G1 – Nationwide 2yo Stakes

Nationwide Stakes
Grade I
Seven furlongs
Firm Turf
$500,000
All horses, 2 years old

Some nice looking colts and fillies line up for this big test on a fast running turf track.  The runners are:

PICALILI(KY)

Trainer: wonder3

(Forestry x Carson City x A.P. Indy)

Odds:  7/1                   Earnings: 80,980                    Runs/Wins: 3/2

Stable Group: Zeco Stables Belgium

Turf Sprint Rank: 30

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Nijinsky S. Stakes (S. Carolina)

A filly based on a G class horse. Won her first two runs reasonably comfortably but only managed 3^rd in a grade I race last time over 8 furlongs.  She’ll get this trip easily enough but looks like a mile+ may be more her thing.  She didn’t do so well with a pacesetting style so may go back to tracking the early leaders and preparing for a late run. The only filly in the field so wish her luck.

COVET(ENG)

Trainer: rtribbett

(Dansili (GB) x Giant’s Causeway (IRE) x Forty Niner)

Odds:  6/1                   Earnings: 80,750                    Runs/Wins: 3/2

Stable Group: Desperado Stables

Turf Sprint Rank: 81

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Paleopredator Stakes (New South Wales)

A colt bred from a G class mare.  Won his last two races with what looks plenty in hand but runs an extra half furlong here.  Should manage the trip well and will be looking to chase down the early leaders in the last furlong and set up a third win on the trot.

ROBIN AT WINDSOR(IRE)

Trainer: claim4fame

(Windsor Knot x Storm Cat x Alydar)

Odds:  14/1                 Earnings: 70,181                    Runs/Wins: 6/2

Stable Group: Nickesyd Racing Club

Turf Sprint Rank: 49

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Dinkey’s Winkey Challenge (Ostend)

A colt bred from an H class mare.  He’s had 6 starts already but we can safely ignore the early dirt races which weren’t too successful.  On turf it’s been a different story completely with 2 wins and a 2^nd from his 3 runs, and this distance may be ideal for him.  Having said that I’m not overly convinced that he is a good as some of the others here, and neither are the odds makers it seems, but he should be capable of grabbing a minor placing.

KIFFER(ENG)

Trainer: zambaygo2

(Dansili (GB) x Storm Cat x Theatrical(IRE))

Odds:  9/1                   Earnings: 59,910                    Runs/Wins: 4/2

Stable Group: Rafa Stables

Turf Sprint Rank: 45

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Gold Lightning Stakes (Alabama)

A colt bred from a C class mare (Erreka).  Had a rotten time at the restricted Smackdown race but recovered well enough to win a stakes in his next start.  Looks capable enough but I don’t think he’ll like it here too much and could need a longer distance to give his very late charge a chance of success.

ONE SIZE FITS ALL(AUS)

Trainer: hansg

(Grey Swallow (IRE) x A.P. Indy x Storm Cat)

Odds:  5/1                   Earnings: 318,420                  Runs/Wins: 6/4

Stable Group: Hansg Stables

Turf Sprint Rank: 3

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Mr. Dance Bonanza (Italy)

                                    G3-Goats That Faint Juvenile (Epsom)

A colt based on an E class horse.  Won a grade III pretty easily and was a runner up in a Grade I over a mile last time so he has real talent.  He’s been given the mantle of favourite here which may just be the kiss of death for him.  I’m not sure that dropping back to seven will be very effective for him and I can see the out-and-out sprinters licking their lips in anticipation, ‘cos it’s not going to be an easy run.  Expect him to move back up to a mile at the earliest opportunity. 

WHERESANNA(KY)

Trainer: newracing

(Elusive Quality x Anabaa x Sadler’s Wells)

Odds:  6/1                   Earnings: 114,220                  Runs/Wins: 3/2

Stable Group: Worldwide

Turf Sprint Rank: 23

Stakes Wins : 2008    G3-Sprinklers Are Broken Again Stakes (Arizona)

A colt bred from an E class mare.  Won his first race on dirt but his Grade III win came over 7.5 furlongs on turf with a tremendous wire-to-wire performance.  Another colt who will probably want longer in time but for the moment he is the one to catch – and that will take some doing.

SUFFERING SERVANT(IRE)

Trainer: elenita

(Danehill Dancer (IRE) x Pivotal(GB) x Dynaformer)

Odds:  6/1                   Earnings: 47,220                    Runs/Wins: 3/2

Stable Group: Shamrock Stables

Turf Sprint Rank: 194

Stakes Wins : N/A

A colt bred from an F class mare. He has yet to win a stakes race but looked good in her last allowance run over this distance, winning by a huge margin.  Another one who struggled in the restricted Smackdown turf race, and he’ll need to improve to take this one, but he has to have every chance.

SPANKY FREEMAN(FL)

Trainer: tvjack

(Sligo Bay (IRE) x Gone West x Honor(FR))

Odds:  12/1                 Earnings: 77,100                    Runs/Wins: 3/1

Stable Group: Tvjack Stables

Turf Sprint Rank: 39

Stakes Wins : N/A

A colt based on a G class horse.  He was runner-up to Wheresanna(KY) last time and lost by some margin, so he will do well to overturn that result here.  He’s much better than his odds suggest and could be a good each way bet as 2^nd or 3^rd are well within his grasp. 

HAWK’S CHANT(IRE)

Trainer: dagrims

(Hawk Wing (IRE) x War Chant x Storm Cat)

Odds:  11/1                 Earnings: 56,000                    Runs/Wins: 3/2

Stable Group: Spartan Racing Stables

Turf Sprint Rank: 61

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Bert Gulch Stakes (Taiwan)

A colt bred from a G class mare by beststable.  Sprinted to an excellent stakes win last time but still not much liked by the odd setters due to some relatively low SP#’s in earlier runs.  He looks better the longer he goes so this testing 7 furlong outing could be just up his street, and he is more than capable of turning up a surprise to the more fancied runners.

ARCHAIC UFO PILOT(KY)

Trainer: seedly2

(Discreet Cat x Fappiano x Danzig)

Odds:  15/1                 Earnings: 10,065                    Runs/Wins: 3/1

Stable Group: UFO Testing Center

Turf Sprint Rank: N/A

Stakes Wins : N/A

A scratch bred colt.  He has just a maiden win so far to his name in his only race on turf so far,  so he has a lot to prove here.  The distance should be okay, but whether he has the talent is very much under debate. 

WIRBEL(IRE)

Trainer: papaxerxes

(Hurricane Run x Kris S. x Danehill)

Odds:  13/1                 Earnings: 81,070                    Runs/Wins: 4/2

Stable Group: Brisma

Turf Sprint Rank: 60

Stakes Wins : N/A

A scratch bred colt.  He ran really well last time over the distance for a second place but needs to hit the front around mid point in order to give his best it seems, and this field may simply be too strong for him.  A rise in distance could help in the future, or maybe even a dirt run just to see how the land lies.

CREDIT SPENT(IRE)

Trainer: brentuk

(Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) x Sadler’s Wells x Machiavellian)

Odds:  8/1                   Earnings: 42,090                    Runs/Wins: 3/1

Stable Group: Oasis Racing UK

Turf Sprint Rank: 267

Stakes Wins : N/A

A colt bred from a C class mare (Credit Busting). He ran his heart out over a mile in a G3 last time but could only manage a third place so this drop in distance could prove to be the making of him.  Only a single maiden win so far but he has the breeding to be far more successful than his dam if he can only up his game a little.   Possibly one to look a little harder at when he becomes a 3yo.

Summary

There are reasons to like just about every one of these and with only a few races to look at it’s hard to spot too many negatives – if any.  To me the favourite looks a little uneasy in view of his success over a mile last time and so I think the much fancied Wheresanna(KY) could be the colt to follow on this occasion.