The ARMY RUFF Bonanza
The 10th race this week at the beautiful Tennessee track is the 4th running of the ARMY RUFF BONANZA. This contest for all horses, ages 3 years old and up, is being run at the mile and one eighth distance on the dirt track with a purse of $55,000. The 2007 edition of the race produced a new stakes record set by TWO KINGS – (Cat Thief x Mr. Prospector x Halo) when he covered the 9 furlong distance in 1:47 4/5. A very competitive field of 10 runners hope to shatter this mark and add their names to the history book for this race.
PP1) WAYMART (IRE) – (5/1) by Statue Of Liberty, Trained by mpeace777. Winner of the 2007 edition of the G1 Eddie Haskell Stakes at NJ this 4 yr. old has amassed earnings just under the $900,000 mark. Four out of his last five starts have been at the 9 furlong dirt distance and his 2008 highest SP# of 109 was set last time out in the Kong Hope Memorial Stakes at WY. With just 5 starts in 2008 WAYMART seems to definitely be on the upswing and trainer mpeace777 may have found him the perfect spot to record his 8th lifetime victory.
PP2) MOSAYTER CONNECT – (7/1) by Mosayter, Trained by tabascomet. This 5 yr. old scratch bred horse has 5 wins to his credit out of 21 starts with four of these wins racing in allowance company. MOSAYTER CONNECT has also run six times in graded or open stakes competition with his most accomplished feat being his 3rd place finish in the G2 Mansur LeRoys Handicap in May when he posted his second consecutive SP# of 110 at an 8.5f distance on the dirt. He should be looking to secure the $33,000 winners check on the front end of the race from the outset.
PP3) JINGLE JANGLE (AUS) – (42/1) by Encosta De Lago (AUS), Trained by born2run. Making his stakes debut today this 3 yr. old colt has won 3 of his 9 lifetimes starts. He has won his last two races, both run on the Jamaica tracks dirt surface, and set a new lifetime SP# of 101 his last time out going a 9 furlong trip. His last race also marked the first time JINGLE JANGLE took on older horses in an allowance event. If this son of Trueblue Green can repeat his recent form in today’s race he should make a nice showing for himself in his first stakes competition.
PP4) UNBRIDLED STORY – (8/1) by Tale Of The Cat, Trained by luckycharm. Winner of two of his last three races in open stakes and allowance company UNBRIDLED STORY has clocked 4 consecutive 102+ SP#’s in his last few races. The 5 yr. old roan horse has been brought up to a nice competitive racing level by trainer luckycharm after only racing the horse 3 times in 2007. This horse also prefers the 9 furlong distance for today’s race running all of his 2008 campaign races at this distance until his last outing, a 8.5 furlong run in the Devil’s Ransom Bonanza at IN.
PP5) PASSING STONE (KY) – (6/1) by Vindication, Trained by jimcougar. This talented 4 yr. old has amassed earnings of over 2.4 million dollars with 7 wins under his belt in 20 lifetime races. PASSING STONE 3 yr. old racing season included wins in the prestigious G1 Travelers Stakes and the G2 Arkansas Juvenile and a 4th place finish in the G1 Breeders Bowl Classic against older horses. With 6 starts so far in 2008, his last an allowance win at Oklahoma and four other starts in G1/G2 events, he looks to continue his front running style way of winning today.
PP6) ROMPOLINO – (7/1) by Robellino, Trained by retep. While competing in his last race, the G1 Make A Wish Foundation, ROMPOLINO set a new lifetime SP# of 108 finishing strong in the 8 furlong dirt event to just miss taking home a paycheck running 6th just 2 ¼ lengths back from the winner. Not bad at all for his first foray into graded stakes competition. This 5 yr. old has earnings of over $123,000 with an 11% lifetime winning percentage. Trainer retep hopes to increase that percentage today while running ROMPOLINO in his 7th start of 2008.
PP7) THUNDERING THEIF G – (5/1) by Cat Thief, Trained by medusa. This gifted 6 yr. old horse is the veteran of the field winning 8 out of 64 career starts while earning over $320,000. While competing in nine graded or open stakes races in 2008 THUNDERING THEIF G remains winless in 2008. His current form does show promise although. This is evidenced by his 2nd place finish in the Colonial Elk Challenge two races back when he came down the stretch willingly posting a final SP# of 112 his fastest final SP# of this year.
PP8) NUCLEAR TOY (MD) – (9/2) by Fantasticat, Trained by stupor. Today marks the 9th consecutive open stakes start for this stupor trained 4 yr. old and his record shows great consistency. NUCLEAR TOY finished in the WPS spot in five out of those last eight open stakes races and his last three starts have been at the 9 furlong dirt distance of today’s race. In his last race, the Baylee’s Dream Bonanza at WY, the chestnut colt sat mid pack and was slowly inching his way up to the winner finishing 3rd just 2 ¾ lengths back while posting a 106 SP#.
PP9) HIGHASAKIGHT (IRE) – (4/1) by High Chaparral (IRE), Trained by hoshaba. Winner of the G3 Jerzey City Handicap three races back this earner of over $560,000 looks to add to his bankroll racing this week at his preferred 9 furlong dirt distance. HIGHASAKIGHT certainly has paid attention to his dams’ name, Be Consistent, running nine 100+ speed figure ratings out of his last ten races. His late closing running style fits in perfect for this race and watch for him to be barreling down the stretch when they turn for home.
PP10) NOTES FOR ABBY (KY) – (17/1) by Storm Cat, Trained by horsenotes. This 4 yr. old Colt makes his second appearance today in open stakes competition coming off a 7th place finish in the Eighty Nine Hill Bonanza his last time out in July. Out of the WPS spot just three times in his first eleven races NOTES FOR ABBY has raced ten of those races at a distance of 8.5 furlongs or shorter. With a lifetime best SP# of 104 set in an 8 furlong contest in February it appears his connections are looking to extend his competitive ways at a slightly longer distance.
Tennessee Beat Reporter’s Race Analysis
As is often heard at the track “pace makes the race” and in todays race I think this should probably hold true to form. I look for MOSAYTER CONNECT and PASSING STONE to vie for the lead with WAYMART and NUCLEAR TOY securing nice rail position early. Down the backstretch look for HIGHASAKIGHT beginning to make his usually strong come from behind run at the leaders with little change in the first four running positions at this point. Nearing the top of the stretch I see a big move by WAYMART trying to collar PASSING STONE with NUCLEAR TOY and MOSAYTER CONNECT right on their heels. Near the finish I look for WAYMART to be successful in his effort to charge to the front with HIGHASAKIGHT making up tons of ground on the leaders but not in time.
Gold4ever’s 2008 ARMY RUFF BONANZA selections
Win – #1 WAYMART Place -#8 NUCLEAR TOY Show -#2 MOSAYTER CONNECT
Good luck to all the trainers and their horses in this year’s race.