Indiana Defiant Courage Stakes
Overview: The “Defiant Courage” Stake, a “Classic” ( 9 ) furlong event, to be contested over the “lightning” fast Indiana Main dirt track, has attracted a well balanced field of eight fillies and mares featuring Shockwave6’s ultra consistent filly Splash And Go as 2/1 favorite. Splash And Go’s main competition appear to be Bayougoldr’s Louisiana Light and Blackruby’s Snowbunny Sailor listed at 3/1 and 7/2 respectively.
The field:
PP-01 SPLASH AND GO ( 2/1 ) Trainer SHOCKWAVE6 … Jockey R Khan ( .120 )
Class Rating: 8.50 Speed Rating: .751
Training: ( 4 ) weeks since last race 50,000 Stake ( 4th )
Overview: Shockwave6’s Splash And Go a ( 4 ) year old filly out of Touch Gold z Mr. Prospector has been, to say the least, “ultra” consistent. She’s only been denied a purse slice, 6th or worse, twice in her ( 23 ) race career. Splash And Go has an ideal running style, she’s speedy and versatile and likes to track the leader close up early, however, if the pace is “slow”, Splash And Go can grab the lead. Stamina over ( 9 ) furlongs is not an issue, as Splash And Go has already “wired” a Stakes field over ( 10 ) furlongs. Prediction ( 1st )
PP-02 SNOWBUNNY SAILOR ( 7/2 ) Trainer BLACKRUBY … Jockey
Class Rating: 9.50 Speed Rating: .407
Training: ( 4 ) weeks since last race 50,000 Stake ( 1st )
Overview: Snowbunny Sailor is a relatively lightly raced ( 4 ) year old filly out of Polish Navy x Arctic Tern. After a somewhat inconsistent ( 3 ) year old season. Blackruby’s Snowbunny Sailor looks like a “late” bloomer and seems to be hitting her best stride as a ( 4 ) year old. She’s coming off her first career Stake’s victory and her late stretch running style seems well suited to grab a slice of this purse, however this is definitely the “classiest” field she’s faced and she’ll need to move up a notch to catch these late.
PP-03 A LITTLE BIT MORE ( 23/1 ) Trainer FIRFIGHT10 … Jockey K Buzzman ( .104 )
Class Rating: 10.67 Speed Rating: .726
Training: ( 4 ) weeks since last race Open Allowance ( 3rd )
Overview: The culmination of Firfight10’s ambitious program for his ( 3 ) year old filly A Little Bit More, (Peintre Celebre(Ire) x Darshaan(GB) is her first try at classy Stakes company in the Defiant Courage. It takes a lot of courage to take a shot at this sort with a filly that was racing $4000 claiming N/W 3-Life just 24 scant weeks ago. She’s accomplished a lot in that 24 week span even a nice 3rd vs. Open Allowance last race, however I think this field’s just a bit beyond her capabilities. My hats off to Firfight10 if she gets even a minor slice of this purse.
PP-04
Class Rating: 8.50 Speed Rating: .958
Training: (7 ) weeks since last race 65,000 Stake ( 1st )
Overview: The Old Lady in the field, this ( 6 ) year old mare out of Rahy x Sadler’s Wells has ( 40 ) races under her belt, but she’s still a Stakes quality runner. She’s an interesting mare, although her breeding suggests she’d prefer the turf, Louisiana Light broke her maiden on the dirt at first asking after a pair of mediocre turf tries. Interestingly despite her high turn of early speed, Louisiana Light has never run a dirt sprint race. She’s well rested and she’s going to be part of the early speed duel in the Defiant Courage, most likely on the lead. I like her chances here, hard to deny her at least a slice of this purse. Prediction ( 3rd )
PP-05 SPANISH SUNSET ( 5/1 ) Trainer GRAYHORSE … Jockey E. Stacy ( .112 )
Class Rating: 8.83 Speed Rating: .563
Training: ( 4 ) weeks since last race 50,000 Stake ( 3rd )
Overview: Spanish Sunset is an honest running ( 4 ) year old filly that seems to always give a good effort, she’s gotten at least a minor slice in ( 26 ) out of her 33 career starts and there’s no reason to think she won’t here. She’s the daughter of Rainbow Quest x El Gran Senior and has a versatile running style that can challenge early or reserve off the pace and run late, so she’s usually in the thick of the pace scenario however fast or slow it may be. Spanish Sunset has only managed ( 1 ) Stakes win in a dozen Stakes tries, but she’s got numerous top ( 4 ) finishes and that’s what I see here for her. Prediction ( 4th )
PP-06 SNAKEPIT ( 9/1 ) Trainer SIMOND2 …
Class Rating: 8.83 Speed Rating: .155
Training: ( 4 ) weeks since last race 50,000 Stake ( 10th )
Overview: Even though her last Stakes effort in the Solar Groom Memorial was a lackluster 10th place finish, I think that this nicely bred ( 3 ) year old filly out of Wild Again x A.P. Indy has some decent upside and may have some upset potential. Simond2’s Snakepit had several excuses in her last start, a cushy good rated track that she didn’t seem to care for, and it was her first try against older fillies & mares. She a hard charging closer that will take advantage if the pace is “hot”! A top jockey, I Gordon is a “master” of coming off the pace and the decent 9/1 odds make her a tantalizing play for the adventurous punter. Prediction ( 2nd )
PP-07 YOUR ON MY MANOR ( 8/1 ) Trainer BONGO … N. May ( .092 )
Class Rating: 9.50 Speed Rating: .699
Training: ( 5 ) weeks since last race Conditioned Allowance ( 1st )
Overview: The good news is: Bongo’s Your On My Manor, (Squirtle Squirt x Sovereign Dancer), seems to be rounding back into the form that allowed her to score a pair of back to back Stake wins in only her 5th and 6th career starts. The bad news is she’s only been in the money once in five tries at the ( 9 ) furlongs & longer distance, and that was a 2nd vs. low level Conditioned Allowance company. Although a piece of this purse isn’t out of the realm of possibilities, I wouldn’t recommend her at 8/1 against these today.
PP-08 DIFFERENT BABE ( 13/1 ) Trainer PLUMRIDGE … Jockey R. Brett ( .060 )
Class Rating: 7.50 Speed Rating: .866
Training: ( 4 ) weeks since last race Open Allowance ( 8th )
Overview: This modestly bred ( 5 ) year old mare has only ( 1 ) Stakes win on her resume’, but it was a real good one. Plumridge’s Different Babe won the prestigious $250000 Open North Carolina Filly Stakes ( 13 ) weeks ago, was she a one-hit wonder, or is Different Babe going to be able to consistently challenge the classy ladies. Two things seem to be working against her; the first is her early speed running style, as there’s some really “quality” early speed in this field. Secondly and more importantly she’s never finished better than 4th at ( 9 ) or more furlongs, so her stamina is a cause for worry. Either way Different Babe has beaten some very nice fillies and mares, and she’s been racing in Graded company, so her chances can’t be completely discounted.
Race Preview: They’re going to have to catch Louisiana Light, if she can control the pace and keep Splash And Go behind through ( 6 ) furlongs (no easy feat), she’ll be tough to overhaul, however I still think when the smoke clears Splash And Go will have an ideal trip in the “garden spot”second or third and have enough class to prevail here. Look for one or two of the late-chargers Snowbunny Sailor, Spanish Sunset or Snakepit to fire late and make the finish interesting.
Keys to Class Rating: The lower the number the better the CLASS rating.
Keys to Speed Rating: The higher the number the better the “EARLY” speed.