No Rhyme or Reason in Smackdown Sprint

With many of the top trainers in the sim represented by Del Penn, GR Simsters, and Minnesota Downs, the Smackdown restricted races resemble Grade 1 fields more than regular stakes. That is defintely true in the sprint, where several top horses in the division, such as In A Simple Rhyme and Lannister Gold, battle up and comers like Sandstone Park and Gross Isle, plus a slew of war horses looking for old glory. Now….the teams!

DelPenn Team

Millionaire and multi Grade 1 winning In A Simple Rhyme, from zewango4 stables, is one of the most accomplished horses in the field. The insanely inbred son of Forty Niner won the prestigious Sand Castle Sprint [G1] earlier this year at the distance and likes to lay back early before charging down the stretch. A winner of over 1/3 of his career races, In A Simple Rhyme carries the banner of sdmf and DelPenn and having consistently proven his skill at 6f – and against top notch competition, he will be tough to beat. He been known to be a bit tardy on his late run – a 6^th place finish in the DPCD Sprint [G1] the most recent example, but if he does time it correctly, he is the prime contender. In a Simple Rhyme gets a top jockey in H Ross and is listed as the 2^nd choice at 7/1

Jakematt stables sends forward Grosse Isle, from the wolverine barn. Grosse Isle has done most of his damage at longer distances – winning the prestigious Hutchingson Stakes [G2] at 7f as a three year old, but blazed his way to a win last out in the Due North Stakes [G2], his first major score at this distance. Already with close to three quarters of a million in the bank, Grosse Isle has been sharp since returning from a 3 month layoff . A typical midpack runner, Grosse Isle has to move forward off a career top in an ultra tough field – not an impossible task, but a challenge none the less. He is one that is likely to improve as the year goes on, but may come up slightly short in here. Never the less, it would be unwise to doubt his talent and the way he was been trained up to the race.

Cryin Bluff, trained by doctahg, and representing the paulmd barn, brings an impressive 13 career wins into the race. The Del Penn representative was once a claimer before dominating the starter ranks. He recently has moved up to stakes company, posting solid second and third place finishes. He has not race at the distance since his second career start, spending most of his time at 6.5f. His huge rally in an allowance three starts back yielded a 115 speed, which gives you some hope of his chances here. Still, the huge jump in class is a concern for Cryin Bluff, who will have to run the race of his life to win here. His speed and consistency (21 of 25 in sprints) does make an on the board finish very possible.

Sdmf’s second entry, Armed and Ready, isn’t as well known as In a Simple Rhyme, but his a very accomplished performer in his own right. Armed and Ready, from the zewango2 stable, is more known for his routing exploits. The winner of the Teeny Weenie Stakes [G3], has only ran in sprints three times – never less than 7 furlongs. He prepped for this race with a sharp win in a listed stakes at 7.5f. Armed and Ready is likely to be the early leader in the field and will try to hold on late as he has been able to do in routes. He certainly has the class – but concerns about his ability to handle the wicked speed of the distance. It will be intriguing to watch Armed and Ready as they turn for home.

Sdmf stables actually has 3 of the 5 entries for the DelPenn team, capped off with the four year old Speedy’s Coming, from the zewango4 stable. The stablemate of In a Simple Rhyme, is another with blazing speed who is stepping up in class. Fresh off a 110 speed performance at 7f in the Red River Star Special, his first career stakes victory, the son of Seeking The Gold is another who will definitely play a part in the early pace factor. He has shown the ability to run from allowance fields, but may be susceptible to be being caught here. He does have an impressive 1:09 win at the distance, good for a 108 speed figure. A talented racehorse who has been brought into the race fresh, Speedy’s Coming is likely to play a part in the early speed, but will have to make a step up in class to stay at the wire.

GR Simsters Team

Grrm stable’s Lannister Gold leads the hopes of the GR Simsters team. Lannister Gold is another 6f specialist, who was a close 2^nd to In A Simple Rhyme in the Sand Castle Golden Sprint [G1] in March. He likes to lay a little closer to the pace than In A Simple Rhyme, but both are horses that prefer to leave their charge until the end of the race. Trainer Given has expertly prepped this colt with Smackdown in mind, having given him some time off before bringing him back against listed company. He has not finished off the board but once in the previous 15 months and usually fires in the big dances. This is a top field – but Lannister Gold is used to top competition and will loom a huge threat. He is ranked by odds makers as the top choice – at 6/1 and trainer Given has named himself as the jockey.

From the epic stables, Five Skies brings one of the best pedigrees into the race for the gallorette stable. The son of Giant’s Causeway and champion mare One Sky has made his parents proud with recent Graded success in the Astroturf Sprint [G2]. That win was at 7f, but Five Skies has shown the ability to make his move in at the 6f distance in listed stakes victories as well as a 2^nd in the Maryland’s Breeders Bowl [G3]. The one time Bluegrass Derby hopeful has emerged as a respectable sprinter – but there are a few concerns with his consistency. However, he has shown the ability to post the kind of huge number needed to win this race and the odds makers respect him at 8/1.

GR Simsters trainer lender sends out one of the quickest horses in the field, the 4 year old Urza’s Miter (JPN) of the borrow2 stable.. The son of Agnes World blew the doors off with a listed stakes score earlier this season with a 113 speed figure and managed a 3^rd in the Burrito Grande Breeders Bowl [G2]. He was tried on the turf in his last start and struggled a bit, but the switch from turf to dirt should be a beneficial prep. One of the few in the field who does not mind the lead, he has the ability to run off and hide here, but could end up being collared by one of the favorites. He is listed at 13/1, slightly deceiving odds because of the low speed in the turf start, but will definitely hear his name called early, and hopefully for the GR Simsters – late.

Representing the ever so evil empire of Lenny, Sandstone Park, is one of the most impressive horses in the field. The son of the tremendous sim and real life sire Kingmambo, shares the breeding of former Florida Derby hero Rhibus, and has won an impressive 7 times in just 10 starts. Lenny has been patient with the chestnut colt – taking his time on moving him up to stakes company. Sandstone Park has never been off the board – in fact, he has only not seen the winner’s circle once in his 8 sprint starts. He has the speed – a 112 winning the Sewer Pipe Special and the form, so the only question is his ability to handle this class of horse. He has done everything so well, it would be a huge surprise if he can not handle the jump. His 13/1 odds with a solid jockey (M Kelly) are certainly enticing.

When you are as evil as Lenny, you can not be happy with just one entry. Extempore, from the pbcash stable, may not have the gaudy record of Sandstone Park, but does own the necessary speed. Extempore roared to a 115 speed figure last time out in the Tex Rop Challenge, his third career 110+ speed figure. Like many in the field, Extempore has never ran the 6f distance. He started his career on the lawn, before venturing to routes, and only recently to dirt sprints. He has shown fine form sprinting 2008, with 4 wins from 6 starts, but his lack of experience at the shorter distance may be a bit of a concern. Jockey C Butts is going to have to time Extempore’s run perfectly if he is going to defeat the more experienced 6f horses.

Minnesota Team

The top contender for Minnesota is dundey7’s Rock N Roll Heaven. A winner of 1/3 of his career races, Rock N Roll Heaven has been competing in allowances lately. He has shown the ability to handle top notch competition – a 2^nd in the Wild Thing Stakes [G2] leading his résumé. The frequent raced son of Fusaichi Pegasus has not won since last October but that was at 6f, one of only two starts at the distance. Like some of the other top contenders, Rock N Roll Heaven is a late charging horse who makes his best run late. You have to admire the warhorse’s record, even though he has not raced the top level of competition recently.

Another son of Fusaichi Pegasus, By Any Other Name, from the megaman42 stable, represents Minnesota. He was a solid 3^rd to Five Skies in the Astroturf Sprint [G2] and ran a sharp 2^nd in the Carter Handicap [G1]. If this race was at 7f, trainer Baggio would feel confident in By Any Other Name’s chances. He was a consistent allowance star before emerging as a stakes performer in 2008. He is typically a mid pack runner, but the drop to 6f may prove challenging. He last ran in the Jim’s BB Sprint [G3] at 6f but could manage only a 6^th place finish. He will have to get moving earlier to capture the gold here.

Trainer bluehorse has Or Not Two Punch, a winner of 20 career races, representing team Minnesota. From the decker stable, the 8 year old is the oldest horse in the field and has the most career races (51) and wins. Before dismissing him, he has shown the ability to win in similar situations before – coming out of the clouds to help Minnesota beat Pastures of Green in a residency competition race and is coming off a win at the distance.  The multiple stakes winner has never won a graded event – but has been a top performer since age 2 when he ran in the Breeders Bowl Juvy. The war horse may have to step up his speed a bit here, but he is a consistent performer and to even be competitive at this age is impressive.

Worldwide stables of Minnesota brings in Arctic Gold, hailing from the winningday stables. The former claimer has ran well in his previous 5 starts, including a pair of runner-up finishes in listed stakes. His 110 speed in an allowance four back was the best of his career, but he has not been able to duplicate those efforts at 6f. He is likely to hang way back early, but will attempt to make a huge late move. It would be a Cinderella story if Arctic Gold can beat this top notch field.

Top trainer rafa brings in Soboron, hailing from the palmisland stable. The Minnesota representative, features ideal sprint breeding, by the speedy Unbridled’s Song, out of a Carson City dam. Like his pedigree, Soborn has been a tough customer on the slop, but has held his own in dry track sprints. Soborn ran a 110 speed figure to wire the field in the Rat Tom Challenge late in 2007, and ran a good 112 to finish 2^nd, albeit in the slop, earlier this season. Another that will possibly factor in the early speed, Soborn heads from a top barn and has top speed – but there may be questions about his form and his ability to beat the top horses at this distance, with disappointing efforts in Graded company.

Picks:

As to be expected in a competition like Smackdown, particularly in a sprint, this is a tough race to call. Outside of the top two contenders (Lannister Gold and In a Simple Rhyme), all horses face either distance, class, or form questions. In the end, the phenomenal record at the distance of Lannister Gold earns him top honors here with Sandstone Park sneaking up to second over In a Simple Rhyme.