dunn preview – erc HO HO WHOA

Michigan (MI)
Saturday, December 24, 2022 – 1:10 PM EST 
Stakes – Purse $100,000
Restricted to 4 Year Old and Older Fillies and Mares
6.5 furlongs on Dirt

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the track, not a creature was stirring, not even Jockey Horace Artack. The silks were all hung in each stable with care in hopes that a victory would be earned by each Mare. The spectators were eagerly seated in their chairs with visions of huge payouts on bets made with care. And harrylan in his best suit and jbcri in his too had just checked their horses left and right shoe. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I jumped up and down to see what was the matter. Away to the paddock I ran like a flash, I bumped into summerset and we fell with a crash. The sun it was shining and all things were a glow, the horses were shimmering as they stood in a row. When what to my wondering eyes did appear, but a tiny little horse that was owned by amir. She stood only fourteen hands but she was lively and quick and I knew in a moment she must be Street Skeptic. More rapid than eagles the other horses they came, and announcer Eddie Olczyk called each one by name. Now Hardasacatshead, Curfew Baby, and Var Too Often too! On Warm in Malibu, Lady Skysham, Race Day Ray, Far From Red, and Geisha Plaza too.  To the post parade! To the track! To the gate hear the call! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all! So out to the infield the owners they flew, there was dontbet and newfy and chino and bigz was there too. And then in a instant we heard and their off, the track it was perfect although a bit soft. As I drew in my head and was turning around the horses they passed me with a rumbling hoof sound. And away they all flew like the down of a thistle and their speed was so fast I could hear the crowd whistle. But I heard each Jockey exclaim as he rode out of sight – Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Here is a closer look at the field in order of their current club points totals:

#9
street skeptic                                   
amir1781 barn                 
s wilkinson                         5/2
club championship points – 87

Out of the amir1781 barn is this five year old scratch bred STREET SENSE ( x UNBRIDLED x HALO) mare. She has finished in the money in nineteen of her twenty-seven career starts and comes in off a win at the “Quartz Dirt Mare Sprint” where she ran 108 speed at this same distance. She started the 2022 campaign off with back to back Stakes wins and followed that up with a 118 speed victory at the G3 “Trail Mix Stakes”. She should go off as the favorite and has a good chance of getting her thirteenth win here.

#1
warm in malibu                                               
harrylana14 barn                             
l habib                                  6/1
club championship points – 81

Out of the harrylana14 barn is this four year old scratch bred MALIBU MOON ( x STORM CAT x ALYDAR) filly. She has finished in the money twelve of her fifteen career starts and has earned more than half a million dollars. She comes in hot with back to back wins at Graded Stakes with the first coming at the G3 “Iodine Handicap” and the most recent coming at the G2 “Malibu Moon” where she snuck past ACCORDINGLY and RAINING NAPALM and won by a quarter length. She should go off as one of the favorites and may be tough to beat.

#8
race day ray                                       
jbcri52 barn                       
fr huey                                 11/1
club championship points – 74

Out of the jbcri52 barn is this four year old RACE DAY filly out of the Sim Mare PIRETTE. She has finished in the money in twenty of her twenty-three career starts including ten wins. She was picked up at a claimer in Maryland in early September where she ran 101 speed in a win over a seven and a half furlong track. In her first start for her new stable she finished fourth and ran 91 speed in an Allowance Race.  She has had some success at this distance in the past and should compete with this group.

#7
far from red                                      
dontbetonme10 barn                  
h teige                                  7/1
club championship points – 72

Out of the dontbetonme10 barn is this four year old TEXAS RED filly out of the Sim Mare FAR FROM IT. She has finished in the money in an impressive twenty of her twenty-two starts including five wins. She is making just her third start for the dontbetonme stable with her first two resulting in back to back third place finishes at Allowance Races where she showed good speed and a tendency to come from behind. Two of her wins have come at this distance and in one she ran 108 speed so she should be one to watch here.

#2
hardasacatshead                                             
newfyclaims3 barn                        
or euler                                6/1
club championship points – 59

Out of the newfyclaims3 barn is this five year old ALL TOO HARD mare out of the Sim Mare CORPORATE CAT. Another nice claim by Newfy that has won three times and finished second once since being acquired in March. Missed the board for the first time for her new owner in her last start when she ran 99 speed over seven and a half furlongs and faded to sixth place as they came down the stretch. Should like the drop in distance and might be a nice surprise.

#4
var too often                                    
survivoreh barn                               
m westbrook                     6/1
club championship points – 50

Out of the survivoreh barn (dunn) is this five year old VAR mare out of the Sim Mare PHAROAH OF KASH. She has raced seven times in 2022 and has won six races with the other race being a runner-up. She makes her first Stakes start and ownership is hoping that she will have some success at this distance as most of her victories have come at or around a mile. She will look to run middle of the pack early on and will hopefully have enough left to run down the early leaders.

#6
geisha plaza                                      
rac11 barn                          
v palmer              5/1
club championship points – 38

Out of the rac11 barn (summerset) is this four year old ANIMAL KINGDOM filly out of the Sim Mare GEISHA CITY. She comes in off three straight mile races that resulted in two wins and a runner-up finish. In her last start one month ago she ran 109 speed and was beaten by just a  neck. She has had some success at this distance and has lots of speed but I am not sure that her come from behind style will match up against this field. She would probably be one of the favorites at a mile but I think that she will run out of track as they come down the stretch and she might not be able to catch the leaders.  

#5
curfew baby                                      
kingshango barn                             
l sherwin                             19/1
club championship points – 6

Out of the kingshango barn (chino) is this four year old SHOOTING TO WIN filly out of the Sim Mare FUN IN THE HOT TUB. She got off to a nice start this year with back to back second place finishes followed by back to back wins. She has raced just twice since the last win and ran 94 speed in a fifth place finish and last time out finished eighth with 99 speed. Ownership hopes a drop in distance will help her gain success and she may go out to the front early and see if she can hold off the competition.

#3
lady skysham                                    
bigz2019a barn                                 
a khoury              7/1
club championship points – 1

Out of the bigz2019a barn (bigzstables) is this five year old SHAMARDAL mare out of the Sim Mare DMR LADY MESA. She has finished in the money in  sixteen of her twenty-six career starts including six wins (3 on poly). She had a win at this distance two back at an Allowance Race on poly where she came from the back of the pack and won by more than a length with impressive 106 speed. She makes just her third start on dirt with the other two being the first two starts of her career. She certainly has enough speed to compete with this group and if she likes the surface she should be in the mix as they come down the stretch.