Say hello to a new G1 winner in the Farewell to CryptoZot
It’s a midsummer event with a small purse run in Texas of all places yet still garners quite a bit of interest at the entry box and on the sim message board. Did Rock63 foresee the attention that the Farewell to CryptoZot Stakes would draw way back when his legendary horse retired?
CryptoZot was campaigned by Rock63 to 5 stakes wins, one of which was a G2. But what makes this horse standout, and what earned him his place in sim history, is his incredible longevity on the track. CryptoZot is believed to be the very first sim horse to reach 100 starts. In CryptoZot’s memory, we have a Grade 1 run at 10f on the dirt that will always standout on a horse’s past performances page.
The most notable part of the entry on the PPs is the prize money awarded. In an era of simflation and with million-dolar purses common place, the Farewell features the smallest purse for any stakes in the sim, and indeed has a purse level that I believe is lower than all open allowances. At just $7600, there are questions raised annually about it. Until now, there has not been a public statement made by sim management about why the race has that dollar value.
“The reason it was carded so cheap,” says Billgulch, is “it brought attention to the fact he was retiring. And it’s worked.”
There you go folks. The mystery is solved.
And now onto the field for the seventh annual Farewell to CryptoZot Stakes:
The lucky rail horse is Thoroughfare, running for the avalanche3 barn (aka Squirrel, aka yours truly). At 4, the Ghostzapper colt has finally figured out how to run fast. It only took 18 races to break the 110 barrier. He had been a vast disappointment until some of the chatroom regulars suggested a jockey settings change. Based on that last race where he won a 10f stake by 2 with a 112, it appears to have worked. But that was a big change from previous efforts, amd I looking at a bounce? 11-1.
Stall 2 features King Of The Wind, running for the Topicount4 stable (aka Topicount). The 6yo son of Deputy Minister was hot last year, winning the CA Classic by a healthy 3 lengths. He also notched a third in the Movieland Shiny, and had some assorted other placings in in big stuff. This year the King started out slowish, his best SP a 111 for sixth in the California Handicap. He’s picked it up the last couple starts however, most recently running a nice second in a listed stake at 10. That was second to Thoroughfare, however. 7-1.
#3 horse Student of Eros has mostly been playing in the long route division lately, placing in a couple of stakes at 11 and 12. The Jbfarms (aka Knightmare) trainee, is a stakes winner at 10 and has been running some respectable SPs lately. The Dixie Union 4yo failed in his two attempts at graded company, but perhaps he will find an easier time of it here. 7-1.
Field favorite (7-2) Mambo Bones has been running some good high numbers the last year or so, and it’s paid off with some really nice performances. He beat Iron Bock in a G3 last December, and posted seconds in The California Handicap behind Gracepointe Prayer the Oaktree Handicap just ahead of the legendary Fly For Buda. A solid closing fifth in the Movieland sets Jrogue’s 6yo son of Kingmambo up nicely for this race.
Tsunami363’s Champion West really doesn’t live up to her grandiose name. As part of the G1 BP Brigade, the 8yo Alysheba mare has zero chance at a win, but she will take home a 10BP consolation prize for her entry. All but one of her seven wins have been at a flat mile, and she’s just not fast enough to do more than jog the track. 99-1.
If You Dare (bigmoose3 stable aka Squirrel) grabbed second in the G3 Jerzey City in June off a 10-week layoff while untrained. He enters this one off a 7-week rest while untrained. Stakes winner at 10f while a 3yo, and thrice graded-placed at 9, so this isn’t the huge stretch it could be. Then again, a horse that hasn’t won in 11 months is not my idea of a star. Touch Gold 4yo is hit or miss. 20-1.
Right next to If You Dare in the starting gate is Taxi Driver (bigmoose2 stable aka Squirrel). He’s been playing on the grass in allowance company lately, but I still have hopes for the 4yo Ghostzapper colt. From a second behind Awesome Force in the Movieland Futurity to a second behind Malachi Constant in the Bob Woodward, running fast but not fast enough when it matters has been the story of Taxi Driver’s life. This race might be too long for him, but his only try at 10 on a fast track was in the Bluegrass Derby last year where he sustained injury. Might as well try, try again. 17-1.
Running for the Mklove stable (aka Mtk76) is Sky High Chateau, who was claimed by his present owner for $25k last year. The Sky Mesa 5yo was second in the GR Simsters Classic last fall on a mud track, his only stakes placing lifetime but the 108SP was top notch. Chateau is a frontrunner who just might catch an easy lead with some luck. Whether he can sustain it against very good closers remains to be seen. 15-1.
Kepler Cro Cor C makes his first start out of the long route division in well over a year. The Marianus (aka Marre) trainee last won in February in an 11f stake, but since then his stakes placings have been at 12 and longer. The 4yo Crafty Prospector colt has actually never gone 10f, so this will be an interesting experiment for Cro Cor C. I like his ability to stalk or lead, and suspect he’ll find 10f an enjoyable distance. 14-1.
Bulletday9’s (aka Gatetowire) Vindication colt Vengence enters off a nice second in the Iowa Cornhusker BB Classic. That 9f race was his longest start ever, so moving up to 10 raises questions. The 4yo is a stakes winner, albeit at a mile, and that Iowa race proves he can handle good competition. Considering it was his first start off a seven-month layoff, this race could and quite possibly should be huge. 16-1.
Ahh, Malachi Constant. Ih8u’s (aka Kaif) star 5yo was third in this race last year behind Gracepointe Prayer and Exciting Moment. He’s flashed moments of brilliance, taking the Bob Woodward last year and placing in the California Handicap and Movieland Shiny this year. The son of Cozzene is a very good bet at 10f, and given his impressive effort last out I really like him here as the “now” horse. 5-1.
Empty River has been on a short break after winning the 9f Brooke Lynn in early June. The 4yo Point Given colt runs for the Minnslew stable, owned by Timmn. This will be his second appearance at 10f. The first was resulted in a second in an allowance with a respectable 105SP. So far the River looks a better 8-9f horse, but hey, he’s on something of a host streak SP-wise and deserves a chance to make it two grades in a row. 6-1.
From unlucky post 13 breaks Mr Awesome (Bigmoose2 stable aka Squirrel). The 4yo Awesome Again colt has not quite lived up to his name. Sure, he’s got some speed, and sure, his best SP was earned at 10f. However, with only 3 wins to his name, all in allowance company and none at 10, this may qualify as one of my dumber stakes entries. 13-1.
The final entrant is Phantom Punch, owned by the Dreamon stable (aka Richgins). Like some of his fellow runners, Phantom has been mostly competing in the long route division, though arguably the 5yo has been the most successful of that group. A son of Two Punch, Phantom is a stakes winner at 10f though he hasn’t run that short in nearly a year and a half. With only one start in graded company it’s difficult to predict how he’ll do but the dropdown to 10 might be just what Phantom needs to pick up his fifth win of the year. 8-1.
That’s your field for the G1 Farewell To CryptoZot Stakes. Malachi Constant is the current best of the field, though Mambo Bones is no slouch. Vengence’s second-off layoff angle intrigues me, and you have to like King Of the Wind for his classy background. A wide open field, once you toss my quartet and the lone mare.