Painful Thorn Stakes G2
Painful Thorn is a Grade2 race for fillies and mares 3 years old and up going a mile and an eighth on the main track.
1. (35/1) Almost Midnight – Spain – (Seeking the Gold X Kris) This 4 year old filly has only 11 starts and has never started in a stakes race. Successful in well placed allowance races this filles best race came in an allowance non winners of 2 lifetime. Her best speed came in her next allowance attempt where she ran a 97. Though she is well bred she has not broken 100 and it will be hard to do in this competition.
2. (6/1) Cryformedixie – hornedfrog- (Street Cry X Dixieland Band) Started late in her 3 year old year this 5 year old mare takes this post with only one stakes win at a mile. It was her last time out and she and the number two horse ran themselves to the wire with Cryformedixie sitting pretty right behind the leader and showing her guts to edge her out by a nose. What a race, surly earns her a shot here. She has only covered the 8.5 distance once but on an off track and with semi decent success getting caught and passed to place second. With many more years of racing under her belt but conservative on the starts this filly is ready to roll.
3. (7/1) Don’t Prophesize (ire) – Foxon2- (Dubawi X Warning) This correctly named filly has been jumping from stakes and allowances with successful results for most of her career. At 3 years old she won her first stakes only to fizzle due to an off track and too much distance. Then after gaining her confidence in allowances she tried again placing second by a nose, then after another allowance start she cruised to a 1 ¾ length win posting a 109 speed earning her a nice shot here today.
4. (11/1) Bullets to Spare – (Gone West X Nijinsky II) This girl has a short career with only 6 starts to her name and 4 wins. Her last three races show her talent as all three have been over 100s and a 4 length allowance win with a 107. She’s got the talent to spare and as expected she bounced after that race where she still put up a 103 to show in her stakes debut. Will need to improve here but she’s shown that she can.
5. (7/1) As Is – Bigiron – (Victory Gallop X A.P. Indy) This 4 year old filly broke her maiden a year ago this weekend, what a cherry on top would that be to win today. With 5 wins including a toasty 108 speed covering a mile in the Dance Metal Craze Stakes this little girl looks sharp. She was jumped to graded class last time out and got really worked up in the post parade and tired herself out. Since then trainer Bigiron has taken her out every weekend to get used to the crowds. Now she’s a pro and ready to handle the big race.
6. (3/1) Sweet Sister Mercy – Zwango1- (Kingmambo X Nijinski) this Grade1 winner of the Orange Blossom stakes looks tough to beat. With an obvious preference for the distance, last two 8.5 starts resulted in wins with a 112 and a 111 speed, this little girl looks prime for the picking. She has had a nice rest since her last start and has been competing against only the top competition. Nothing wrong with this filly, take that to the bank.
7. (5/1) Pravada – Super10 – (Kingmambo X Pleasant Colony) This 4 year old brown filly has been improving after running well as a 2 year old and 3 year old she roared in to her 4 year old year with a stakes win and a Grade 3 win. Her last start is a scratch out, she was suffering from a stone bruise and has been on rest since. But with a nice long rest she is feeling fresh and ready to run.
8. (13/1) Squeakers – Shredder1 – (Alazo X King of Kings) With breeding that screams turf to me this filly defies her ancestors and loves dirt. She took 11 starts in 6 months against older fillies as a 3 year old, A tough feat for a young horse, but she handled it well. Her best start came last time out when she ran 3rd by 4 ¾ lengths going 8.5 furlongs with a 101 speed. With her improvement she is talented and will someday be ready for this race, but with so many talented fillies this race will be tough.
9. (11/1) Bone Pony – Nagnagnag – (Moon Ballad X Danzig) This 5 year old mare is a former claimer and has been flourishing under new owner nagnagnags care. With a stakes win and a grade 2 place this mare has obviously been looking for the right care. Though she preformed dismally in her last few starts getting no closer than 5 lengths from the winner, she still has the heart to prevail here. She just needs to get her legs back underneath her and her trainer has confided she had some bad shoeing which has been making her unwilling to give her all. But with the new corrections she has been training great.
10. (15/1) Ny Grasshopper –Chloedawg2- (Pulpit X Rahy) This 4 year old filly is tough as nails, she put in 14 starts as a 3 year old and this will be her 6th start as a 4 year old. With so many starts and so little rest it is no wonder that this filly showed that 10 and 16 furlongs were too much for her. This race will be more of her distance. The nice 110 speed she posted running second in the Vengeful Squire Stakes going 9 furlong shows that. She is obviously a tough filly, I know most horses would be broken down or required big rests by now but this filly is still kicking, good luck to the owner.
11. (5/1) September Royalty – Futurestar – (Kingmambo X Summer Squall) This 6 year old mare was the winner of this race last year with a wire to wire 1 ¾ lengths victory. Since then she has stood strong in G1 company, but after a disappointing run in the breeder bowl distaff she went on vacation. After the break her trainer eased her back in to racing with a string of strong allowance races and is prime for her debut back in to the winner’s circle.