Grade 2 Fifth Third Elkhorn Stakes

PP

ID

Horse

Owner

Jockey

Odds

Preview

1

86279

STRONGHAND(IRE)

rohan

P McGaunn

9/1

Rock of Gibraltar colt based at GRsimsters.  Lightly raced and through conditions, going for a 3-peat here.  Colt has two listed stakes races in resume’, with a 3^rd and 4^th place finish.  Posted a 102Sp in last at today’s distance; however the field was mediocre.  He will be facing tougher in this.  Likes to come well off the pace and may get a piece in present form.

2

93867

HARRISON‘S CLOCKS

tulloch

L Dorchak

4/1

6yo by Dynaformer representing the RASH residency.  Claim to fame is the G2 Flying Carpet Handicap, in which he reversed his normal running style by coming well off the pace.  Horse seems to prefer shorter as attested in his PP’s, but has speed and doesn’t appear to have much competition up front in this.  Let alone he may get the longer distance.  We look for him to fly out of the gate.

3

117773

EIGHT STRAIGHT(KY)

catahoula

J Joseph

11/1

Smarty Jones colt from the DelPenn residency coming off an easy victory in a NW2n at today’s distance.  Colt has one listed stakes victory at 12f.  Colt is at the stage of his career where he should start to show his true colors.  Right now his SP’s show that he needs a lot of improvement to run at this level.  Colt normally sits well back and may get lost in the shuffle.

4

121526

GALACTIC BOMBER(KY)

focusforce

W Desantis

6/1

Queensland is represented here with this Orientate 4yo.  As a 3yo the colt put up some nice numbers, and took down the G1 Man of War stakes along with 4 listed events.  2008 hasn’t been the best of starts for the colt.  Well beaten in the 3 starts this year, he will have to wake up to be a factor.  Trainer must be scratching his head wondering where his colt’s head is at present.

5

109168

LAND OF LEGENDS

champions4

F Tedrow

9/2

Another RASH entry that is counting on his stable mate to set a decent pace as this 5yo loves the one big run.  Trained by Stoners this horse has 2 wins and 4 second place finishes in his last six outs.  Distance is not a factor as the horse has placed 3 times at 16f.  One concern is the diminishing SP’s, but that may be due to the distances involved.  If all is well, he should be flying in the stretch.

6

124487

QUESTING BEAST(ENG)

catspaw

R Zamora

5/2

Trainer is supporting the Bargain Bred Racing Series run by knightmare.  After a fairly lackluster career on dirt, this Rainbow Quest colt was switched to turf and has exploded to get through conditions, and win the G1 Little Guppy Classic with an SP115 last out!  Prior to the win the colt placed at A1 in a G1 event.  Colt is another that likes to lay back and run big in the stretch.  Caution is advised as a “bounce” may be in the making after the last big effort.

7

112099

MAX CALIFORNIA(KY)

buffy5

J Caves

2/1

Favorite in this comes out of the GRsimsters rez and was beaten in his last by the #6 in this race.  This lightly raced to date colt out of Rock Hard Ten is in great form at present.  With the lack of speed in this race, he may stay very close to the pace and make a move on the backstretch so as to leave the come from behind types grasping at straws.  Sporting two G1 wins in just 19 starts says a lot about this colt’s class, and we feel he’s the one to beat.  Jock Caves always gives his mounts good rides.

Lack of speed in here favors the #7 if he breaks away quickly.