Big Race Recap 3546

Folsom Blues and Wireless Eavesdrop looked good in their derby preps but maybe the best story and best run of the day was the second place effort by Mrs. Stark Reality. She ran second against the boys in a grade one long sprint with a solid finish against Ketch the second ranked sprinter in the sim. We had Oaks action, and long distance action this past week to get caught up on.

Race: 3546.0116 California Derby — Derby Lock Prep – Grade I – $750,000
Track: California
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt

Folsom Blues defines the phrase last to first while earning his way to the Bluegrass Derby. He makes the field in just five career starts thanks to the Derby Lock race. He has now won four of five career starts and should be considered one of the favorites in the race as we move forward. Last weekend he was not interested at all about getting away from the gate and was dead last early on. He would be fifteen and a half lengths from the pace setters at the half way point. He kicked it up a notch around the turn for home picking up four places and six lengths. Once in the stretch he was a man among boys closing more than nine lengths on the pace setter and pulling away to win by more than three lengths at the wire a very impressive victory.

In what has become very rare this year there where actually three runners in this one race that will face each other again in the Bluegrass Derby. Shetan had to settle for a runner up finish this past weekend but the stakes points where enough to get him into the starting gate in Kentucky. Normally Shetan is closer to the pace than he was today. He was ninth early on more than eight lengths off the pace. He made up ground and was fifth entering the stretch. He made his bid there slowly gaining on the pace setter. He would get passed by Folsom Blues before he ever got to the pace setter then had to hold off the late charging Urban Storm Cat for second in deep stretch. None the less a solid finish setting him up for his Bluegrass run.

Urban Storm Cat did not fire the same effort he did in his three year old debut. It was a good run and maybe the bounce factor for him is gone and the only way to go from here is up. The outside post may have had some thing to do with the end result. In the early stages he was near the back of the pack as usual. He was nearly thirteen lengths from the pace setters before he started to move. He moved up around the turn and kicked into high gear once in the stretch. He made a good move around the turn into the stretch although he could not hang with the winner. In deep stretch he appeared to waver just a bit and that could be because of a wide trip. He had to settle for third but that earned him enough points to make the Bluegrass where he could very well improve and be a factor.  

Race: 3546.0715 Chicago Derby — Derby Lock Prep – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Illinois
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt

Wireless Eavesdrop was the clear cut favorite and he ran like a favorite should. The way the past performances looked it appeared he would be further off the pace here than he usually finds himself. Either the pace of the race never really panned out or he showed more tactical speed in keeping tabs with the pace setters. Wireless settled off the pace in fifth position just almost seven lengths off the pace. That was a little closer than anticipated as he was eight and a half back in his previous race and this race appeared to have more speed. Wireless made his move on the turn getting into second position as the runners entered the stretch. He would grab the lead from the pace setter and run on well through the stretch to win by a length earning a nice 107 speed figure. While he only won by a length the race was really not that close.

Rock Hard Korn ran a good second in his graded stakes debut. This nice Rock Hard Ten colt was a little further back early on than he had been against listed company. He was sixth early behind the winner seven and a half lengths from the pace setter. He would make a good bid following Wireless Eavesdrop into the stretch. He would grind away and gain ground through the stretch but he never really threatened the winner. Still he was six lengths better than the third place finisher showing as the top two ran away with this race. There are many good graded stakes along the way for three year olds look for him to make an impact later this summer.

Held Two Ransom ran his race and finished third. This was his second race in a row where he was a distant third. He really has not improved much speed figure wise from what he was running as a two year old and if he moves forward that is something he will have to do. He was tenth early not quite ten lengths off the early pace. He made a mild move on the turn and passed tiring horses all the way to the wire. He would finish seven lengths behind the winner never threatening the top two but picking up a graded placing along the way.   

Race: 3546.0416 Wooden Indian — Derby Lock Prep – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt

This race actually pitted four horses that are likely to make the Derby field against each other however it easily produced the most disappointing speed figures of any of the late season Bluegrass Derby preps. It was long shot Snarky Remark who rebounded from an eleventh place, sixteen lengths loss last time out in the All Saints Derby who would come out the victor in New York.

Snarky Remark broke from post nine while Ghost In A Dancer broke from post seven. These two runners would break together and fall back off the early pace. First they where eight lengths back and then they where  twelve lengths back at the half way point. That part is not all that unusual running side by side in the early stages of the race. It was at that point the two started to move forward together. At the top of the stretch they where both seven and three quarters lengths off the pace. They kept pace with each other through the stretch as they ran past runners and got to the lead in deep stretch. From gate to wire these two where never separated by more than a head and that is what it came down to at the wire. At the wire Snarky Remark got his head down earning him a trip to the Bluegrass. Ghost in a Dancer had to settle for second but the stakes points earned put him into the Bluegrass as well.

Porn Starr ran a solid race to finish third. He would stalk the early pace from third position only two and a half lengths from the pace. At the half way point he would start to wear away at the leader. He was second at the top of the stretch and closing ground on the pace setter. He would get caught by the top two in deep stretch as he edged away from the pace setter to earn a third place finish and a trip to the Bluegrass.

The other potential Bluegrass started in this race was Alydar Again who did not run a good race dropping back to dead last and never really making any sort of run. If he was not injured though he has the points to get into the starting gate at the Derby.  

Race: 3546.0414 The Billy and Jimmy Stakes – Grade I – $350,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: Seven furlongs on the Dirt

Ketch proved to be too much for this field of long sprinters as he went on to win by two lengths. A few starts back Ketch had an electric 120 speed figure showing an incredible burst of speed. He did not disappoint last weekend. He would settle off the pace in ninth in the early stages of the race. He was eight lengths back but there was a lot of race left to run. He made a big move on the turn to get within two and three quarter lengths of the lead and carried that momentum into the stretch. He would just fly but runners in the stretch edging away from the fantastic mare Mrs Stark Reality late to win by two. His speed figure was a good 113 but after you run a 120 that might look a little dull.

The fantastic six year old mare Mrs Stark Reality made a solid run to finish second against the boys. She is no stranger to mixing it up with the boys. She broke her maiden against boys, has won two allowances against boys, finished fourth and third in listed stakes against boys and is now graded placed against the boys. If she can maintain her form she is a serious contender for the filly and mare sprint at the Breeder’s Bowl. She was well back early and moved up on the turn. She was ninth entering the stretch but was not real far back length wise from the lead horse. She would fire in the stretch passing all but the winner. She could not gain any ground on Ketch in the stretch but this was a very impressive run none the less.

Happy A was a fifteen to one long shot when the gates opened. He was coming off a nice win at the listed level. He is a stalker type runner and took up a forwardly placed position early in the race. He was forth a little more than three lengths from the early pace. He moved up on the turn taking over second but did not have enough in the tank for the top two. He would finish well in the stretch but had to settle for third four and a half lengths behind the winner.    

Race: 3546.0115 The City Of Angels – Grade I – $500,000
Track: California
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one sixteenth on the Dirt

Silent Screem showed she belonged at the grade one level and has earned a trip to the Oaks if she so chooses.  She showed a good deal of early speed pressing the pace in third through the early stages of the race. She took control past the half mile pole carrying a length a half lead into the stretch. She would be stubborn from there not giving up much ground while winning by two and a half lengths at the wire.

Dehere Dabear also made a successful transition to the grade one level. Prior to this race she had run well in listed stakes including an impressive three and three quarters length win last time out. She moved forward again here coming form mid pack less than four lengths off the early pace. She was third entering the stretch and gained a bit of ground on the winner in the stretch but had to settle for second.

Equivocation was the race favorite coming into the race but she ran a disappointing third. She is a runner that had been off the early pace by several lengths but today for some reason she was within a length of the lead the whole first part of the race. She was second entering the stretch but had no kick for the stretch drive. She will get a chance to redeem herself in the Oaks and will still likely be considered a favorite there.   

Race: 3546.0112 The HELLO MOMMA Special – Grade I – $500,000
Track: California
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: Seven furlongs on the Dirt

Saracen gets her first grade one win and her trainer could be saddled with an interesting dilemma. This now makes back to back wins for Saracen but this grade one win in this long sprint gives her enough stakes points to possibly make the Bluegrass Oaks. Saracen did what she does best by going out and setting a strong early pace. She shook free early and established a clear two length lead at the half way point. She would carry that lead into the stretch where Appeal This started to bore down on her. The was losing ground but was all out to hold off Appeal This to the wire winning by a half length.

Appeal This has a grade one win at this distance and now a second place in a grade one at this distance. She chased Saracen right from the time the gates opened. She took up position in second behind the winner never letting her get too far ahead. At the top of the stretch and through the stretch she made a sustained bid but fell short at the wire having to settled for second. She was beaten a half length but finished more than two lengths clear of the third place finisher.

Death’s Door ran a solid race from off the pace. Early in the race she was towards the back more than seven lengths from Saracen’s pace. She would make up a little ground on the turn but made up her most significant ground in the stretch. She would power home although not threatening the top two. She had company in Street Buda but got her nose down on the wire to hold third two and three quarter lengths behind the winner.  

Race: 3546.7815 The RAGING RIVER Special – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Upper New York
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one half on the Dirt

This would be a stretch battle between the top two betting choices. K’s Hasty ‘N Nasty would get her nose down on the wire for her first graded stakes victory. The six year old Crafty Prospector mare would stalk the early pace from third. She was a little over two lengths from the early pace in this mile and a half contest. When asked at the six furlong marker she moved up. At the top of the stretch she was a quarter of a length from the pace setter with The Trident hot on her heels.

The Trident had also stalked the early pace sitting in fourth position. She was never more than a quarter of a length from K’s Hasty ‘N Nasty as the runners moved on the track. At the top of the stretch she had moved up with K’s Hasty ‘ N Nasty to be within three quarters of a length from the pace setter.

With only a quarter length separating them at the top of the stretch these two hooked up as they passed the pace setter. The Trident would move up but K’s Hasty would have an answer. The entire stretch these two went at each other with K’s Hasty ‘ N Nasty getting the win by a head. The Trident had to settle for a hard luck second.

War in Heaven was toward the back early more than seven lengths from the early pace. She never fired her big shot but gained ground in the turn for home. She continued to gain ground in the stretch but not enough ground to threaten, She would settled for third four lengths behind the top two.