found an opening in the stretch to gain a few lengths to finish third four and a half lengths from the winner.

Race: 3518.4316 The Ball And Chain Bullet – Grade I – $500,000
Track: South Dakota
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 5 years old and up
Distance: Six furlongs on the Turf

Alberta Fire extends her winning streak to seven races two of them grade one events. She did not have to extend herself as she had to in more recent races. Alberta Fire took up her normal position well off the early pace. She was more than eight lengths off the early pace before she started her run to the wire. She moved up on the turn but made her big run in the stretch as she went from eighth to first. She was flying in the stretch getting the lead late and pulling away to a length and a quarter win.

Rahy Set Go at odds of seventeen to one spiced up the exact and trifecta with her pace pressing performance. She is a runner that is capable at this level but was over looked by the bettors. She likes the front but today sat in second. She was never far from the pace pressuring the pace setter the whole way. Once in the stretch Rahy Set Go was stubborn getting a short lead fighting all the way to the wire finishing second.

Rudy failed to back up her huge speed figure last time out. She got a good trip stalking the early pace but her outside post meant a wider trip. She was fourth in the early stages a little more than four lengths off the early pace. She was well positioned turning for home. She gained ground it just was not as fast as she had last time out. She clawed her way to third and hung on finishing a length and three quarters behind the winner.