Juveniles Take On North Fork Stakes
This upcoming weekend will feature two graded stakes on the Saturday card, the Yellow Submarine Stakes (G1) and the North Fork Stakes (G2). The North Fork Stakes (G2) will be going off as the fifteenth race on the card immediately following the running of the Yellow Submarine Stakes (G1). The North Fork Stakes (G2) will be open to all two year olds and will be run over a mile on the dirt. The purse up for grabs in this race will be $225,000. Last years winner of the North Fork Stakes was the dundy owned colt Banking Fever (TUR) who ran the mile in 1:36 when winning the race by one length. However, the stakes record holder for the North Fork Stakes (G2) is the 2004 winner of the race, Cader Ydris (IRE), who was trained by oldgraymar who ran the race in 1:35 4/5. The race has proved an important stepping stone to greatness for some two-year olds including Breeders’ Bowl and Bluegrass Sprint winner Pulling Springs back in 2003. For this years running, we can expect the sun to be shining bright with a fast track on the forecast for this Saturday. Temperatures are expected to be around 60 degrees Fahrenheit despite the plentiful sunshine. The prestige of the race and the good track conditions have attracted a full field of fourteen two-year-olds for this race. Lets take a look at the competition.
1. Silver Tongue (IRE) – (Oratorio (IRE) x Silver Hawk x Norquestor) – reminder – K. Murano – 28/1
In the rail slot we have this two-year-old colt out of Oneworld Stables. The brown colt made his last start late last month in the eight and a half furlong Buckeye Juvenile (G3). The colt finished twenty-four and three-fourths lengths off the pace back in thirteenth in this race. A disappointment in the colts stakes debut. Despite his stakes stumble the colt is back again to try his luck in the North Fork Stakes (G2). Look for this colt to be held back out of the gate towards the rear of the field and be urged to make his move just before the stretch.
2. Hishi’s Academy (JPN) – (Hishi Akebono x Academy Award x Nureyev) – thetiler – D.L. Jones – 19/1
In the second slot to the inside we have a very impressive Japanese-bred colt out of the Candlestick Farm Stables. The brown colts last start was overseas in Germany during the five and a half furlong listed Kaibab Memorial where he won by three-fourths of a length after being set back off the pace mid-pack in fifth. The colt has been very impressive, finishing on the board in all of his races with the exception of his debut, which was a maiden special race over the turf last March. An interesting note with this colt, his start this Saturday in the North Fork Stakes (G2) will be his first start over six and a half furlongs. It should be interesting to see how the colt takes to the added distance. Look for this colt to probably go out of the gates and settle into mid-pack before making his move just before the stretch.
3. Sorrowful Jones – (Lemon Drop Kid x Cat Thief x Seeking The Gold) – sargent – R. Lombard – 20/1
Next up as we go down the list of entries is this impressive brown colt of Windward Farms. His last start was over eight furlongs in an allowance caliber race last month in Arizona. Here he led from gate to wire, winning the race by one and three-fourths lengths with a speed figure of seventy-seven. All but one of the colts races have ended with a finish on the board, and this ended with an in the money finish in fourth. This Saturday will mark the colts debut race into stakes caliber competition. Look for the colt to possibly be on or near the lead out of the gate, probably no further back than third or fourth during the race.
4. Kit Kat Club (ENG) – (Dansili (GB) x Storm Cat x Seattle Slew) – super16 – L. Allen – 8/1
Following as we continue through the field is this English-bred brown colt out of the race-winning and multiple stakes-producing mare Grooming The Cat. The brown colt will be loaded into the fourth gate under the black, red and white silks of More Evil Than The Evil Empire. The colt made his last start over six and a half furlongs in the listed Gold Tornado Challenge last month in Indiana. The colt won his race here by one and one-fourth lengths after being set off the pace in third. The colt won all of his starts with the exception of the six furlong Faber College Juvenile (G2), the colts single graded start. He finished fourth in this race, after making a run a bit too late in the stretch. After a step down back to listed stakes, the colt is back to try again in the North Fork Stakes (G2). Look for the colt to be rated slightly off the pace out of the gates, either just off the pace or possibly as far back as mid-pack depending upon the early pace.
5. Desiring – (Sky Mesa x Danehill x Woodman) – peter12 – T. Bates – 14/1
In the fifth slot we will have this Kentucky-bred colt owned by Pedro’s Racing Empire who is out of the graded-placed mare Exceptional Miss. The bay colt made his most recent start back in June during the six and a half furlong listed Stormy Ton Handicap right here in California. The colt finished second in the race, back by just one-fourth of a length in just his third career start. In the colts three lifetime starts to date, he has never finished off the board. This Saturday’s start in the North Fork Stakes (G2) will be the colts first graded start along with his first start over six and a half furlongs. It should be interesting to see how the colt adjusts to the step up in class and the added distance. If all goes well, look for the bay colt to be sent fast out of the gate and held back just off the pace, somewhere around fourth or fifth going into the first furlongs.
6. Thunder Cracked – (A.P. Indy x Thunder Gulch x Danzig) – super25 – F. Gossett – 9/1
Going towards the center of the gates we will have this brown colt, the second horse in the field for More Evil Than The Evil Empire. This colts last start came in the Trixy Delight’s Special (G3) where the colt finished one-fourth of a length back in second in a late charge for the lead in the stretch. The colt has been very impressive so far in his early racing career, never finishing off the board in his four lifetime starts. The North Fork Stakes (G2) could perhaps be his day with two recent second place finishes at stakes level, the colt may be due for a win against this competition. Look for the colt to be rated back towards the rear of the field and behind stablemate Kit Kat Clug (ENG), possibly being one of the trailers early on in the race, or going ahead as far to run mid-pack if there is little pace in Saturday’s race.
7. My Lawyer – (Lawyer Ron x Touch Gold x Cigar) – fortue500 – M. Staples – 18/1
Breaking out of the center post is this chestnut colt out of the mare El Ray Del Johnny and by freshman sire Lawyer Ron. The flashy chestnut is part of the impressive Fortune500 stables. The colt has run four career starts, but just run three under new trainer fortune500, who picked the colt up in auction earlier this year after a fifth place debut finish over the sloppy dirt. The colts last two races have been very impressive, both resulting in wins, one when the colt broke his maiden and the last, in the colts most recent race and stakes debut, the eight furlong listed Out At The Affair Stakes. The colt will be making his graded stakes debut this Saturday in the North Fork Stakes. Look for the chestnut colt to head out of the center of the pack and try to battle for a mid-pack position early on before challenging for the lead just before the stretch.
8. The Big Picture – (Saarland x Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector) – dublinlad – P. Incay – 9/2
Going towards the grandstand side of the gates we have our early favorite for the race, The Big Picture who is out of the Grade 1 winning mare Dublin Lass. This Kentucky-bred colt will be going into gate eight in the orange, green, maroon and olive silks of Stevemunoz Stables. The brown colt made his last start here in California last month during the seven furlong Dell Computer Futurity where he finished second, just a half length back in the race. The colt has impressively finished in the money in all five of his career starts, though has yet to seal the deal with a win in a graded stakes despite close calls in his previous race and in the High Roller’s Juvenile (G2). This Saturday in the North Fork Stakes the colt will make his first start over seven furlongs. Look for this colt to be on the lead or just off the pace, possibly getting into an early speed dual with Sorrowful Jones out of gate three.
9. Incredible Law – (Lawyer Ron x Storm Cat x Crafty Prospector) – tg – C. Mecklenburg – 9/1
Next in the field we will have this brown son of freshman sire Lawyer Ron making his start in the North Fork Stakes (G2) under the TG Stables. The brown colt made his last start in the eight and a half furlong Buckeye Juvenile (G3) where the colt finished six and three-fourth lengths off the pace of the winner in fourth, just coming home for an in the money finish. The colt has been very successful in the maiden and listed stakes levels, but has yet to win a graded stakes race, his best finishing coming in the previously mentioned Buckeye Juvenile (G3). Look for this colt to make another attempt at a graded win in the North Fork Stakes (G2) by setting off the pace mid-pack out of the gate before he tries to rally for the lead late in the stretch.
10. Photonic Andro (IND) – (Marcus Andronicus x Apalachee x Le Fabuleux) – craterus – R. Simcox – 9/1
Working our way down into the tenth post we will have another colt from another freshman sire in Photonic Andro (IND) who will be making his debut start in graded stakes competition this Saturday in the North Fork Stakes (G2). The chestnut colt had his last start in the listed DelPenn Hopeful Restricted last month in Upper New York over seven furlongs. The colt won the race by one and one-fourth lengths, his second consecutive win in a row after a three length win in the DelPenn Battle of the Sexes Owner Restricted. The colt has never finished off the board in any of his six career starts, but it shall be interesting to see how the fantastic colt adjusts to a step up in class this Saturday. Look for the colt to be out of the gate near the lead, potentially back in third or fourth out of the gate.
11. The Shortest Straw – (Pure Prize x Unbridled’s Song x General Assembly) – outinfront – R. Young – 12/1
Taking the eleventh gate in the race we will have this striking two-year-old gray colt in the black, yellow and white silks of Out In Front Inc. The dark gray colt made his last start late last month in the seven furlong listed King Gaupo Memorial where the colt surged ahead to win the race by a narrow one-fourth of a length after another previous win where he broke his maiden. The dark gray colt has been lightly raced with only three career starts so far in his young racing career, but he has finished in the money in all of them and has never failed to win a race over a fast dirt track. The colt will be making his graded debut here in the North Fork Stakes (G2) this Saturday. Look for the gray colt to be up with the early speed in the race, setting just off the pace of the leaders, probably no further back tan sixth out of the gate. The colt will probably be urged to make his move on the field just before they come into the stretch.
12. Cryptoshmurphy – (Cryptoclearance x Deputy Minister x A.P.Indy) – chezlea – A. Dominguez – 9/1
Next in the field we have this royaly-bred brown colt who is out of the stakes-placed and multiple stakes producing mare Deputy Shmurphy. The brown colt will be going into gate twelve under the silks of The Eight Team. The brown Kentucky-bred colt made his last start in Ohio during the eight and a half furlong Buckeye Juvenile (G3) where he finished a disappointing seventh, eight and three-fourths lengths off the leader in his graded stakes debut. Previously, the colt was very successful, scoring a win at allowance level races and a second place finish in the Double Bluegrass Special over eight furlongs on the turf. This will be the colts second start in a graded stakes race this Saturday. Look for the colt to be out of the gate and settle back in the middle of the field and be urged to make his move on the field just before they come into the stretch.
13. Hail The Empire – (Fusaichi Pegasus x Lyphard x Hail To Reason) – simsters7 – A. Lewis – 5/1
In the lucky thirteen post we will have this Kentucky-bred brown colt being run under the famous Evil Empire stable group. This colt, with only three lifetime starts, made his most recent start in the Forbidden Garden Special over eight furlongs here in California. The colt won this race by two lengths impressively. To date, the colt has won all of his races, but he has never faced competition before with graded stakes horses, so the North Fork Stakes (G2) this Saturday will be new territory for the blue-blooded colt. Look for the colt to either be just off the pace tailing the leaders to to be set back in mid-field trailing until late in the stretch.
14. Pure Smoke – d – galloplaz – J. Pimental – 11/1
In the far outside post, closest to grandstand, we will have the final horse in the New Fork Stakes (G2) on Saturday, the chestnut colt racing under the banner of Otistaylor Stables. The Kentucky-bred colt made his last start in the six furlong Feed The Children Restricted (G1) where he came up short in sixth, five and one-fourth lengths off the pace in his second graded stakes start. The colt won his maiden debut easily by one and one-fourth lengths and duplicated his effort in the listed Alex Cheyenne Challenge, but has been unable to get the job done in graded stakes so far in his career. Regardless, the horse will head to the post in the North Fork Stakes (G2) and attempt to try for his first graded win. The colts start this Saturday will also be the colts first start over six furlongs. Look for the colt to go out of the gates towards the back of the field and make an attempt to rally in the stretch.
Tellnotale’s Picks
Win: Hail The Empire
Place: Thunder Cracked
Show: The Big Picture