Equinics Unicef 8f F&M 4&UP

— RESTRICTED
Grade I
One mile
Fast Dirt
$1,000,000
Fillies and mares, 4 years old and up

Welcome to Vermont the land of maple syrup for one of the biggest days of racing on the Sim calendar. Unbelievable cards, filled with fantastic horses, all vying to carry their residencies to glory.  The thing that makes this day even better than most is that even the coldest of hearts has to be touched by the sentiment of giving that inspires the best parts of this race day.  This 8f test of fillies and mares is called the Unicef and I am guessing that most of you know what this charity is all about.  For the few that don’t please click on the link and take a look at how many projects for kids around the world this charity is involved in. It is a remarkable organization and worthy of a donation as are ALL the charities who have been chosen for the various races here and in China. Nothing gives you a better feeling than helping someone who really needs it and that is the focus of all of the world wide initiatives that UNICEF is involved in. Feeding a hungry child has to top that next AP Indy baby or at least the next Starbucks Latte on the happiness chart so think and then act.  Now on to the race which has brought together 18 of the best older gals at a dusty mile in the whole sim.

THE FIELD

PP 1 133730 SPINNING QUEST TR inaspin JKY P Haynes ML 26/1

Representing IRELAND is this 4 year old daughter of Coronado’s Quest x Spinning World x Secretariat. She has really come into her own lately running some nice spf’s at the allowance level before throwing in a clunker in her last race a listed stakes. She only shows one race this year at the distance and while it was a nice effort, I am not sure that it will be good enough to raise the roof back on the emerald isle. She is at her best when on or near the lead so she will be a pace factor but I fear not much else.

PP 2 STAR OF THE NORTH TR snappa5 JKY V Gardner 9/1

EAAA Racing is counting on this 4 year old daughter of Seeking The Gold x Northern Dancer x Seattle Slew who is multiple graded winner and enters off a sweet score in G2 9f race last out. Her last three races have been huge steps forward for this filly and she looks ready to step up off her last effort which means trouble for all the others in this race. She has a sudden late burst that seems to be the winning move in many top level races and I expect she will be right there when stretch run begins. Won’t shock me if she is in the winners circle.

PP 3 131557 PYE ARE SQUARED TR jeffdrew JKY O Kopper 10/1

EWC sends out a lovely daughter of Viscount x Rahy x Mr P who has won her last two. The last race was a grade 3 in which she posted an eye popping 114 at 9f. Earlier this year she struggled a bit against graded company but now seems to have found her best form heading into this race. The biggest knock on her is that she has not run her best at 8f and that maybe a problem on Saturday. The 114 was also a career best so a bounce is possible. Her best runs have come while sitting right at the leaders throat latch so expect her to be right there and make a move to the lead at the halfway point. Then we will see how she responds as the Calvary arrives. Dismiss at risk

PP 4 101638 FART NO MORE TR dundey4 JKY S Gravina 14/1

Minnesota sends out the awkwardly named daughter of Brahms x Pentelicus x Bold Ruler who is making her third start since July 5th. Prior to this tough schedule she had won two allowances at the distance in top level speeds. Can she bounce back from her last effort on less than optimal rest? I am thinking she will be short for this race and this not a field to bring anything but your top effort to. At her best she likes to move steadily up from mid pack and close with a flourish, but I don’t think so on Saturday.

PP 5 122633 CLOUT TR lasthope JKY D Givins 12/1

Vermont the home town residency sends out this top notch daughter of Storm Cat x Seeking the Gold x Alydar. If the race was going to come up wet you’d have to lover chances as she is a bonafide mudder. Alas the track has come up dry and fast and that has to put a damper on the hopes of this graded winner. Even on a dry track she fits nicely with these assuming her last out was nothing more than a work for this race. Clout is a mid packer who makes a sustained run around the halfway mark so the pace should fit her but the dry track says she is not my choice.

PP 6 64388 GOLD BERNSTEIN TR meguire6th JKY M Murano 18/1

Blazing Saddles sends out this darling daughter of Bernstein x Goldminer’s Gold x Gilded time. My home residency has chosen a gal without a ton of experience at the distance (her last 8f race was in feb 07). She is talented and in good form but her best efforts don’t match with the top gals in this race. Its tough to see her do more than wave the banner proudly and settle in for the race. But don’t forget where the word upset comes from folks!!!!

PP 7 110773 CAROL OF THE BELLS TR deyoto3 JKY B Renfroe 9/1

Queensland offers us the beauteous daughter of Hennesy x Private Account x Dr Fager .

She is a millionaire with several graded wins to her credit including a sensational 116 in a g3 score last November. She has handled top company and is in excellent form entering this race. She is very consistent and likes this distance. Her best races come with a powerful late kick and I would expect to see the #7 in the thick of it at the wire. At her very best she could win this thing.

PP 8 111300 SWEET SISTER MERCY TR zwango1 JKY F Gossett 9/1

Del Penn procures the services of this sweet daughter of Kingmambo x NijinskyII x Secretariat. A legend of the sim with 2 mil plus in the cofers and the defending Breeders Bowl Distaff champ. Obviously she can handle this level and despite losing her last two she is in great shape for this race. Her March effort in the grade 1 Orange Blossom shows this lady has made no concessions to age. Her gigantic late kick will have any jockey on our near the lead late looking in the rear view mirror for her. Only traffic or running out of track will keep her from her appointed rounds in the winners circle.

PP 9 125734 INCONTATO TR  taffy JKY V Jennings 16/1 

Rash designates this beauty as their champion. This daughter of Congaree x Lost Code x Fappiano has a nice string of allowance efforts on her card. 5 or her last 6 have been at or around the career best spf of 108 and that fits in this race. What does not fit is the lack of top level competition in her prior efforts. She is well trained and may be ready for this major bump up in class but it is not what you look for when plunking hard earned dough down at the window. She will make a sustained run staring around the second call and don’t be surprised if she raises a few Goosebumps down at the Rash ranch as they approach the wire.

PP 10 131721 CRYFORMEDIXIE TR hornedfrog JKY P Cadigan 25/1

Kentucky Horsemen enter this lovely daughter of Streetcry x Dixieland Band x Turn-To. She is not at her best at the moment but on Saturday that could all change. Before being beat a combined 35 lengths in her last two she was a graded winner in late May. The issue seems to my eye to be whether she can make the lead early or not. If she does she runs big, if she doesn’t she fries and spits the bit. The pace scenario seems to fit her and she looks an overlay at 25-1 if you think she can leave the gate fastest. A loose lead could mean a big upset.

PP 11 92404 K’S FINNANCIER TR sledwith JKY R Lilbitfarm 10/1

Hispano Parlante presses the button on this muy bella daughter of Forty Niner x Seattle Slew x Buckpasser (man she will be fun to breed). The old lady at 6 years old concedes nothing to the younger gals and has a dance card full of spf’s that fit. The issue lies in the last .5 of a furlong. Her best efforts of late all come at 7.5 and her last run at a mile was not up to her standards. The pace scenario does not seem to be working in her favor as she is yet another one who hopes to mount a late charge. I think at 10-1 you could get better value but not necessarily a better horse.

PP 12 121761 BALANCE TR chloedawg JKY B Child 15/1

Northwest Racing Circuit’s chosen standard bearer is this stunning daughter of Thunder Gulch x Kris S x Forli. She has been firing off big spf’s for awhile now but her last picture was taken in April of last year. She likes to be in the wedding party but does not want to throw the flowers. Tough to pick her in field of ladies who love to win but equally hard to throw out a gal who pops off 105 plus spf’s like they nothing. At her best she could sit just off the leader and make some noise late but she won’t be on my ticket. If you leave her off your tri ticket you probably won’t cash it.

PP 13 WOETTE’S STATUE TR plstable JKY W McClendon 11/1

Benelux enters the fray with a beautiful daughter of Statue of Liberty x Kris S x Hawaii. She comes into this one off a long string of graded tries in which she has won twice. The last of those victories was in the G3 8.5f  Cubic Zirconia. In that race back in may she popped a 110 spf and that type of effort will be what it takes to win this one. She has held her own with and/or beaten many of the best in this field. She likes to be on or near the lead and the pace scenario seems to have her destined for greatness. At her best she wins this thing.

PP 14 129625 DESECRATION SMILE TR daninja JKY A Rolling 11/1

GRSimsters have anointed this fantastic daughter of  Unbridled’s Song x AP Indy x Bold Bidder. She comes in off a disappointing run for the Smackdown winners in that prime time event. The fact she represents them in this spectacle is due to her phenomenal success in the races prior. Until the last one she had stood toe to toe with the best in the division only narrowly beaten and she does have a graded win at today’s distance. She is capable of winning this race for sure but I can’t pick her off the last effort. She is a closer and will be looking to reel them all in at the wire.

PP 15 35061 EIRENE TR airtiger JKY J White 24/1

Alpine Turf Club represents with this delightful daughter of Johannesburg x Affirmed x Topsider. She is not in her best form at the moment and enters off a pair of tough losses at listed stakes level. Not a good sign in a field full of formful graded winners. She is capable of the speeds likely needed to win this one but it will require reaching back for an effort or more likely finding the best one of her career. Her best efforts have come with a long sustained charge and she could get lost in the Calvary charge. I will have to look elsewhere for my pick.

PP 16 24748 SUZYNINER TR snag JKY H McCoy 11/1  

The CR Racers have divined this scintillating daughter of Forty Niner x Danzig x Nijinsky II as their entry. She is in fine form speed wise but has not won since April although she just missed at the wire in the Cubic Zirconia. She fits this race and has the talent to win it if it falls her way. She is in the midst of the best string of races of her career and could be poised to run her best race ever. She likes to be off the lead a few lengths and that could put her right at the front of the wave of rear runners coming from further back. Her style and form make her a candidate to be the choice.

PP 17 76922 MACH RED TR troync5 JKY B F Abman 22/1

Great Plains selection committee of one sends forth this high flying daughter of Red Ransom x Machiavellian x Hoist The Flag. Her latest speed figs are lower than the best in this field and her prior wins have come against softer company. That said she is extremely talented and has the speed to be a big player here. I’d like her chance better with moisture but that ain’t happening. The pace scenario will be to her liking as she will likely find herself right off the leaders. She has a lot going for her but too much against her so I will look elsewhere.

PP 18 111496 BOODHA TR boolucas JKY N Lawton 16/1

Ohio sends their charge to the outside post. This super fine daughter of Buddha x Belong to Me x What a Pleasure has a G1 win on her dance card two back and a clunker in her last. She wants to wire this field and will likely have a few others who have the same notion, so a mini race within the race will be waged early and the winner of that one will likely be right there at the end of the big picture race. I wonder when the last time N Lawton climbed onto a 16-1 shot. She loves this distance and has the speed and power to make it to the finish if she can get out front early.

THE PICK

It is a wide open and balanced field of top older gals and picking a winner here is awfully tough but they ain’t paying me 5 bucks for 4 hours of pontificating to not give you my selection. I am going way out on a limb here and choosing the daughter of Statue of Liberty from an open mare. Woette’s Statue will likely have the best of both worlds from a pace scenario. She will have a hot speed duel in front of her and perhaps a traffic jam of closers behind her. They say pace makes a race and I say it makes Woette’s Statue a winner.