GIII The David Flores Preview

SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2023 – 3:30PM EST | CALIFORNIA | 6 FURLONGS | FAST DIRT | $150,000
Restricted to 4 Year Olds and Older, Fillies and Mares Only | 9 RUNNERS

#1 GOLDEN QUILL – pineappledogsht – 4/1
The five year old Medaglia D’Or scratch breed will break from the rail. The mare has been running consistently in allowance and stakes events but her only win in the past 18 months was an allowance race here last October. Last time out she ran an encouraging seond place in the Aly Cat Again Dirt Mare Sprint stakes, beaten less than a length. She should run her race again but there are a few of her rivals that come here in better form.

#2 HILLION – webber – 7/2
The oldest mare in the race is webber’s six year old. She finally got her head in front in a stakes event last time out when keeping on strongly in the Georgia Granny Dirt Mare Dash over six furlongs. Like the favourite, she is a daughter of Roaring Lion and steps up in grade for the first time to start in this contest. Her last run was actually her fastest to date, so it would be silly to rule her out here.

#3 SIXTY DAY FORECAST – abcde5 – 12/1
Abcde5’s four year old arrives here on the back of two sprint allowance victories. Last time out she made all of the running and just held on over this distance. She has four placed finishes in this grade from last year and three of her eight wins came in stakes races. The daughter of Lion Heart hasn’t shown much improvement for almost a year and needs a bit more to get involved here.

#4 VINTAGE FUJI – dante2020 – 8/1
The five year old daughter of Afleet Alex steps up to graded company for this first time after narrowly failing to run down the winner in the Westerner Dirt Mare Memorial Stakes last time. That seems to be her ability level so will need more to get near the front here. Dante2020’s mare is a regular in California and this will be his eighth straight run on the track. A.J. Parker takes over in the saddle from usual jockey J. Pimental.

#5 SIRE OF THE DAM – cjt – 18/1
The three time stakes winner ships over from Australia for this one. Cjt’s front running filly led the last twice in 6.5 furlong turf allowance races, only to fade inside the final furlong into fourth and fifth place. She is yet to break the three figure speed and her bare form is not good enough to trouble her rivals here. She switches back to dirt to try to encourage some improvement.

#6 ROARS – gowans6 – 3/1F
The favourite is gowan6’s five year old mare by Roaring Lion. She comes here in great form and looking for an eleventh career win and fourth consecutive victory after an open allowance and two stakes wins. Since switched to dirt early last year, she hasn’t placed outside the first two in seven runs. She will be played late in the race by jockey G. Owans and will be finishing fastest of all.

#7 KUALA LUMPAR ROX – gavin7 – 5/1
The daughter of Constitution looks to shake off a terrible run in the GII La Zebra last time out when fading badly into eleventh place after never looking comfortable. Gavin7’s four year old had won a pair of sprint stakes before that run and a return to six furlongs is hoped to get her back into form. She has a perfect six from six record over 6 and 6.5 furlongs and top jockey F. Gossett is booked for the ride.

#8 FOURWARNED – borrow1 – 8/1
Borrow1’s four year old arrives here in good form after showing a good finishing kick to take down a six furlong open allowance last time. The filly has a graded win when finishing from way back in the GIII Victorious Ride last August and a similar run on this faster dirt would see her stake a claim in the same grade here. Watch for her to be finishing late in this, with a decent early pace guaranteed.

#9 TRIACCEL – mrcricket – 10/1
Breaking from the outside gate is mrcricket’s Grade II winner, who is the biggest earner in the field with over $500,000 earned. The four year old has been campaigned in graded stakes over the past 12 months and also has a Grade I place to her name when third in GI The Priceless last July. She likes to race near the pace and is looking to bouce back after a disappointing run in the seven furlong GII La Zebra last time.

SELECTIONS : #7 KUALA LUMPAR ROX – #6 ROARS – #8 FOURWARNED