Dancing on the Grass in Japan!
Shimko Classic Stakes
Grade II
A mile and seven sixteenths on the Firm Turf Course
$300,000
All horses, 3 years old and up
Stakes record – 2007 – Horseshoe Bay, 2:21-4/5, SPF 115.215
There is nothing like watching the marathoners on turf. They are usually late bloomers that seemingly last forever and we have a wide range of ages and experience here. The record in this race is held by one of the best long running horses this old journalist has ever seen. Who knows whether one of these ponies will become the next ‘best” thing. It ought to be a close one, so let’s take a look:
1 – SHETAN(KY) ODDS STABLE WIN% JOCKEY WIN% TOP SPEED EARNINGS RANK Twoofus Stables 6/1 CDragon 15.1% L.Fenner 164 – 20 – 8 – 25 – 12% 105.99 $ 539,980 154
( STORM CAT x FUSAICHI PEGASUS x SEATTLE SLEW out of BUCEPHALUS) A really well bred youngster here, this three year old colt has run really nicely this year but you wonder if he is really going to be happy at this distance. He appears to like something more like nine furlongs. Trainer CDragon of the TwoOfUs Stables is moving him to the grass for the first time. He’s just missed in a couple of Gradeds earlier in the year and this will be a really interesting change if it works out. Fenner is in the saddle with a double digit win percentage this year and would like to bring this guy home in first in his premier turf race.
 | 2 – SCOOBI WELLS(IRE) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robscoobie Stables | 8/1 | RobsCoobie2 | 15.2% | D.Davis | 146 – 16 – 6 – 12 – 11% | 109.7 | $ 387,195 | 183 |
( MOON BALLAD (IRE) x SADLER’S WELLS x HAWKSTER out of HAWKS WELL) 6 yr Six years old with 12 wins under his belt and this experienced guy comes in with two straight wins and the best SPF of his career. Talk about your late bloomer! Trainer and owner RobsCoobie2 has watched the resurgence of this horse with three wins this year. He has Davis in the leather and he should help guide the grizzled vet to contend in this race.
 | 3 – KING RAT(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libledlady Stables | 27/1 | LibledLady | 7.7% | M.Widell | 88 – 9 – 12 – 12 – 10% | 96.52 | $ 46,505 | 467 |
(HARLAN’S HOLIDAY x MIESQUE’S SON x NATIVE CHARGER) This four year old chestnut horse will need to bump up his SPFs a bit to contend in this race. He is still looking for his first triple digit speed figure for trainer and owner LibledLady. He has been consistent, especially this year but only has two wins to show for his 38 races. Jockey Widell is a good one but it will take a best effort by everyone to get on the board here.
 | 4 – TOURNIQUET(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Evil Empire Stables | 6/1 | Simsters6 | 23.6% | B. VanHouten | 116 – 11 – 16 – 16 – 9% | 104.35 | $ 269,295 | 253 |
( STRONG HOPE x AFFIRMED x NATIVE DANCER) It is always interesting to have an entry from the Evil Emipre Stables and this is a horse that could spoil a few plans of some of the others in the race. He has really been coming on lately with building SPFs. Trainer Simsters6 would love to see continued improvement here and watch jockey VanHouten bring home the tenth win for this four year old horse. He looks like he may be around for awhile and a win here would put him on a nice road to bigger and better things.
| 5 – NASU MOUNTAIN(IRE) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BeefCake Stables | 11/1 | BeefCake6 | 11.7% | C.Szott | 84 – 5 – 6 – 14 – 6% | 105.81 | $ 191,397 | 256 |
( ALBERTO GIACOMETTI (IRE) x MONASHEE MOUNTAIN(IRE) x KRIS S. out of MISTY MOUNTAIN) A solid career for this four year old irish bred but he has struggled in Graded races for trainer and owner BeefCake. He seems to be maturing and may turn into a turf monster yet. It will have to be while carrying around jockey Szott who has looked more like an anchor than a guide with his pedestrian 6% win percentage. That could be the biggest problem for this horse in this race.
 | 6 – BACK AGAIN(ENG) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunshine Stables | 12/1 | MadManLopo | 12.3% | A.Hudson | 279 – 14 – 36 – 32 – 5% | 104.39 | $ 285,650 | 187 |
( MEDICEAN (GB) x THEATRICAL(IRE) x UNBRIDLED out of STUNT DOUBLE) This three year old is coming into his own lately with a couple of his best races in the last two. He had a solid 104 SPF winning the COLONEL TON Stakes two back then ran a respectable fourth last time out in a Graded. Trainer MadManLopo and the Sunshine Stables have Hudson in the irons and he has struggled mightily this year and may not be a lot of help for this developing colt. That could be a drawback.
 | 7 – KIRBY’S BEST YET(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ojai Valley Stables | 3/1 | KingKirby | 19.6% | K.Ledwith | 584 – 181 – 106 – 92 – 31% | 113.84 | $ 2,917,190 | 12 |
( DYNAFORMER x FORTY NINER x KINGMAMBO) This well bred four year old is definitely the class of this field with nearly $3 million in earnings and multiple Graded wins. He started off his career with nine wins in a row including the Derby de English. He has leveled off a bit this year but still throws out those solid triple digit SPFs every race. He has one of the best jocks in the business holding the reins in his magic hands and that should be enough to get him back to the winners circle here.
 | 8 – GALACTIC BOMBER(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Next Bonus Racing | 5/1 | FocusForce | 16.9% | G.Arnold | 536 – 86 – 113 – 71 – 16% | 105.56 | $ 734,759 | 23 |
( ORIENTATE x THEATRICAL(IRE) x STORM BIRD out of SOLAR STORM) After a couple of nice runs on the dirt, trainer FocusForce and Next Bonus Racing Stables returned this four year old back to the grass for a solid if unspectacular effort last time out. It’s been a year since he’s won on the turf although he had a spectacular run the first half of his three year old campaign. He has a really nice jockey up in Arnold, but I’m afraid it is going to take more than that to live up to his morning line odds.
| 9 – TRYING(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 375Stud Stables | 9/1 | 375Stud | 13.7% | J.Babb | 120 – 7 – 18 – 10 – 6% | 105.92 | $ 187,546 | 72 |
( COZZENE x THEATRICAL(IRE) x MANILA out of SWEET SUNSHYNE) Last time out this four year old nice looking cream colored colt just missed winning his first Graded race with a solid 105 SPF. He’s been a bit up and down this year but seems to like this distance the best. Trainer and owner 375Stud would like to see more consistency but with only eleven races under his belt, he may be ready for that soon. They have Babb in the saddle and he has really been struggling this year. It would help to have a better jockey in the irons.
 | 10 – RISSOTTO | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper Stables | 4/1 | HWhisper | 14.9% | C.Roser | 439 – 55 – 67 – 51 – 13% | 108.42 | $ 330,674 | 48 |
( PALACE MUSIC x WARNING(GB) x HABITAT) This five year old roan beauty has really performed well for trainer HWhisper and the Whisper Stables since being claimed six back. He has never finished lower than fifth in three Stakes and three Graded races. He still hasn’t hit the wire first though and with solid jockey Roser in the leather, it could possibly happen for the first time since the claim. He’s had solid and improving times and may end up being an incredible steal from the claiming market.
Morning Line = 7-10-8-1-4
Paz Picks = 7-10-6-2
There are some real up and comers in this race and it should be quite interesting. I like SCOOBI WELLS to finish fourth although he may finish much better. I would feel much better if BACK AGAIN had a better jockey up but I think he has enough to finish in the top three. Besides sounding delicious, RISSOTTO looks to be a solid choice to hit the board. The best is yet to come in this race and that is KIRBY’S BEST YET who looks to be the strongest in this field and should come back the winner.
Good luck to all runners!
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