Giving Back Stakes
The New Yorker runners have had seven weeks to recover. That makes this inaugural running of the Grade I Giving Back Stakes a tempting race for the runners from that better known stakes. Four of them did enter today, including the top two finishers. That means the formidable Kissin Streetcar returns to try to repeat what was his best race at a track he seems to love.
While the overwhelming favorite will be that number-one rated colt, he did not scare off the connections of the other top colts. The Giving Back features the three top rated colts in the division. At the end of the year, Horse of the Year voters will have to look at the results of this race.
Here is a look at the field:
PP 1 SPRING BREAK(NY) (FREUD x JUMP START x DEPUTY MINISTER) bred by Toronto783, trained by laserbarn (Murray1 Stables, 16%) Odds: 8-1
His lone stakes win came at this distance on an off track. His last triple digit race was also on a wet track. He’s only been out of the money once since turning three. All that being said, this is by far the strongest field he’s ever faced, and his figures look light compared to the probable favorites.
PP 2 LISTENING(KY) (EAVESDROPPER x THEATRICAL(IRE) x GONE WEST) bred by Tigereyes, trained by foxvbullet (Nextbonus Racing, 13%) Odds: 6-1
Listening did not have a good race in the New Yorker, but preceded that race with five straight placings in graded stakes, so if he’s recovered from that last one, class shouldn’t be a problem. A wet track won’t bother him either – he’s run just as well in the slop as on fast tracks. There may be a question of distance, however. It’s tough to find an Eavesdropper with much success at long distances, and this one hasn’t been within eight lengths of the winner in wither of his two long races.
PP 3 IN HOUSE SLEW(KY) (INCLUDE x CHESTER HOUSE x
Two races back he was second in an overnight stakes against an ordinary field at today’s distance on a wet track. He was seven lengths behind Listening in the Road to the New Yorker Stakes before that. In fact in five graded starts, he hasn’t finished within ten lengths of the winner. He looks up against it here.
PP 4 SEEK THRILLS(KY) (VINDICATION x
After a win and two seconds in overnight stakes, a step up to graded stakes makes sense. Even against the big three, he has a chance to surprise. Dam was a multiple stakes winner at long distances, and Seek seems to have inherited some of that ability. He’s untested on wet tracks and at this class level, so odds of 9-1 are not particularly generous, but he’s certainly eligible to pick up a piece of this.
PP 5 WHAT AN IMPACT(JPN) (DEEP IMPACT x DEPUTY MINISTER x RAISE A NATIVE) bred and trained by jockeymax2 (Jockeymax Stables, 22%) Odds: 18-1
He ships in from
PP 6 EDGE RACER(KY) (BLUEGRASS CAT x ALYDAR x NIJINSKY II) bred and trained by seedly (
He’s two for two with big wins at the distance, but those wins came against much weaker, as he takes a huge jump in class. He goes from a four horse Puerto Rican allowance to a Grade I race against the top three rated colts. There is a school of thought that a horse won’t run fast than he needs to win, so when he was crushing fields in times that fall short of the better ones here, there’s a possibility his potential at long routes is unlimited. If you buy that, you get 22-1 odds.
PP 7 KISSIN STREETCRY(KY) (STREET CRY (IRE) x SADLER’S WELLS x GONE WEST) bred and trained by Sherwood (Dentition *No Do Claima’s* Stables, 16%) Odds: 2-1
If the year ended today, this is the Horse of the Year. He won two-thirds of the Triple Crown with a second in the Middle Jewel. In a sportsman-like move, Sherwood made him one of the first entries. It’s surprising that didn’t scare off more trainers from entering. Kissin had his best race in the New Yorker. Clearly, he’s the best horse here, and he’s had seven weeks to freshen up after the grueling Triple Crown campaign. Let’s look for why he won’t win. First of all, horses that run competitively in all three Triple Crown races usually fall off form for a few months. Secondly, we don’t know how he’ll come back from the layoff. Thirdly, in his last nine races he has won every other race, and he won his last race. That pattern says not today. Have I convinced anyone?
PP 8 THIRTY FOUR IN RED(KY) (EMPIRE MAKER x KRIS(GB) x PLEASANT COLONY) bred by bobcat, trained by michaelo (Michaelo Stables, 18%) Odds: 9-1
Lightly raced colt has had a remarkable start to his career. He broke his maiden in his second start, and then his connections patiently took him through his conditions in a four race win streak. After watching him run a close fourth in an overnight, the stable has suddenly abandoned its cautious ways with this colt and stretched him out and stepped him up in class. Dam won multiple stakes at marathon distances, so he may well enjoy the added distance. We don’t know. We also don’t know how he’ll handle the off track, as this is his first start in the slop.
PP 9 DANCE STEPS(KY) (SEEKING THE GOLD x NUREYEV x ALYDAR) bred and trained by twoofus2 (Twoofus Stables, 15%) Odds: 5-1
He made a strong bid in the New Yorker, but he was no match for Kissin Streetcry at the end. While he’s only won one of his last eight starts, that win came on an off track. Both previous times he’s found an off track, he has shown marked improvement. The early pace looks kind, and that’s just what this colt needs. He runs best when he runs with early interest. Major (and obvious) chance here.
PP 10 ROCK HARD KORN(KY) (ROCK HARD TEN x
While he finished eight lengths behind Kissin Streetcry in the New Yorker, he still ran a decent time, and he owns a Grade I win at the track at 11 furlongs. This is his first try on the slop, and he was beaten soundly by Kissin Streetcry and Dance Steps last time, so we will prefer others, but Rock Hard Ten’s get have had a lot of success at long routes, so it would be no surprise to see a big run from this colt.
Summary: It’s tough to pick against the favorite here. If there was a pick six contest, Kissin might be a single. But that’s no fun. Let’s throw him out and pick these three: Dance Steps / What an Impact / Thirty Four In Red.