A Big Marathon Down Under (Gr1)
Well, here I am, still in Victoria after covering the big race here last week. It seems there was some problem with getting me a plane ticket back to the states (no comment) so I just hung around for another big race this week, The South Australian Cup (Gr1) which is at the marathon distance of two miles on the turf. It really is a treat to get to stay in Australia for another week and hang out at the beautiful track here in Victoria. The food here is just great and despite the fact I’m still working on a typewriter used by Ernest Hemmingway I’m having a great time. Also nice to see some of my homefolks as my own horse Callison is entered-I will try not to say in my review what a wonderful horse he is.-he loves peppermints. Ok, with that let’s take a look at this full field of 14 who will attempt to cover the 2 miles in the fastest time.
1) KANAKA emanon (12.9%) D. Evans (30.7%) 14-1
7yo horse by Alysheba comes in from Illinois where he finished 10th (21 back) in the G3 Someone Set Us Up The Bomb Stakes at 12 furlongs on the dirt. I think he’s a much better horse than that, however as two back he scored in an alw at 16 panels, posting a solid 101 SF, and 2 back he won the G1 AFC2 Special easily, posting a very nice 103 for the 16 furlongs. In other words he must have been injured in that race 7 weels ago,
Top jock Evans completes a nice playable longshot package.
2) CSI SUPER super21 (21.1%) R. Dogs (15.6%) 16-1
Point Given 5yo is another horse from the “Bomb” race in the land of Lincoln 7 weeks back. This guy didn’t fare so well, either, checking in 14th (26 back) in that one. This horses last four finishes are 14th, 2nd, 13th and four races back, winning the Gr2 Dinner at Rats Hdcp at Vermont, which was at 16 furlongs. So using the yo-yo method of betting he should run well today-I guess. The race that he did win he led from gate to wire so I would think he will have to get out somewhere near the front to have a shot here.
3) KRISPY CREME bbudgies (10.6%) N. Hartel (7.2%) 9-1
“Krispy” ships in from Norway where he scored a nice win in The Numberoneson Memorial in his last start. That’s the good news-also that race was at the same distance as today. He recorded a nice 103 SF for that one also. The bad news is that that race was only last Saturday (3574) ! I am not a fan of running horses back with one week’s rest, especially in a Gr1 at 2 miles. 5yo by Gulch would be a big surprise to me to do well in this race but stranger things have happened (yeah, like that girl I met in Peoria many years ago… but that’s another story) I’ll take a pass on this guy.
4) PHARAO’S TORNADO (IRE) stars1 (12.5%) N. Fagan (2.4%) (1-41) 16-1
Beautiful 7yo roan horse by Doyoun, last raced in Georgia 4 weeks ago, finishing 2nd -4 1/2 back in a listed stake at 14 furlongs stopping the timer with a 101 SF. His three races before that produced 3 wins, two of them at today’s 2 mile distance. However, looking back a bit further we see that his 3 races before that were all Graded Stakes in which he finished 7th, 9th and 8th. He doesn’t seem to like the full field races very much and might not be quite fast enough to win at the Gr1 level. Making things look a little bit harder today is jockey Fagan, who is off to a 1/41 start this year. I think there are some better selections today.
5) ROCKINGHAM (IRE) fairhaven4 (19.3%) G. Adler (13.8%) 7-1
The (Not So) Evil Empire enters this 4yo by Woodman, flying in from Texas, where he won Rock’s Texas Cooking Series last out, posting a 112 SF for the 14 furlongs of that contest. He’s a very consistent horse with 13 of 19 on the board for his career and earnings of over 754K. Five races back “Rock” was 3rd by 7 1/4 to Kanaka, the #1 horse. He kind of hung in the stretch in this his only try at 16 furlongs so far-losing about 3 lengths to the winner. He’ll have to show me a better race at the distance to be a pick here.
6) INSIDE THE MACHINE (KY) vicsouth (10.4%) T. Myslinski (8.3%) 7-1
4yo Dynaformer horse was last seen in Finland, running fourth (8 1/4 back) in The Individual Ant Cap, a listed stakes at 10.5 on the lawn. He has been running fairly well, winning 3 of last 5 at distances from 10.5 to to 14 furlongs, once again in listed stakes. This is his first Graded Stakes and is a pretty big jump from the races he has been running in, especially class wise. I think this race might be too much to ask of this horse at this point in his career. Maybe next time.
7) DESTINY STRIKES (KY) fourhooves (15.8%) CC Johnson (0.0%- 0-29) 16-1
A.P. Indy 4yo makes the long trip from Georgia where he won The Buster’s Honors Cap four weeks ago, going wire to wire to win handily by 4 1/2 lengths. That was at 14 furlongs in a 7 horse field. Four races back he was 11th in The Gr1 AFC2 Special, won by Kanaka. In that one he once again got the lead but after half the race he was pretty much done and stopped badly. Doesn’t seem like he will be good enough to wire this group, expecially with poor CC Johnson, who is still looking for his first win this year. Pardon the pun but I don’t think destiny is going to strike for this horse today.
8) LIGHTWORK (IRE) simsters4 (18.5%) Bi Clark (10.3%) 7-1
I believe we have found the speed horse for this race, right here with Lightwork. Since being switched to the dirt by the (not so) evil Lenny, this 4yo by North Light (Ire) has just been a rocket!! His last was a career best 116 SF when winning the “Bomb” Stakes in Illinois, in which he beat 3 other horses in this race today- Kanaka, Drunken Pirate and CSI Super. He has never run 16 furlongs, his longest being a 14f 4 horse stakes in which he posted a very slow 97. (However, as we all know these 4 horse stakes don’t show you anything, especially when a 3/5 horse wins) As far as I can see the only question is the distance here and how fast he has to run to get and maintain the lead. With his record, certainly a key contender.
9) HOLLOW CAP (GB) thethumb2 (20.9%) J. Cox (11.4%) 17-1
Hmmm this is the least Evil looking entry from the Empire. Hollow Cap, a 5yo Beat Hollow horse won his last out, The Valid Expectation Cap at Vermont (once again a 4 horse nothing race) posting a pretty slow 100 SF for the 13 furlongs. His last two at 16f have been pretty dismal, checking in 15 and 18 lenghts back, one of those being the AFC2 Special won by Kanaka. This race looks like too much of a mountain to climb for this horse-I’m guessing that they had a fly2 get one free deal at the airlines so the Empire ran back to the barn and got Hollow Cap. Not a good bet.
10) DRUNKEN PIRATE (KY) Tbgifted (12.5%) J. Kohlmorgen (9.8%) 9-1
From the distance loving Tbgifted barn we have this 4yo son of Dehere, out of Impulsion, one of my favorite sim mares. “The Pirate’s” last start was the “Bomb” stakes in Illinois, which has already been mentioned 3 times in this review. That race was won by the speedy Lightwork, who is in today, but Drunken Pirate was flying at him , picking up 10 lengths in the stretch to fall short by 5 3/4 lengths. That race was at 12 panels so this guy has a lot more room to work with here. Only question mark as far as I’m concerned is whether he will continue to close at 2 miles. I would have to call this horse a very live horse at good odds.
11) MIRACLE TO ME Soulbleed (17.7%) R. Bailey (4.0%) 15-1
Veteran 6yo has had a very nice career, banking almost $2 million dollars from his 14 wins. His last start was the Gr1 Oaktree Handicap at Arkansas in which he finished 5th by 9 in a race really a bit short of his better distances. His last try at 16F shows him finishing 6th by 9 in the oft mentioned AFC2 Special won by Kanaka with Rockingham 3rd. It looks to me as if his better days may be behind him and this would be quite an upset if he could pull it off-sort of a miracle. He didn’t get a very good rider, either. Probably not here.
12) CALLISON (KY) Capetown (14.5%) A. Snappa (11.5%) 5-1
I can get lots of info from the trainer of this little but mighty 4yo by Silver Deputy because it’s me. When I signed up to do this race I had no idea Callison would be in it but I thought I would give him a shot at 16f (this is his first try at it). The only reason he is the favorite, I think is that I took the racing secretary here out to dinner during the week and picked up the tab (actually the BTB did-don’t tell Roys). Callison (he is named after my alltime favorite Phillie-Johnny Callison) finished 2nd to Rockingham in Rocks Texas Cooking last out. So, the big question mark for him here is the distance-it should be interesting. Tough little colt, though.
13) CRUMPLER SQUARE Steelewolf (19.7%) B. Euler (11.5%) 8-1
Lightly raced 5yo by A.P. Indy joins the group of deep closers in this race. Two races back in The More Star Challenge he was 24 lengths back (13th) at the 2nd call and closed like a runaway freight train to win going away at today’s distance of 16F, posting a very nice 109 SF. Wow! That was his only try at 2 miles, making him a very interesting horse in today’s race. There should be some pretty decent fractions on the front end of this one. It will be interesting to see much of a close CS can muster up in a Grade 1.
14) SAMALAMAN ISLAND (JPN) Profly (11.3%) I Pegram (13.6%) 12-1
And from the far outside we have SI (I’m not gonna try and spell that again), a 4yo son of Fantastic Light out of a The Minstrel mare. Another big time closer he captured The Tex A.P. Challenge at TN in his last start, coming from 17 lengths back (13th) to blow by 12 horses and win by 4 lengths. His SF for that effort was a very fine 110 for the 12 panels. His only try at 2 miles was last Oct when closed to finish second by 2 3/4 in a listed stake. His only Graded stakes was in December, when he must have had some kind of injury when he finished 11th and distanced-so we don’t get much from that. So the to things SI has to overcome here is never having won at the distance or in a graded stake. Not Impossible.
I think this is a very interesting race with lots of possibilites. To me Lightwork (Ire) is the obvious speed in the race. Looks like he will take the lead and try and slow it down as much as possible-whether he can remains to be seen. With sooo many closers here Jockey Clark will surely be taking a look as they turn for home to see who is coming. Should be a fun race to watch!! Best of luck to all these fine horses!!
Looks like I’ll be able to get out of town this week as I can always hitch a ride on the plane with Callison and the gang. It’s been a fun two weeks down under. Thanks Aussies for all the great hospitality!!!!! Who knows where I will be next week but to all: “May the horse be with you”