Grade III – Violin Mile

Violin Mile
Grade III
One mile
Firm Turf
$150,000
All horses, 3 years old and up

We have 14 runners lining up for this competitive Grade III race over the classic mile course.  The runners are:

THE HEDONIST(GB)

Trainer: super15

(Powerscourt (GB) x Miswaki x Private Account)

Odds:  14/1                 Earnings: 254,915                  Runs/Wins: 25/5

Stable Group: More Evil Than The Evil Empire!

Turf Classic Rank : 470

Stakes Wins : 2006    Gift Wrapped Just For You Stakes (Italy)

A 4yo horse based on a B class horse (Harvester Of Eyes) and bred by afc2. Despite winning a stakes race as a 2yo this chap has struggled to repeat that performance in later years.  In fairness he hasn’t been entered in too many stakes races of late despite putting up some pretty good allowance runs and his form has looked so good in his last three races that this big step up is more than warranted.  He went seriously wrong back in March but seems to have recovered nicely and I would expect him to put up a pretty good showing in this one although.

JUDAS

Trainer: zwylde

(Green Desert x Lear Fan x Vice Regent)

Odds:  11/1                 Earnings: 498,126                  Runs/Wins: 20/7

Stable Group: Black Label Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 55

Stakes Wins : 2008    G3-Royal Calm Stakes (Florida)

                        2007    G2-Jockey Club Classic (Sweden)      

                                    The L’Rods River(IRE) Memorial (Texas)

A 4yo scratch bred horse. A very fast graded winning horse who comes here on the back of a disappointing G1 race last time out, where he was comfortably beaten by K’s Intense(IRE) and finished well down the field. He did however get a great second place just before that in which he beat today’s favourite, Otto Vasher, by a very wide margin,  though he will need to be at his very best to repeat that performance.  Good place odds for a horse who finds it hard to find wining spots at this level.

BELISARIUS(KY)

Trainer: spqr3rd

(Afleet Alex x Storm Cat x Seattle Slew)

Odds:  5/1                   Earnings: 199,392                  Runs/Wins: 18/5

Stable Group: SPQR Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 180

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Slew In The Tires Memorial (New Jersey)

A 4yo horse bred from an F class mare.  He ran away with his last race with a personal best SP# so is in great form just now, and it was the culmination of a very consistent set of performances this year.  You have to feel that he’s got a number of stakes wins to come if he can maintain his current work rate, and though he had an easy win over Scythian(KY) earlier this year, he has a mixed record against Another Hopeful(IRE), so he’ll maybe have to settle for a minor placing in this dynamite field. 

SAKHEE BOMB

Trainer: pullaway

(Sakhee x Caerleon x San Feliou(FR))

Odds:  16/1                 Earnings: 325,729                  Runs/Wins: 36/11

Stable Group: Gatetowire Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 199

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Commander Mammoth Bonanza (Portugal)

                        2005    The Mystery Of Coda(NZ) Challenge (Victoria)

A 7yo horse based on an A class horse (Dialing En La Sob).  He hasn’t got as many races under his belt due to fairly light racing in 2006 and 2007, otherwise I’m sure he would have scored a few more stakes race successes.  He did manage to gain his first one in three years last time out but overall I don’t think he’s quite got the legs to trouble the more fancied runners in this field.

SCYTHIAN(KY)

Trainer: imatiger2

(Sky Classic x Seattle Slew x Track Barron)

Odds:  8/1                   Earnings: 232,821                  Runs/Wins: 22/5

Stable Group: Delta Tiger

Turf Classic Rank : 76

Stakes Wins :             2008    The Starting For Star Handicap (South Korea)

A 4yo horse bred from a G class mare.  He’s had a very consistent 2008 so far with only one race that could be considered a failure, but his trainer would probably like to see a few more wins in his record.  He’s been 2^nd in his last three races but would do very well to capture that here as he not only has a very hot favourite to contend who beat him in his last race, but he also finished well behind Belisarius(KY) when they met earlier this year.  Not without place chances but it could be hard.

SKIDMORE DAMPER

Trainer: jrogue

(Sadler’s Wells x Affirmed x Pleasant Colony)

Odds:  17/1                 Earnings: 143,905                  Runs/Wins: 23/3

Stable Group: Jrogue Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 412

Stakes Wins : N/A

A 5yo horse bred from a B class mare (Pleasant Damper). His only stakes runs have been in his last three races and this big step up in class could prove to be a big problem for him.  Was well off the pace when beaten by Sakhee Bomb a couple of races back and will need to keep much closer order if he has any hope of featuring here.

K’S INTENSE(IRE)

Trainer: ledwith2

(Shamardal x Sadler’s Wells x A.P. Indy)

Odds:  12/1                 Earnings: 595,096                  Runs/Wins: 21/7

Stable Group: Pompeya Thoroughbred Racing Corporation

Turf Classic Rank : 69

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Burden Revel Stakes (N. Florida)

A 4yo scratch bred horse bred by Ophipps.  Put in a star performance in his last race and finished 2^nd  in a G1 so his confidence will be pretty high just now, especially as he easily finished in front of Judas(ENG).  He probably hasn’t got anything like enough speed to catch the favourite but should be treated with caution by the others.

CAN’T SIT STILL

Trainer: acote4

(Proud Citizen x Alphabet Soup x Gate Dancer)

Odds:  28/1                 Earnings: 201,869                  Runs/Wins: 33/6

Stable Group: Pilgrim Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 962

Stakes Wins : N/A

A 5yo scratch bred horse.  A steady allowance runner who has never quite made the grade at stakes level and who looks to be coming to the end of a hard racing career after a few very disappointing results.  I doubt we’ll see much of him in the race and he certainly wont trouble the more fancied runners.

SKYZAPPER(KY)

Trainer: runpastem9

(Ghostzapper x Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector)

Odds:  26/1                 Earnings: 58,181                    Runs/Wins: 12/4

Stable Group: Gatetowire Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 682

Stakes Wins : N/A

A 4yo colt bred from a 4yo mare.  A late starter who only begun racing as a 4yo this year where he has looked capable enough without achieving too much so far.  A big step up in class for him but it could be a valuable learning experience.

OTTO VASHER

Trainer: baracoon

(Seeking The Gold x Unfuwain x Darshaan(ENG))

Odds:  7/2                   Earnings: 2,037,474               Runs/Wins: 33/17

Stable Group: Pierchinski Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 7

Stakes Wins : 2008    G2-Fried Rice Mile (Japan)

                                    G2-The Queen Sam (Ascot)

                                    The Furiously Believe Stakes (Ireland)

                                    G1-Sydney Mile (New South Wales)

                                    G3-Tally Ho Mile (Maryland)

                                    The Lil Bass Challenge (Upper New York)

                                    The Mister Poet(GB) Challenge (Nebraska)

                        2007    The Montjeu’s Revenge(IRE) Bonanza (Arizona)

                                    The lazy Sunday Special (Texas)

                                    The Sir Fake(SAF) Challenge (Texas)

                                    G2-Everclear handicap (Spain)

                                    The Pecking With Roo Memorial (Ostend)

                                    The Western Academy Special (Longchamp)

A 6yo scratch bred horse.  You can imagine all the other trainers groaning on seeing this monsters name on the start list for this race and working out just how much second place pays!  Another success here and his trainer may start dreaming of ‘horse of the year’ status.  However there was just one major glitch a couple of races ago in the Smackdown restricted stakes when inexplicably he failed to fire completely, losing to Judas(ENG) amongst others,  so there is a ray of hope for the others, but will lightening strike twice? 

ANOTHER HOPEFUL(IRE)

Trainer: llama

(Black Sam Bellamy (IRE) x Herat x French Deputy)

Odds:  9/1                   Earnings: 230,996                  Runs/Wins: 19/5

Stable Group: Queensland Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 161

Stakes Wins : 2007    All I Want For Christmas Cup – Restricted (Queensland)

                                    The I Fathered Sal Special (Tazmania)

A 4yo scratch bred horse.  As the original owner of this stable I have to declare a vested interest, albeit very minor.  He finished third in a G2 last time, behind both Otto Vasher and Scythian(KY), so whilst his trainer may be feeling good overall, reversing those placings will take some effort.   A win and a loss to Belisarius(KY) in consecutive races wont be such a worry though.  He has every chance of a place in my opinion.

THE FAST LAYNE(KY)

Trainer: seacadet

(Rahy x Sadler’s Wells x Gone West)

Odds:  7/1                   Earnings: 1,128,610               Runs/Wins: 24/8

Stable Group: Seacadet Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 60

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Gala Boomer(IRE) Memorial (Longchamp)

                        2007    G1-The St. James Tavern (Ascot)

                                    G3-Frio Frio Mile (Spain)

                                    G3-Roasting Weanies Stakes (Epsom)

                                    G2-Manofjunk Stakes (Ascot)

A 4yo scratch bred horse.  He won his first graded race as a 2yo and has followed that up with some great wins since.  He only finished 4^th in his last race, behind Otto Vasher, Scythian(KY) and Another Hopeful(IRE) so this could be a problem.  He did however win ahead of Scythina(KY) the race before so if he can recapture that form he may get something from this race.  He likes to finish very late so we won’t know exactly what mood he’s in until the last furlong.

RAGSPOINT DEPUTY(KY)

Trainer: jrogue5

(Dynaformer x Deputy Minister x Storm Bird)

Odds: 12/1                  Earnings: 229,364                  Runs/Wins: 23/7

Stable Group: Jrogue Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 269

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Hearty Harry Bonanza (Japan)

A 4yo horse bred from a G class mare.  Suddenly came alive in his last race, easily gaining a first stakes victory in excellent fashion.  He’ll need to be able to repeat that performance here if he wants to feature in the money places and that could prove to be a rather more difficult prospect.  He’s taken a long time to build on some promising runs early in his career but a ‘now or never’ attitude could just give him the impetus he needs.  I expect him to make the early running but whether he will be able to stay at the front for the whole race is open to some debate.    

SILVER HOLLOW(GB)

Trainer: swiftpony

(Beat Hollow (GB) x Silver Hawk x Conquistador Cielo)

Odds:  10/1                 Earnings: 237,597                  Runs/Wins: 27/8

Stable Group: Back of the Pack Stables, Inc.

Turf Classic Rank : 93

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Her Bow(GB) Memorial (British Columbia)

                                    The Prince’s Bold Stakes (Alabama)

                                    The Mars Chat Special (New Hampshire)

A 4yo scratch bred horse.  Crosses over to Europe for the first time after a few stakes victories this year and is looking to finally get a graded victory.  He is without doubt a nice allowance/stakes runner but I’m not convinced that he has the class needed to contest a graded race with any real conviction as his form does seem a victim to the odd poor run when it really matters.  On top form he’s a contender, but he’ll need to get it absolutely right on the day as there will be no margin for error.

Summary

A lot of nice horses in this one who must be ruing their luck at running into Otto Vasher who, although he is by no means unbeatable, looks a pretty awesome prospect.