14 Line up for the Blonde & Freckled

Blonde And Freckled Handicap
Grade III
Seven furlongs
Good Turf
$125,000
Fillies and mares, 3 years old

Today’s Grade 3 event sees a pretty good field of fillies line up for a 7 furlong dash. This prestiges event has a history dating back to 2000 and was first run in week 767.

Here’s how they line up:

Race Record: 16 5/4/3 $499,500

Breeding: IVAN DENISOVICH X THEATRICAL X ALYDAR

This filly has only ever raced in Stakes races except on one occasion at her first start when she competed in an owner restricted MSW special in a field of 20. Had a great 2 year old season with wins in The Bizalls Challenge and Hooves of Thunder Memorial followed up by a fantastic second in The Grade 1 Fausters Juvenile Cup when beaten a half length after making up a heap of ground in the straight. She was third in The World Cup Juvenile Filly Turf Sprint and rounded off her 2 year old campaign with two good Stakes wins. Started off her 3 year old season with good placings in The Grade 2 Whodini Shootout and Grade 2 Vermont is for Lovers then produced a sizzling burst of speed to win The Our Star Jill Stakes. Yet to win at Graded level but has won 5 Stakes races and has been placed in Graded races on 5 occasions. Knocking on the door in this class and definitely has bright prospects in this event.

Race Record: 13 3/2/2 $142,010

Breeding: DUBAWI X DALIAPOUR X RAINBOW QUEST

Fairly lightly raced filly for a May bred 2 year old with 13 lifetime starts to date. Showed potential at her first race start when successful in her MSW at Epsom posting a handy 75SF and beating a full field of 14. Followed that up with a second in The Storm West Handicap and a good third in The Treasure Got Ripped Off Stakes when tried to lead all the way and only got run down in the closing stages posting a 79SF. Two starts later led all the way in The Mammoth Jess Special however in her next seven starts had only managed one show, 3^rd in The Miss Adventure Stakes in December 07. Recent runs have been fair without setting the world on fire but if she can recapture some of her two year old form she can certainly give this a shake.

Race Record: 15 7/3/2 $369,130

Breeding: GONE WEST X DANZIG X STORM CAT

Started out her career on the dirt and had some success winning her MSW and running fourth in a Stakes race. Made the switch to turf and showed a little improvement but it wasn’t until her 8^th start when she started to hit her straps. Won the Star of Gold Memorial and The Arc Elocat Special consecutively, then ran a nice 4^th in The Vermont is for Lovers followed by a 2^nd in The Silent Steer Challenge and a ALWNW2t victory. Her last three runs have been her best as indicated by a win in The Sadler’s Unbridled Challenge, then 2^nd in The All Star Honor Memorial and an impressive win in The Grade 2 Cooked Cabbage Cup when leading all the way. Likes the 7F of today’s race and is racing in career best form so must be rated highly.

Race Record: 10 3/1/1 $97,865

Breeding: MILWAUKEE BREW X CONQUISTADOR CIELO X NORTHERN DANCER

Just three wins to date for this filly and she is facing a stiff class rise today that may see her struggle. Started out her career on the dirt with limited success then after three starts made the switch to turf and it immediately paid off with a win in a MSW at Ascot. Followed that up with a couple of placings and a win at ALW level then improved to take out The Desert The Kings Stakes. Last run was beaten 4 ¾ lengths into 5^th in an ALWNW4L posting a career high 92SF. Will need to find an extra leg to trouble some of these.

Race Record: 14 6/4/1 $267,490

Breeding: ORIENTATE X CAPOTE X MR. PROSPECTOR

This filly made her debut run on the sloppy dirt at Georgia and won her MSW posting a 70SF on debut. Was switched to turf and took out The Alybaby North Special and The Crooked Carson Special impressively. At her next start went out to tackle the big girls and wasn’t disgraced in The World Cup Juvenile Filly Turf Sprint, finishing 9^th beaten 4 ½ lengths. Rounded out a successful 2 year old campaign with wins in The Foo Fighter Challenge and The Pharhaz Ruckus challenge, the latter running away and posting a brilliant 94 SF, not bad for a 2 year old. Has had 8 starts so far as a 3 year old for 1 win 4 seconds and a third, best of those being a close up second in the EAAA Inter Residency Challenge and a win in The Our Knee Stakes. She has obvious ability but maybe hasn’t lived up to that excellent 2 year old form as yet, in saying that she has run some nice races in top company. At her best she will give this a shake.

Race Record: 13 8/1/0 $527,050

Breeding: DANEHILL DANCER X STORM CAT X SADLER’S WELLS

Started out her with a bang winning her first five and six of her first seven starts. Won her MSW at first try then went through the ALW ranks efficiently and on to The Summer Mill Bonanza which she won impressively by 3 ¼ lengths posting a 91SF. Run fifth in The Silver Spoon Juvenile on an off track then was sent out at good odds in The Grade 1 Dancing Blade Handicap and won by a length posting a 91SF. The beginning of her 3 year old career saw take on Grade 3 company and didn’t disappoint with a win in The Triangular Star Stakes posting a career high 94SF. Trainer lenny4 tried a bit more ground with this filly at her next 2 runs but this resulted in fairly disappointing unplaced runs and when the switch was made back to a sprinting distance she appreciated the trip and won The Nine Tater Handicap. Two starts ago was a great run in The Grade 1 Thousand Guineas when made up good ground for fifth posting a 100SF for the 8F. Has mixed it with the best and knows what to expect and must be rated a top chance to get her picture taken here today.

Race Record: 16 5/3/0 $564,660

Breeding: FLOWER ALLEY X INDIAN RIDGE X SHIRLEY HEIGHTS

Showed signs of being a world beater as a 2 year old winning her first five starts including The Grade 3 Fast Lane Stakes, The Grade 3 Sprinklers Are Broke Again Stakes and The Grade 1 World Cup Juvenile Filly Turf Mile. Surprisingly she hasn’t won a race since then but has posted placings in three Stakes Races and was close up at Smackdown and last time in The Grade 2 Roberto Clemente Handicap. Those last two starts she has posted career high SF’s of 104 and 105 respectively and looks to be getting back to that brilliant 2 year old form of last year. She has come up at odds of 5/1 today which I believe may be a little bit of unders but as mentioned her last two have produced career best speeds and it would be no surprise to see her in the firing line today.

Race Record: 8 5/1/1 $152,836

Breeding: DANSILI X EL CORREDOR X LYPHARD

Just eight lifetime starts for this filly and she has yet to be tested in Graded Stakes races. Won her MSW at first asking at Indiana back in January and then had a couple of ordinary runs before making her way through two Allowances. Tackled Stakes Races in The Sal Pulpit Stakes and won by a nose posting a 98SF and followed that up with a second in The Ice Queen Stakes. Last start was in The a lot Until Bar Stakes when she won well in a field of four posting a SF of 94 for the 7F. Facing a class rise here today and will need to find a few lengths to trouble some of these.

Race Record: 15 4/3/2 $220,125

Breeding: ANABAA X LEAR FAN X HABITAT

This girls a three time Stakes winner and looks to be improving a bit of late. Won her first start back in April last year in a MSW posting a 71SF then took another seven runs to win again when taking out The Pleasant Well Stakes over 5.5F. Found some consistency with seconds at her next two, then won The Jack Dancer Challenge over 6.5 posting a 92SF. Two starts later had another Stakes win in The Stiff Word Stakes and her next two starts were good close up runs in The Grade 3 Kaz Hayashi Sprint Cup and The Grade 3 Barrier Reef Stakes, the latter beaten 2 ½ lengths in a field of eleven on the good turf over 7F. Improving type who may be a place chance at odds.

Race Record: 14 6/1/2 $178,855

Breeding: MR. GREELY X GENEROUS X SADLER’S WELLS

Here we have a filly that is coming off a good win in The Society’s Pye Bonanza where she posted a personal best SF of 101 over today’s distance of 7F. Two wins and a second from three starts as a 2 year old showed trainer dowelly that this girl had obvious ability. Her 3 year old season has produced three wins from eleven starts but it appears as though she is ready to step up a gear and mix it with these. Five back won The Kiss In The Wind Memorial her following two starts were pretty ordinary and she was immediately sent out to the paddock for an eight week rest. It paid dividends as she returned with a good 4^th in The Sky Tune Stakes when making good late ground and followed that with a good win in The Society’s Pye Bonanza, scoring by a length and ¾ posting a 101SF. Hitting her straps of late and is one to watch at odds.

Race Record: 15 7/2/1 $242,788

Breeding: CAT THIEF X UNBRIDLED’S SONG X SUMMER SQUALL

Well this filly has 15 starts with eight of them on the dirt and the other 7 on the turf. Had some good wins on the dirt and won three of her first six including wins in The Endless Nana Special and The Dancer Hannah Stakes. Switched to the turf following two inglorious runs at Grade 2 level and showed her liking for it winning three in a row including The Ransom Smuggle Challenge. Her next three runs were unplaced but at her last outing impressively won The Lil Ability CB Bonanza by 2 ¼ lengths posting a 93SF. Is competitive at Stakes level but with a top SF of 95 it would appear she needs to improve on that significantly here to pose a threat.

Race Record: 13 5/2/2 $231,450

Breeding: GHOSTZAPPER X EVENT OF THE YEAR X WOODMAN

Pretty impressive filly who comes in to this as a Graded winner and looks well placed at today’s conditions. Another who started out life on the dirt, three races resulted in two seconds and a fifth before the switch to the grass was made. The switch was successful as she won her next three including The Bounded Shin Challenge by 2 ½ lengths posting an 89SF. Three starts later won The Wooden Ninja Special over 7.5F posting a 101SF then stepped up to Grade 3 class when taking out The Latonia Special. Had a pretty ordinary run at her next start but made amends with a game third in The Grade 2 Niedermeyer Cup over 7.5F at Queensland. Graded winner who loves the 7 furlongs and as she is capable of 100+ SF’s, she must be rated amongst the winning chances here.

Race Record: 15 3/3/1 $474,230

Breeding: CAME HOME X MACHIAVELLIAN X STORM BIRD

Very interesting runner here making her turf debut after a pretty successful career on dirt. It’s clear that trainer gg had a high opinion of this filly at an early age and with good reason, she won her MSW in fine style and two starts later won The Swampy Mill Stakes posting an 80SF. Three starts later was a huge run to take out The Grade 3 Walnut Tree Stakes by 3 lengths posting a brilliant 95SF for the 8F 2 year old event. Disappointed slightly in The Breeders Bowl Juvenile but made up for it with a game second in The Grade 1 Mother Story Handicap when posted an incredible 96SF. Hasn’t won as a three year old but six of her seven three year old runs have been in Grade 1’s and she has been close up in a few of them. It will certainly be interesting to see how she handles the turf here today, her sire CAME HOME has thrown predominately dirt runners but as we know in this delightful world of sim racing anything can happen. If she handles it she will be very hard to beat.

Race Record: 11 5/2/2 $311,546

Breeding: PIVOTAL X SADLER’S WELLS X DANEHILL

Sparingly raced three year old filly, she has run some nice races against top company and looks to capitalize on the return to a sprint trip here today. Started out in life winning five of her first six race starts including wins in The Jello Hana Handicap, The Dallas Bone Special, The Grade 3 Moony Stakes and The Demon Shannon Challenge. Her three year old campaign is yet to yield a victory but she has placed second in The Grade 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes over 8F posting a career high 102 SF. Disappointed a bit last time out in The Grade 2 Pioneer Boulevard Cup but I think she will appreciate the return to 7F here today and should be rated amongst the winning chances.

In summary:

I’m going with VERY SCARY to win quality filly who looks well placed in this. BELLY DANCE for second at odds of 14/1, I think she can improve again here and should get her picture taken, and for third I’ll go with MEAN GIRL, untried on the turf which is a worry but if she handles she will be right up there.

Good luck to all connections!!!