The LA STORMY Memorial Stakes

The LA STORMY Memorial Stakes
One mile
Firm Turf
$60,000
Fillies and mares, 4 years old and up

With Longchamp staging a Grade III with pretty much the same restriction this week there is no surprise that we have a field of just 5 runners lining up for this weeks stakes race.  The field is pretty closely matched so we can expect some real fireworks. The runners are:

GRAND ENTRY

Trainer: chilimac

(Storm Cat x Seeking The Gold x Blushing Groom(FR))

Odds:  5/2                   Earnings: 782,817                  Runs/Wins: 34/13

A 6yo scratch bred mare from Chilimac Stables. A mare that has been very successful in stakes races in her career,  and also landed the G2-Trash Can Mile in 2006.  She still seems capable of producing a big run on occasion and will be looking for her first win of the year in this one if she can get off to the fast start that she needs.  

OZZY’S HOPE(KY)

Trainer: eddieboo

(El Prado(IRE) x Kingmambo x Deputy Minister)

Odds:  7/2                   Earnings: 102,710                  Runs/Wins: 16/6

A 4yo scratch bred filly from The Eddie Empire!. Still lightly raced and she has yet to land a stakes win so this could be her best chance of doing so.  She’s been in pretty good form recently and if she can just step it up a little she is in quite capable of pulling off the upset with her late finishing speed.

K’S PANACHE

Trainer: kuovadis

(Fusaichi Pegasus x Mill Reef x Nureyev)

Odds:  2/1                   Earnings: 1,185,806               Runs/Wins: 37/15

A 6yo scratch bred mare from Pompeya Thoroughbred Racing Corporation.  The favourite here won the G2-Adelaide Mile,  G3-Ida Ore Stakes and G1-Sezy Muffins Classic a while back but hasn’t really looked so good recently.  Despite winning a stakes race in her first run of 2008 she hasn’t looked totally comfortable since and I have a feeling that she may just disappoint again this week.

AU BLING(KY)

Trainer: stlcards3

(Seeking The Gold x Giant’s Causeway (IRE) x Scenic(IRE))

Odds:  6/1                   Earnings: 203,640                  Runs/Wins: 18/5

A 4yo filly from Stlcards Stables bred from a C class mare (Scenic Giant(IRE)).  A filly who has been switched from dirt to turf and back on many occasions with mixed results.  Consequently it’s pretty difficult to assess her chances here on her first turf run of the year, especially in view of a disastrous off-track performance last time.  Probably one to avoid if you are betting on this one.

SLEW O’REGALS(IRE)

Trainer: daisymasha

(Royal Anthem x Kingmambo x Slew O’ Gold)

Odds:  5/1                   Earnings: 166,296                  Runs/Wins: 26/3

A 4yo filly from Daisymasha Stables bred from a C class mare by itch56.  Claimed for just $10k under a year ago this filly has struggled to find wins at any level for a while now.  Despite that she has managed several money winning places and with more selective placement could probably have amassed even more career earnings than she currently has.  Still, a nice claim though.

CASTLE BLACK(IRE)

Trainer: piccolo87

(Castledale (IRE) x Gone West x Storm Cat)

Odds:  4/1                   Earnings: 295,183                  Runs/Wins: 22/7

A 4yo filly from Given Stables: Fire and Blood bred from a G class mare.  After winning the G3-Booker T. Handicap as a 2yo more was probably expected in the future from this frustrating filly, but in truth apart from a single stakes win nearly a year ago she has struggled to live up to that early promise.  However her last two races looked like she was maybe finding her form again and if she ever manages to find the improvement we would have expected at the turn of the year, she may prove to be a bit of a sleeping giant.  I have a funny feeling that we may be in for a treat in this race from her.

Summary

As I said in her write up I wouldn’t be surprised if Castle Black manages to finally find her legs again and produce a race winning performance.