My Tulip Handicap

Seven 4-year olds and one 5-year old will be going to the post in the My Tulip Handicap in chase of their share of the $125,000 purse. The grade 3 stake is being run on the turf at a distance of a mile and a sixteenth. The field of mares and fillies looks pretty competitive, lets see if we can find one that may make their way to the prestigious winner circle and reep their boquet of tulips.

1. Buda for a Day 5-2
The favorite gets the inside lane for this affair. Buda has won 6 of 13 short routes in her career and since November, hasn’t finished with a speed below 100. She has been trained to be a hard digging late closer. During the spring of 2007 to early fall 2007, she was used as a front runner and produced good results. Since switching to the late move, she has only produced one win with three seconds.

2. Balalaika 5-1
Balalaika is moving up to the graded level after grabbing her first stakes win in her last outing, winning the 8.5f event in a career best of 107. She has only two stake starts and you can throw out the first one where she finished forth, but it was on an off-track. She’s another one that closes from behind the field and if she comes in with the same form as last week, she will be a threat.

3. Stricken 5-1
Stricken is the only 5-year old in the field that is loaded with younger horses. She has performed well on the turf amassing a record of 32-8-10-5 on the surface. Her record against allowance company is nearly flawless on the turf, hitting the board virtually every race. That changes when it comes to the stakes level. She has only one win in 19 stake outings. The distance shouldn’t be a problem for her and she has hit the 100-speed level in 5 of 6 races. Her stakes record concerns me.

4. Tiz Fresh 15-1
Tiz Fresh comes in with the highest odds in the field. She has early speed and may be the front runner in the field that has mostly closers in it. She can run a speed of over 100 and is taking a drop in distance from the 10-11 furlong races she has been competing in lately. The shorter distance may help her, but I think she will have her work cut out for her in this one.

5. Miss Urbane 8-1
Miss Urbane just put in two excellent races, both at career best speeds of 106. She just missed in her last, finishing second by less than a length going 9f. The race before, she just got her nose to the line to win the photo going 8.5f. Her last was her debut in the stakes level and she moves up to the graded level in this event. She put in two strong races and I feel I would pass on her here. The reasons…she may have been used too hard and may need a rest and I’d like to see if her last was a fluke against stake level or is she really ready for this level.

6. Ruler Slew 7-2
10 of Ruler Slew’s last 12 races have exceed speeds of 100. She missed hitting the board in only three of these races. She’s coming off an easy win against allowance company where she wired a low level allowance field in a speed of 107. The oddsmakers always like her, as she’s never gone off with odds over 7-1. She has been consistant, hitting the board in 14 of 18 turf starts. She loves to run on the lead an may find some competition for that spot from Tiz Fresh. She could take this if she can avoid the speed dual. She should be able to walk away with a paycheck.

7. Seeking Najinski 7-1
Seeking Najinski has yet to be knocked off the board in turf racing. She has a record of 14-5-7-2 and her last three have been against stakes where this late closer captured a win and two seconds. She bumps up to the graded level and should be competitive here. Seeking has posted speeds over 100 in her last five races and I wouldn’t be surprised if that streak extends here. Seeking could bring nice payout if used in exotic wagers.

8. Forty Rahys 6-1
Forty suffered a strained staubula when she unseated her rider at the start last June. That sidelined her for two months where she came back and won 4 of her last 7 races. She has run in speeds over 100 in the last 6 all at distances of 9f. She generally runs in the middle of the pack, but has had spotted and succesful outings where she ran at the front of the pack. Forty’s last outing was her first in graded company, and she appeared that she wanted to run near the front, never quite getting there. The race was rather dull for her, resulting in a 5th place finish. Hard to predict what she may do here.

I almost want to take out my dice and roll them to pick the winners. But last time I tried that was at the Bluegrass Stakes, and that proofed to be fruitless. So…..
I’m going for the upset….Seeking Najinski. She has been extremely consistant and can bring a nice price. Ruler Slew is rarely out of the money and has great breeding. She should be a factor here. Buda for a Day has had her problems finding the winners circle with one win since last July. She should hit the board regardless.