Smiling Slew Narrow Choice in Grassy Route

The CRAZED MADMAN Rampage
Grade III
A mile and three eighths
Firm Turf
$125,000
All horses, 3 years old

 

PP    Horse             Owner        Jockey         Odds 
1  NORTHWEST LIGHT(KY)  snappa4  Ro Leonard  16/1 
2  MUGGSY(AUS)  mav1761  H Davis  7/1 
3  BERZERKO(KY)  lopickles  J Sands  9/2 
4  GOLD WELLS(KY)  paceman2  Wi Jones  10/1 
5  FIGHT THE POWER(KY)  lopo  A Dave  11/1 
6  ATHENA AREIA(IRE)  tesio  J Dawg  7/1 
7  DAWG GONE FAST(AUS)  dirtydawg  S Boyd  6/1 
8  DIRTY WEEKEND(JPN)  thegallery  G De  10/1 
9  DIRECTOR WALSH(KY)  phonetrick  M Blade  9/2 
10  SMILING SLEW(KY)  meganc  V Gannon  4/1

 

 

Nine sophomore colts and one brave filly will stretch their legs in this week’s feature, The Grade III CRAZED MADMAN Rampage, fashioned at a mile and three eighths over the turf course.  Let’s take a closer look at the young stars.

 

 

Snappa’s razor sharp Northwest Light drew the ace.  The well bred (North Light x Gone West x Blushing Groom) son of Virgin Shin will attempt the quantum leap from nw3 to graded company.  He’s been first or second in his last four starts and arrives at Wyoming Downs fresh off a ten furlong allowance score in Hong Kong.  Jockey Ross Leonard is hoping to be wearing Snappa’s familiar two tone blue silks in the winners circle despite his mount being the longest price in the race.  Seems a bit too slow right now to handle this bunch.

 

 

The deep closing Muggsy has been very impressive of late.  He won a Swedish stake two back making up over thirteen lengths in the last half mile while posting a quick 101 speed figure.  Last time out, the son of Commands once again came flying late but fell a bit short of the speedy Sea Chapparal in a New South Wales stake.  Needs only minor improvement in order to carry Lender’s black and green colors to victory.

 

 

Berzerko is a well regarded CO-second choice at 9-2.  The gorgeous roan has won four of his last five outings including two stakes.  The only blip on his otherwise perfect radar screen was an excusable clunker in a grade I event behind the very tough Stonebridge Knight.  Despite his fine record, the Mr. Greeley x Berzerker (El Prado) colt has been languishing in the shadow of some of his higher profile stablemates in the talent rich Given empire.  This is Berzerko’s chance to make headlines of his own.  No surprise if he steps forward and does just that. 

 

 

Theatrical sends out his Touch Gold colt, Gold Wells.  The son of stakes placed Iamnocrook (Sadler’s Wells) has not been successful in listed company thus far.  After finishing a respectable third in his added money debut, Gold Wells has managed to beat only one horse in his last two stakes outings combined.  In even tougher this week.  Needs easier.

 

 

Can’t have a graded stake race without something from Lenny’s Evil Empire.  Fight The Power gets the call this week.  The Hennessy offspring impressively marched right through his allowance conditions and then finished a very good second in his stakes bow after setting all the pace.  But Fight The Power has failed to hit the board in any of his last three added money outings.  That doesn’t bode well for his graded debut.  Nice colt but in too tough.  

 

 

Here we have yet another G R Simster entry.  This one a filly from the always formidable Galileo.  Her name is Athena Areia and she is hot!  The flashy chestnut lass ships in from New South Wales where she was fifth of fourteen in the Grade I Sydney Oaks at a mile and a half.  Prior to that, the Montjeu filly won twice at this weeks distance including a stakes victory at Longchamp.  Looked like a million while working a mile in 1:37 Monday morning.  I love her chances at a juicy 7-1. 

 

 

The aptly named Dawg Gone Fast will be on or near the lead.  Kirby’s speedster had a three race win streak snapped last time out when shortened up to six and a half furlongs.  The handsome Fastnet Rock chestnut obviously prefers more distance now that he’s matured.  Speed figures in his three previous wins were solid enough (90, 94, 95) to mark him as a serious contender on Saturday.  I’m not too certain he’ll relish eleven furlongs, but if he does, he may not be caught.

 

 

Dirty Weekend ventures away from Belgium for the first time since September.  The rangy Alkaased colt is the first foal from graded winner Sunshine Hollandia (Aljabr).  Benelux based Thegallery must like his colt’s chances better than I do to ship from Ostend to Wyoming off three allowance defeats.  Granted, the colt raced well in all three and finished second in each.  But he’s not going to catch these with a lifetime best speed figure of 90. 

 

 

Director Walsh had a long string of firsts and seconds snapped in the Grade III Craven Stakes last time out.  Phonetrick’s Lemon Drop Kid x Aquagal (Storm Cat) colt was among thirteen foes who were looking to FEMA for disaster relief after Alberta Tornado blew through Newmarket.  But in that losing effort, the Director posted a career best speed figure of 95 and the experience he gained facing those bearcats may stand him in good stead on Saturday.  Cannot rule out.

 

 

Rounding out the field is 4-1 race favorite Smiling Slew.  The DelPenn based three year old arrives in fine fettle following a series of solid efforts.  Trainer Labreche kept his Buddha x Midale (Sadler’s Wells) gray on his toes with a bullet :46.12 half Tuesday morning.  Figures to keep Muggsy company in the rear early and come calling in the lane.  Good as any, I suppose, but the price seems a bit short.  Your call.