Fourteen to Tangle on Yielding Turf in Sun State Cup
The second to last race (the fifteenth race on the card) this Saturday in Queensland will be the prestigious Group 1 Sun State Cup for three year old fillies. The purse for the mile long race evens out to $500,0000. Like all the previous Sun State Cups that have been run since the races inception in 2000, the race will be run over a mile on the turf track. Such turf notables as the legendary Storm Dog, owned and trained by amandas has won here in the Sun State Cup, giving the race a prestigious history in addition to its half a million dollar purse. However, the current stakes record for this race was not set by the immortal Storm Dog but by 2007 Sun State Cup (G1) winner Nothin’ To Lose, trained by zewango3, who crossed the wire in just 1:35 for the mile long race. Early in the week the weather has been partly cloudy most of the day, however it looks like some rain will be coming in by the weekend, with the track looking to be listed as yielding at post time on Saturday. Temperatures are forecasted to be around eighty degrees Fahrenheit for race day. Despite the yielding turf conditions on Saturday we will see a full line of of fourteen fillies in the Sun State Cup. Lets take a look at this years’ contenders.
1. Density – (Lemon Drop Kid x Dynaformer x Green Dancer) – knightbred – P. Guyton – 11/1
Drawing the rail in the full field for the Sun State Cup (G1) is this brown mare being run under the signature black and maroon silks of Knightmare Stables. The filly made her last race in the middle of last month during the eight and a half furlong DelPenn Bellston Spa Restricted overseas in Upper New York. The filly finished third in the race after never fining in the stretch. The filly has been a bit off-and-on lately in her career, with some less than spectacular finishes and on the other side of the coin, scoring some impressive wins such as her one and three-fourth length victory in the Lillispells Cup (G2) in Sweden just a few months ago. The filly has faced an off track just twice in her racing career, however, one of these times did end in win for the filly, this in 2007 when she broke her maiden over eight furlongs. Her start in the Sun State Cup will be her first off track experience since that maiden race. Look for the brown filly to probably be rated towards the middle of the pack on Saturday unless there is no pace, then in which case she may be more forwardly placed. She should make a move for the leaders as the field comes down into the stretch.
2. Marc’s Gold – (Seeking The Gold x Thunder Gulch x Nijinsky II) – marckari – C. Bollinger – 7/1
In the second post towards the inside rail is the blue and pink silks of Delta Tiger with one of the co-favorites of the Sun State Cup, Marc’s Gold. This Kentucky-bred son of Seeking The Gold is out of the race-winning mare Marc’s Danzig. The filly has only had eight lifetime turf starts in her career, but she was won over half of these. However, recently the fillies luck hasn’t been that good with three stumbles in a row where she finished off the board in the Old Fiends Equine Restricted (G1), Bluto Cup (G2) and The Cremation Stakes (G1). She might be on the rebound however, as she finished third in her last race, the Diana Classic (G3) with a recorded speed figure of one hundred two. Despite being the race favorite, Marc’s Gold has never made a start on an off track. If she handles the surface well on Saturday, look for her to be reeled back towards the middle of the field until she makes her move late in the stretch.
3. Rodeo Drive – (Bernardini x Giant’s Causeway (IRE) x Red Ransom) – twoofus2 – L. Lang – 16/1
Up next in the third gate is Twofus Stables owned Rodeo Drive who is out of the race-winning dam Valletta (IRE). The brown filly made her last start late last month in the nine furlong Del Webb Oaks (G1) overseas in California. The race ended in a disappointment for the fillies connections as she finished the race ten lengths back in seventh with a speed figure of ninety-six. Though graded-placed, the big graded win has thus far alluded this filly, but she’ll take another shot at it this Saturday in the Sun State Cup. Like the filly preceding her, Rodeo Drive has never made a start over an off track. Look for this filly to probably be rated back in the back of the field or possible towards the middle in the mix of things depending on the pace of the race. She should make her move just before the stretch or later on in the final furlongs.
4. Miesque’s Gold (SAF) – (Miesque’s Approval x Unbridled’s Song x Coronado’s Quest) – dabears – C. Wyatt – 8/1
Following as we go down the field is the South African-bred filly Miesque’s Gold (SAF) under the blue, white and orange silks of Smokeglack Stables. The striking light gray filly is out of the race-winning mare Birde’s Song. They light gray filly has made all of her fifteen lifetime starts over the turf and has accumulated career earnings of $1,539,892; helped in large part by last years win in the Breeders Bowl Juvenile Turf Filly. Her most recent race, however, came late last month in the nine furlong Princess Di Cap (G1) here the filly finished third. The filly has had one previous start over an off track, this in the eight furlong Silver Spoon Juvenile (G2) where she finished second. Look for the filly to go out of the gate an be rated off the pace towards the middle of the pack and start making her move on the rest of the field just before they reach the stretch.
5. Moments Of Gold – (Touch Gold x Sadler’s Wells x Mr. Prospector) – maryfran – C. Simien – 15/1
Loading into gate five is this brown filly who is out of the stakes-placed mare Pirate’s Gold. The Kentucky-bred filly has had eight starts over the turf and has won six of them. Her most recent start came early last month in China during the nine furlong United Cerebral Palsy Restricted (G1) where the brown filly finished a disappointing twelfth after bouncing from a career-best effort in the Lillispelis Cup (G2) here she finished second with a lifetime-best speed figure of one hundred three. With the exception of her last race, the filly has been nothing but gold on the race, winning all but two of her turf starts. The filly has never started over an off track. Look for the filly to be forwardly placed on Saturday in the Sun State Cup and probably take off out of the gate with the lead on the field, or at least be very close to the front pace as she will try to maintain her speed over the mile on the yielding turf.
6. To The Choir – (Pulpit x Storm Cat x Lemon Drop Kid) – seppy – T. Cox – 13/1
The brown filly under the two-shaded blue and white silks of Seppy Stables will be loading into the sixth gate on Saturday in the Sun State Cup. The filly has made seven starts over the turf in her career with four wins to her title over this surface. Her most recent start came in the Del Webb Oaks (G1) which ended in a disappointment for her connections as she finished ten lengths back in eighth position. However, with this exception, she has finished in the money in all of her races, including achieving two graded wins in the Pioneer Boulevard Cup (G2) and the Woodpecker’s Edge Handicap (G3). The filly will make her first Grade 1 start in the Sun State Cup this Saturday and will attempt to duplicate her past performances in this race. The brown filly has never made a start over an off track. Look for the filly to break out of the gate and be held off towards the middle of the pack and urged to take on the field just before the stretch.
7. Mistress In Red – (Unbridled’s Song x Cat Thief x Mr. Prospector) – dora – P. Kays – 10/1
In the middle of the starting gates the the light gray filly of Dora Stables, Mistress In Red, will be loaded. This striking filly made her most recent start last month in New York over nine furlongs in the listed Fletch Lives Handicap where she finished just three-fourths lengths back in second with a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred seven. The gray filly has only made one graded start in her career so far, this in the Georgia Quest (GB) Memorial a few months ago where she finished third. The filly has been a very successful racehorses throughout her two and three-year-old seasons with only one finish coming out of the of the money during her career. The filly has run once over an off track, this in a nine furlong allowance caliber race early this year where she won impressively by two and a half lengths. Look for the filly to be forwardly placed on Saturday, rated just off the speed horses in second or third.
8. True Chant – (War Chant x Miswaki x Seattle Slew) – tgi – M. Cameron – 11/1
As we head towards the eighth slot there will be the brown filly of TGI Stables who is out of the Grade I winning mare True Slew Again. The brown filly made her most recent start overseas in California during the mile long Roberto Clemente Handicap (G2) where the filly disappointingly finished ten and three-fourth lengths back in tenth when she crossed the wire. Her previous start, a two length win in the Bluto Cup (G2) ended in a career best speed figure of one hundred four. The brown filly has never started over an off track. Look for the filly to be out of the gates on or towards the lead, giving the possibility of getting into an early speed dual with Moments Of Gold.
9. Algodon De Azucar – (Tapit x Woodman x Lyphard) – otto – M. Radke – 11/1
Moving to the ninth post we have this dark gray filly who is out of the race-winning mare Boris The Doris. The Kentucky-bred filly made her last start early last month in the mile long Old Friends Equine Restricted (G1) where she finished two lengths back in third with a speed figure of one hundred four. This filly has been quite impressive on the turf, winning the Irish 1000 Guineas by a head on July 12. To date, the filly has never finished off the board in a turf race. The Sun State Cup may provide a challenge for this dark gray filly with her never having made a start over an off track prior to this Saturday. Look for the filly to probably be rated just off the pace of the leaders, waiting in the wings in third of fourth and biding her time until the stretch.
10. Alayaya – (A.P. Indy x Awesome Again x Sadler’s Wells) – given – Y, Carpenter – 7/1
Next in the field is another starter of the Irish 1000 Guineas, the brown filly under the black and red silks of Given Stables, Alayaya, the second co-favorite of the Sun State Cup (G1) on Saturday. The brown Kentucky-bred filly made her last start in the United Cerebral Palsy Restricted (G1) over nine furlongs in China. The filly finished five and a half-lengths off the leader in seventh for a speed fire of ninety-six. The filly achieved her single graded win in The Cremation Stakes (G1) in Ostend in June. With the exception of the fillies most recent start, she hadn’t finished out of the money in any of her races. Look for the filly to probably go out of the gate and be held back towards the middle of the pack or sent out to run just ahead of the middle pack, placed more forwardly stalking the leaders before she makes her move to the lead in the stretch.
11. Devil’s Triangle (IRE) – (Sadler’s Wells x Kingmambo x Seattle Slew) – afc – V. Singleton – 9/1
Continuing through our field for the Sun State Cup we come to gate eleven and the Irish-bred chestnut filly of AFC Stables. The chestnut filly is out of the multiple Grade 1 winning mare Devil’s Slide. The chestnut three-year-old made her most recent start in California during the Del Webb Oaks (G1) where she finished ten and three-fourth lengths back in tenth, a disappointment for the connections of the Irish-bred filly. The filly has been fairly impressive in her turf races though has yet to win a graded stakes, though she came close in the Roberto Clemente Handicap (G2) where she finished second. The chestnut filly has never made an off-track start. Look for the filly to probably be rated just off the pace of the leaders, possibly as far back as fifth in the early goings of the race before she makes her move just before the field reaches the stretch.
12. Crime Beat (IRE) – (Danehill Dancer (IRE) x Storm Cat x Sadler’s Wells) – lenny4 – S. DeBerg – 12/1
As we near the grandstand-side posts, we have this three-year-old brown Irish-bred filly who is owned by the famous Evil Empire. The filly has made fourteen career starts, all over the turf, to which eight have been wins, earning the filly just over half a million in career earnings. Her most recent start came on an off track during the Blonde And Freckled Handicap (G3) over seven furlongs. The filly finished fourth in the race, rallying late and posting a speed figure of one hundred. The filly has been very impressive in her races, finishing out of the money only once, this in the How Are You Gentleman Cup (G1). The filly has made two starts over an off track, neither ended in an on the board finish. Her start in the Blonde And Freckled Handicap (G3) ended in a fourth place finish with her start in the Silver Spoon Juvenile (G2) ending in a fifth place finish. Look for this filly to probably be at the back of the field, such is her previous running style in past off-track races. Hopefully this weekend in the Sun State Cup the filly will be able to dig in on the stretch better than in past off-track races and make a bid for the lead late in the stretch.
13. Moi Lolita – (Awesome Again x A.P. Indy x Kingmambo) – ceclaim3 – J. Bailey – 8/1
In the lucky thirteen post we will have Moi Lolita in the black and red silks of Royal Belgian Kempen Farm. The Kentucky-bred filly made her last start in China during the eight furlong Old Friends Equine Restricted (G1) where the filly won by a head after being rated back in the middle of the pack out of the gate. She ended the race with a speed figure of one hundred six. The filly has never finished out of the money in any of her turf starts, and has only finished out of the money once in her racing career, this in the listed Ghoul’s Gold Challenge over a mile on the dirt where she finished seventh. The filly has made one start over a yielding turf course a few months ago in the mile long Ivan Ivankov Stakes where she finished a half length back in third. Look for the filly to be just off the pace of the top speed in the race and make her move when the field heads into the stretch.
14. Best There Is (IRE) – (King’s Best (IRE) x Diesis (GB) x Sadler’s Wells) – desperado5 – T. Phillips – 9/1
In the far outside post position closest to the grandstand side of the track is the brown Irish-bred filly in the primarily black and red silks of Desperado Stables. The brown filly is out of the race-winning and two-time stakes producing mare SDFSA (GB). Best There Is (IRE) made her last start overseas in California during the Roberto Clemente Handicap over eight furlongs. The filly put away the field in this race, winning by one and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of one hundred seven. The filly has a spectacular race record with only one blemish when she finished uncharacteristically in thirteenth, thirty-eight lengths back in the Oaks de English (G1) in Epsom this past June. Aside from that race, all of the fillies races have ended with in the money finishes. However, the filly has never started over an off track yet in her career. Look for the filly to probably be trailing the field out of the gate and make a huge rally in the stretch to try to catch the leaders on the yielding track of the Sun State Cup this weekend.
Tellnotale’s Picks
Win: Moi Lolita
Place: Best There Is (IRE)
Show: Marc’s Gold