3YO FILLIES GO 8 FURLONGS ON THE TURF IN FIRST OF THREE GRADED RACES ON KY CARD
The 3 year old division takes the spotlight in Kentucky this weekend with 3 Graded stakes carded for the sophomore division. Two of them are 8 furlong turf races and interestingly enough only the filly division ended up filling with a full 14 horse field. The Grade III Apalooza Stakes goes as the 14th race on the 16 race Saturday card with 14 3YO fillies going 8 furlongs on the firm turf chasing top share of the $150,000 purse.
Let’s take a look at today’s field:
1)RAH RAH RAH(KY)—10/1—40oz sends this filly out of RAHY with a record of 10-6-3-1 and lifetime earnings of $404,040. Sheis out of the mare STORMY ALI who was 5/35 at the track and who has 4 foals on record of which 3 are winners including 1 Graded stakes winner and another stakes winner. This 24th divisional ranked filly races for the Minnesota Downs division of the Team Doza racing stables. This speedy filly has yet to miss the board in her career and has been expertly entered by her trainer to give her the best shot at winning races. Her speed can be dominating in short field races and while she has yet to win a full field race she has not looked out of place when running in them. She picked up a Grade III Ostend stake win last year and is currently ranked 4th in the turf sprint sophomore filly division. In her only other attempts at 8 furlongs she cut most of the fractions before giving way and ending up 3rd over a good turf in Honk Kong last year. She comes into this race off her lifetime best 96 speed rating over 7 furlongs on the turf and while it is her second start of the year she has been off 8 weeks so we will have to see if the little layoff affects her performance today. She should cut the fractions today but unless she has improved her stamina on the training track may have to settle for a minor share of today’s purse. The rider for today’s race will be Greggor (10.3%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—97.
2)TRUE CHANT(KY)—9/1—tgi sends this filly out of WAR CHANT with a record of 9-4-1-1 and lifetime earnings of $489,480. She is out of the mare TRUE SLEW AGAIN who was 14/52 at the track and who has 2 foals on record with this Graded stake winner the only winner to date. This 10th divisional ranked filly races for an independent and unafilliated stable. This talented filly has revereted to her tactics from her first few races by laying just off the early speed and trying to run down the frontrunners in the stretch drive. It proved to be a masterfull trip last time out when she was an upset winner in The Grade I Warsaw Mile in Alabama where she posted a lifetime best 99 speed rating. That performance will make her one of those to keep a close eye on in today’s race. It was not that she performed badly when running a front running style as she won 2 of those 4 starts but after beginning to give way in the stretch she switched up her tactics and that could benefit her here today as long as she does not bounce of her effort from 4 weeks ago. The rider for today’s race will be Hoge (12.5%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—101.
3)THE DARK MARK(IRE)—7/1—sunshine87 sends this filly out of MONTJEU(IRE) with a record of 5-3-2-0 and lifetime earnings of $224,570. This 15th divisional ranked filly races for Lenny’s Evil Empire stables based at the GR Simsters. This filly came out late in the fall last year and won back to back starts in her lifetime debut and then added a stake win in her 2008 debut. That win set her up nicely for a nice run in The Grade I Warsaw Mile where she rallied from the back of the pack to end up second less than a length behind the winner while posting a lifetime best 98 speed rating. She will have to face the winner of that race again here today. She is a closer who sits far back early and then charges hard down the stretch and hopefully 8 furlongs gives her enough ground to be able to catch them all at the wire. While she has won at the distance before one wonders just how good she will be when stretched out farther. She also does spot many here with some experience as others have put more races on their resume already. The rider for today’s race will be Sherman (9.4%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—100.
4)DEEP DREAMS(JPN)—16/1—oberon sends this filly out of DEEP IMPACT with a record of 8-2-4-0 and lifetime earnings of $357,160. She is out of the mare DREAM DANCER(IRE) who was 3/36 at the track and this is her only foal on record to date. This 9th divisional raked filly races for the unafilliated Tequila Mockingbird stables. Last years Grade I Graduation Stakes winner put up her first bad turf race last time out in The Grade I Warsaw Mile when she never found her stride and ended up finishing well back in the pack. Her only other poor start on her record prior to then had been a dirt run in Florida last December. Her lifetime best speed rating of 93 was posted in her 2nd last start but it is apparent that she needs to be on the lead or at least pressing the pace to be at her most effective and she will have to be much further up front early compared to her last start if she wants to be a factor in the outcome at the wire. The rider for today’s race will be Cadigan (15.1%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—92.
5)LUCKY’S HOTTY(ENG)—11/1—marilyn847 sends this filly out of PIVOTAL(GB) with a record of 14-4-3-1 and lifetime earnings of $154,086. This 90th divisional ranked filly races for the head honcho over at the Ohio Thoroughbred Racing residency in the Mr Lucky stables. This horse won 3 races in a row last year after breaking her maiden in her 4th lifetime start and with winning again last time out her connections hope she can once again string a little winning streak together here today. Her win last time out in an open allowance while posting her lifetime best 94 speed rating 2 weeks ago hopefully turns out to be the prep she needs to run her best race here today. Not that she has been bad in stake races prior having picked up 2 wins and 3 second place finishes already in her career. She has a 4th and 9th place finish in Graded starts so far in her career and she looks to improve on that mark here today. It appears this filly’s best races are run as a stalker sitting just behind the early leaders and then making her move in the far turn, if she can stay forward enough and show some speed improvement today she could be one of those to set up some nice exotic wagering prices today. The rider for today’s race will be Connor (13.8%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—94.
6)DANAKRISTICAL T(NZ)—18/1—puddinpuss sends this filly out of DANASURIA(AUS) with a record of 10-3-0-2 and lifetime earnings of $64,970. She is out of the mare KRISTRICAL FOOLS who was 7/42 at the track and who has 6 foals on record of which 4 are winners including 1 Graded stakes winner. This 177th divisional ranked filly races for the T Syndicate stables based at the NWRC. This filly is bred out of a bargain priced sire, but one who has produced a Graded winner before in his stud career. She was switched to the turf midway thru her freshman year and has displayed more speed since running on the turf. She has yet to win a stakes race in her career and will be making her 3rd Graded start today with her best performance so far a 4th place finish in The Grade III Broadside stakes earlier this year where she posted her lifetime best 91 speed rating. She likes to run up front with early speed but does not appear fast enough to compete with some others here for the front end and may suffer the same as that plagued her in her other Graded starts in not having enough left in the tank for the latter portions of the race. It may be more prudent to try and capture that first stakes win in an overnite carded stakes race against easier company but at this point in many 3 year olds careers they can always show that big burst of improvement to put up their best career performances at any time. The rider for today’s race will be Carley (3.1%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—90.
7)JUNIOR ACHIEVER(KY)—7/1—simon1966 sends this filly out of LEMON DROP KID with a record of 8-3-2-2 and lifetime earnings of $181,966. This 69th divisional ranked filly races for the Hornedfrog stables based at the Kentucky Horsemen residency. This filly rebounded from a dissapointing effort in a Vermont Grade II sprint stake last time out by stretching out to 8 furlongs and winning a Deleware overnite stake wire to wire posting her lifetime best 99 speed rating. As is the case with all front runners there is a concern as to whether or not she will be able to carry her speed all the way to the wire and with others in this field also preferring the front end style of running it looks like it may be a brisk pace which will probably not help this girl’s cause. Still her 99 speed rating rates among the top in the field and if any of these should happen to get loose on the lead then we all know it may be difficult to catch them in the stretch drive. She does have a 2nd place finish in a Grade II Turf Sprint race under her belt already this year. The rider for today’s race will be Wright (6.7%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—100.
8)PROCLAIM THE TRUTH(IRE)—7/1—irshaman sends this filly out of IVAN DENISOVICH(IRE) with a record of 11-5-2-3 and lifetime earnings of $449,500. She is out of the mare ALYJET(IRE) who was 2/30 at the track and who has 6 foals on record of which 5 are winners including 1 Graded stakes winner and another stakes winner. This 23rd divisional ranked filly races for Techranger’s Chaley A stables in the Ireland based division. This filly was a 4 time stake winner in her 2 year old season and tried the Graded ranks to start of her sophomore year. She did not look out of place in either of those Graded starts and in fact came up on the short end of a photo finish in Vermont. She dropped back down to an overniter 5 weeks ago to grab a win in NC and will stretch out to 8 furlongs for the first time here today. Her closing style suggests she should have no problems with the extra yardage in today’s race and her lifetime best 97 speed rating puts her right up there with any in today’s field. Definitely one to watch out for, especially if the early pace is a hot one as is expected. The rider for today’s race will be Jazz (9%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—101.
9)NATIVE MAMBO(KY)—11/1—caliracing sends this filly out of EL PRADO(IRE) with a record of 11-4-2-1 and lifetime earnings of $591,876. She is out of the mare ICY MAMBO who was 3/21 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners including this stakes winner. This 18th divisional ranked filly races for the Worldwide stables based at the NWRC. This entry is another to add to the long list of frontrunning speedsters here today. She has been 1st in the 1st and 2nd calls of all her starts so far in her career but will definitely have company vying for that chart call here today. This 3 time stakes winner has already had 3 in the money finishes in Graded stake races including a 2nd place finish in The Grade I Dancing Blade Handicap to finish of her 2007 season, one of 2 times she has attempted the 8 furlong distance. She posted her top speed rating of 93 last time out while finishing 3rd in a VT Grade II stake race and will have to face on of those that beat her in that race again here today. No question she is fast but does she have the stamina to go the full mile against this field. If you think she does than the 11/1 odds will look mightly appealing. The rider for today’s race will be Sipe (4.8%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—97.
10)GYPSY TEARS(ENG)—15/1—ziklag2 sends this filly out of PIVOTAL(GB) with a record of 7-2-3-2 and lifetime earnings of $134,570. She is out of the mare RAHYMIAN RHAPSODY who was 2/12 at the track and who has 4 foals on record, all winners. This 35th divisional ranked filly races for the unafilliated division of the Rvd stables. This filly broker her maiden in her 4th lifetime start and then came right back to win another allowance race to close of the 2007 racing season. She appears to have changed tactics this season in a pair of stake races by sitting back in a stalking style but has yet to prove that she has the late closing kick required to make it to the winners circle at the top level. Still she has finished on the board in both of her added money starts including last time out in The Grade I Warsaw Mile where she elevated her top speed rating to 96, but both of those that finished ahead of her in that race are also starting her today in Kentucky. The question is can she improve off that last race where she surprised many at the 18/1 odds and if you think she can then today’s 15/1 odds may look like a nice early spring gift if she come’s thru. The rider for today’s race will be Ketron (3.7%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—97.
11)BRISEIDA(KY)—14/1—rioja sends this filly out of PULPIT with a record of 7-5-0-0 and lifetime earnings of $109,680. She is out of the he-mare GLAMOUR who was 5/41 at the track. This 306th divisional ranked filly races for the Hispano Parlante division of the Rafa stables. After a dissapointing debut on the dirt as a 2 year old this filly has really shined on the turf course. She has won 5 of 6 starts on the grass and really progressed last time out by posting a 98 speed rating over the 7.5 furlong overnite turf stake in Portugal. She makes her first Graded start in her first North American start and will be stretching out to 8 furlongs for the first time today. That is a lot of first to be dealing with but like some other of the longer odds horses in this race today the return may be worth the risk as her closing style would seem to fit well against this field today. The rider for today’s race will be Carrier (11.1%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—100.
12)HIGH MOTIONS(IRE)—6/1—mstrinity1 sends this filly out of HIGH CHAPARRAL(IRE) with a record of 12-5-5-2 and lifetime earnings of $524,480. She is out of the he-mare PERFECT MOTION(IRE) who was 14/58 at the track. This 6th divisional ranked filly races for the unafilliated Trinity stables. This filly was a 4 times stakes winner last year as a 2 year old and lost out in a heartbreaking photo finish in the BB Juvenile Turf filly race. She has yet to find the winners cirlce in 3 starts so far this year. In her 2007 debut she finished 3rd to Otto Tribute in the Grade III Broadside stakes and the winner of that race has gone on to win a pair of races since. This filly has picked up a pair of 2nd place finishes since that start in 8.5 furlong overnite stake action and hopes to refind the winners circle in today’s race. She has posted 6 consecutive 90+ speed ratings including a lifetime best 95 last time out but it appears that one of the starters today will probably have to hit triple digits to get the win and there are many who have the ability to do so here today. Her midpack closing style may be a perfect match for this race as she will lay off the expected fast pace and will not have as much ground to make up as some of those that will be sitting further back in the field at the start of the race. She is very consistant having finished in the money in all 12 of her races but will go off as the favorite here today and while she certainly has a great shot some may look for better value on the oddsboard elsewhere. The rider for today’s race will be Givins (24.7%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—100.
13)INVINCIBILITY(IRE)—9/1—deyoto5 sends this filly out of INVINCIBLE SPIRIT(IRE) with a record of 8-5-1-1 and lifetime earnings of $214,472. She is out of the mare BENT ROBE who was 1/7 at the track and who has 5 foals on record of which 4 are winners including this stakes winner. This 37th divisional ranked filly races for the Champion Lodge stables based at Queensland Racecourse. This filly broker he maiden in her 4th lifetime race and has yet to loose since that day. She enters this race on a 5 race win streak that has displayed the positive upswing in speed ratings with every start. Her last 2 wins have come in overnite stakes company and she posted her lifetime best 98 speed rating last time out when wiring a 5 horse field over 8 furlongs in Victoria. She comes to North America to make her Graded debut and possess’s a versatile running style which should help her in this race today albeit whenever she has raced against full fields she has sat back early and saved her best strides for the stretch drive. A definite contender here today even though she does spot others some Graded stakes experience. The rider for today’s race will be Allen (3.4%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—99.
14)PRINCIPAL(ENG)—12/1—lopickles sends this filly out of PIVOTAL(GB) with a record of 8-4-0-3 and lifetime earnings of $183,050. This 30th divisional ranked filly races for Given’s Fire and Blood stables based at the GR Simsters. This filly won a stakes race in her 2007 finale and then came back to post her lifetime best 95 speed rating when she tried the Grade I Loaded Charger Special Stakes to start off the 2008 season. She rallied to finish 3rd in that race 1 length behind the leaders which prompted her connections to stretch her out to 9.5 furlongs last time out to see if she need the extra ground to make it to the winners circle. She did not show any rally at all in the short 5 horse stake field and as a result will return to the 8 furlong distance for this Graded start today. It is expected that she will sit back early and close late to try and catch the tiring front runners. Some may decide to watch this filly’s performance today to see how she rebounds off her last start. The rider for today’s race will be Alt (11.2%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—96.
There is alot of speed in this race here today and while many times when that happens I have always picked a closer I do sometimes get burned by one of the speedsters getting loose on the lead and hanging on at the wire but this old hat is not going to change his tune now so I am going to go with #8 PROCLAIM THE TRUTH to come up big in her 8 furlong debut today and I will box her up with #10 and #11 in an attempt to catch some nice exotic prices. If I don’t hit here then hopefully I can borrow some bus fare to make it home when the races are over.
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING
THEO