Big Race Preview 3588

Just two grade one races this week. Both take place in Maryland for the second legs of the triple crown and triple tiara. The two Bluegrass winners are favorites here with Sabbath Point looking like the better of the two. The Middle Jewel seems very wide open as  no one runner has really distinguished himself. Sabbath Point on the other hand has distinguished herself and while her competition looks strong she seems a clear choice.

Race: 3588.0815 Middle Jewel Stakes – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: Maryland
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and three sixteenths on the Dirt

Kissin Streetcry picked the most opportune time to score his first grade one stakes win as he took many by surprise marching to an impressive three length win in the Bluegrass Derby. He is co favored here with two other horses as he tries to do what only one has done before him. Kissin Streetcry started to show he belonged back in March when he won the grade two Bonnie Situation. He would back that race up with a second place run in a grade three race.

Kissin Streetcry needed some defections to make the field and that is just what happened. From his inside post he was forwardly placed sitting seventh in the field of twenty. He was seven lengths from the pace making his bid on the turn into the stretch. He gained position and say second as the field entered the stretch and kicked home strong to win by three lengths. That is the largest margin for victory in the last five years since I Seek U. He could find himself with much the same trip here and if his racing schedule has not taken it toll he looks like a strong contender here.

Folsom Blues is one of the other co favorites in this race. He had a solid run in the Bluegrass Derby. His closing style meant he was last in the early stages. He worked his way around and threw traffic to get into third place five lengths behind Kissin Streetcry. The race prior to that in the California Derby was out standing and that is the sort of performance he will need here. He stormed home quickly making up nearly ten lengths in the stretch. This will only be his third route start and maybe with the added experience he will make a better run at the leaders in the stretch. He is a little reliant upon failing pace horses and no stalkers taking over.

Wireless Eavesdrop bombed at the Bluegrass Derby. His outside post position likely cost him any chance in the race. He was mid pack the whole race never making an impact finishing eleventh. He once again has the outside post and with his mid pack type running style that could cost him again. No runner has ever won this race from post fourteen. He needs a return to the form he flashed in the Chicago Derby where he earned a 107 speed figure. His pedigree might be better suited to this distance versus the Derby.

Panhandling is a new comer to the triple crown trail that poses a real threat to the runners that are wheeling back from the Derby. In his last two races he has really started to blossom. He has won three of his last four races really stepping up in his last two races to a level that makes him a threat here. When he wins he goes to the lead. He comes off wins in the grade three Transylvania and the grade two Chief Snow where he went gate to wire with nice speed figures. He is better rested than many here and will play catch me if you can with a bunch of potentially tired horses.

Sunset Mesa entered the stretch in the Bluegrass Derby with a two and three quarter length lead. He ran out of gas a bit in the stretch not being able to match Kissin Streetcry in the late stages of the race. He still hung around finishing second three lengths back but two lengths better than the third place finisher. His stalking ability makes him a threat and the fact he backs up a bit in distance could really put him in a position to do well here. This is a runner that sprinted until his start in the Florida Derby which he won earning him a place in the starting gate for the Derby. He ran his race but could be a little fresher than some coming out of that race. If he belongs in the group he will show it here today.

Race: 3588.0814 Black Middle Flower Stk – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Maryland
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt

Sabbath Point leads this group of three year old fillies as a solid number one choice on the morning line at four and a half to one. She would likely have been the favorite had she chosen to take on the boys in the Middle Jewel as her speed figures in her last two are as good if not better than any three year old colt. Last time out she took care of business in the Bluegrass Oaks. She sat off the pace from about fifth four lengths off the pace. She glided to the lead on the turn for home taking the lead at the top of the stretch. She powered home to a length and a half win. She should get a good trip here from the rail and be very tough to beat.

Black Flag Flying is the second choice on the morning line despite her eighth place finish in the Bluegrass Oaks. She was probably due a somewhat down race since she was either first or second in her first eight starts. She was not all that far off the early pace and she only finished five lengths behind Sabbath Point. Still she has not won in her last five starts while lacking that needed kick in the final stages. She will very likely bounce back to normal here and be a tough horse to hold off in the stretch.

Equivocations is the third choice on the morning line. She made a sustained bid into the stretch last time out in the Bluegrass Oaks. Her running style has been all over the map. In one race she is forwardly placed, in one race she was off the pace a bit stalking, then she was mid pack. It could just be the pace in the races she has run but she seems versatile enough to run on or off the pace. She would do best to be forwardly placed here because there is a lack of pace.

Sisson’s Mark is the fourth choice on the morning line. She has been solid and consistent in her last two races. Two back she won the grade one Lool Oaks closing from way downtown winning by two lengths. She was well back last time out in the Bluegrass Oaks and made a big run into the stretch finishing fourth a little more than two lengths back. Her new found consistency could be the platform from which she jumps up to the same level as Sabbath Point. Her deep closing running style is probably not ideal but there is little pace and she proved she could close into that last time out.