Big Race Recap 2608

Race: 2608.3516 Prix du Jockey Club – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Longchamp
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf

Horseshoe Bay runs his record setting winning streak to six grade I victories in a row. Horseshoe Bay did it real easy this week. He was a little closer to the pace than usual and cruised to the lead in the stretch. Horseshoe took the time to get a good look at the crowd in deep stretch almost appearing to pose for the picture at the wire. He won by three and three quarters lengths and it was almost five more lengths back to the third place finisher.

Rapid Grey closed well form last to earn the place although he was never a threat to the winner. He did match strides with the winner for a good part of the second half of the race. Sip of Saki stalked the early pace. He had nothing for the top two runners but was the best of the rest.

Race: 2608.0414 Man Of War Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and three eighths on the Turf

Sunnybank Memorial wins yet another in tying the sim record for lifetime grade I wins at thirteen. This race was not his fastest speed figure wise, he did not face one of his two main rivals, but it was probably one of his most impressive since last years Breeder’s Bowl Turf. He faced a very well accomplished field of turf runners that included four recent grade I winners, a grade II winner and a grade III winner. For the others all except one had placed or showed in a grade I race.

He had to deal with a strong front runner, good stalkers, and good closers but none of that mattered. He was mid pack early and about ten lengths off the early pace. He did what he does so well and just ate up ground around the turn for home then exploded through the stretch to whip the very good field by three and a quarter lengths.

Preferred Power used a solid stalking trip to finish second. After stalking the early pace from third just a few lengths back he looked poised to be a factor in the stretch until Sunnybank blew by him. He stayed on strong to the wire to just old off the fast closing Arkansas Traveler for second and Top Jimmy was right there with Arkansas Traveler.

The three year old Jupiter’s Moon (IRE) struggled a bit in his first bid against older horses. He stalked and really stayed on well in the stretch but finished sixth six and a quarter lengths behind the winner. Considering how good this field of runners is he will be one to watch if he goes to the Breeder’s Bowl Turf.      

Race: 2608.3515 The Ayla Cup – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Longchamp
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and three quarters on the Turf

Hail to the King scores a huge upset! La Pata Daisy has been unbeatable all summer long and looked like a lock to continue her winning streak. Gweneth (IRE) came out and set the pace just like she usually does. Hail to the King was just behind La Pata Daisy keeping the favorite in her sights both just over ten lengths off that early pace.

That strategy worked to perfection as Hail to the King moved with La Pata Daisy around the turn for home eating into the lead of pace setter Gweneth (IRE). At the top of the stretch Hail to the King was on even terms with La Pata Daisy and out closed her to the wire. They swallowed the front runner quickly and Hail to the King drew off in the final hundred yards to win by two and a half lengths over La Pata Daisy. It was another seven lengths back to third place Gweneth (IRE).   

Race: 2608.0116 Citation Cup – Grade I – $500,000
Track: California
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and three sixteenths on the Dirt

Fly for Buda turned the tables on Anticosti today and took over the number one ranking in the three year old division. To every ones surprise Anticosti shot for the lead. He build a solid three and a half length lead early on but his light racing schedule showed as he could not keep up that pace.

Fly for Buda was never far off the pace and went by Anticosti in the stretch. There was no real pressure in the stretch for Fly for Buda although Act of God did everything in his power to make it interesting. Fly for Buda won by a lengths and a half over Act of God with Anticosti hanging around for third two and thee quarter lengths back.

Act of God turned in one of the most impressive late runs I have ever witnessed on the dirt. Dirt runners just do not make up a bunch of ground as a general rule so when you have a runner like Act of God that makes up ten plus lengths on what appears to be a regular basis it is shocking. Today he was fourteen lengths off the early pace. He passed the pace setter Anticosti in deep stretch and ended up just a length and a half behind the winner. His deep closing style is probably to blame for his seven second place finishes from twelve starts, yet still I am impressed with this runner.   

Race: 2608.0114 Demona Handicap – Grade I – $450,000
Track: California
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Turf

Turning Japanese gets back on track with a very nice win last weekend. Her previous couple of races were a little off by her standards but this week she got right back on track. She will be looking to defend her title at the Breeder’s Bowl Turf Distaff at the end of October. She did her thing dropping well back early and closed strongly. Turning Japanese did have a small battle in the stretch with the very lightly raced Firm King (IRE) but pulled away in the final stages for a two and a half length win.

Firm King (IRE) in her ninth start looked like a veteran. She was toward the back early moved up and took the lead in the stretch but could not match the winner late in the race. The new kid on the block looks pretty good. Teds Inndar (IRE) held third at 16/1 after a stalking trip. She finished six and a quarter lengths back of the winner. 

Race: 2608.0216 Kindness of Hearts – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Florida
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Dirt

Wonderboy Cougar (IRE) looked like a runner potentially sitting on a big race and as it turned out he was. He was away pretty quick pressuring the pace or Tower Storm. By the half way point he assumed the lead and started pulling away. He had a five and a half length entering the stretch, finishing strong to win by nearly four lengths. It was a very powerful performance from a runners that has been facing off against the top older male. He is getting better at the right time of year.

Year of the Vote rebounded off a sub par effort to run a very solid second here. He was near the back early and was one of the few that was making up ground on the winner. He made up a couple of lengths in the stretch but never really threatened the winner. Live by the Sword closed from well back to get third although he was eight and a half lengths behind the winner. Tower Storm was fourth.  

Race: 2608.2814 Canada Mile – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: Ontario
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: One mile on the Turf

Xtremely a Fan closed with a flurry to get up for the win in a spectacular finish. He closed over nine lengths to get up for the win. This is setting the stage for what could be one spectacular group of milers come Breeders Bowl day. Kiki’s Solid Rock carried his speed nearly the whole way. After pressing a quick pace Kiki’s Solid Rock took over and fought gamely through the stretch to hold off two of the best milers going.

Xtremely a Fan was just too fast for Kiki to hold off. Kiki did have plenty left to hold off the hard charging filly Jolie’s Song. Jolie’s Song also closed from well back in the field but she seemed to flatten out in the stretch toward the end. The three year old Niner Connection gave a good account of himself in his first start against older horses. He was mid pack early and ran well enough to get fourth just two and three quarter lengths from the winner.    

Race: 2608.2915 Tri-City Sprint – Grade I – $500,000
Track: N. California
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: Six and one half furlongs on the Dirt

The wide open affair went to 10-1 Big Man’s Bridge. He was second in his other recent grade I attempt. This was his fourth win in his last five tries and this win makes him one of the favorites for the upcoming Breeders Bowl Sprint. Big Man’s Bridge was well back in the field early but not really all that far off the pace sitting about four and three quarter lengths back. When asked he exploded and moved to the lead in the stretch.

It was all Big Man’s Bridge could do to hold off King of the Slews at the wire by a quarter length. King of the Slews sat a little further back in the field than Big Man’s Bridge and closed pretty strongly to finish second. It was a little over a length back to High Gain (IRE) who sat a little closer to the front and held third.   

Race: 2608.5915 High Flyer Stakes – Grade I – $400,000
Track: Ireland
Restrictions: All horses, 2 years old
Distance: One mile on the Turf

Andy’s Choice proved capable of running down the front runners on this day scoring a very nice win. Andy’s Choice remains undefeated and has now punched his ticket to the Breeders Bowl. He was about ten lengths back early and made a strong move through traffic to just catch Fuzzy Rainbow nearing the wire. It turned out to be a Rainbow Quest exacta.

Fuzzy Rainbow stalked the early pace and took over in the stretch. He was game in the stretch but just could not hold off Andy’s Choice. Kepler Berzerk rolled from way downtown to get up for third. He was next to last early on and managed to close to within a length and a quarter of the winner.

Race: 2608.0416 Fast Filly Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New York
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 2 years old
Distance: One mile on the Dirt

18-1 Papua Theft pulled off a minor upset. Papua Theft started out on the turf however since moving to the dirt is a perfect three for three now. From mid pack Papua Theft made her bid. She made up steady ground on Ampuria in the stretch eventually wearing down the pace setter. The fight was not over yet as Forty Red was flying late.

At the wire Papua Theft held off Forty Red by a quarter length. Forty Red was dead last early nearly nine lengths off the pace and closed with a rush. She found her best stride in the stretch and just fell short. Ampuria pressed the early pace and took over around the far turn holding the lead till mid stretch. She held third just a length and a quarter behind the winner.