Innaugural Harbour City Stakes Attracts Nine
The final race on Saturday’s card here in Hong Kong will be the Grade I Harbour City Stakes, going off as the sixteenth race on the Saturday card. The Harbour City Stakes will be run over the inner turf track and will be open to all three year old horses with a total purse up for grabs of $500,000. The graded turf race will be held at a distance of a mile and a half. There have been scattered thunderstorms throughout the week here in Hong Kong, which may be the reason the Harbour City Stakes has drawn a relatively small field this year. However, despite the recent pattern of thunderstorms in the region, the bad weather is expected to clear out by this weekend and leave the track with a high probability of drying out and becoming a firm turf track at post time for the Grade I Harbour City Stakes. Despite the more recent prediction that the thunderstorms might clear out, we will be having a small field of nine horses that will be running in the race on Saturday. 2008 is the inaugural year for the Harbour City Stakes, so no matter who wins on Saturday, history will be made as the first winner of the Harbour City Stakes will be going into the books, along with the races first time record.
1. Western Insight (SAF) – ceclaim11 – Q. Dumas – 5/1
Drawing the rail in our small field of the Harbour City Stakes is this lovely South African bred colt, (Western Winter x Swain (IRE) x Dynaformer), who is currently owned and raced by Royal Belgian Kempen Farm. The bay colts dam is the stakes winning mare, Fresh Insight (IRE). The bay colt saw his last race late last month over a twelve furlong allowance caliber race where, after being held back in seventh position by his jockey, made his move in the turn and went on to win the turf marathon by half a length with a speed figure of one hundred four. The colt has never seen a race against stakes company so far in his career, but his recent allowance races since he was claimed by ceclaim11 a few months ago have been impressive and the colt will give stakes caliber races his first try for the first time in his career.
2. Galiesis (IRE) – goldsmith – C. Shinkle – 6/1
In the second slot of a nine horse field is this Irish-bred colt (Galileo (IRE) x Diesis (GB) x Cozzene), who is out of the graded race winning mare, No More Options (GB). The brown Irish colt is owned and trained by Goldsmith Stables, who is very proud of their champion colt. His last start came late last month in a ten furlong allowance caliber race in Longchamp where the colt finished second by one and one-fourth of a length, after seeming to run out of ground at the wire as he chased the leaders down from mid-pack. The race ended with the colt setting a speed figure of ninety-eight. The colt has only had one stakes start in his career, this in the eleven furlong Lombard last April in Germany. The colt finished a disappointing seventh in his first stakes start, thirteen and one-fourth of the pace of the leader. Since this race, the colt has finished no worse than second, and the connections of Galiesis (IRE) are hoping for a similar running in the Harbour City Stakes this Saturday.
3. Sky Happy (AUS) – lodog20 – W. Meeks – 6/1
Next up is this Australian-bred chestnut colt (King Of Happiness x Sky Classic x Carr De Naskra), who is out of the race-winning mare, Keep The Radio On. The three-year-old chestnut is raced by Wolf’s Den. The chestnut colt saw is last race late last month in the seven and one half furlong listed Much En La Bill Memorial in native Queensland. The colt was rated back towards the rear of the field and sent forward to challenge late in the race but only managed to attain a fourth place position when he crossed the wire with a speed figure of ninety. In addition to his races over the turf, the colt has also been somewhat successful over the dirt, placing in races over that surface but never catching the elusive win. The colt has also seen one graded start over the turf, this in the Bean Sprout Turf Cup (G2) over eight and a half furlongs where the colt finished eighth, nine and one-half lengths off the pace with a speed of ninety-three. An interesting thing of note for those possibly considering a bet on the horse from down under, he has never gone over eight and a half furlongs on the turf. Who’s to say thought, what this magnificent colt may be able to pull off.
4. Portugal The Man (IRE) – astinator – V. Ching – 8/1
Next up is this very impressive and royally bred brown colt (Sadler’s Wells x Alydar x Seattle Slew). The magnificent colt is raced by Astins Place. The tall brown colt has finished on the board in all but one of his ten career starts. His only fall from the board came in his debut race over the dirt late in the two-year-old racing season. After he found his forte over the turf, the blazing colt has finished no worse than third on the grass. His most recent race came late in May during his stakes debut, this coming during the Larry’s Shelf Memorial over twelve furlongs overseas in Upper New York. The colt convincingly won this race by a length and a half after settling just behind the pacesetters in fourth. The colt will make the jump this weekend from listed stakes to graded caliber races in the Harbour City Stakes.
5. Muggsy (AUS) – mav1761 – T. Brewer – 9/2
Breaking from the fifth slot is one of our pre-race favorites (Commands (AUS) x Peintre Celebre (IRE) x Rainbow Quest). The three-year-old bay Australian colt is proudly owned by Deadinthelane Stables. The striking bay colt had his last race early last month in the twelve furlong Seventh King Eddie Stakes (G2) in Ostend. The colt broke out of the gate in seventh and hung back until urged in the turn and then roaring forward like a rocket, winning the race effortlessly by four and one-fourth lengths and a speed figure of one hundred three. After a victory at the Grade 2 level, the colt is almost assuredly ready to take on the challenge of a Grade I race. In addition to his effortless win, the colt hasn’t finished out of the money in his last seven starts.
6. Silent Ajdal – racer – P. Kelly – 5/1
In the sixth post is this bay colt, (Sharp Humor x Gentlemen (ARG) x Ajdal), who is out of the graded placed mare, Silent Banjo (ARG). The bay Kentucky-bred colt is currently owned and raced by Tees Stables. The bay colt had his last start early last month in the twelve furlong Derby de English (G1) where the colt finished a well distanced eighth in the race, twenty-three lengths off the pace of the winner. He finished the race with a speed figure of ninety-two. However, just the race prior, the colt pulled off a two and one-half length victory in The Caribbean (G1). The bay colt has been going very well for new owner/trainer racer after his purchase of the colt from former owner paceman2 earlier in the year. With the exception of the eighth place finish in the Derby de English (G1), the colt has not finished out of the money for his new owner. With the recent stumble in the Derby de English (G1), hopefully the colt will be able to refind his form.
7. Sixty Yard Bomb (NZ) – learfan55 – F. McKenzie – 11/1
This will be the longshot of the Harbour City Stakes (Black Minnaloushe x Forty Niner x Speakerphone), who is out of the stakes placed mare Fortynineyardline. The bay three-year-old was bred in New Zealand and is raced by Dundey Acres. The colt’s last race came early last month in a ten furlong allowance caliber race overseas in Wyoming. The colt won the race easily by five and three-fourth lengths after setting just off the leader by a length before going after him in the turn. The colt won the race with a speed figure of eighty-seven. The colt has had two stakes starts to date, the Lepaca Drakon Stakes and the Total Choice Memorial, in which he earned a sixth and fifth place finish respectively. Hopefully with any luck the colt will be able to improve his performance in the Harbour City Stakes, the first graded stakes start of his racing career.
8. Wampus Cat (IRE) – snakebite – E. Lang – 9/2
In the next slot is our other pre-race co-favorite, this Irish-bred chestnut colt (Hawk Wing (IRE) x Storm Cat x Le Fabuleux), who is out of the Grade I winning and proven broodmare, Greek Storm. The Irish-bred chestnut colt had his last start late last month in the ten furlong listed Your Tadpoles Handicap where he went off the pace towards the pack of the field and gradually picked off the runners stretched out in front of him. He eventually went away with the win by two and three-fourth lengths and attained a speed figure of one hundred four. The colt has been fairly impressive, finishing out of the money in only one of this starts over the turf. This Saturday in the Harbour City Stakes will the the colts first attempt at a graded stakes race, but after his effort in the Your Tadpoles Handicap, the connections of Wampus Cat (IRE) figured it was definitely worth a shot.
9. Barb’s Cool Cat – heffbarn – D. Aldridge – 9/1
Drawing the far outside in our field of nine is this chestnut colt (Tactical Cat x Red Ransom x Chief’s Crown), who is out of the mare Barb’s Amarilys. The three-year-old chestnut last raced in early May during the listed Alyrap Roar Memorial in Tennessee. The colt finished a disappointing seven and a half lengths back in fifth in the race with a speed figure of eighty-four. Though still finishing in the money for the eight furlong turf race, the colt finished a bit off the pace of the eventual winner. Despite the recent string of fifth-place finishes, the colt has found victory in the stakes level with wins in the Turf Youngsters Special and The Beaten Ransom (GB) Special.
Sorria’s Picks
Win: Muggsy (AUS)
Place: Wampus Cat (IRE)
Show: Portugal The Man (IRE)