The EAST FOR TRICK Special Stakes

The EAST FOR TRICK Special Stakes
One mile
Firm Turf
$75,000
All horses, 3 years old and up

A nice field of 12 runners for this mile turf race, which include a few 3yo’s getting runs against older horses for the first time which is always interesting.  The runners are:

GATLING CITY(IRE)

Trainer: varsitytwo

(Lahib x Efisio(GB) x Noalcoholic(FR))

Odds:  15/1                 Earnings: 117,003                  Runs/Wins: 22/4

Stable Group: Slewsback Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 888

Stakes Wins : N/A

A 4yo scratch bred horse bred by spiked. He’s had some good runs over this distance but has so far failed to really break into the big time and perhaps should think about getting a few more allowance wins in whilst there is still time, as there’s every chance that he could improve when he reaches 5.  His late running style hasn’t really paid off in his occasional stakes runs so far so maybe a change in tactics could be of some assistance.      

SEA ALL STAR

Trainer: dvtka1

(Sahm x Lyphard x Seattle Slew)

Odds:  99/1                 Earnings: 212,018                  Runs/Wins: 36/5

Stable Group: Dvt Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 2485

Stakes Wins : 2006    The Five River(IRE) Special (Nevada)

                                    The Bright Bluster Memorial (Nevada)

A 5yo horse bred from an H class mare.  Started life well as a 2yo and 3yo but has failed to win a race for over 2 years – hence the big odds.  Caught a couple of short handed 4^th places in stakes runs recently but this horse really looks past it’s sell by date.

FORT DANE(IRE)

Trainer: jockeymax3

(Theatrical(IRE) x Forty Niner x Danehill)

Odds:  4/1                   Earnings: 399,756                  Runs/Wins: 18/10

Stable Group: Jockeymax Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 49

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Pompous Project Challenge (Victoria)

                                    The Dialing En La Sob Challenge (Denmark)

A 4yo scratch bred horse.  A nice win percentage but he has mostly been running at allowance level.  A 2^nd place last time in a G1 may convince the trainer to stick more to the stakes route because he looks capable of winning a lot more top races over the coming years.  He’ll track the leaders and let them tire themselves out and then pounce over the last quarter.   Ps.  Nice picture on the stable page … see you at the tables;)

GOTTA DANCE

Trainer: cdragon

(Capote x Nijinsky II x In Reality)

Odds:  8/1                   Earnings: 196,616                  Runs/Wins: 9/40

Stable Group: Twoofus Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 1478

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Western Academy Special (Longchamp)

A 6yo scratch bred horse.  You could be forgiven for thinking that this horse is coming near to his retirement date after a long career and even his trainer has reduced him to high value claimers earlier in the year, but he answered his critics with a stakes win in his last race so maybe we should think again.  This is his first run over 8 furlongs since 2006 and he really doesn’t look good enough to prevail here … but I wouldn’t want to bet on it.

PAGONDAS(KY)

Trainer: lsumark

(Aragorn (IRE) x Sunday Silence x Soviet Star)

Odds:  21/1                 Earnings: 108,982                  Runs/Wins: 15/4

Stable Group: Lsumark Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 247

Stakes Wins : N/A

A 3yo colt bred from a D class mare.  Finally won a deserved stakes run after a great victory in his last race.  He has yet to put together a winning sequence but he is young and has plenty of time ahead of him, and I’m sure this first run against older males won’t overawe him too much.

PAT EDDERY(IRE)

Trainer: elranchoti

(Refuse To Bend (IRE) x Polish Numbers x Woodman)

Odds:  10/1                 Earnings: 208,647                  Runs/Wins: 24/6

Stable Group: Seveii Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 269

Stakes Wins :             2008    The Ice And A Slice Challenge (Spain)

A 4yo colt bred from a C class mare (Woody’s Affairs).  An auction transfer as a 2yo that worked out quite well, as he’s done pretty well at allowance level.  Failed in Grade I recently but came back with his only stakes win in his very next race so he is in good form just now, and could well be the dark horse of the race.  He could provide the early pace and will be the one to catch leading up to the line.

ZANZABAR(IRE)

Trainer: peep8

(Galileo (IRE) x Blushing Groom(FR) x Nureyev)

Odds:  5/1                   Earnings: 1,309,545               Runs/Wins: 35/13

Stable Group: Cobra Kai Racing Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 79

Stakes Wins : 2007    G2-Utah BB Mile (Utah)

                                    Smackdown III – Restricted (Texas)

                                    The Senor Rick Challenge (Maine)

                                    Smackdown II – Restricted (Kentucky)

                                    G3-Dracula Stakes ((Kentucky)

                                    The Our Road(IRE) Stakes (Sweden)

A 5yo scratch bred horse.  Had a good year last year but seemed to go off of the boil in 2008 – although to be fair he was involved in a number of very tough races. He seems to have got his act together of late however, and could prove to be a major stumbling block in the ambitions of the younger horses here if he can continue that resurgence.  He’ll try not to hit the front too early, but when and if he does the race could be all over. 

ELUFLY’S GOLDIE

Trainer: shazfly

(Elusive Quality x Seeking The Gold x Danzig)

Odds:  7/1                   Earnings: 420,035                  Runs/Wins: 37/7

Stable Group: Brundlefly Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 118

Stakes Wins : 2007    The Dynasoup Form Challenge (Indiana)

A 5yo scratch bred horse. He has yet to win a race this year and drops back to 8 furlongs after a couple of poor races, by his standards, over 10.  Leaves his run till as late as possible which has a number of attendant risks, so perhaps over this shorter distance he will maintain a slightly closer order, thereby giving him a much better chance.  Still looks capable of knocking out a few more wins but probably needs to look for some weaker races to achieve them.

WELLS GHOST TED(WV)

Trainer: cashstable

(Ghostly Minister x Sadler’s Wells x Red Ransom)

Odds:  8/1                   Earnings: 180,501                  Runs/Wins: 31/5

Stable Group: Cashstable Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 249

Stakes Wins : N/A

A 4yo horse based on an F class horse.  He was beaten by Pat Eddery(IRE) in his last race and, despite some good performances in the past, looks to be slightly below his best now.  May be called upon to provide some of the early pace but he will struggle to maintain his position against what looks to be one of the tougher fields he has faced of late.

CIRCUS PLUME(ENG)

Trainer: saxlhof

(Piccolo(GB) x Rousillon x Upper Nile)

Odds:  30/1                 Earnings: 327,634                  Runs/Wins: 23/6

Stable Group: Dupre Stables

Turf Classic Rank : 36

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Royal Roo Challenge (N. Florida)

                        2007    The Abbess Roding Special (Ascot)

                                    The Deadalive Challenge (South Dakota)

                                    The Alias Buda Special (Kentucky)

                                    The Three Mercy Special (Minnesota) 

A 3yo scratch bred filly.  She had a great start to her 2yo career quickly knocking up a few stakes wins, but has found this year a much harder prospect.  Most of her wins have been over 6 furlongs so it’s surprising that she hasn’t been tried over that trip for a while, and maybe that’s what she needs.  Up against these older and far more experienced males she doesn’t look in too good a shape, and needs to try something that will revive her flagging career.

NEOPTOLEMUS(IRE)

Trainer: fwcltd

(Peintre Celebre (IRE) x Trempolino x Stage Door Johnny)

Odds:  7/1                   Earnings: 139,168                  Runs/Wins: 28/5

Stable Group: Delta Tiger

Turf Classic Rank : 574

Stakes Wins :

A 4yo horse bred from a G class mare.  A horse that has put in some reasonable performances in allowances of late but hasn’t really achieved much at stakes level.  He’ll be trying hard to put that right here and on paper at least he has every chance, but he needs to do something about that choking to get in the money. 

JOSHEBA

Trainer: coroner

(Alysheba x Saint Ballado x Secretariat)

Odds:  6/1                   Earnings: 499,840                  Runs/Wins: 35/10

Stable Group: Ace Stables – Ireland Division

Turf Classic Rank : 139

Stakes Wins : 2008    The Deep Delight Challenge (South Africa)

                        2007    The Mighty Dancer(NZ) Memorial (New South Wales)

A 5yo horse bred from a G class mare.  There was a big gap of over a year between his two stakes wins and overall he has to be viewed as a disappointment who flattered to deceive.  He has obviously got a lot of talent but doesn’t always seem able to apply himself when needed and unless he can grab the early lead seems to lose interest in winning.  If he can get away fast he could be a danger but we shall find out early on just which version of this horse has turned up.

HODGE(AUS)

Trainer: deyoto2

(Hussonet x Green Desert x Sadler’s Wells)

Odds:  15/1                 Earnings: 111,580                  Runs/Wins: 10/3

Stable Group: Champion Lodge

Turf Classic Rank : 176

Stakes Wins :

A 3yo scratch bred colt.  A lightly raced colt who has yet to register a stakes victory but is surely heading in the right direction.  He may find this first run against older horses a tough proposition, but this should be a good learning experience for him, and I think 2009 may well turn out to be his year.  

Summary

Some really interesting form coming into this race from many of the entries and we may well have a big story to tell after it has been run.  I’ll take a major cop out though and stick with an improving favourite,  Fort Dane(IRE).