Big Race Recap 3560

Favorites did well this past weekend. The races in New South Wales where pretty formful considering the yielding turf. Portman’s Perfect wins the first big grade one for three year old turfers, Mr. Devious looked awesome in the sprint and Otto Vasher was out standing in the mile. There where a couple of other grade ones as Circle of Solace was impressive in California and Burgazada splashes onto the grade one scene with an awesome record.

Race: 3560.5414 Sydney Derby – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: New South Wales
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf

Portman’s Perfect nails Septic Squall at the wire for a half length win in Sydney. Coming into the race Portman’s Perfect had long distance experience that paid off for him in the stretch. The final speed figures here where not that impressive. You have to go back to 2003 to find the last time the winner had a speed figure under 100. There was only one other winner with under a 100 speed figure in the history of this race and that was in it’s first year in 2000. I am not sure what that means for this group of long distance turf runners other than the division appears wide open.

Portman’s Perfect took that first step to be considered tops in his division. In the first grade one of the year at the distance he ran down a game runner to get up at the wire. In the early stages Portman’s Perfect was mid pack a little more than seven lengths from the pace. He made a steady pace as the runners entered the last half mile where he closed to get within three lengths of the front runner. He took over the chase early in the stretch and set his sights on Septic Squall. He bore down on the leader in deep stretch and got by him shortly before the wire for a half length win.

Septic Squall was a three time listed stakes winner coming into the race. Two of those wins came at seven furlongs and one at a mile and a quarter. That versatility is an admirable trait and made him a contender here. Last time out he was a solid third in a grade two so he was not out classed. He took up a stalking position early on in the race second a couple of lengths from the early pace setter. He moved up and took control with a half mile to go and carried a two and a quarter length lead into the stretch. He was game the whole stretch but just could not hold off the winner.

Ziggy Rules has one of those pedigrees that has a nice mix of speed and stamina influences. You might think he would be better suited for a little shorter but he proved this past weekend he can go long and he could be more dangerous as the year goes on. He has a deep closing style that leaves him with lots of work to do in most races. He was more than eleven lengths from the pace at the half way point and moved up a bit before the runners entered the stretch. Once in the stretch he closed quickly to get to within two lengths of the top two by the time they hit the wire. He was a close up third just a length a three quarters from the winner.   

Race: 3560.5413 Sydney Sprint – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: New South Wales
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: Five and one half furlongs on the Turf

The top two runners coming into the race did not disappoint as they finished well clear of the rest of the field. Mr. Devious now has two of the top paying most prestigious turf sprint races under his belt. He shot out of the gates early and pressed a fairly quick pace. The off turf surface seemed to propel him as he put the pace setter away and took a length and a quarter lead into the stretch. He would hold sway under constant pressure from Rudy to win by one length with a 117 speed figure.

Rudy had an ideal spot in the early stages of the race. He was in a stalking position less than two lengths from the dueling pace setters. He moved up on the turf to be second right behind Mr. Devious. From there the top two separated themselves from the rest of the field. When Rudy would make up some ground Mr. Devious would stubbornly respond. Rudy ran well in the stretch he just faced the top turf sprinter in the sim who was on his game. Rudy settled for second a length behind the winner but five and three quarter lengths better than the third place finisher.

Bulgaria at fifteen to one was the best of the rest. He decided to go to the lead and put pressure on the favorite. It was not a stretch for Bulgaria who is a speedy runner. He just did not have the class to stay with Mr. Devious and keep up that pace through the stretch. While he faded into the stretch from the top two the early pace was enough to run the rest of the field off their feet to hold on for third six and three quarters of a length behind the winner.

Race: 3560.5412 Sydney Mile – Grade I – $1,500,000
Track: New South Wales
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: One mile on the Turf

Otto Vasher makes it four in a row with a very impressive victory down under. In three off track races Otto Vasher is a perfect three for three with over one million dollars in earnings. It is probably safe to say he relishes the off track. When the gates opened Otto Vasher was a little further than mid pack. He was just over eight lengths behind the pace setters at the half mile pole. He started to make his move from there getting into third position by the top of the stretch. He was still more than five lengths back but was just getting geared up. He accelerated at the top of the stretch and blew past them in deep stretch to win by two and a quarter lengths.

Mr. Inconspicuous set the pace in this race. His last four races have been impressive. When the gates opened he jumped right to the lead and scooted clear by two lengths. Mr. Inconspicuous relaxed a bit but built his lead to a whopping three lengths at the half mile pole. He was not done by any means and kept on through the final turn and into the stretch. He had a three and a half length lead entering the stretch running everyone off their feet except Otto Vasher. Mr. Inconspicuous did not slow as much as Otto Vasher was picking it up. He had no answer late but lasted for second more than two lengths back.

American Werewolf was nearly twenty to one when the gates opened. This is a runner that has shown the ability to run 110+ speed figures in recent races but he was still a long shot here. When the gates opened he was mid pack more than seven lengths off the pace. He got passed on the turn by Otto Vasher but he kept chasing as he gained fourth position just behind Otto Vasher as they entered the stretch. American Werewolf did not have the same kick in the stretch as the winner but he was moving well late. He would test Mr. Inconspicuous at the wire for second but had to settle for third.

Race: 3560.0115 San Francisco Capitan Handicap – Grade I – $400,000
Track: California
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf

Circle of Solace has three wins from four starts in 2008 earning his first grade one win. His one loss was by three quarters of a length in a grade three in January. Since then he has worked his way up the ladder with a listed stakes win, a grade two stakes win and now a grade one win. This four year old is on his way to being considered one of the tops in the division. When the gates opened Circle of Solace got good early position sitting just three and a half lengths from the early pace in fourth. He quickly moved up when asked and took over the pace setting duties as the runners entered the stretch. From there he was full of run and extended his lead the whole way home to win by nearly four impressive lengths.

Crimson Secret was stepping out to this distance for the first time. He had experience at slightly shorter distances but this was his first run at a mile and a half. He came out of the gates well and sat just off the pace in second. Circle of Solace moved up to Crimson Secret as the runners where going around the final turf. These two where gearing up for a stretch battle but Crimson Secret just did not have the same kick home as Circle of Solace. Crimson Secret was nearly seven better than the third place finisher showing just how good the top two runners performed.

Alum Bay gets a grade one placing although never was close to the top two finishers. When the gates opened he took his time getting out of the gates and was toward the back of the pack fifteen lengths from the early pace. Position wise he moved from eleventh to fifth from the half way point to the stretch but he was still more than twelve lengths back. He would make a small gain into the stretch gaining third finishing ten and a half lengths behind the winner.

Race: 3560.0416 THE DR. REUBEN GARR MEMORIAL – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: One mile on the Turf

When you get twenty runners together for a grade one race you can expect a long shot or two to run well and you can expect a fast speed figure. Burgazada was making just his tenth career start. In ten career starts he has seven wins. Burgazada earned his fist grade one win from post nineteen. He was a little past mid pack in the early stages of the race. He made a big move on the turn for home going from twelfth to fist. He hit the lead as the field hit the top of the stretch but he had company. A stretch battle ensued as Senor Anzio was fast on his heels. Only a half length separated them at the top of the stretch. Senor Anzio tried to wear down Burgazada but he was able to maintain his momentum holding that half length advantage the entire length of the stretch.

Senor Anzio is a six year old runner that has found very good form recently. Prior to this year he only had one career 100 speed figure race. This year he has four straight 100+ speed figures his last two 114 and 117. He goes from listed stakes winner to grade one placed. Senor Anzio pretty much the same trip as Burgazada. He was the just to Burgazada’s inside in the early stages. Senor Anzio made his move in tandem with Burgazada moving up to third as the runners hit the top of the stretch a half length from Burgazada. Senor Anzio stayed on well in the stretch but could not get by Burgazada.

Hoegaarden was a grade one winner coming into this race. In December he was an impressive winner in the grade one Penn Mile. His last time out he was a disappointing tenth in Dubai. He rebounded well having a similar trip to the top two. He was just in front of the top two in early seven lengths off the pace. On the turn he went from eleventh to sixth but was just a length behind the top two. He did not have the same kick in the stretch but was better than the rest as they ran through the stretch finishing third three and three quarter lengths behind the winner.