Backseat Driver Grade 3 Sprint

Backseat Driver Stakes
Grade III
Six furlongs
Fast Dirt
$150,000
All horses, 4 years old and up

There is nothing like the Backseat Driver Stakes. Anyways, doing race previews is kind of like the same thing. Geez, the title of this race reminds of a lot of vacations with my parents pulling a Costanza like road trip. Wait a minute that makes Lebowski George Costanza, nah can’t be, I’m the dude! Anyways, enough about the Costanza’s, and backseat drivers, let’s check out the field of runners:

PP           ID                            Horse                                                     Owner                    Jockey                   Odds

1          87999              SALTY TIGER                        plunk                T O’Conner      7/1     

2          130937            STORM OF SUNSHINE        mittasille           B Mills             17/1    

3          153262            HAWAIAN PUNCH(MD)      sjmeola             J Reed             85/1    

4          166168            BOLD BO(KY)                       atchafalay         T Renfroe        30/1    

5          110673            SEGUIN MOREAU(KY)        zambaygo2       P Bavaro          8/1     

6          104073            MOUNT DIABLO(KY)          zwylde             D Esperado      17/1    

7          91285              VINGEANCE(KY)                 galileo               T Mafit             15/1   

8          147446            TENPIN WOBBLE(KY)         tenpin7             N Stalker         10/1    

9          124537            CAPTAIN TONY                   parrothead        Be Brooks        7/1     

10        146463            UCLES(KY)                            voltereta           P Schreiber      13/1    

11        59110              ION STORM(KY)                  steller1             B Lotchy          7/1      

12        132969            WHO DAT SAINT(KY)         champions2      C Clark            6/1      

13        132081            MR TOMS RIVER NJ(KY)    honeyj              K Naber          4/1      

14        152291            INDY STREET(KY)               beefcake9        T Jenkins          13/1

Salty Tiger

AWESOME AGAIN x STORM CAT x ALYDAR

Career: 32 10 4 3 $340,085     

Salty Tiger is coming off a impressive JFK six furlongs grade three win in which he ran an impressive 113. His early speed dictates he should be stalking the early leads before he moves for the victory. He has the speed and the guts to win this race, and should play a factor.

Storm of Sunshine

STORM CAT x SOUTHERN HALO x VERMONT

Career: 27 8 3 3 $217,064

After an impressive string of races back in early 2008 in which Storm of Sunshine won a grade three stakes, things have been stagnant for the six year old runner. He has been bantering around in allowances and the occasional regular stakes race trying to regain form. The potential is there, but hasn’t been seen for some time. Storm of Sunshine needs to regain the magic to contend here.

Hawaian Punch

TWO PUNCH x DEPUTY MINISTER x HAWAIIAN PASS

Career: 12 5 2 1 $58,389

This Two Punch four year old has been lightly raced, and is coming off two very solid allowance wins on dirt, and a more recent turf stakes race in which he floundered. He make be able to make the adjustment here, but I can’t see him taking the early lead in this one like he has done in past winning performances. The early speed may be enough here today, but chances are it is not.

Bold Bo

BORREGO x GRAND SLAM x HALO

Career: 6 4 0 0 $137,870

This lightly raced four year old is quickly emerging as a serious stakes runner. He has very decent early speed that hints at rabbit potential for this race. Bold Bo is coming off two consecutive 106 speed figures, so there is no reason to believe he can’t do it again, or even improve. He will get the early lead in this one just edging out Seguin Moreau, and Hawaian Punch. The question is whether he will keep it.

Seguin Moreau

SMARTY JONES x MILL REEF x DANZIG

Career: 29 9 6 2 $270,821

After winning the grade three Kenny Joe Stakes with an impressive 111 speed figure the sky is the limit for this five year old who is really coming into his own. He has the speed to take the early lead wire to wire. I don’t expect he grabs that lead, or takes it wire to wire, but he certainly is capable of doing just that.

Mount Diablo

MINESHAFT x DEPUTY MINISTER x EASY GOER

Career: 15 7 1 0 $634,470

Mount Diablo is coming off an extremely impressive three year old campaign in which he won three stakes. Earlier this year he won the Bluegrass Cup Sprint grade two race with a 111 speed figure. He is coming off a rough start in which he didn’t like a sloppy track. Mount Diablo should love getting back to dry land where he can get back to closely stalking the front runners before pouncing with a big finish.

Vingeance

VINDICATION x SADLER’S WELLS x MR. PROSPECTOR

Career: 17 4 3 4 $225,817

This four year old colt has been showing a world of potential lately, but still needs to make a big splash in graded racing. He ran an impressive 110 speed figure finishing second in the 2008 Hogan Time Cap Stakes. He is a slow starting runner, but has the big late kick to charge back into the mix. I think the pace is fast here today, and possibly Vingeance runs out of time making his late charge after moving too late.

Tenpin Wobble

SEEKING THE GOLD x NORTHERN DANCER x SECRETARIAT

Career: 22 8 6 1 $320,340

Tenpin Wobble is a runner with incredible talent, but that talent is best served over seven furlongs. He is slow to get going, but charges hard to the front of the field late. Last time out he followed that pattern only to finish fifth in the grade three Kenny Joe Stakes, a race which Seguin Moreau won. More than likely Tenpin Wobble will just be starting to move when this race ends.

Captain Tony

DIXIELAND BAND x A.P. INDY x KINGMAMBO

Career: 29 7 3 3 $202,723

This six year old chestnut horse is coming off two amazing back to back stakes wins in which he ran 110, and 113 speed figures. This horse is in the midst of becoming a big time stakes runner. He has been neglecting to show any mercy on his competition, so its hard to see him being intimidated by graded competition here. He starts his move late, but once he does watch out. I like this runner a lot, and he could come up big here in North Carolina.

Ucles

AFLEET ALEX x RAHY x STORM BIRD

Career: 19 6 4 4 $241,293

One thing certain is that Ucles will be last out of the starting gate, but don’t think that will count him out of this one. With the fast pace expected, and the race being a short six furlong sprint things will be tough. The question is going to be whether he can make his charge soon enough. I see Ucles in the same boat as Tenpin Wobble in this one.

Ion Storm

TALE OF THE CAT x AGNES WORLD x SAINT BALLADO

Career: 30 8 6 4 $325,711

It seems like half this field wants the lead and the other half wants to move late for it. Ion Storm has the type of speed early to not lose too much ground, but the finishing kick to destroy the toughest of fields. He is coming off a tough JFK failure, but don’t be surprised if Ion Storm rebounds and wins this one. His slew of 110+ speed figures is an impressive feat for sure!

Who Dat Saint

SAINT LIAM x SILVER DEPUTY x HALO

Career: 21 9 5 1 $357,956

Who Dat Saint is well rehearsed at six furlongs after running six straight races at that distance. He has stakes experience and mediocre graded success. In August and September he ran 114 and 113 speed figures, so he has big time speed ability. I like Who Dat Saint a lot in this race. He doesn’t start too slow out of the gate, and he has finishing speed. If Who Dat Saint is on his game look out.

MR Toms River NJ

STORM CAT x MR. PROSPECTOR x A.P. INDY

Career: 27 15 3 6 $1,945,690

MR Toms River NJ won the 2008 Breeders Bowl Sprint, so he can run with the best of them. He likely starts out the early portion of this race in fourth position before pouncing and either winning, or nearly winning. This five year old runner certainly is in a class of his own.

Indy Street

STREET CRY (IRE) x A.P. INDY x KEY TO THE MINT

Career: 16 6 1 0 $133,695

The four year old Street Cry runner has some graded experience though lacks graded success. I suspect he breaks somewhere near the back of this field, and either he emerges and comes on, or simply fades to finish near the back of this field. I see Indy Street as a nice horse, but a long shot in this one.

Lebowski’s Selections: 11, 13, 5, 1, 12