Blazing Saddles Juvenile Fillies Turf

Here’s the field for the $250,000 Blazing Saddles Breeders Showdown Juvenile Fillies Turf, to be contested over a mile on firm turf:

1.  CHILLIN WITH DYLAN (stylez) 11/1

The Stylez Syndicate’s daughter of freshman sire Dylan Thomas is a model of steady, consistent development. Her SRs have improved incrementally with each start, topped by an 80 earned in her most recent start, a victory over NW3L allowance foes at a mile. That race followed a sharp maiden win, also at a mile on the turf. Will lay back off the pace and make one big run at the top of the lane, a running style that should be advantageous in this race which figures to have a more-than-honest pace. She’s an overlay at 11-1, but enthusiasm must be dampened by the fact that rider Adams has only two wins all year.

2.  THE NICK OF TIME (kloie) 4/1

This regally bred daughter of Sadler’s Wells, from the great sim dam sire Sharpen Up, is lightly raced but oozes potential. She broke her maiden in her second career start last time out over a mile on turf and earned a solid 79 SR in the process. Has tactical speed to stalk the pace, but rider Saab is another having a subpar year. Is bred to be any kind, but must be considered an underlay at 4-1 until she proves it on the racetrack.

3.  NOSTROVIA (devil 01) 7/2

The morning line favorite is another beautifully bred filly, by Dynaformer out of a Danzig mare with Alydar on the bottom. All that adds up to turf, so it’s little wonder that she moved way up in her first try on the grass, winning a mile turf allowance race last time out in impressive fashion. She trailed all but one in a field of thirteen early on, then made a huge move to sweep past the field and win going away in good time, earning an 84 SR, the second best mark among today’s competitors. The way she won indicates she has even more room to improve. Gets solid veteran rider Trumbull for this first real test of her career, and the Galileo Stables hope to be saying “cheers” in the winner’s circle, whether in Russian or any language.

4.  CANONIZATION (mtk76stc) 6/1

Shamrock Stables send out this speedy daughter of Successful Appeal who will likely try to make all the running under sophomore rider Zombie. She broke her maiden in second start and won a first level allowancerace in her second try against winners last time out. She made the lead easily in that one, and the lone-f trip resulted in a fast 85 SR, best of any runner in the field. Probably won’t get such a cushy trip in this one, but will be dangerous should she shake free early. 

5.  SILVER SETTING (nblpilgrim) 8/1

A multiple stakes-winning daughter of sophomore sire Silver Train, the only stakes winner from this crop, she’s also the most experienced runner in the field, with seven starts under her belt. She broke maiden for the Pilgrim Stables in a dirt sprint, but was largely undistinguished in first three career starts before a switch to the turf. She ran third in an allowance in her first try on the green, but has reeled off three consecutive wins since, including two overnight stakes. It should be noted, however, that all three of these races were minimum sized fields, and she’s never tried two turns, but the 81 SR she earned last time out is more than respectable. She may look to stalk from just off the early lead under high percentage rider Gardner, who is winning at just under 20% on the year. Represents good betting value at 8-1.

6.  LADY OF THE WOODS (bcumming1) 4/1

This daughter of Forest Wildcat broke maiden in impressive front running fashion in her career debut over seven panels on the turf. She stretched out in allowance company in her most recent start and ran a solid second, giving up the lead late to a very promising runner in fast time, earning an 83 SR. Another who has the speed to contest the early pace, and another whose jock, Parker, has been in a yearlong slump. Has every right to be there at the end, but feels like an underlay at 4-1. 

7.  MELANIE’S GLEAM (renegades) 29/1

Renegade’s daughter of little-used sophomore sire God’s Own is still a maiden after three tries, including sprints on both turf and dirt (in which she was thoroughly trounced) and, most recently, at a mile on the turf. She woke up in that one, closing from dead last to finish second at 12-1, earning a 75 SR in the process. Likely to benefit from what looks to be a hot pace, but will need another big jump forward to be any kind of factor in here. Appears to be in over her head. 

8.  SIGHTSEEING (meguire) 7/1

Meguire’s graded-stakes winning charge is a daughter of surprise freshman sire Lawman, who has already claimed four stakes winners, including two graded winners, among his first crop to race. She’s a winner of three of six lifetime starts, including two allowance victories and, most recently, a convincing win in the G3 Palms Outward Stakes over seven furlongs.  She placed in a G3 event in the start before that one, so this is a legitimate filly.  But… She’s run over soft turf in five of her six career starts, and ran the worst race of her career in that one try on firm ground, which she’ll get for this test.  And she’s never been around two turns. Those are some serious ‘buts’, but she certainly can’t be dismissed and is a fair price at 7-1. 

9.  SKUNKWELLS NATIVE (skunkfarms) 12/1

Skunkbarn Stables sends out this daughter of E Dubai out of a Sadler’s Wells mare.  That pedigree screams turf, so it’s little wonder that after a mediocre debut on the dirt, this filly perked up and broke her maiden at first asking on the lawn. She’s struggled in allowance company since then, most recently finishing a solid third in her first try around two turns. She displayed a fair closing kick in that one for the first time, which should help given today’s pace scenario, but her lifetime best SR of 77 is simply not fast enough to make much of an impact in here. She’ll need to do better, but just might.

10.  COLAC KID (tomiletrot) 11-1

The Pride of Colac is represented by this daughter of French Deputy. Still a maiden, she tries a route of ground for the first time today after running a solid, fast (83 SR) second in her last, a seven-furlong dirt event over an off track. Her lone turf try was way too slow to be competitive against the company she faces today. She may turn out to be a useful runner down the line, but she’s an underlay in this race at 11-1.

We’re looking for value in this race, with so many lightly raced runners with so much room to improve, and will use Silver Setting and Sightseeing along with favorite Nostrovia, who cannot be left out.

Good luck to all the participants, and congratulations to everyone at Blazing Saddles.

Harumph!