Big Race Recap 3532

Sweet Sister Mercy and Winter Morn where very impressive in Arkansas this week. These runners will likely be heard from all year long in their divisions. Forambo Wildcat won in Louisiana on the turf and he looks like a runner that could make some noise in the middle distance turf races. While three year old filly South of Heaven could be making a bid for the Guineas or looking to longer distances.

Race: 3532.0615 Orange Blossom – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Arkansas
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one sixteenth on the Dirt

Sweet Sister Mercy reclaims her place atop the older fillies and mares division with a smashing victory. She ended the 2007 year with a pair of bad races but if her start to 2008 is any indication she will be a force in this division this year. The race scenario that appeared on paper never really developed with the favorites who normally stalk an early pace being more than eight lengths back. Otto History threw down a quick pace and that put Sweet Sister Mercy next to last more than thirteen lengths off the early pace. She made up a few lengths on the turn an unleashed one of the fastest stretch moves you will see in the sim closing a ten length gap on Otto History while pulling away by another length and a quarter by the wire. The final time was a very sharp 1:41 flat for a mile and a sixteenth. Sweet Sister Mercy earned a 112 speed figure for her very impressive effort.

Otto History threw down the gauntlet and ran thirteen runners off their hooves. When the gates opened there was only one thing on her mind as she flew to the lead. She was clear early and pushed her lead to almost two lengths at the half mile pole staying within herself. She pressed from there opening up almost five lengths on the field as the entered the stretch. Any other day her performance likely puts her in the winners circle but today she ran into a closer on top of her game. Her race was impressive none the least as she settled for a hard fought second.

The surprise of the race might have been third place finisher Balance the longest shot in the field. It may have been her trip because she got a good trip in this race or it just may be what she does. Balance now has four on the board finishes in graded stakes races but has never won a graded stakes. She was fourth off the pace a few lengths in the early stages. She never really gained on the pace setter but kept pace with her most of the way persevering over the others in this field to finish third four and a half lengths behind the winner.

Race: 3532.0614 Oaktree Handicap – Grade I – $750,000
Track: Arkansas
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt

Winter Morn gets his first grade one win and looks like a runner that will make an impact in this division this year. He is a lightly raced five year old and in two graded stakes tries now he is a perfect two for two. He has now won nine of fifteen career starts. Today Winter Morn was mid pack in the early stages. He was more than six lengths off the early pace and made a bold move on the turn for home. His move put him on the lead at the top of the stretch where he did not slow. He powered home earning a three and three quarter length win while earning a 113 speed figure. Winter Morn is a horse to watch for this year.

Mambo Bones runs second for the ninth time in his career. He always seems to run into a horse who runs just that much better than him. Mambo Bones elected to not go to Dubai but that did not matter he still ran into a horse that ran a great race. Mambo Bones was near the back of the pack early on thirteen lengths off the pace. He made a good move on the turn getting to within seven lengths of the pace. He continued to carry his momentum into the stretch gaining ground on Winter Morn but he could not gain that ground fast enough having to settled for second.

The crafty veteran Fly for Buda gets another graded stakes placing. Making his forty third career start Fly for Buda hits the board for the first time since June of last year. He finished third in this race last year as well. Today his stalking position from five lengths off the pace set the tables for him. The pace failed and Fly for Buda was within a length of the lead at the top of the stretch. He stayed on well although losing ground to Winter Morn in the stretch to hold on for third five and three quarter lengths behind the winner.   

Race: 3525.0515 Explosive Bet Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Louisiana
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Turf

Forambo Wildcat makes his graded stakes debut a winning one. This son of Forest Wildcat is a lightly raced four year old. He has split his time on dirt and turf but clearly has the better results on turf now. He was a bit of an outsider coming into the race with odds of ten to one. He was coming off a very nice run though in an allowance race with a solid speed figure. He backed that up today sitting in sixth place early he was five lengths off the early pace. He moved up on the turn for home and made his bid in the stretch taking the lead and holding off the closing Ollie’s Quest. Forambo Wildcat would win by a length and a quarter earning a 111 speed figure.

Ollie’s Quest is a seven year old horse still competing at the top level. Ollie’s Quest has now placed in three straight graded races and is running some of his best speed figures in his career. In 2006 he finished second in this race as well. This year Ollie was mid pack about eight and a half lengths from the early pace. He made a move on the turn and really turned it up a notch in the stretch. He made a powerful run but it was not enough to catch the winner so he had to settled for second place.

Unintentionally ran a solid race for a twelve to one long shot. He pressed the early pace and took a short lead around the turn and into the stretch. He was caught by the winner there but held his pace fairly well through the stretch. He would get passed by Ollie’s Quest late but held third finishing six and a quarter lengths behind the winner. Unintentionally has been a solid middle distance runner as a three year old and has taken a step in continuing that at four.   

Race: 3525.5415 How Are You Gentlemen Cup – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New South Wales
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one sixteenth on the Turf

South of Heaven ran a big one off of a cut back in distance to score her first grade one win. South of Heaven is a daughter of High Chaparral and was coming into the race off a nice listed stakes win at a mile and three sixteenths. Today she was in a stalking position almost seven lengths off the early pace. She moved up on the turn for home and really hit her stride in the stretch. She was flying late grabbing the lead and drawing away to a two and three quarter length win over the favorite Miesque’s Gold.

Miesque’s Gold was with South of Heaven early on in this race. She was about seven lengths from the early pace. She too made a move around the turn but she could not match strides with South of Heaven in the stretch. She had to settled for second but that is her third on the board finish in graded stakes this year. She started the year off with a grade one win and has now run second and third on two other grade one events. She will likely be one of the favorites for the Guineas in a few weeks.

Polyamorous made her graded stakes debut a fairly successful one. Polyamourous has been winning at the listed stakes level in the last few months. In fact she has put together three straight wins coming into this race. She too was cutting back in distance for this race. Her running style put her near the other two top finishers. She was mid pack about seven lengths off the pace. She really did not start to move much until she was in the stretch. There she found her stride and finished a solid third three lengths behind the winner just missing second.