G3 We Got Signal Gets a Diverse Bunch

We Get Signal Stakes

Grade III

One mile

Fast Dirt

$150,000

Fillies and mares, 3 years old

This sophomore filly test boasts a Breeders Bowl winner and an undefeated newcomer.  There’s a Bargain Bred champion and a State Bred Series winner too.  Some come from turf and some come from sprints, so you’ve got every angle you could hope for when handicapping the We Get Signal.

1 154297 UNREAL WOLF(KY)  graywolf17  W Mafit  12/1    

Her trainer had her pegged as a route filly straight off, despite sire Stephen Got Even’s propensity so far for producing sprinters.  Smart move, as she has a natural late-running style and popped a 90 when breaking her maiden on her third try.  Her third place showing in the WEST THE ESCORT Handicap in Utah last out was no embarrassment, and she has a real chance in here at double-digit odds.  Jockey Mafit has had a tough year so far.

2 128765 LURSA(KY)  wenlock  K McCafferty  6/1    

The CAT THIEF x NORTHERN DANCER x MISWAKI scratch-bred makes the switch from an exclusively turf diet in her first five races.  She won the first two, then made creditable runs in three stakes, including a fourth in the Grade 2 Whodini in Ireland to begin her sophomore campaign.  She makes the long commute from Portugal.  Her sirelines are fine for dirt, so a move forward from the low 90s she’s been running is possible.  Jockey McCafferty has turned the corner on a journeyman career and is winning at an 18% clip this year.

3 141646 HOT SAND(CA)  bryanj79  E Bunch  51/1   

This bargain bred (BRING THE HEAT x SAND PROSPECTOR x LYPHARD’S WISH(FR)) has done quite well for herself, winning two of six and failing to earn a check only once in the graded Buckeye Debutante last September.  She took a long break and opened her year in February at Indiana, checking in third in an allowance.  She stretches out from sprint distances and hasn’t shown the ability to post a big speed number, so it looks unlikely she’ll outrun her modest sprint breeding to get the trifecta spot today.  Jockey Bunch has yet to win this year from 15 mounts.

4 146189 BANJO ATTACK(KY)  simond4  J Allen  34/1  

The brown miss has big pedigree power (BLUEGRASS CAT x UNBRIDLED x COZZENE) and has done well at this distance.  She’s a stakes winner, but came in dead last of 15 in the Grade 1 Sunny Florida back on January 26th.  Simond4 certainly hopes that was the fluke it appears to be on the past performance sheet, and the time off may have helped what ailed her.  She’s usually a deep closer, so she’ll hope for pace up front.

5 137114 BELLISSIMA G(KY)  buxpasser  B Renfroe  4/1    

Dixie Union filly reeled off two really big stakes wins at a mile to begin 2008, posting a 103 and a 97.  You can’t fault the trainer for trying the Grade 1 California Oaks next, but she didn’t have her usual speed and it turned into disaster.  The switch back to a top jock in Renfroe may help, and many bettors will be figuring a win if she returns to form.

6 136570 ERM I FORGOT(FR)  peachman10  DJ Brooks  99/1    

The Xaar gal picked up a surprise win in the Bargain Bred Charlie’s Tiger Juvenile in November, but has been off since.  Seeing as that was a sprint race and restricted to her Bargain Bred peers, there’s no guarantee a runner like this with a top speed of 80 will even compete today.  Xaar is versatile in his offspring with regard to surface and distance, but that’s a big jump off a long layoff.

7 142564 HAWKEYESTATEOFMIND(IA)  chilcoat2  Mo Johnson  10/1 

Broodmare SLEWPERFECTA was a nice allowance type with top breeding, and this daughter of  Deerhound has made the Iowa folks proud with four wins and numerous stakes placings.  She likes the mile on both surfaces, and posted her best speed of 92 when winning the State Tag Series filly championship last December.  There’s tactical speed here, but not a lot of room for error if she wants to be on the win end.

8 134378 SISSON’S MARK(ENG)  binzaman02  V Townsend  7/1    

By Mark of Esteem, the chestnut filly started on turf but became a tough one when switched to dirt.  She won her first three on the surface by daylight, then just missed by a half length last out in the Minnesota Derby Trail Special against the boys.  That 101 speed makes for a juicy proposition in this race at 7/1.  Mom JUMBO A. P. (by guess who) had a very nice but short racing career.  Jockey Townsend is usually solid but is having an off year.

9 147628 MINISTER OF HUMOR(KY)  bandinni  T Ceciliani  4/1    

Undefeated, top bred (DISTORTED HUMOR x DEPUTY MINISTER x SECRETARIAT), and looking for graded glory, this is a filly who has it all.  The distance question was answered last out in the Smoking Gun in Kentucky two weeks ago, where she built a six-length lead and cruised home.  She will need to move forward against this first graded field, but she is a strong win choice unless she hooks up early with the #10 filly.  Jockey Ceciliani wins less than 10% of the time, but usually picks up a check.

10 134620 NECRONOMICON(KY)  buffy8  R Heenan  9/1 

A straight speed filly, she’s banked $360,000 by building huge leads and trying to stick through the finish.  That works sometimes, but she also finds herself gasping to the wire and cashing a minor check on occasion.  The best of the others here look faster than her, making her an overlay, and she figures to have trouble with the undefeated lass to her inside when trying to make the lead.

11 20522 ALBERTA STORM(KY)  bertaal3  C Brubaker  13/1  

As good as they get out of the breeding shed (STORM CAT x FORTY NINER x DANZIG), she posted a stakes win at a mile back in November, but her trainer has had trouble finding the right spot for a trip to the winner’s circle since.  The stab at the turf stakes in Maryland last out didn’t help, and one has to hope that the 71 she ran while checking in last was more a function of the surface than an indicator of injury or loss of form.  Jockey Heenan should give a boost, but an exacta appearance seems the most likely positive scenario.

12 147042 FIRE WEST(FL)  graywolf9  M Bragg  14/1    

This filly must be a NAFTA supporter – she comes to Canada off a stakes placing in Mexico last out.  The 91 she ran there may have the trainer dreaming of faster runs on the stretchout from six furlongs.  While she is Fire Slam’s top earner, that sire so far seems to get sprinters only.  She would be a big surprise with one of the weakest jockeys on the grounds aboard.

13 133924 TEN YEAR STORM(KY)  wtas02  N Linville  6/1    

Her dam STORMOFTHEDECADE won 24 races, and this Silver Deputy filly seems to be finally giving mom someone to follow in her footsteps – she’s won six of eight.  The big score, of course, is the Breeders Bowl Juvenile Fillies last October, in which she closed furiously for a decisive triumph.  She won her season opener, the Clever Slew in Pennsylvania, uncharacteristically on the lead.  Her last race would seem like a disappointment: seventh in the Grade 1 Vermont is 4 Lovers.  However, she posted her biggest speed number, 96, and was beaten by a number of top fillies not represented here.  Those are nice odds for such an accomplished filly.