Full Field for Breeders Bowl Distaff on the Dirt
Full Field for Breeders Bowl Distaff on the Dirt
Ten recently raced in four Equinics races
In the Unicef race at 8 furlongs, Mach Red won with Sweet Sister Mercy
6th. The Mayo Clinic at 10 furlongs saw Disasterpiece win with Dixie
Park second and Black Tuesday fifth. In the Medical Corps, another 8
furlong race, Gold for the Grave won, defeating Sabbath Point in second
and Black Flag Flying in tenth. The winner of the Child Focus at 10
furlongs is not in this race but Cosimo finished second and Luzerne eighth.
This preview will follow the format of the last preview.
For each entrant, the first paragraph discusses the last eight races,
the second paragraph comments on all earlier races, and the third, if
any, talks about both. The number after the earnings is the number of
100+ speed figures in the last eight races because that information
could be phrased only so many ways.
The field consists of seven 3-year-olds, three 4-year-olds, and four
5-year olds. The trainers of nine of the entrants were kind enough to
offer comments on their horses.
1) Mach Red 33 9-3-5 $870,090 6
Mach Red’s recent races included six stakes to G1, two graded (1-1-0),
four ungraded (2-0-0) and two allowances in which she was unplaced.
Her earlier recond includes three ungraded races (1-0-1) immediately
preceding her recent races. She also ran in some allowances and an MSW
winning only the MSW.
She has run 8 to 8.5 furlongs in recent races, and was unplaced at 9
furlongs (one), 10 furlongs (one), and 9.5 furlongs (one, turf). This
race may, therefore, be just a bit long for her.
Fabman said, “I have no clue what to expect from this horse. She really
shocked me winning on Equinics Day. That start prompted me to try the
Grade 2 in her last race. Again, she didn’t win but raced well.
“I’m concerned about going 9 panels here. It may help, may not, I don’t
know. She goes like crazy early in races but she gets a bit tired trying
to find the wire. With a horse like her, the finish line seems like it’s
never coming.
“They will have to deal with her for 3/4 of the race. After that, I have
no idea.”
2) Sweet Sister Mercy 33 10-5-5 $2,486,500 8
She has been in six graded stakes to G1 (2-0-2) and two ungraded (0-0-1)
stakes at 8.5 to 10 furlongs. She won two at 8.5 furlongs, had two 3rds
at 9 furlongs and was unplaced at 10 furlongs.
She’s been in an additional 19 stakes, including 3 turf (unplaced). In
seven graded dirt races, she won two and was second once while in nine
ungraded races she won three, was second once and third twice.
She won this race last year and is hoping to repeat. With the highest
earnings in the race, she’s third choice in the betting at 7-1.
3) Wall of Salt 13 4-5-0 $857,075 4
Her last races have all been stakes, the last five graded (1-2-0) and
three ungraded (1-2-0). She won her last, a G1, in her best time. She
was unplaced in both her races at 10 furlongs but won two at 9 furlongs,
today’s distance, both with 100+ speed figures.
She has the least number of races in this field but not the lowest
earnings or earnings per race. Her five earlier races include an
allowance win and four MSWs (1-1-0), the first three on turf. She also
had two fourths.
When interviewed, Borrow2 said, “Probably her best distance. 2 weeks
rest and she came up sharp for this race. Beat a not so stellar field
last time out, but won easy. The 2 weeks rest and class is my concern.”
4) Black Tuesday 24 13-5-3 $2,102,345 8
Her last races have included 5 G1 (1-2-0) mixed with three ungraded
stakes (3-0-0). In her last race, despite a 116 speed figure, she lost
to Disasterpiece.
Earlier, she’d been in eight stakes, seven of them G1 and one G3 (4-0-2)
as well as five ungraded (2-2-1). She’d also been in three allowances
and one MSW, all of which she won. All her speed figures at age 2 were 84s.
She has never won at 9 furlongs though she has won both longer and shorter.
Lenny271 commented, “I have two in this year’s distaff, Black Tuesday
and Black Flag Flying. Black Tuesday might be a touch better at 10F,
but after deciding to skip this race last year I feel like she deserves
a shot. She’s been great for a long time, and on her best day can hit
the board.”
He also has Black Flag Flying in this race.
5) Sabbath Point 16 9-3-1 $1,638,500 6
Her recent races have all been stakes, seven of them graded to G1
(2-2-0). She had 2 G1 wins last May at 9 furlongs.
She earned two earlier 100+ speed figures and ran in seven stakes, 3
graded (2-0-0), four ungraded (1-1-1). She won her first race, an MSW at
2 with an 89 on a sloppy track.
She has the highest earnings per race figure here.
Trainer Afc entered her, scratched her, then un-scratched her saying,
“She’s had a good year. How can any year be bad when you win the
Bluegrass Oaks and the Black Middle Flower, and become the first filly
in Sim history to make a run at the Triple Tiara?
“She was on fire in the spring, and looked as close to unbeatable as
any horse I’ve ever had. The Chestnut was too far, and took something
out of her. She ran a good race in the Equinics, but got run down late
by Gold for the Grave. After that, the wind sort of came out of her
sails. Her last prep was a total disaster- she’s always run best on
short rest, and tends to fire her best race two or three weeks after her
last run. The timing was right, but the result was horrible. Just didn’t
fire. So what to expect here? Don’t really know. She’s either going to
bomb big time or run a new career top. She’s got McClendon back in the
irons, and he knows what she does best. A new career top isn’t likely to
get it done here – she’s going to have to run out of her skin. I think
the winner will have to go 114 or better, with a time of sub 1:47 to
win. Don’t know that she’s got that sort of run in her. A problem I’ve
always had with Seeking the Golds is that they seem to peak early, and
be pretty much done by the end of their three year old season. That
could very well be the case here, but off her spring performances, she’s
earned her spot in this race, and could still salvage an Eclipse Award
with a win, so it’s worth the shot. Suffice to say she’ll get the rest
of the year off after this race.”
He also has Luzerne entered.
6) Red Hot and Rocking 29 8-2-3 $627,954 8
Red Hot and Rocking is another of the nine horses in this field who has
had a full set of recent stakes races. Four of hers were graded to G1
(1-1-1), four ungraded (2-1-0).
She had five earlier stakes, a G2 (unplaced) and four ungraded (0-0-1).
She also had another four 100+ speed points.
She has won at and near 9 furlongs.
7) Gold for the Grave 15 9-4-0 $1,225,925 5
Her last five races have been on dirt, four graded races and one
allowance, all at 8 to 8.5 furlongs (4-1-0). She has also been in three
turf stakes, one graded (unplaced), two ungraded (0-1-0, the placement
at 8 furlongs), at 8 to 9.5 furlongs.
Her earlier races included one ungraded stakes, four allowances, and two
MSWs (5-2-0).
In ten turf races and five dirt starts, she earned about $165,000 from
her turf starts and $1,200,000 on dirt. Her turf starts earned speed
figures from the 60s to a 92 and a 97.
8) Cosimo 17 9-4-2 $1,303,747 4
Her recent races include four G1 (3-1-0) and two ungraded (2-0-0)
stakes as well as two allowances (1-1-0), most at 10 to 11 furlongs.
While her earlier wins were all by daylight, none was a runaway. This
was also true of most of her losses – she was once seventh by 12
lengths. Her turf races produced her worst speed points. She has two
races at this distance (1-1-0) and hasn’t won at shorter distances.
Dixiedotco said of this filly, “Talk about a horse who’s never done
anything wrong. She keeps getting better and better. The one concern
is the distance. She probably wants 10f or further, but what can you
do? Hopefully she can get a nice trip on the lead or just off of it.
She’s hitting her peak at just the right time, so it’s exciting.”
9) Luzerne 15 5-3-1 $738,750 4
From seven stakes, all G1 and G2, she has a record of 3-0-1. Her last
race, on an off track, produced a speed figure of only 85 and she
finished sixth, 14.75 lengths back for her worst speed figure at three.
She won three graded races at 9 furlongs but lost both at 10 furlongs.
She has five earlier stakes, one graded (sixth) and four ungraded
(2-1-0) at 6 to 8 furlongs.
Afc, who also has Sabbath Point entered, says of Luzerne, “My better
shot in this race is Luzerne. She didn’t develop as quickly as Sabbath
Point, but when she hit her best stride, she became very good – perhaps
better than Sabbath Point. She’s strung together some nice races, and
has proven fully capable of going sub 1:47 for nine furlongs. She’s won
three races at nine panels, all with ease. Ten furlongs is beyond her
scope, and the last race was strictly to try and light a fire under her.
Her previous career best came in the 9f G2 Fast Feline Stakes after she
was soundly beaten in the 10f Equinics race. The mud was the coup de
grace in the last race, she obviously hated it. But she was set for
“just a work”, and the jock eased up on her for the last half of that
race, so it’s a total toss out in my mind – as it was intended to be.
She’s absolutely live at 16-1 in this race, and she’s going to fire
huge. She’s got the best figs at the distance of any three year old
filly in this race, and I have a sneaking suspicion that she’s going to
get first jump on Gold for the Grave, Black Tuesday and Disasterpiece,
as well as taking the first shot at Cosimo. If her form cycle holds, I
fully expect a 115 or better effort on Saturday, which puts her right in
the mix here. I’m as confident in this one as I am suspicious of Sabbath
Point.”
10) Dixie Park 38 10-3-5 $775,825 7
Dixie Park is another with all recent stakes, hers to G1, six graded
(2-1-0) and two ungraded (1-0-0).
Those races were immediately preceded by a string of allowances, then
seven more stakes to G1, six graded (0-1-0) and an ungraded in which she
was unplaced. She has run, unplaced, at 9 furlongs with wins both longer
and shorter, and three additional 100+ speed figures.
11) Equivocations 15 5-2-2 $755,680 7
Still another with all recent stakes, seven graded (2-1-3), one ungraded
(fourth). Three of the races were at 9 furlongs, resulting in a third
and two fourths. The other five races were at 8.5 furlongs. She won her
last race by a nose but was far back in the race before that. She’s
generally no more than a few lengths back.
Seven earlier stakes, 4 graded (1-1-0, won G2), one ungraded (sixth)
plus an allowance and an MSW, both of which she won.
She mostly runs at 6 to 8.5 furlongs. She’s run on three off tracks, an
MSW and two G2 (2-1-0).
Whirlwind said, “For what it is worth, here are my thoughts on our
entry in the race EQUIVOCATIONS. She is a multiple graded stake winner
and earned her way into the race with her win in her last, the Gd2
Cotton Handicap. I am not sure she can get the 9 furlongs, 8 1/2 seems
to be her best distance but she hasn’t been over-raced this year and we
are hoping she will carry it that extra 1/16 of a mile. She is pretty
honest and usually gives it her best shot and that’s all we can ask of her.”
12) War in Heaven 30 9-4-8 $1,149,635 5
War in Heaven has seven graded (to G1, 2-0-1) and one ungraded stakes
(1-0-0) and has won at 9 furlongs and longer.
She has been in 14 earlier stakes, 5 graded (1-1-0) and nine ungraded
(2-2-4) with four additional 100+ speed figures.
She has won a G1 at 9 furlongs but generally runs longer.
When asked, Waremblem5 remarked, “My horse is War in Heaven. As you
might be able to tell from my SIM ID, War Emblem was one of my favorite
horses so needless to say it’s thrilling to have a filly by War Emblem
in this race. War in Heaven is my first A ranked mare, the only A
ranked War Emblem in the SIM. She won the World Cup at 12f last year,
beating the incomparable Xtremely Gold. She seems to want to run
shorter now in the later stages of her career, and I’m proud that she’s
a GI winner at 9 at Saratoga and at 12. This is a tough field, and War
in Heaven ran a career race last time out at 10 but was only 3rd. The
Michigan Distaff was run at 1:59 3/5. That is Secretariat time, so I
hope it didn’t take too much out of my horse. Hopefully, the drop to
9f will help me. We are going to be a long shot to win, but I would be
more than happy with a top 3. She has a pretty good kick and should be
sitting midpack, so a fierce speed duel up front will be to my benefit.
I sat her down for a couple months after her Saratoga win so she would
be fresh for this race.”
13) Disasterpiece 15 8-2-3 $1,426,001 6
She won an allowance at 9 furlongs but generally runs somewhat longer,
up to 11 furlongs. Her last four races have been G1 (3-0-1) along with
an ungraded, which she won, and three allowances. She won her last race,
turning in a 118 speed figure with Black Tuesday only 2 speed points
behind her.
Her earlier races included 2 MSWs (1-1-0) and five allowances (1-1-1),
one of which was run with a 100+ speed figure.
14) Black Flag Flying 14 6-5-1 $1,118,280 6
She has two recent wins, the last in an ungraded turf stakes. She won a
9 furlong restricted race (Smackdown4) three races ago. She has five
graded races at 8 to 11 furlongs (0-2-1) and an ungraded second.
She also has three graded stakes (2-1-0) and won her only ungraded
stakes with two MSW races (1-1-0) at the beginning of her career.
Most of her races have been between 8 and 11 furlongs with a single
ungraded win at 9 furlongs as previously mentioned.
Her owner, who also has Black Tuesday in this race, said, “Black Flag
Flying was put through a hard campaign this year and she’s run well but
hasn’t been able to put it totally together outside of the Smackdown
where she beat a few from this field. The good news is that she’s well
rested and really comes in off a nice 8F-10F prep schedule so she should
be as live as she can be for this race. Tough field, and I’d be happy
to cash a check.”