Six Young Fillies to Do Battle in Michigan!
Michigan Sophomore Turf Invitational Stakes
Grade II
A mile and one eighth on the Firm Turf Course
$250,000
Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Stakes record – 2003 – Kiki Cotton Candy, 1:48-4/5, SPF 101.408
We have a small but very competitive field here this weekend all trying to go after a Stakes record that has held for five years now. Some of these young ladies are looking better and better and are really turning into solid race horses. This is the time of year where the cream usually rises to the top with these three year olds and you can get a good idea of who will be around for the end of the year awards. The trainers are hoping it is their filly and it just might be so let’s take a look:
1 – KIRBY’S BIMBO(ENG) ODDS STABLE WIN% JOCKEY WIN% TOP SPEED EARNINGS RANK Ojai Valley Stables 6/1 4Play 14.9% A.Rapid 62 – 5 – 2 – 3 – 8% 96.86 $ 108,415 132
( MOTIVATOR (GB) x TWO PUNCH x IRISH RIVER(FR) out of NURSE LAUREN) Since trainer 4Play moved this beautiful light grey filly to the grass four back, she has become a new horse. She has three wins in those four with one third and won the N.DANCER MEMORIAL Stakes last time out. She really took to the green stuff and looks like she will continue to improve and really likes this distance too. She may actually be able to stretch it out a bit further and become one of those long range turf monsters that seem to run forever. They have Rapid in the irons and he has been capable if unspectacular so far this year. She likes to come from the back so won’t be able to take advantage of the inside post but is a live play here this weekend.
 | 2 – TRUE CHANT(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TGI Stables | 3/1 | TGI | 9.1% | L.Kraft | 315 – 73 – 55 – 41 – 23% | 95.96 | $ 499,480 | 11 |
( WAR CHANT x MISWAKI x SEATTLE SLEW out of TRUE SLEW AGAIN) This little brown filly won the GI WARSAW MILE three back against a field of 17 and has taken a slight step back since then for trainer TGI. This will be her fourth Graded outing in a month and a half and sometimes that wears a bit on these youngsters. She has Kraft in the leather and he is one of the best jocks on the grounds so he should be able to pace this lady with her stalking style and save some for the end. This will be her longest race to date so she may need a little extra in that final stretch run. She has a nice record and a solid ranking but I wonder if she will have enough at the end.
 | 3 – QUANTUMIMMORTALITY(ENG) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Oil Conglomerate Stables | 13/1 | HomeARoan | 11.1% | R.Calino | 60 – 0 – 6 – 4 – 0% | 93.81 | $ 128,946 | 145 |
(STARCRAFT (NZ) x IRISH RIVER(FR) x EL GRAN SENOR) If this young lady can run as long as her name is she will be in good stead indeed. Trainer HomeARoan and the Big Oil Conglomerate Stables have kept her very competitive but she hasn’t had a win in ten months since an Allowance win last July that topped off a three race win streak. You have to wonder if this girl was a two year old wonder of if she doesn’t quite have enough to win at the Stakes level. In the meantime, she is piling up earnings and BPs by staying on the board for the owners. Her jockey Calino is another matter, he is still looking for his first win of the season after 60 mounts and that doesn’t bode well for this filly.
 | 4 – MOI LOLITA(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Belgian Kempen Farm Stables | 5/2 | CEClaim3 | 15.1% | S.Wilkenson | 300 – 40 – 28 – 44 – 13% | 104.40 | $ 236,025 | 60 |
( AWESOME AGAIN x A.P. INDY x KINGMAMBO) After finishing on the board in six of eight races on the dirt, trainer CEClaim3 moved this impeccably bred filly to the grass and she took off like she owns it. Her past two races have been a Stakes and Graded win with 103 and 104 SPFs. She is stretching it out a bit here but looks like she should be able to handle it, especially with jockey Wilkenson holding the reins with his excellent record this year. She likes to sit just off of the lead and has to hope that MOI LOLITA jumps out to the lead so that she has someone to chase or she may find herself leading the parade. She looks like the one to beat here.
 | 5 – WHERE OR WIN(ENG) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fortune 500 Stables | 5/1 | CheckRaise | 22.7% | A.Schlukebier | 87 – 6 – 11 – 9 – 7% | 93.34 | $ 152,830 | 164 |
( WHERE OR WHEN (IRE) x EXPLOIT x WOODMAN out of EXPLANATION) After ten consecutive Stakes races, this filly will go back to the Graded circuit for the first time since last August when she ran her most disappointing race for trainer CheckRaise. Since then she has taken a check in every race but has only two wins and one of those was on an off track. Last time out was her first at a mile or more and she seemed to like the distance so this may be more to her liking. She has Schlukebier in the saddle and his season is as hard to figure as the pronunciation of his name as he looks to be on the downhill side of a nineteen year career. It’s hard to give this team a ringing endorsement but she could definitely surprise.
 | 6 – PAULA CREAMER(JPN) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team DOZA Racing Stables | 3/1 | TuffGuy | 16.6% | V.Mustoe | 147 – 17 – 7 – 17 – 12% | 100.02 | $ 111,355 | 90 |
( STRAVINSKY x A.P. INDY x FURIOUSLY out of FORTY GRAND) I watched this filly in the GIII NELL GWYNN Stakes where she finished an impressive third with a 100 SPF. I noted in my logbook to keep an eye on this girl in the future and is one of the reasons that I am here today. Trainer TuffGuy and the Doza Stables have done a nice job of keeping this filly on top of her game with five wins and nine finishes on the board in only eleven races. They have Mustoe holding the reins and he is having a very solid year and should be able to bring this filly in position at the top of the stretch for her patented close down the lane. She shouldn’t have to worry much about traffic here which can be a problem for her with her “way back” style.
| 7 – AWESOME ANNIE(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndyCapper Stables | 6/1 | AndyCapper | 12.2% | O.Young | 244 – 16 – 25 – 25 – 7% | 93.63 | $ 98,770 | 870 |
( AWESOME AGAIN x DUBAI MILLENNIUM (GB) x DYNAFORMER out of SPECIAL K II) Trainer AndyCapper and this nicely bred filly are still trying to figure out just where she needs to be. She has tried the last couple on the green stuff after starting her career on the clay. They have tried different distances and levels but she has not hit those big SPFs that is needed to win at this level. Jockey Young is going to have his hands full trying to keep this girl on her game and he has been having his own problems so far this year. All in all, unless she finds that magic combination this time she could compete but doesn’t look like she will be wearing the garland at the end.
Morning Line = 4-2-6-5
Paz Picks = 4-6-1-5
These are still young ladies that are trying to find themselves and any of them could really take off and start a long winning streak that could start right here. There is some real talent that just needs to be massaged a bit and tuned up. I like WHERE OR WIN to finish fourth although I’m a bit skeptical about the jockey on this one. KIRBY’S BIMBO is showing some promise on the grass and if she continues to improve could be a real force. She is getting better and I think she has enough to finish in the top three. I would love to pick PAULA CREAMER for the win but she may have a bit of a bounce after her last hard fought race. With that in mind, I have to go with the Morning Line fave, MOI LOLITA who based on her last couple of races looks like the class of this field and should garner the win.
Good luck to all runners!
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