The Cremation Stakes Grade I

FEAR ME COMING(KY) (WAR CHANT x SEATTLE SLEW x HAIL TO REASON)
She has run in plenty of stakes and graded races without ever looking like winning and a best sp of 95 shouldn’t be good enough for a Grade I. She looks as though she wants at least 10f and will be outpaced today. That last run was in the 1000 Guineas over this trip and she was closing slowly at the line. Not good enough or fast enough for this.

RIVER OF SOULS(KY) (PERFECT SOUL (IRE) x RIVERMAN x LYPHARD)

On her few runs so far this looks to be her best trip and her second in a Grade II over 8.5f latest seemed to confirm that. She still has lots of improvement left and with that last run producing a 101 sp, I expect her to run somewhere around a 105. At this stage of the three year old season that could be good enough here.

SLEVIN’S THE NAME(KY) (EL PRADO(IRE) x LEAR FAN x IDE)
Again plenty of graded and stakes form, but she has at least stakes wins to her name. Her prizemoney is inflated by a rich restricted stakes win latest and that produced her best run also with a 104 sp. That was a sparkling run but I always treat restricted race form with a pinch of salt as the quality of the opposition can be questionable at best. Still another 104 wil put her right in there today.

NATIVE MAMBO(KY) (EL PRADO(IRE) x KINGMAMBO x EXCLUSIVE NATIVE)
The second El Prado runner and another with lots of Graded and stakes form including a Graded and two stakes wins. Both her last two runs have produced sp’s over 100 at todays trip and this looks to be her optimum. She will try and lead and will certianly finish in the top three but she’ll need another step forward to win.

MARC’S GOLD(KY) (SEEKING THE GOLD x THUNDER GULCH x NIJINSKY II)
Good mix of speed and stamina in the pedigree and boasts the joint highest sp in the field with a 105 latest over todays trip to win a Grade III. She’s only had seven runs and won five including four in a row, all over 8f. With still some improvement to come she must be in with a real chance today. She will sit near the back and her main problem may be the front runners getting away, but if she doesn’t win she’ll be close.

ALAYAYA(KY) (A.P. INDY x AWESOME AGAIN x SADLER’S WELLS)
Only eight runs and the other top rated runner with a 105 sp latest, but with all that 12f stamina in her pedigre is this trip now going to be too short? She has run over further already without much success but those were perhaps a bit early in her career and she must surely be looking for at least 10f. She still has the class to do well here, especially since she sits near the front, but she might find one or two a little too fast.

DEERSTANDING(KY) (STRONG HOPE x MEADOWLAKE x UNFUWAIN)
Bred more for dirt than turf and since she has not run on the dirt since her first two races as a two year old she must be worth another try on that surface. She has plenty of class already on turf though and ran a 104sp latest to win a stakes. 8F to 9f should be her trip but she’s yet to race at graded level at all and that more than anything else might be her undoing here. She will still be close, but I’d like another try on dirt.

MIESQUE’S GOLD(SAF) (MIESQUE’S APPROVAL x UNBRIDLED’S SONG x CORONADO’S QUEST)
Has two 100 plus sp’s at this trip but has been very inconsistant but she is another with plenty of dirt in that pedigree and she’s yet to try that surface. If she runs her best she will be in the thick of the predicted blanket finish but a sub par run could see her nearer last.

INDY GHOST HUNTER(KY) (GHOSTZAPPER x A.P. INDY x NORTHERN DANCER)
More Graded and stakes form on offer here, including a second in the Grade III Panhandle Park Oaks over 8.5f. However only has a best sp of 98 and has been running as though a drop in trip to around 7f might be in order. Will be another trying to go off in front which should make for a breakneck pace but if she runs like she has been she’ll fade before the finish.

OVERALL

There could be four or five of these finishing in a heap and it’s a real tough one to call. Toss a coin or pick a number, but some real nice ladies running here.