Smack Down 2 year old Fillies 7F
SMACKDOWN 2YO Fillies Turf Sprint (7f)
Oh baby, the sticks have been dropped and the gloves are off… Are you ready for a Smackdown!!!! If your not you came to the wrong place at the wrong time. I have the distinct pleasure of taking you inside the race for residency pride featuring two year old mares going 7f on turf. My friends it looks like it is going to be a dandy. Lets take a look at each teams entries. I will eschew mention of odds because in this kind of baby race they are essentially meaningless.
The Black Label Stables sends forth a monster named SO IT’S LIKE THAT – The Forestry x Forty Niner x Nijinsky mare is already a G1 winner and undefeated in 4 starts. Believe it or not folks, the best seems to be ahead for this one who’s top spf an 80 came at 6.5f. She likes to close and there should be plenty of pace. So what’s not to like? The only negative I could come up with is maybe this 2 year old is tired it will be her 5th start of the year. With the top jockey up and top stakes points on paper it is hard not seeing coming out on top and running her win streak to five.
Super and The More Evil Than The Evil Empire place COCKTAIL HOUR into the fray. The War Chant x Fappiano x Pleasant Colony mare was a well beaten 8th in her G1 try last out and the bad news is the winner of that race is listed above. The good news is that this time they are teammates. She likes to close from well back but if she does not get the jump on the other closers in this race she may find herself on the outside looking in when the real running starts. The extra furlong may help but she has her work cut out for her anyway you slice it.
Super and The More Evil Than The Evil Empire may see SHE MIGHT BE GIANT as a more viable threat than her stable mate. The
Super and The More Evil Than The Evil Empire have a full team in this one as RITA HAYWORTH also is from the fabled stables. The lightly raced Pivotal x Sadler’s Wells x Unbridled mare has two dazzling on the pace scores on her chart. Expect her to be among the pace setters, but don’t think she will step aside late. This girl has got some amazing speed and her 77 is a lot faster than it looks when you notice it came in mid May. A lot of win streaks will be coming to an end in this race but don’t be shocked if the
And rounding out the Del Penn squad is Jakematt Stables’ CANNED HEAT BARB who comes in a bit of an outsider. The
Del Penn Team Sumary
Wow you have to love this team even if it is a tad top heavy. Two graded winners and all 5 are impeccably bred. So It’s Like That and She Might Be Giant seem to be the two best of the group but Rita Hayworth looks as hot as her namesake. The other two will need to step up to be major factors in this race but Del Penn has to be brimming with confidence over the outcome of this one.
ONEWORLD Stables has a beauty in WAKE UP SUN the Charismatic x Afleet x Siberian Express is creatively bred and has turned it around since losing her debut back in March. She just missed winning a G2 in her last out missing a half length to She Might Be Giant. She gets a chance at revenge in this one and seems to be on the rise as each of her starts has seen a career best spf. She has not ventured over 5.5f yet and the 7f waiting for her in this one loom a new test. Look for her to be forwardly placed when the real action starts and don’t be surprised if she kicks over the applecart.
Darnath Stables sends an intriguing entry into this one. MESARATS was looking like a bust after two failed starts on dirt, but the Sky Mesa x Northern Dancer x Halo mare was just letting us know she was a grass lover. When the surface was switched she broke her maiden easily and enters this race off that score. She is in deep in this race and will need to step forward off that start to be a factor here. She has a massive late kick and should like the pace scenario. Has a lot of talent and her blood lines are top notch but the race is stacked with horses that have greater accomplishments under their belts.
Another horse entered of a mere maiden score is Citation Stables trainee BLONDE ROOTS (better keep this one away from Rita Hayworth or the secret of her locks may be revealed). The Bahri x Danehill x El Gran Senor baby exploded first time out and got her photo taken. Her 70 spf is respectable but will she be able to step forward enough to hang in with a field full of monsters? She is bred for the task but will not have a top rider because she has 0 stakes points heading in. A stalker who may find herself a bit further back this time the question is, will that leave her with too much to do or bring out her best? Intriguing candidate.
ONEWORLD Stables sends BEST FEVER out as well. The Seeking the Best x Stormin’ Fever x Encino mare has found her best form on the green stuff after showing the dust was not her bag. She broke her maiden last out in NW2L so she is used to winning despite lacking credentials. Her spf in her last was a 74 so she fits this race speed wise if not record wise. Will she run her best at this distance? Are her bloodlines strong enough? Can she step up to much tougher competition? Questions abound but they will all get answered soon enough and it would be quite a story if the answers are all yes.
Team CK sends out the most intriguing and perhaps best hope of the Minnesota Downs team in the form of CK ZABRIO. The Zabeel x Darby Creek Road x Con Brio mare is undefeated in two starts. Both of those wins came in very slow races but she seemed to be going just fast enough to win. No contender in the race has a larger step forward to take speed wise than this one, but none may be more likely to do it either. She is bred to run all day so 7f will be a welcome distance and she should be up front with the leaders when the cards are laid on the table. The real fun of baby races is seeing what happens after the third call and no one can blame you if you think this one has the juice to see it through.
The team lacks the star power of their competitors but is loaded with fascinating stories should it all fall into place. CK Zabrio and Wake Up Sun look to be the prime combatants from this squad and even those two may need major steps forward just to be in the money. Everything is a mystery with 2 year olds and this team is very mysterious. I feel like a few of these horses will move forward quite a bit but will it be enough?
GRSIMSTERS
Cobra Kai Racing Stables sends out the defending champs highest stakes point runner in the form of CROMARTIE. The
Lopo and The Evil Empire have entered undefeated UNWELCOME. The Montjeu x Gone West x Unfuwain mare has come up through the conditions and now must take a big jump up to join this party. She looks to be ready for it and her front running style seems to be well suited for this race loaded with stalkers and closers. Her spf’s will need a big boost to be in the hunt for glory. The trainer is a veteran of prior smackdown’s and knows his horse, so dismiss at your own risk. Don’t be shocked by an Unwelcome visitor in the winner’s circle.
Pierchinski Stables brings in what I believe was an auction purchase (probably cost a pretty penny too) by the name of READY TO ROLL. After winning the first two easy she ran into a Del Penn Buzz saw in her try for graded glory. I guess some folks get mad easier than me, cuz that prompted the sale of this gorgeous El Prado x Forty Niner x Seattle Slew mare by former owner Vampire3. She loves the front end and should be there with quite a tow line of stalkers on her flanks. The distance increase gives her a viable chance to reverse the outcome of her graded try and is another very solid candidate for victory.
Rocket22 Stables has the last two members of the GRS squad. First take a gander at SEX PISTOL. This one seems to need a lead I don’t foresee her getting based on the result of her first maiden try which seemed to fizzle when she didn’t make the top. Her second try she left quickest and scored easily. The Oasis Dream x Arch x Sadler’s Wells mare is also giving up a bit in her blood lines to this ferocious field despite the obviously very nice pedigree. If she makes an easy lead she could shock the sim world and this writer.
Rocket22 Stables other entry is DAZZLED a Redoute’s Choice x Carson City x Easy Goer mare who gives up nothing in pedigree but whose racing record is not quite up to snuff with the rest of the field. She improved steadily before breaking her maiden in her last race in a nice spf of 71. She is another who will need a much the best career effort to be involved in the final proceedings and another who will be on or near the lead. In a normal race I would like her chances, but in this one I fear she may be a bit overmatched. Then again what the heck do I know!
GRSimsters Team Summary
A balanced squad seemingly anchored by Unwelcome and Cromartie. The contrast in styles of training baby girls is evidenced in this race as many of the best the defending champs are far lighter raced than the heavyweights from Del Penn and Minny. It is a strategy that has been very effective historically speaking and I won’t be surprised by one these 5 taking home the whole megilla.
The Picks
Hard to get away from the Del Penn monster So It’s Like That. A graded winner and well seasoned against top foes, if she is fresh I think she wins. Del Penn also sends out the toughest rival on paper in She Might Be Giant. Wake Up Sun and Cromartie also will be tough to vanquish. CK Zabrio and Unwelcome are my darker horse selections for scoring points in top 5 finishes. I see this race falling best for Del Penn in terms of Smackdown.