Nothing But Turf Monsters
Delpenn Turf Monsters
Grade II
Seven furlongs
Firm Turf
$250,000
All horses, 3 years old
The Monsters and the Turf Monsters – that folks is what this race is all about coming to you from the DelPenn Residency. A good field of 14 runners, let’s see who is going to win today.
1 CURIOUS CANDY(KY)
Owner: lopiccolo
Record: 16-5-3-2
Earnings: $706,200
Jockey: Z Wango
Odds: 11/1
Bred from Candy Ride(ARG) x Kris S. x Mr. Prospector, this colt is coming off a sixth place finish in the G1 Breeders Bowl Turf Sprint over 6.5 furlongs. Speed of 107 but just lost it in the straight and couldn’t go on with it. Last win was in August in the G1 The Telling Lies and Getting Paid Stakes with a speed of 103 over 6 furlongs and this time he powered to the finish in what was a strong win at this level. Dropping back in class a little here at G2 level but also pushing out the distance. And that’s the question can he last the extra distance here? I think it’s going to be a struggle.
2 BASESTEALER(KY)
Owner: yunkai
Record: 15-7-2-2
Earnings: $381,636
Jockey: T J Cox
Odds: 12/1
This one has been stealing wins not bases in his last 4 runs with 3 wins from those 4 outings. Out of Distorted Humor x Giant’s Causeway(IRE) x Peintre Celebre(IRE) has been running some good speeds as well including a career best of 109 last time out. Both of those last two wins were over 6.5 furlongs finishing strongly suggesting he will relish the extra half furlong here. Has plenty of experience earlier on in his career over 8 and 9 furlongs including two fifth place finishes at G2 and G3 level so distance is not a problem. At 12/1 odds not a bad bet for an each way chance.
3 FURTHERMORE(KY)
Owner: serenasong
Record: 14-7-2-1
Earnings: $303,200
Jockey: B Ironside
Odds: 12/1
Been running ok at Stakes level including a win back in May over 6.5 furlongs in The Buck Rabbit Special. Bred from More Than Ready x Seeking The Gold x Vice Regent his last win though was only 2 outings back in the G3 Chemlawn on an off track rated as good turf. Won by just a head and is his only run on an off track. I’d run this guy more often on off tracks based on that run at G3 level. Pretty impressive speed too at 111. Today is firm turf though and I think he will struggle at this level. Needs to be an off track I think for this guy even though I am only basing that on the 1 run.
4 UH OH CHONGO(KY)
Owner: mav1763
Record: 12-5-1-1
Earnings: $206,040
Jockey: T Solomon
Odds: 7/1
This one likes to get out front and lead early and then try and hold on for the win. Good tactics to a point unless of course you run out of steam. Or in this case speed. Is due for a win after getting his last win 3 starts back in the African For Pro Special over 7 furlongs and a speed of 109. His last Grade or Group start was the very next start in the G2 SnowPhantom Appreciation again over 7 furlongs where he led for much of the race only to fade badly and finish 8th across the line. Stopped more like it! Last run was back to 6.5 furlongs in the GR Simsters Turf Sprint where after running in 2nd for a lot of the race slipped back again in the last stretch to 5th across the line. Due for a win though – could be this race.
5 DANCIN IN THE BANK(KY)
Owner: texasace00
Record: 14-4-4-1
Earnings: $364,480
Jockey: H Ross
Odds: 9/1
The only dancin in the bank that I have seen is a Lotto winner on the way to bank their cheque! Still this one out of Street Cry(IRE) x Summer Squall x Lyphard was dancing last time out after crossing first in the DelPenn Turf Sprint over 6 furlongs and a speed of 110. Now that’s fast and puts this one in for a show here if he repeats that. It was a long time before drinks prior to that, in fact we have to go all the way back to May for his next last win and that was in Allowance company. This is harder here but he has the experience too after a well run 2nd in the G1 Smackdown over 6 back in July. Looks in good form – could be a chance here.
6 DISTORTED WAVE(KY)
Owner: rrr
Record: 18-9-0-3
Earnings: $172,066
Jockey: T Tyson
Odds: 14/1
Now on first looking at this one’s recent record he looks absolutely superb with 5 wins in a row from June to September all over 7 furlongs after being swapped from dirt by trainer rrr. All those runs though were at Starter level so the trainer upped him to the Cagrad stakes over 6 furlongs last time out where finished third across the line. It was a good run though as he finished strongly coming from dead last with a very good run. Just ran out of room and the extra distance here today should help him. In saying that, up against classier competition here so will be one to watch. Worth backing though as an outsider in my view.
7 IS WHAT IT IS(KY)
Owner: themaster
Record: 16-8-5-0
Earnings: $388,450
Jockey: M Kelly
Odds: 6/1
Good name I like it. Makes you stop and say it again when you first read it. Well it did for me anyway. From Vindication x Gone West x Sadler’s Wells his last run was a win over 6 furlongs in the NWRC Cavalcade Cup Turf Sprint 2008. Speed of 109 and came from behind in fact from last to take this one in the final stretch. And that’s pretty much his trademark run finishing strongly which is always a good sign of a good racer. Has only raced once before at Grade level which was the G3 Roy Rogers Handicap over 8 furlongs back in May. His last couple of runs were good – very fast in fact with speeds of 109 and 110. Needs to repeat that to challenge here.
8 ETHICS PARADOX(KY)
Owner: gradetwo
Record: 15-5-3-2
Earnings: $284,696
Jockey: F Evers
Odds: 6/1
Ran last at Grade level in the G1 Never Ready Sprint over 6 furlongs where he really didn’t perform at all finishing only 4 lengths behind but in 9th place and a slow speed at this level of 97. Bred out of the very successful Giant’s Causeway(IRE) x Gulch x Seattle Slew (now thats some nice breeding) has put together a good string of runs since that G1 failure with a win, second and third placing. The win and third place finishes were both Allowance races over 6 and 7 furlongs. Last outing was a second place finish in the DelPenn Turf Sprint over 6 furlongs. While running well including a top speed of 111 this may be too hard for him. Still if he runs that sort of speed he will certainly be challenging. Hard to say but I’d look past this one.
9 MR. UNIVERSE(KY)
Owner: appower
Record: 17-7-2-3
Earnings: $268,480
Jockey: I Wimpy
Odds: 25/1
Well this is the longshot of the race at 25/1 on the tote and I’d have to agree. If it was on an off track then he would be a chance having run 3 races on the off track with 2 wins and a third placing. Is coming off a win at Allowance level over 6.5 furlongs. Prior to that ran in the G1 Adopt a Greyhound finishing 14th out of 17. Will be struggling here I think to keep up with some of these. I’d throw this one some more races on an off track at Allowance and Stakes level too.
10 FREEKY’S V(KY)
Owner: freeky
Record: 16-7-2-3
Earnings: $436,240
Jockey: D Silver
Odds: 7/1
Another runner from the Vindication sire x Gone West x Nijinsky II is in reasonable form at this level. We go four runs back where he won over 6.5 furlongs in The Texasboy Challenge coming from towards the rear of the field finishing strongly. Next run was a speed of 105 in the G2 Winthorpe Stakes over only 5 furlongs which he also won again coming from behind the field. His following run was on an off track in the G3 Chemlawn where he finished second by a head to Furthermore also running here. Last outing crossed in 9th place in the G2 SnowPhantom Appreciation over 7 furlongs. Hard to tell what he is going to do here but he does have plenty of experience and the results at this level. Should be thereabouts at the end.
11 HUARALINO(KY)
Owner: zambaygo
Record: 22-5-5-3
Earnings: $256,649
Jockey: C O’Hara
Odds: 15/1
Breeding is Speightstown x Theatrical(IRE) x A.P. Indy and is coming off 2 wins in a row. Both of those races were at Allowance level – in fact he hasn’t raced at Stakes level since March and has never raced at this level before. Last run was a speed of 108 and will need to repeat something like that. Longer odds and might struggle.
12 TATSU(KY)
Owner: given
Record: 14-6-3-2
Earnings: $325,565
Jockey: V Parks
Odds: 7/1
One from the very well used Ghostzapper x Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector. That is some impressive breeding for sure! 6 wins from 14 outings can also run too. Some of those recent runs include a 4th in the G1 Never Ready Sprint and two wins at Stakes level back in March and April. Most recent win was in an Allowance in July over 6 furlongs. Likes to jump out first and lead. Distance should be ok – looks right on his limit though.
13 ADONAI(KY)
Owner: theprofit
Record: 20-6-4-3
Earnings: $323,580
Jockye: R Hall
Odds: 14/1
Another of the less fancied runners on the tote is this colt from Afleet Alex x Capote x Raise A Native. Was racing on dirt until July where he was swapped to turf and now getting some faster speeds out of him. Still only racing at Allowance level though so this is going to be some jump in class for him. Wait and see how he runs I reckon and maybe look to back him after that.
14 BIG GIANT ARSE(KY)
Owner: arse2007
Record: 17-5-4-2
Earnings: $196,976
Jockey: Z Wylde
Odds: 22/1
What a name hey! From Giant’s Causeway(IRE) x Sadler’s Wells x Rainbow Quest. Second long shot of the race on the tote his last run was at Allowance level over 7 furlongs at a speed of 100. His best run and last win was in July over 7 furlongs in the Passively The King Special Stakes. This is way much harder than what he has been running at. Can’t see this one up the pointy end of the field today.
Some good classy runners here as well as some questoin marks on others. My picks for this one are:
5 DANCIN IN THE BANK(KY)
10 FREEKY’S V(KY)
6 DISTORTED WAVE(KY)