Lopo34’s Duke of Normandy heads a field of six promising juvenile colts set to contest the $105,000 Their Book (IRE) Memorial over eight and a half furlongs on the California dirt. The only stakes winner in the group, this son of Bluegrass Cat is fresh from a convincing three-length score in Finland last time out at this distance, earning a lifetime best 82 SR, and has been no worse than second in his four lifetime starts. Top rider F. Gossett takes the call and should get a stalking trip from post position three.
Morning line favoritism belongs to tamjennic’s homebred Tonyocity, who owns the field’s best SR (86) earned last time out in finishing second in an overnight sprint stakes in Pennsylvania. This colt seems to have a very bright future and, being bred to relish two turns, may be sitting on a monster effort. He’ll break from the two hole with 10% rider L. Brock aboard.
Cypress’s Name The Star will break from the rail with accomplished jock M. Staples up. This Silent Name colt jumps into stakes company after making his racing debut a winning one in a MSW mile in Washington in which he earned a solid 78 SR. He should have room to move forward and may be extra sharp for this one.
Aces1201’s Georgia Coal is another trying two turns for the first time. This son of sophmore sire Bernardini won at first asking over six furlongs (74 SR), but was a well-beaten fourth last time out in stakes company over seven and a half. He may have bounced in that one, having had just four weeks rest, and looks to rebound here from post position four.
Title Defense hails from the powerhouse futurestar barn and merits much respect in here. Bred in the purple (by Awesome Again out of a Kingmambo mare), this colt broke his maiden convincingly last time out at a mile in his fourth career start, earning a solid 82 SR in the process. He looks extremely well suited to the extra distance and should continue to improve.
Breaking from the outside box will be osogood’s Ososour, who also broke his maiden in his fourth career start. He dominated a field of Delaware maidens over a mile in his last start, earning a SR of 80, and ships to California seeking an upset. This son of Doneraile Court has shown a lot of development since his debut, which begs the question of how much more room he has to move forward. Rarely used jockey J. Bryson may put him on the lead and see how far he can take them.