Thxmsslew Handicap

Grade I
Six furlongs
Fast Dirt
$500,000
Fillies and mares, 2 years old

The Thxmsslew Handicap filly and mare sprint will be run over six furlongs of fast dirt. The race is wide open and features some of the simulations finest young female athletes. With the three year old season fast approaching this could be the last great display of speed for some of these runners. The race will also be a continuation of what is sure to be a brilliant career for others. One thing certain is that the race will be competitive though we don’t expect a fast early pace in this one. Now let’s take a look at this field of outstanding runners:

PP Horse ID Horse Owner Jockey Odds

1 7868 ECHO PASS(KY) malekfarms J Benisz 7/1

2 157488 TANGLED LIES(KY) errandboy V Henderson 21/1

3 155924 TIZ CIELO SLEW(KY) iousome76 A Rolling 10/1

4 161714 NINETY FIVE THESES(KY) theprofit J Piotrowski 6/1

5 161645 WHY DO WE DIE(KY) ih8u O Ridenour 19/1

6 156073 AUSSIE CHICK(IRE) slamminsam F Gannon 32/1

7 159410 KORN STREET(KY) korn C Capper 12/1

8 170700 PASSION TO WIN(KY) grasslover C Shoemaker 7/1

9 157305 QUIET N DISCREET(KY) hollandia4 V Elliott 6/1

10 170140 BLUES GIRL TOO(KY) ezbreezy S Vincent 12/1

11 155468 BLOODFLOWERS(KY) lopo34 F Gossett 6/1

12 158339 AZAQUEEN(IRE) unshaded99 E Walsh 13/1

13 167668 STREETSMART PRAYER(KY) pazthree P Haynes 8/1

14 170910 UFO CRASH SITE(IRE) seedly I Thomas 17/1

Echo Pass

Ghostzapper x Giant’s Causeway x Mr. Prospector

Starts: 6 4 0 0 $692,500

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: 2

The last time Echo Pass ran six furlongs, she ran a 90 speed figure to win her Equinics class race in August. Her pedigree suggests she prefers longer, but she has shown that she prefers the short track after faltering at eight, and eight and a half furlongs in her last two starts. She had won four consecutive starts before her recent struggles. She could rebound well here, but don’t look for a wire to wire victory. She will be best served stalking here in Maryland.

Tangled Lies

The Cliff’s Edge x Summer Squall x Woodman

Starts: 6 1 2 1 $15,984

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: N/A

It seems like every few races I cover, “The Cliff’s Edge” shows up as a sire. This is one of those races. Tangled Lies doesn’t have a big resume like some of the other runners, but she is coming off a nice second place allowance finish in which she registered an 85 speed figure. She didn’t land the best jockey, and she probably can’t succeed going for the early lead. It will be a real test for her here, but she is just one race away from making a name for herself.

Tiz Cielo Slew

Tiznow x Conquistador Cielo x Seattle Slew

Starts: 8 4 1 0 $121,062

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: 28

Like Echo Pass she won’t win any awards for her gate speeds, but she can finish a race strong. She has won her last two stakes races with 83 speed figures in each. Those race speeds may be misleading. She will be pushed harder here in Maryland by this field, and if she pushes back watch out. She has what may be the best jockey in this field up in A Rolling. I got to love all that Seattle Slew in her pedigree mixed with Conquistador Cielo. I am really surprised that she hasn’t tried the turf yet, but she is doing just fine on the dirt.

Ninety Five Theses

Johannesburg x Seattle Slew x Defrere

Starts: 8 3 1 1 $167,780

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: 39

Recently Ninety Five Theses has been routing, but her speed figures only improved slightly. With the small jump in speed figures from sprints to routes I come to the conclusion she may have just got better, but prefers the sprints. This means she may be ready for a bump up in her already impressive 85-86 speed figures of recent. Once again we have a filly that will be best served charging from the latter part of the field late.

Why Do We Die

More Than Ready x Easy Goer x Elocutionist

Starts: 5 3 0 0 $80,370

2yr. Sprint Filly Rank: 153

It looks like Why Do We Die tried going to the lead in August out of the gate when she finished fourth. Last race she won stakes by stalking to win what was a very slow paced race. She doesn’t have the speed to steal this race, so she will need to display a late kick to compete in this one. I admire the pedigree here, but think she might be slightly over her head here. Who knows she may benefit from another slow paced race.

Aussie Chick

Aussie Rules x Turkoman x Mining

Starts: 9 2 1 0 $51,205

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: N/A

Her only chance may be to run rabbit and hope she wins. She has faster start up speeds then all of the horses in this field, so that is not too far fetched a strategy. This is an allowance horse in Grade I that has earned the right to run in a stakes race. With that being said she did win her last two starts sprinting. She should look to steal this one early with a large margin in the early going.

Korn Street

Street Sense x Forty Niner x Alydar

Starts: 8 1 2 2 $33,147

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: N/A

I think Korn Street likes longer than six furlongs, but she did finish second in her last stakes race sprinting. In that race she ran an 83 speed figure. She is going to need to do better here if she is going to have a chance to win. She doesn’t have the early speed, so she shouldn’t be a contender for rabbit. Korn Street’s owner shouldn’t have to worry about race strategy too much with C Capper up. I love her pedigree, and feel she could really emerge as a top notch three year old, so it will be interesting to follow her career.

Passion to Win

Petionville x Deputy Minister x Private Account

Starts: 3 2 1 0 $74,830

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: 115

Passion to Win left her mark on the recent Meadow Becky Special winning by two and a half lengths over six and a half furlongs. In that race she ran a swift 90 speed figure. Her only other stakes race she finished second running a 1:23 and change over seven furlongs. She shouldn’t be intimidated by this field, and I don’t think she will be. I think she can pounce quickly on the early leaders and contend for the victory. Shoemaker is up, so I expect her to find a real nice trip in this one.

Quiet N Discreet

Discreet Cat x Polish Numbers x Quiet American

Starts: 6 2 3 0 $458,220

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: 3

After finishing fourth in the Breeders Bowl Juvenile Filly race over eight and a half furlongs Quiet N Discreet will be returning to sprinting. Last time she sprinted she won the G1 Hoserhead Juvenile Fillies Stakes with a 86 speed figure in easy fashion. With a slower than usual pace expected early in this one I could see her being near the front, and then charging to the lead to face Echo Pass and Bloodflowers in what could be an outstanding three horse duel to the wire.

Blues Girl Too

Ghostzapper x Mr. Prospector x Northern Dancer

Starts: 2 2 0 0 $84,000

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: N/A

Blues Girl Too is a real intriguing filly. She has raced twice with wins in both starts coming on turf, though those stakes were absolutely meaningless four horse fields, and they were run on turf. She has outstanding world class pedigree. She is a marvel to look at, and certainly should be outstanding breeding stock some day. We really have yet to see if she can live up to her pedigree on the track. This race will be a real test for her to show she can live up to what is probably one of the finest pedigrees one could hope for.

Bloodflowers

Posse x Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector

Starts: 7 2 2 2 $648,090

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: 12

Last time she sprinted it was equinics, and she finished with a strong second place result. She also won her smackdown race this year. She is a great candidate to benefit from the slower pace here in Maryland. She has raced in her share of big races while cementing herself as one of the elite fillies in the sim. She shouldn’t have to worry about getting a bad trip with F Gossett up.

Azaqueen

Azamour x King of Kings (ire) x Gulch

Starts: 9 3 5 0 $136,150

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: 96

Azaqueen is coming off a nail biting win in the Bulladonna Special Stakes where she won by a head with an 88 speed figure. Her other stakes performance was in the slop in Finland where she finished second. Both of her stakes came in small four horse fields, but her last speed figure says she can definitely move. If she isn’t intimidated with the jump to grades look out.

Streetsmart Prayer

Street Sense x Storm Cat x A.P. Indy

Starts: 4 3 0 0 $79,680

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: 152

Three sprint wins are looking pretty good for this field even if only one came in stakes. That win came tied to a 90 speed figure, and showed off Streetsmart Prayer’s lightning quick speed. She could very well break last out of the gate, and then sit back until pouncing late. She has amazing pedigree, and I can see her really taking charge here in this one.

UFO Crash Site

Excellent Art x Buckaroo x Majestic Prince

Starts: 3 1 0 1 $9,445

2yr. Dirt Sprint Filly Rank: N/A

UFO Crash Site will more than likely break slow from the gate, and then try and climb the ranks. She may be able to weave through this field if she can step up her game. She is lacking big race experience, and big time pedigree. Nonetheless she will attempt to try and steal some stakes points here.

Lebowski’s Selections: 9 11 13 1 4