Justice in Texas
The Texas Justice Special is the Stakes race for Alabama this week. Named after Texas Justice who is out of Lit De Justice x Mr. Prospector x Speak John. He ran 17 races for 2 wins and earnings of $32,404. One of those wins was at Stakes level in 1999 where with a speed of 75 won the Victoria Park Stakes over 6 furlongs on the dirt.
Today we have the new emerging champions in the 2yo’s who will be running over 7 1/2 furlongs on the fast dirt. Purse of $70,000 is on offer so plenty of cash available for the winner as well as pride and status of winning at this level. Let’s see who is going to do just that – take this one out:
1 CODE ENFORCEMENT(ENG)
Owner: caliracing
Record: 6-1-3-1
Earnings: $57,849
Jockey: C Riddle
Odds: 5/1
From the well used sire Dansili(GB), his full breeding is Dansili(GB) x Kingmambo x Seattle Slew. Has run all of his races on turf to date with only one finishing worse than third place. Most recent run was in October in a maiden which he won by over 3 lengths and a speed of 80. This of course is on dirt though and Dansili of late has produced far more runners on the turf than dirt. Unknown as to how he will go – would have preferred to see him run on turf here.
2 ACTIVITY CELEBRE(IRE)
Owner: hebbe
Record: 7-3-2-0
Earnings: $82,265
Jockey: Y Turner
Odds: 7/1
All of the runners in this race are close and at 7/1 he is the longshot of the race! Out of Peintre Celebre(IRE) x Decree x El Prado(IRE) he started initially on turf with some reasonable success including a second place finish in a maiden over 5.5 furlongs. Trainer then swapped him to turf with immediate success in 2 consecutive wins in a maiden then allowance races. His race in September was also an Allowance over 6.5 furlongs where he finished second and a speed of 77. Last time out was in October in the Cherokee Band Special stakes over 7 furlongs where he finished strongly for a win and a very nice speed of 86. Should like the extra half furlong here you would think. Good runner and has every chance.
3 STEED ON WEED(KY)
Owner: lime
Record: 3-1-2-0
Earnings: $38,305
Jockey: M Cisco
Odds: 5/1
Well you want to hope you dont win here because if you do you can be guaranteed a drug test at the end of the race with a name like that. In fact you can probably bet every race you will tested. Still a cool name though plus it rhymes which is always very very good. Dont know why it is good but it is. Has never run on the turf which is fine as this is a dirt track today. 3 runs for a win and 2 2nd place finishes. Top speed to date of 82. I think he will struggle with the distance though as he has been finding himself short at 7 furlongs. Would prefer to see him over 6 furlongs.
4 STEALING CINDY(KY)
Owner: daydreams0
Record: 5-2-1-2
Earnings: $23,197
Jockey: M McKyer
Odds: 6/1
I don’t know who or what Cindy is but you shouldn’t be stealing her. Stealing is bad – thats what my mum taught me anyways. Joking, I can see he is bred out of the game dam of West Cindy and is from Noble Causeway x A.P. Indy x Gone West. 5 runs on the dirt to date and never placed worse than third so thats pretty consistent. Includes a third place finish last time out at Stakes level over 8 furlongs in the Nijinsky Scooping Bonanza. He was looking for more distance then though so I fear that this one may be too short for him. Would have preferred to see him beyond the 8 furlong range based on that last run.
5 DRUNKEN FISH(KY)
Owner: bigal50
Record: 6-2-2-1
Earnings: $108,020
Jockey: E Sharp
Odds: 2/1
Now I have seen a fish that is drunk thats for sure. This though is a horse not a fish and hopefully he is not drunk for this race! Out of Awesome Again x Storm Cat x A.P. Indy has run exclusively on the dirt to date with 2 wins at Maiden and Allowance level. Did run in August in the G3 Buckeye Juvenile over 8.5 furlongs where he finished second with a speed of 88. Last time out was in October in the Viking Don Special stakes over 8 furlongs where he crossed third. This distance may well suit him as it is what he last won over at Allowance racing. With those recent speeds is in good form and my pick for this race.
6 CHAPS AND SPURS(KY)
Owner: jimch8
Record: 8-2-3-2
Earnings: $65,845
Jockey: G Blinn
Odds: 4/1
Out of Doneraile Court x Forty Niner x Northern Dancer. The two wins to date have been at Maiden and Allowance level over 8 and 6 furlongs respectively. Good recent speeds of 81, 83, 82, 83 so very consistent in terms of form. Latest win was only in September so he is looking good at the moment. Likes to sit up with the front runners and dash across for the win so look for him thoughout the race as he is sure to be up there challenging.
7 BURNIN LOVE(ENG)
Owner: super18
Record: 6-2-2-0
Earnings: $131,210
Jockey: R Pollard
Odds: 4/1
They say that love conquers all and that is what Burnin Love will be aiming to do here. Out of Pivotal(GB) x Gone West x Nureyev he looks in top form from his last race. That was a win over 6 furlongs in the Wonderboy Alf(IRE) Stakes with a speed of 90 and winning by almost 2 lengths. Distance should be ok as he ran at 7 furlongs and although a way back in that race wasn’t fading. If he runs like he did last time out he should be up there. Worth watching this one.
And thats the runners here – only 7 of them but all very close just about anyone could win today. Hard to pick but I’ve gone with the following:
5 DRUNKEN FISH(KY)
6 CHAPS AND SPURS(KY)
7 BURNIN LOVE(ENG)