G1, The Very Vane: 9f for Fillies and Mares in California.

This week we are headed to California this Saturday for the running of the G1, The Very Vane.  This race is for those Fillies and Mares that are 3 years old and older.  They will travel a distance of 9 furlongs across the fast dirt track at post time.  The race as peaked the interest of twelve horses that will run in this Saturday’s race.  We have a very competitive field of horses for this race with HOF, and two time EOY Award Winner, Magical Morning going off as the favorite in the morning line.  Everything looks good and the horses are ready.  The morning line odds have been released and the post positions have been drawn.  Let us now take a look at the twelve horses that will make the start in the G1, The Very Vane.

1

BORN TO EMPRESS

KY

5F

babycolt

N Labreche

23

10

65%

$523,360

34.00

9/2

This horse drew the inside post and is a 5 year old Light Grey Mare (TAPIT x SEEKING THE GOLD x DEPUTY MINISTER) that has been running competitively for the owner.  Three starts back in the G3, The Azen Breeder’s Bowl she hit the boards in second to earn her GP badge.  She was fourth in her next G3 outing and then came her most recent start of which she would again come in fourth in the G3, Poor Mona Lisa Handicap.  The owner moves her up in class and feels like she is ready to challenge this field when they come out to represent the Midas residency.

2

ALMOST PARADISE

KY

6F

mtkdynasty

M Kelly

20

7

50%

$296,291

5.00

12/1

Next, we will see this 6 year old Light Grey Mare (CURLIN x TAPIT x DISTORTED HUMOR) that has put up two nice allowance starts in her two most recent outings.  In the slop in Kentucky, she would get a second place finish.  In her most recent start, we saw her go out in February in Kentucky going 9 furlongs in a $50700 Allowance.  She would handle this field with a gate to wire run with a 111 speed rating.  This former Listed Stakes winner is looking to step back up in class this weekend when she gets the start representing the GR Simsters.

3

AGUA FRIA STORM

KY

5F

viking

F Oxon

20

4

45%

$216,980

9.00

13/1

This is a 5 year old scratch bred Bay Mare (GUN RUNNER x SEEKING THE GOLD x STORM CAT) that the owner recently made a stable change with.  This mare must have liked the new scenery as she came out with a very nice race in her next start.  She would hit the track in Mexico and go 9 furlongs in the G3, Vogue Handicap.  The track was listed as “good” that day and she seemed not to mind.  She made a nice closing effort to get in there for a second place finish with a 112 speed rating.  She has been called upon to make this graded start on Saturday after that effort and will come out at post time representing the All-Stars Racing residency.

4

COUNTING COLD GOLD

IRE

4F

greendog

N Ambrose

13

5

62%

$177,510

2.50

23/1

Next, we have this 4 year old Chestnut Filly (LOPE DE VEGA x DEEP IMPACT x SEEKING THE GOLD) that had been doing very well last season in Allowance level races.  She was moved up in class to try some 8 furlong Listed Stakes races and that is when she started to struggle.  Last time out we saw this filly hit the track in New Mexico in the Georgia Pearl Dirt Mare Mile.  She struggled again to keep up with the pace of the race and crossed the wire in eighth with a 104 speed rating.  The owner gives his horse a big jump in class this time out and hopes to see improvement with the added furlong when they head over to their gate representing the Empire State Racing residency.

5

POINT FOR POINTS

CAN

4F

moletosis

F Duffy

11

4

64%

$157,170

14.25

16/1

Coming out next we have this 4 year old Bay Filly (POINT OF ENTRY x SEA THE STARS x UNBRIDLED) who has put up some good races in recent starts but has struggled in others.  This horse has shown versatility in that she has wins on all three surfaces.  Two starts back she got a second place finish in the Western Cancer Dirt Mare Route.  She went back out for her most recent start in Maryland to go 8.5 furlongs in the G2, MD Distaff.  She was never a factor in this race and crossed the wire well back in ninth.  She is being given another opportunity to prove herself this weekend and the owner is in hope she can put together another good race this time.  They will head out of the paddock this Saturday representing the Down Under Racing residency.

6

ICE ICE INDY

KY

5F

champions7

E Sharp

25

9

68%

$733,536

38.00

8/1

This is a 5 year old Bay Mare (KEEN ICE x A.P. INDY x DANZIG) that has had some very nice starts recently for her owner.  She has not missed hitting the boards since August of last season and she has had three wins in her three most recent starts.  But she would prove a graded contender in her most recent start in New York where she would go 8 furlongs in the G2, Wizzer Stakes.  He closed nicely after the third call from four back to come down the stretch and pick up the win with a 111 speed rating.  The owner was happy to see that win and hopes she can get her fourth win in a row this weekend when she is sent out in the post parade representing the Old School Racing Stables residency.

7

DOMESTIC TERROR

KY

4F

justasr0

T Ace

18

6

50%

$562,815

57.00

14/1

Next, we have this 4 year old Bay Filly scratch bred (JUSTIFY x SEATTLE SLEW x DANZIG) that has had a couple of hits on the boards this season.  Two starts back she would get up for the win in the G3, Boquet o’ Daisies Stakes with a nice closing effort.  She would come back out to make her most recent start here in California going 8.5 furlongs in the G2, The My Lady.  Out of the gate she found a spot in ninth and she never moved forward or backward.  She would never factor in this race with a 105 speed rating.  The owner hopes to see her rebound from her most recent race and see her show a little more effort when he sends her out at post time representing the All-Stars Racing residency.

8

HARD BIO

KY

4F

crandyiii

J Hernandez

20

5

55%

$140,358

3.50

23/1

This is a 4 year old Light Grey Filly (BIOGENIC x HARD SPUN x BROAD BRUSH) that has had her share of ups and downs.  She has made multiple attempts to get a listed stakes win, but she has come up fruitless in those efforts.  Two starts back she picked up and Allowance win going 10 furlongs in New Mexico.  She was then sent out for her most recent trip to the track in Florida to make another listed stakes attempt in the Cookie Barn Dirt Mare Route going 10 furlongs.  She looked good out of the gate but faded hard in her stretch run for the wire.  She would finish fourteenth with a 95 speed rating.  She needs to show up with a little more fire in those legs this weekend when she breaks from the gate representing the Northwest Racing Circuit residency.

9

DECISIVE DENILE

KY

6F

cbxtra7

N Gardner

14

8

79%

$1,986,890

160.00

4/1

Here we have a scratch bred 6 year old Bay Mare (PIONEEROF THE NILE x SUMMER SQUALL x ELUSIVE QUALITY) that has put up a couple of nice races in her two most recent starts.  In November of last season she would show up second in the G1, Breeders’ Bowl Distaff.  She would rest until February of this season before making her next start here in California going 9 furlongs in the G1, Original Margarita Invitational.  She ran another big race and closed down the stretch to get the win with a 119 speed rating.  With those two big races under her belt the owner is in hope she will be a big threat this Saturday when she heads out in the post parade representing the Universal Racing Club residency.

10

MAGICAL MORNING

IRE

6F

dora

J Lowich

20

15

90%

$6,393,100

192.00

5/2

Next, we will see our morning line favorite who is a 6 year old Brown Mare (SHAMARDAL x DEEP IMPACT x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY) that is a HOF and two-time EOY Award Winner with over $5 million in earnings.  She won every race of her 2021 and 2022 season while making everything look easy.  After winning the G1, Breeders’ Bowl Distaff in November she would rest and come out to make her first start of the 2023 season.  Something went wrong in this race for the Hall Of Famer when she failed to fire and ran very flat and was never a factor with a twelfth place finish and a 107 speed rating.   The owner has given his horse a nice rest in preparation for this race on Saturday and is looking for her to rebound this time out when she is sent out of the paddock representing the Empire State Racing residency.

11

SEA MY BAD BOY

KY

4F

windycity

O Osbourne

13

4

69%

$101,469

5.75

29/1

This is a 4 year old Bay Filly (CATHOLIC BOY x AWESOME AGAIN x SMART STRIKE) that has started off this season with two nice Allowance hits on the boards and both came here in California.  She is but an allowance winner, but she sparked big in her most recent start going 8.5 furlongs in a $50700 NW4L Allowance race.  From eight lengths back at the third call she hit the top of the stretch and the jockey pressured her for extra effort and she responded to pick up the win by almost two and a good looking 116 speed rating.  This horse goes off as the longest choice in the morning line, but if she can bring that 116 speed with her on Saturday, she could be a threat when he breaks from her gate representing the All-Stars Racing residency.

12

TANA LINDA

KY

4F

patluc2

M Olsen

13

6

62%

$305,135

29.50

10/1

This 4 year old Bay Filly (BERNARDINI x AWESOME AGAIN x EMPIRE MAKER) appears to be some speed in the race and she has drawn the dreaded far gate.  She has never run from further out than the #9 post position in her starts and that came in her most recent outing.  She proved a winner in that race when she went 9 furlongs in Arkansas in the G3, Poor Mona Lisa Handicap.  She ran a very close second in the early going and would nab the lead by the time of the third call.  She went on to hold her lead and get the win by a half length and a 116 speed rating.  The owner hopes she can handle this outside gate and bring with her that nice speed rating this weekend when they come out in the post parade representing the Latinos Del Mundo residency.

Good luck to all owners and horses!

Skippy’s Watch List

1-Born To Empress: Always close in her starts.  Can she get to the wire first this time?

6-Ice Ice Indy: She has three wins in a row.  Will she make it four?

9-Decisive Denile: Won a G1 on this track in most recent start.  Can she do it again?

Tarton’s Long Shot

12-Tana Linda:  This filly has been on a roll with three wins in a row and picked up a G3 win with a 116 speed rating in her most recent start.  This 10/1 choice in the morning line looks good right now and she could spoil the efforts of some of the horses at short odds in the morning line.  She could very well hit the boards in this race, and I want her on some of my exotic tickets when I head to the betting windows.  Let’s give her a little support and hope she can overcome her outside post draw.