Movieland Futurity Attracts Big Field of Hopefuls
There will be two graded races featured on the card this weekend in California. They will be the Grade 1 Movieland Futurity and the Grade 1 Movieland Starlet. The first mentioned will be going off as the fifteenth race of the day on the card and will be the main draw for two-year-old colts this weekend on the west coast. The prestigious Movieland Futurity (G1) is open only to juveniles and is run over a mile and one sixteenth over the outer dirt course. A total purse of $250,000 will be up for grabs in this years Movieland Futurity (G1). Last year’s winner of the Movieland Futurity (G1) was the famous Sardini, owned by punter41 who won the race by a length in 1:43 for the eight and a half furlongs. However, the stakes record for the Movieland Futurity (G1) was set back in 2002 when afc’s graded-winning wonder won the race by an impressive three and three-fourths lengths in 1:41 4/5 on a good dirt track. This record set by Eruption has held since then, no horse beating the time in the six years the race has been run since that time. For this Saturday’s race we can probably expect partly cloudy skies around post time with temperatures around 75º Fahrenheit. Rain is due in the forecast but is not expected to arrive until after the races have been run that afternoon. With the ideal conditions for racing this weekend, it appears as the Movieland Futurity (G1) will draw a full field of juveniles this year, looking to make a final statement at the end of the year to push them into their upcoming three-year-old season.
1. Morty’s Clantati – (Stormy Atlantic x Affirmed x Sportin’ Life) – rrlogan – T. Steinlicht – 15/1
Taking the rail in Saturday’s race will be rrlogan’s Morty’s Clantati. The bay colt has made eight lifetime starts over the dirt, so far winning once in his career. This single win came in a maiden special weight race over eight furlongs in August. The colt has since been successful at listed stakes, scoring on the board finishes in The Financial Slap Memorial and The Rapid Ruckus Challenge. The colt also made a graded start in early September in the Cryogenics Juvenile but faltered and finished ninth. It was after this that the colt was stepped back in class to listed stakes. With more experience under his belt, the colt has been moved back up to graded class to see how he fares with the best of the best. Look for the colt to come out of the gate towards the lead on Saturday, but just off the major pace of the race.
2. Scat Brush – (Suave x Broad Brush x Storm Cat) – graywolf4 – M. Billig – 19/1
Sent into the second hole we will have the brown colt Scat Brush. The son of Suave has made ten lifetime starts, most of them over the dirt. The colt has won over this surface a total of three times so far in his career, giving him earnings of $77,190 just over that surface. The two-year-old colt is the first stakes winner out of the race-winning mare Scat U Cat. The colt made his most recent start just last month in the Upper State Juvenile Stakes (G3) over eight furlongs. The colt finished fourth in the race, in the money but still six and a half lengths back. He set a speed figure of ninety, a lifetime best for the colt. Previous to this graded start, the colt had won two back-to-back allowance caliber races by over one length over the rest of the competition. Depending upon the pace in this weekends race, we could see the colt as far up in the back as fourth or fifth, sitting just off the pace, or his connections may choose to rate the colt further back towards the rear of the field if the pace is fast on Saturday.
3. Seebiscuit – (Pollard’s Vision x Miswaki x Storm Bird) – megaman42 – Y. Bower – 12/1
Next going down the list of the field for the Movieland Futurity (G1) we have Seebiscuit, going to the gate in the gray and blue silks of Baggio Stables. The Kentucky-bred chestnut colt has been lightly raced his two-year-old season with just five lifetime starts. The colt has finished on the board three times in his career, winning once. His most recent start came a few months ago in Washington during the Big Hill Stakes (G2) over seven furlongs. The chestnut colt finished five lengths off the pace in this race, in eighth with a speed figure of eighty-six. His only other graded start, a run in the eight furlong Pea Patch Juvenile (G3) resulted in a fifth place finish. His only win came in the listed Exalted From Shag Bonanza this past July. Look for the colt to be up near the pace as they come out of the gate on Saturday, probably waiting slightly back in the wings in fourth or fifth.
4. Roho (JPN) – (Afleet x Private Account x Cox’s Ridge) – nicanor – M. Staples – 13/1
Sent into the fourth post we will have this bay Japanese-bred colt, Roho (JPN), who will be making his first start in the United States this weekend in the Movieland Futurity (G1). This bay colt has also been very lightly raced with only four races run so far in his brief juvenile year. However, all four times the colt has run he has finished on the board for Smokeglack Stables. Despite this, the colt hadn’t managed to win a race until his most recent start. This race was the listed Wings Of A Dove Cap over eight and a half furlongs, run on a sloppy dirt track this year in Denmark. The colt won this race by two and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of eighty-eight over the slop. The colt was also placed in the Board Two Bonanza and the Out At The Affair Stakes earlier in his career. Look for the bay colt to be right up in the thick of things early on out of the gate, settling just off the front runners and looking to probably settle off in third or fourth position.
5. Activity Celebre (IRE) – (Peintre Celebre (IRE) x Decree x El Prado (IRE)) – hebbe – E. Land – 15/1
Working our way through the field we will have Activity Celebre (IRE), going to gate number five in the black, blue and green silks of Nickesyd Racing Club. The Irish-bred brown horse has made eight starts so far in his career, impressively winning three of this races and finishing on the board in three others. The colt has finished off the board only twice in his career, but has never finished out of the money. Despite the colt’s turf pedigree he took his propensity towards dirt from his dam, the race-winning mare Irish Activity. After beginning his career on the turf, Activity Celebre (IRE) switched surfaces to the dirt and immediately won over the surface in mid July. Since then the colt has also gained success in allowance caliber races as well as winning the Cherokee Band Special by one and one fourth lengths and placing in the Texas Justice Special. The latter of these two races, the colt put up a lifetime best speed figure of ninety. The colt will usually hang just off the pace of other horses at the start of the race, but could go up to take the lead if the pace is slow on Saturday.
6. Taptrical Ted – (Tapit x Theatrical x Sadler’s Wells) – youngnhung – C. Mecklenburg – 10/1
Up next we have the striking light gray colt, Taptrical Ted, going to the gate under Youngnhung Stables. The Kentucky-bred colt, out of the Grade 1 winning mare Technically T (IRE), has impressive won half of the starts made so far in his career. An additional two finishes in place position gives the colt the distinction of finishing off of the board only once in his career. With his three wins, the colt has earned a total of $101,710. To date, the colt is the victor of two stakes races, The Alybluegrass Stakes and the One Devil Memorial. The sole race in which the colt did not land on the board was in the Pea Patch Juvenile (G3), his sole graded start, where he finished eighth. The colt set a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-two in his most recent race, The Alybluegrass Stakes, last month. If the colt has a good trip on Saturday, look for him to be out of the gate quickly and stalk the pace early on, probably back in second or third.
7. Never Quit (IRE) – (Refuse To Bend (IRE) x Diesis (GB) x Storm Cat) – wistful3 – A. Lewis
Out towards the middle of the track we will have the Irish-bred Never Quit (IRE) going to gate seven under the green and red silks of Topicount Stables. The chestnut colt is the first offspring out of the Grade 1 winning mare, Scimitarra (GB). The colt has run a total of seven times so far and earned $356,672 in career earnings. Four of the seven times the colt has hit the track he has come back the winner. His most recent start came here in California a few months ago in the eight and a half furlong Breeders Bowl Juvenile (G1). For the first time in the colts career he finished off of the board by finishing twelfth in the race. Previous to his start in the famous Breeders’ Bowl, the colt won the Dell Computer Futurity (G2) and Midsoil Stakes (G3). He also finished second in the End Of The Line Futurity (G2). Looking to rebound off of his start in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile, this colt is a formidable foe to be facing in the Movieland Futurity (G1) this weekend with two prior speed figures in excess of ninety. Look for this colt to come out of the gate being rated around mid pack in the race, or possibly even further back if it looks to be in the colts interest.
8. Ninja Silence – (Dehere x Forty Niner x Nijsinky II) – peeps7 – J. Dekeyser – 9/1
Still out towards the middle of the track in gate nine we will have the brown homebred colt, Ninja Silence in the black, gold and red silks of Cobra Kai Racing Stables. The Kentucky-bred colt, out of the stakes winning mare Forty Ninjas, has ran in a total of six career starts, winning one of these races and finishing on the board in three more of his starts. The brown colt made his most recent start in the GR Simsters Juvenile Restricted over eight and a half furlongs in North California. The colt tied a lifetime best speed figure of ninety in this race while coming home to finish third overall in the race. He has made three graded starts so far early in his career, the Darling Squash Futurity (G2) where he finished seventh, the Pea Patch Juvenile (G3), a second place finish, and the Early Morning Special (G3), where he finished sixth. We can probably expect the brown colt to begin the Movieland Futurity (G1) towards the back of the pack on Saturday, not making a move on the front runners until late in the stretch.
9. Desperate Prayer (AUS) – (Encosta De Lago (AUS) x Montjeu (IRE) x Kingmambo) – pazprayer – T. Bates – 14/1
Working towards the grandstand side of the gates we will have Australian-bred brown colt, Desperate Prayer (AUS) in the white, orange and teal silks of PazJazz Music City Stables, being loaded into gate nine. The brown colt has made six lifetime starts and accumulated earnings of $35,732 throughout his career so far. Of the colt’s six starts, he was won twice and finished on the board three times. The colt will be making is first graded stakes start this weekend in the Movieland Futurity (G1), as well as making his first trip to race in the United States. His only stakes start came in the mile long listed King Kong Memorial in Dubai where the colt finished third in the race after making a late run. With all the horses that look like they’re going to be sent towards the front on Saturday, this colt may be reigned in at the break and held back to run towards the middle of the pack in order to avoid traffic between those jockeying for position near the pace.
10. Emperors Image – (Awesome Again x Sir Ivor x Raise A Native) – mucha – O. Brim – 7/1
In the tenth post we will have Emperors Image, the two-year-old light gray colt going to the gate for Mucha Stables. The Kentucky-bred colt has made five career starts and impressively won three of these races and finishing second in another one of his starts. The only race in which the colt did not finish on the board was his most recent start in the eight furlong Sore Slew Memorial where he finished two lengths back in fourth position, though setting a speed figure of ninety for the mile long race. This stasrt was preceded by back to back wins in an eight furlong allowance caliber race and in the CR Racers Stakes Special Restricted. We can probably expect the light gray colt to be held out of the gate this weekend, probably back towards the middle of the field before he gains steam just before the field turns to go into the stretch.
11. Eyedominator (IRE) – (Galileo x Storm Cat x Kingmambo) – marmac – N. Hein – 15/1
Next up continuing down the line we have the bay colt, Eyedominator (IRE), under the red and blue silks of Big Cheese Racing-Holding Stables. The homebred colt has run six races so far in his juvenile year, winning two of them. The colt began his racing career overseas in Spain where he made three starts until he finally broke his maiden in late May. The colt went on to run in the Senior Prospector Handicap over the turf and finished fourth. Then the colt would make the jump from turf to dirt in what would change his racing career. The colt has only started over the dirt twice, but has finished on the board in both these races, including the winning of his first start over the surface in an eight furlong allowance caliber race. This weekend will mark the colts first start over in the States as well as his first shot at making it big in a graded stakes race. We can probably look for the colt to be forwardly placed in the race, either on the lead or right off the pace out of the gates. The colt is out of the graded placed mare Galileo’s Daughter.
12. Ultimate Diamond – (A.P. Indy x Storm Cat x Danzig) – korn – P. Incay – 9/2
The favorite in Saturday’s race is next in the form of the impressive Ultimate Diamond. The gorgeous bay will be the only filly running this weekend in the Movieland Futurity (G1), choosing to run with the boys this weekend rather than in the Movieland Starlet (G1) for fillies which will be going off right before the Movieland Futurity (G1). The royally-bred bay filly has been lightly raced with just four lifetime races. However she has won twice in her career and finished on the board in all of her races, bringing her lifetime earnings to $681,000 so far. She finished second two months ago in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Filly (G1) and won the Dazzling Daisies Stakes (G2) earlier in the year. She has made a single attempt against the boys prior to this weekends’ race in the Camel Juvenile (G2), where here she finished half a length behind in third. She is surely an impressive filly and has received phenomenal backing her at the track. We can probably expect her to be out of the gate quickly this weekend, settling into around third place position out of the gate and waiting just off the pace until the stretch.
13. Distorted Dragon – (Distorted Humor x Storm Cat x Gone West) – reacher – F. Gossett – 7/1
At lucky post thirteen we will have the chestnut Distorted Dragon under the black and red silks of Given Stables. The impressively-bred Kentucky colt has run six times so far in his career and managed earnings of just over the half a million mark at $595,520. The colt has won twice in his career out of his six starts and has never finished off the board in any of his races. The colts most recent race was two months ago here in California during the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile (G1) where the colt came home t finish second in the prestigious eight and a half furlong race, setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-eight for his efforts in the historic race. Prior to his start in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile (G1) the colt had finished second in a photo in the Camel Juvenile (G2). Bound to be a sure threat this weekend, we can probably look for the chestnut colt to come out of the gate towards the middle of the pack, held off the pace of the rush to the front. If the pace is strong this weekend, we might find him even further back in the race, conserving power for his run down the stretch.
14. Reginald Dwight – (Jazil x Point Given x Giant’s Causeway (IRE)) – donmar – R. Simcox – 9/1
At the far outside grandstand side post we will have the homebred chestnut colt, Reginald Dwight. The Kentucky-bred colt is by of the freshman sire Jazil and is the first offspring out of the mare Giant Point. The colt has made five career starts so far, winning twice over the dirt. His most recent start was in the Big Hill Stakes (G2) this past October. The colt finished second in a photo finish, losing by head at the wire. The colt was also involved in another photo in his previous race, the Tolerant Peak Cap over six furlongs in Delaware. This photo, however, was in the colts favor as he pulled off the victory by a nose over his adversary. The colt has finished no worse than second at any point in his career and will be making his second graded start this weekend in the Movieland Futurity (G1). With the rush that appears to be likely made at the beginning of the race for the front, the colt will likely be held back slightly off of his favored trip and try being rated for the second time in his career.
Tellnotale’s Picks
Win: Distorted Dragon
Place: Ultimate Diamond
Show: Emperors Image
Good luck to all with runners in this weekends Movieland Futurity (G1). This is tellnotale signing off.