Sword Swallower Stakes

The highlight race this weekend in New York will be the Sword Swallower Stakes (G1) to be run over a mile and a half over the turf. The Grade I race is offering up a total purse of $750,000 and will be open to three-year-olds and up. Post time is set for 3:00 PM EST on Saturday and it looks like we will have perfect weather for start time, with the track to be listed as firm. The race this year has attracted a total of nine horses. Let’s take a look at this years’ contenders. 

1. Better Be Great (ENG) – golfteam7 – J. Wilson – 6/1 

Going into the inside post on Saturday, this five-year-old gelding by top sire Frankel, is seeking his first Grade I win. He recently returned to graded company after a step down in class to the listed level. The most recent start for the bay gelding was in Illinois last June in The Stars And Bars (G3), also over a mile and a hlaf. The gelding was placed fourth in the short field out of the gate, and stalked this position until midway through the race when he was asked to challenge the leaders. He went on to win the race by two and a half lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred eighteen, which was a lifetime best speed figure. The gelding had listed started at the graded level in 2021 during the Northern Beer Cap (G3), where he finished eleventh late in his three-year-old season. Between then and now, he has been a successful competitor over both the dirt and turf at the listed level.  

2. Purple Red (ENG) – tees61 – M. Zeus – 6/1 

Next up we have a five-year-old horse who is close to hitting the million-dollar mark in career earnings. The bay horse is by Dubawi (IRE) and out of the million-dollar earning broodmare Roseberry. The most recent start for the horse was in New Jersey last June during the United Countries Handicap (G1) over a mile and three-eighths. The horse was held just off the pace of a couple of front-running contenders in third. Midway the horse was asked to make his move, gained some ground, but was caught up in the storm of late closers to cross the wire third, setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. The most recent win for the horse came in this very race last year. He sat off the pace for nearly all the race before making his move in the stretch to win by half a length.  

3. Tzinghalis – babysitter274 – E. Cerda – 7/2 

In the third slot we have this five-year-old gelding who most recently started here in New York during the Man Of War Stakes (G1) over a mile and three-eighths. The gelding, who is the first horse to go to the gate having already surpassed the million-dollar mark in lifetime earnings in this race, settled into the middle of the pack in sixth out of the gate. Midway through he was asked to make his move and rallied to cross the wire in third, setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. The most recent win for the gelding was in December of last year during The Los Angels Turf Cup (G1) where he ran a very similar race in style, though going on to win by three lengths.  

4. Takavacho (IRE) – viperfive – L. Radzinski – 5/1 

Shipping in from the other coast for this race, this four-year-old gelding is nearing the three-million dollar mark in lifetime earnings. The bay gelding most recently started in the Dawn To Dusk Cup (G2) in California over a mile and a half. Held towards the back of the short field in seventh, the gelding started to make his move halfway through the race and got up to finish second, setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. The most recent win for the gelding was in his prior start, The Grand Brazilian (G1) over a mile and a half. Run in much a similar fashion as his race that would follow in California, he would rally late to win by two and a half lengths.  

5. Charitable Gesture (IRE) – ozzybred1 – K. Ledwith – 6/1 

Making another attempt in his quest for a Grade I victory, this Irish-bred five-year-old made his most recent start here in New York during the NY Island Cap over a mile and one quarter. The horse settled towards the middle of the field in sixth out of the gate, making his move midway through the race. The horse would cross the wire in second, setting a speed figure of one hundred seventeen. The most recent win for the horse was this past January in California during the Marcos Footwear Handicap (G2) at a mile and a quarter. Ran in a very similar fashion, the horse would win this race by two and a quarter lengthrs.  

6. King Kam Galileo (IRE) – elkstables0 – T. Small – 8/1 

Working our way towards the back half of the field, we have this five-year-old horse going into the sixth post. The Irish-bred bay horse is by the late Galileo (IRE) and out of the Hall of Fame winning broodmare Queen Kam. The most recent start for the horse came overseas in England during The Gold Glass (G1) over two miles. The horse was sent out fast out of the gate and settled just off the pace in second, but he would fall back in the stretch as the closers caught up, ultimately finishing third while setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. He would win his prior start, which was in The Spring Cup (G1) in Japan, also over two miles. He was held back in third at the start of this race, started to make his move at the halfway point of the race, and went on to win by three and a half furlongs. 

7. Balon D’Or – applefarms7 – F. Gossett – 9/1 

Returning to graded company this weekend, this four-year-old chestnut gelding most recently started in a listed stakes in Louisiana over a mile and half. The colt faced a relatively short field and was held off the pace in fifth at the break. He quickly started picking up other runners in his bid for the front, which he had clinched by the time the field entered the stretch. The gelding won the race by two and three-quarter lengths and set a speed figure of one hundred fifteen, which is a lifetime best for the gelding. Prior to this the gelding also won a Local Championship Stakes over the same distance in Kentucky. The gelding has only made one prior graded start, which came before being gelded in January when he started in the Buck Dharma Handicap (G2) and finished eleventh. 

8. Distorted Funnies – asrdistorted0 – D. Givins – 6/1 

Racing most of his career on the dirt, this five-year-old horse will be taking to the turf once again for the race this weekend. The most recent start for the son of Distorted Humor was overseas in England during The Coronation Pilsner (G1) over a mile and a half. The horse was sent straight to the lead in the race, but would start to lose ground midway through the race, though he would hold on to finish on the board in third. The horse would set a speed figure of one hundred eleven for this race. The most recent win for the horse was this past February, also on the turf, during the San Francisco Captain Handicap (G1), held over a mile and a half. The horse was held just off the front-runner in second early on at the start of this race, overtaking the lead at the halfway point, and ultimately went on to win by two and three-quarters.  

9. Brazilian Bomb (BRZ) – bargainhow – C. Wyatt – 7/1 

The final horse to go into the gate on Saturday, this Brazilian-bred five-year-old gelding is by Alpha and will be looking for his first Grade I win this weekend after coming close in his most recent start. This start came in England during The Coronation Pilsner (G1) at a mile and a half. The gelding was sent out of the gate to settle into second. By the midway point the gelding had overtaken the front runners and was leading by two and a quarter, only to be surpassed in the stretch to cross the wire second, losing by a head at the wire. The gelding set a speed figure of one hundred eighteen for the race. His most recent win was against graded company in the CEO Classic (G1) over a mile and a half in Kentucky. Again, the gelding was sent off out of the gate in second, though gained the lead much earlier in the race, going on to win by three lengths and set a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred twenty-two.  

Flrancho’s Picks: 

Win: Purple Red (ENG) 

Place: Brazilian Bomb (BRZ) 

Show: Tzinghalis