Movieland Turf Express Handicap Draws Twelve Seeking Stardom

The feature race this weekend in California is the Movieland Turf Express Handicap (G3). This Grade III race is held annually over five and one half furlongs on the inner turf track here in California and is open to all horses of three years of age and older. The total prize money up for grabs here in the Movieland Turf Express Handicap is $125,000. We will have nearly a full field for this years’ running of the renowned Movieland Turf Express Handicap (G3) with a total of twelve horses entered to go to the gate for this Saturday’s race. The current stakes record for the Movieland Turf Express Handicap (G3) is currently owned by two horses. The record was originally set in the 2005 running of the turf sprint when Digital Overture, trained by spelunker, finished the five and a half furlong sprint in 1”02 3/5. Last year we saw this stakes record equalled by jockeymax’s lightning-quick chestnut colt, Danzig Reef. Perhaps the record will finally fall this weekend? We will have to wait until this weekends races to know for sure. The weather here at the track is expected to be pleasant on Saturday with partly cloudy skies and temperatures hovering in the high 70 degree Fahrenheit region. The recent wildfires that have ravaged the state recently are, luckily, not expected to interfere with this Saturday’s racing nor inhibit racing conditions.

1. Criminal Mind – (Empire Maker x Seeking The Gold x A.P. Indy) – claymore – P. Incay – 9/1

Drawing the rail in Saturday’s race we have the four-year-old brown colt Criminal Mind, racing under the gray silks of Galileo Stables. The bay colt has made twenty lifetime starts and has won six of these races. All of the colts victories have come over the turf. The Kentucky-bred horse made his most recent start on a yielding turf track oversea in Denmark during the six furlong Mark’s Vet (IRE) Bonanza. The colt struck out of the gate like lightning and went straight to the lead in the sprint. The colt emerged the wire-to-wire victory by one and a half lengths. The colt recorded a speed figure of one hundred eight for his effort. This weekends start in the Movieland Turf Express Handicap (G3) is the first graded start of the colts career. If all goes well in his step up in class this weekend, look for the brown colt to be out of the gate quickly and either go straight to the lead or linger just off the pace until he would then make a late move in the stretch.

2. Arewehomeyet – (Came Home x Dubai Millennium (GB) x Dynaformer) – andycapper – D. Dimekia – 19/1

In the second slot for the race we have Arewehomeyet, running under Andycapper Stables. The chestnut Kentucky-bred horse is out of the stakes winning and multiple graded producing mare Special K II (GB). This colt has started in thirty-one races throughout his career, of which the chestnut colt has won five times. Three of the five times the colt won have been over a dirt, not a turf track. In fact, the colt is a relative newcomer to the turf track with only ten turf starts to date. The colt made his most recent start over thirteen furlongs on the turf here in California earlier this month. The track was rated as good that day, though the colt finished nineteen and one-fourth lengths off of the leader in fourth place while setting a speed figure of eighty-two. The colts prior start was in the eight furlong Walnut BB Mile (G2), also here in California, but the colt finished seventh in that race, though setting a speed figure of one hundred one. The colts start this weekend in the Movieland Turf Express Handicap (G3) will be the colts first start over a distance less than eight furlongs in his career. Unless the colt exhibits as change in running style due to the shorter distance we can probably expect him to come out of the start gate towards the middle of the field, or possibly at the back of the field as the horses come out of the gate.

3. Dane’s Folly (IRE) – (Theatrical (IRE) x Danehill x Machiavellian) – rapier – M. Staples – 4/1

Up next going through the field is our pre-race favorite, Dane’s Folly (IRE), who will be going into gate three under the black and white striped silks of Bigkev and Bjbandit Farms. The five-year-old brown horse has been lightly raced with a total of thirty-three career starts, including nine wins and career earnings amounting to $316,024. The five-year-old veteran last ran in the listed Barb’s Mary Ellen Special over seven furlongs in New South Wales. The race ended in a disappointment for the colts connections as he came home four and one-half lengths off the pace to finish just out of the money in fourth, despite putting in a speed figure of one hundred four. The colts prior race in the Lepaca Drakon Stakes landed him a second place finish and a more impressive speed figure of one hundred ten. We can almost undoubtedly look for this bay colt to be out of the gate quickly on Saturday and try to go straight to the lead in hops to get a jump on the rest of the field who will possibly be slower out of the gate.

4. Drunken Lullabies (IRE) – (Daylami (IRE) x Blushing John x Seattle Slew) – blinkers – K. Keyser – 5/1

Following the favorite is Drunken Lullabies (IRE), who is being regarded as possibly one of the top contenders to challenge the favorite in the race by the bookmakers. The six-year-old veteran dark gray horse will go into the four slot under Sipe Stables. The Irish-bred colt is out of the stakes placed and two-time stakes producing mare Rigidly Within Sea. The dark gray colt made his most recent start in the five furlong Firey Hooves Sprint (G2) overseas in Ascot last August. The colt finished just a length and a half back off the pace in the race yet finished fourth with a speed figure of one hundred four. The horse has collected earnings of $1,382,045 throughout his career and is a two-time Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint starter, though he didn’t finish in the money in either of his two Breeders’ Bowl starts. Look for the horse to settle down in mid pack when the field breaks on Saturday. The colt will likely start to make a move on the rest of the field as they go into the stretch.

5. No More No More (ENG) – (Green Desert x Seattle Slew x Seeking The Gold) – sdmf3 – T. Steinlicht – 9/1

Out towards the middle of the turf track we will have the English-bred chestnut No More No More (ENG) being settled into gate five, running under Black Label Stables. The four-year-old chestnut colt is out of the graded-placed and three-time stakes producing mare Mudreachs’s Glory. The chestnut colt has made twenty-eight lifetime starts, divided up between appearances on both the turf and dirt. The colt has been more successful over the turf, winning four races and achieving turf earnings of $135,035. The colt made his most recent start in Delaware last month during the six furlong DelPenn Turf Sprint Restricted. The colt was out of the gate slow but put on some steam late in the race to finish just in the money in fifth with a speed figure of one hundred three. On Saturday, expect the colt to come out of the gate slow and trail the field for the majority of the race until he will move forward to challenge horses down the stretch.

6. Scientific Proof (IRE) – (Galileo (IRE) x Seeking The Gold x Danzig) – brightvalr – L. Jones – 11/1

Still out towards the middle of the track we will have Scientific Proof (IRE) going to gate six in the purple and green silks of Dixiedotco Racing. The Irish-bred bay three-year-old colt has been lightly raced with only eighteen lifetime starts, all but one of them coming over the turf. The colt has won seven times so far in his career. The three-year-old made his most recent start over six furlongs in the Cagrad Stakes where he finished second, back by one and one-fourth lengths from the eventual winner, setting a speed figure of one hundred four. His most recent graded stakes came on a yielding turf track, his only off-track race of his career, during the Snake Eyes (G2) in late May of this year. The colt finished disappointingly seventh in his first start over an off-track surface. Since then the colt made a step down in class to listed stakes and allowance caliber races, doing very well at those levels. This weekend, the colt will return to graded competition, this time over a firm track. Look for the colt to be out of the gate quick but to be held just off the pace in second or third as he stalks the front runners out of the gate. He should make his move on the rest of the field as they come down the stretch.

7. Fleet Overture – (Afleet x Danehill x Night Shift) – swale007 – O. Brim – 6/1

Working our way towards the grandstand-side posts we have Fleet Overture, in the green and blue striped silks of Moose Hollow Farm, going into the seventh post. The five-year-old bay horse is out of the graded-placed and multiple stakes producing mare Stealth Overture. It was this very mare that also produced Movieland Turf Express Handicap (G3) stakes record holder Digital Overture as her first foal. Fleet Overture, another horse strongly considered to contend for a win here this weekend, has made thirty starts so far in his career, winning over the turf eight times. The most recent of his races came over the good turf here in California during the Sir Bro Bonanza where he faded late on the race to finish sixth in only the second off-track race of his career. Despite the bookmakers generosity with the colts odds, his last two races haven’t been very impressive. His prior race before the Sir Bro Bonanza was the Deeproute Turf Stakes (G3) over seven furlongs where the colt finished ninth. However, prior to these two most recent races, the colt has been fairly impressive. Look for the brown colt to be up near the lead on Saturday, probably no further back than fourth.

8. Satrus – (War Chant x Forty Niner x Sadler’s Wells) – bagur – K. Murano – 5/1

In the eighth post we have another 5/1 shot considered to possibly take the race on Saturday in the chestnut colt Satrus. The four-year-old colt will be going to post eight in the red and two-tone green silks of Rafa Stables. The Kentucky-bred colt has made twenty-six career starts, winning nine times over the turf. The colt made his most recent start over six and a half furlongs here in California during the Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint (G1) where the colt finished nine lengths back in thirteenth position, setting a speed figure of one hundred one. His previous start in the five furlong Longchamp Sprint (G2) was more impressive with the colt just having enough gas left in the tank to power by front runners to win by three-fourths of a length with a speed figure of one hundred eleven. Look for this chestnut colt to be slow out of the gate and hang around the back of the field until the pack moves up into the stretch.

9. See My Baby Jive (IRE) – (North Light (IRE) x Gone West x Nijinsky II) – calle3 – J. Bryson – 26/1

Longshot See My Baby Jive (IRE) is up next in the order of post. The four-year-old bay colt will be under the black, green and blue silks of Nickesyd Racing Club on Saturday. The colt has achieved a lucky thirteen wins over the turf out of a total of thirty-three lifetime starts so far in his racing career, collecting career earnings just over the half a million dollar mark at $545,307. The colt made his most recent start over five and a half furlongs on a good turf track in New Zealand during an allowance caliber race. The colt finished second in the race after leading out of the gate while setting a speed figure of eighty-nine. The colt will be making a return to graded stakes races this weekend, his last graded stakes coming in the Otter Dash (G3) last year where he finished thirteenth. Since then the colt has been successful at allowance level and has had a fair start in a listed stakes race, The S. Strawberry Handicap, in which he finished fifth. We can probably look for this horse to go to the lead on Saturday or try to stay close to that goal as he will try to hold off the entire field on his way to the wire.

10. Doth’Raki – (Johannesburg x Danzig x Mr. Prospector) – khalasar – F. Gossett – 11/1

In the tenth slot we have the royal-bred three-year-old Doth’Raki. The Kentucky-bred brown colt will be going to slot ten under the black and red silks of Given Stables. The brown colt is out of the race-winning and two-time stakes producing mare Khaleesi. He has been lightly raced throughout his career, making only fifteen lifetime starts to date, but winning six of these races. All of the colts victories have come over the turf. His most recent start was here in California just last month in the six and a half furlong Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint (G1) where the colt finished eleventh in the race, setting a speed figure of one hundred four. Previous to this start in the Breeders’ Bowl, the colt was prepped in a six and a half furlong allowance caliber race which he won easily by two and a half lengths. The connections hoping for a rebound in this colts race, we can expect the colt to probably be one of the last out of the gate as he runs off the pace for the majority of the race, not making his move until late in the stretch.

11. K’s Last Mohikan – (Seattle Slew x Northern Dancer x Round Table) – bacchus – C. Mecklenburg – 11/1

Drawing closer to the grandstand side posts in gate eleven we have the oldest horse in Saturday’s race, the eight-year-old veteran, K’s Last Mohikan, under the brown spotted silks of Pompeya Thoroughbred Racing Corporation. The impeccably bred horse is the son of renowned Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. The chestnut colt has made forty-one starts in his career, winning ten times. Nine of the horses wins came over the turf with a single win coming on the dirt for the eight-year-old veteran. His most recent start came on the yielding turf track of The Mark’s Vet (IRE) Bonanza where the colt finished fourth in the race, just five and one-half lengths off the pace while finishing with a speed figure of ninety-six. The horse has never won a stakes race, graded or otherwise, and will be making his graded stakes debut here this weekend in the Movieland Turf Express Handicap (G3). The horses closest shot at victory in a stakes race came in August during the six furlong The Ninja (IRE) Stakes where the horse finished third with a speed figure of one hundred two. Look for the horse to probably come out of the gate towards the middle of the field when they break out of the gate on Saturday, after which he will try to rally late in the race to pull off an upset.

12. Seeking The Lass – (Seeking The Gold x Night Shift x Cutlass) – richardobe – A. Lewis – 10/1

Sent to break out of the far outside post position is the five-year-old horse Seeking The Lass, going to the gate under the black, red and white silks of Ace Stables. The chestnut colt, with forty-three career starts under his belt, is out of the stakes-placed and multiple stakes producing mare Boulder Lass. The horse has career earnings of $513,620 and has won eleven of his forty-three lifetime starts. The most recent start for this horse came in Florida during a six and a half furlong allowance caliber race where the horse was held just off the pace in fourth and made an early move before the stretch to go on to win by two lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred four. The horse hasn’t made a stakes start since August when he started in the seven furlong Band Of Gold Bonanza and finished sixth. Look for the chestnut colt to come out of the grandstand side post and settle back towards the middle of the field when the come out of the gate on Saturday, and then make a move early on just before the stretch to try to run away with the race.

Tellnotale’s Picks
Win: Dane’s Folly (IRE)
Place:Drunken Lullabies (IRE)
Show: Criminal Mind

Good luck to all with runners this weekend in the Movieland Turf Express Handicap (G3). This is tellnotale signing off.