Narrowly Missed Stakes Grade III

Narrowly Missed Stakes
Grade III
Seven and half furlongs
Fast Dirt
$125,000
All horses, 4 years old and up

PP        Horse ID          Runner                                     Owner              Jockey            Odds

1          130920            FORTYFLOOD                      vertain              T Wang            9/1      

2          110016            BELLICOSE BLUE                 dokki               D McCants      6/1      

3          24898              HAPPY A                                noble                K Johnston       15/1   

4          146899            HUCHEY(KY)                        sam                  N Bonus           16/1   

5          129414            MOON LIVER(KY)               earthling            G Lauer            8/1     

6          22932              JAZZ BAND(KY)                   wonder1           K Ryn              11/1   

7          146837            PROCEDURE(KY)                 super1              R Logan           12/1   

8          1854                BO’S BOMB(KY)                   krfarms             P Munoz          20/1   

9          124812            DREAM OF JEANNIE(KY)   chinner             D Anderson      9/1     

10        74258              MARKED GROOM TED(URU)  tgroup         H Zoon            13/1    

11        97178              LOS ROQUES(KY)                super9              D Hester          7/1     

12        127283            LITTLE CAESAR(FL)            lgbost1             Y Dunbar         14/1    

13        114104            HIGH HEART(ENG)             losthecode        M Reveiz          11/1    

14        84524              AGAIN WITH CASS             zortrails            F Sinks             6/1

The narrowly Missed Stakes will contain a competitive field battling it out on fast dirt in Illinois. Some horses of note in this one are Bellicose Blue, Again With Cass, Procedure, and Happy A who should love going the seven in a half furlongs. Bo’s Bomb is a really interesting horse in this race. She will attempt to beat the boys, a feat she certainly is capable of. The race is expected to lack early burst out of the starting gate, but will showcase plenty of very strong late kickers. Moon Liver would be the most likely candidate to get the lead early in this one. He may best be served running rabbit, and trying to hold on, but that may be too tall a task for even him. The race is sure to be fast and exciting. A lot of older talent in this race is being showcased, and a smattering of horses who are reaching their career peaks. Now to the field as they make their way onto the track:

FORTYFLOOD

FORTY NINER x LURE x NASKRA

Career: 28 6 8 4 $133,174

Fortyflood erupted last time out with an explosive 115 speed figure victory in stakes. That race showed the six year olds blazing speed. Fortyflood has run a ton of excellent allowance races at seven furlongs, his eruption came at seven and a half furlongs which is the same distance of this race here. Fortyflood has really been overdue for stakes racing, so it will be interesting to see how he likes graded competition. He has shown the speed, now he needs to show the class.

BELLICOSE BLUE

FORTY NINER x SADLER’S WELLS x NORTHERN DANCER

Career: 36 9 9 5 $347,549

This seven year old horse is consistent as they come for a stakes runner. He has run in seven straight stakes races while finishing out of the money in only one of those races. His last time out was the lone failure as he finished 11^th in The Sir Per Gessle Stakes. Now he jumps to graded competition, and he shouldn’t struggle with the jump at all as long as his last race was a mere fluke. Here is a horse consistently running 110+ speed figures when he is on his game, and that will make anyone take notice.

HAPPY A

A.P. INDY x DEPUTY MINISTER x VAGUELY NOBLE

Career: 35 9 1 5 $328,746

The six year old Happy A has been up and down over the past year. He was down against grade one competition in September, but he has been up in graded competitions before. He finished third last May in the grade three Kentucky BB Sprint, and in last Aprils grade one The Billy and James Stakes. He has been racing six to six and a half furlongs lately, but he ran his fastest speed figure ever at this distance with a 113 in August.

HUCHEY

HENNY HUGHES x FORTY NINER x STORM CAT

Career: 17 4 4 5 $133,311

Huchey is really just getting his stakes career under way. He ran two stakes in December, and in November he finished third in the grade three Bernie Mac Special. This race is a big challenge for Huchey, but Huchey is worth keeping an eye on. At four with only 17 starts Huchey could really be approaching his peak.

MOON LIVER

MALIBU MOON x MT. LIVERMORE x VICE REGENT

Career: 29 8 6 4 $204,643

The five year old Malibu Moon horse is seasoned with plenty of stakes experience, but has never won a stakes race. I think grade three is going to be tough for Moon Liver, but he has a ton of speed which he showed in The Long Bozo Cap when he ran a 115 speed figure. At age five with only 29 starts Moon Liver is far from done making noise on the track. He may be able to get the lead early in this race lacking a rabbit.

JAZZ BAND

DIXIELAND BAND x GULCH x NORTHERN DANCER

Career: 22 8 3 2 $164,817

Jazz Band comes into this race on short rest after winning the Grand Circuit 2008 Finals Allowance race with a speed of 111. Before that race he finished third in the grade three Cracked Peanuts Stakes with a speed figure of 105. This race is going to test the five year olds soundness with the short rest.

PROCEDURE

FUSAICHI PEGASUS x DANZIG x DAMASCUS

Career: 16 7 0 4 $402,340

I really think all that needs to be written about this horse is 118. That is the speed figure of Procedure’s October stakes win. His last race he did falter, but if he is on his game this Saturday than watch out!

BO’S BOMB

GULCH x MR. PROSPECTOR x STORM CAT

Career: 17 6 2 2 $469,394

The long shot Bo’s Bomb is coming off an impressive win in the Millsetta Challenge where she put up a 110 speed figure. I like the fact Bo’s Bomb is coming off a big win, is the age of four now, and has just 17 career starts. She certainly is poised to make a great deal of noise this year, but can she do it against the boys this week?

DREAM OF JEANNIE

GOLDEN MISSILE x NUREYEV x COX’S RIDGE

Career: 26 9 5 2 $127,356

This five year old has shuttled a lot between allowances and regular stakes. In October he finished second with a 115 speed figure in The Fast Glue Bonanza Stakes. The Golden Missile horse is fast like a heat seeker, and capable of doing well here in Illinois

MARKED GROOM TED

MINISTER’S MARK x BLUSHING GROOM(FR) x CREME DELA CREME

Career: 38 5 3 2 $178,640

Marked Groom Ted won three stakes as a four year old. His most impressive win came back in November in the Alone Reject two stakes in a row before faltering in the slop in December. I would have liked to see him come into this race with a bit more rest. A bit of a long shot, but he is a special runner for sure.

LOS ROQUES

CRYPTOCLEARANCE x DEPUTY MINISTER x GONE WEST

Career: 29 5 7 5 $198,759

The five year old with 29 career races has a ton of stakes experience, but lacks a big stakes win. His last race was early December in an allowance race where he finished second with a 111 speed figure. He has a ton of ability, and has often shown a great deal of speed in stakes. This race could lead to the stakes victory Los Roques has been looking for. I like that he has just the right amount of rest going into this one.

LITTLE CAESAR

MACHO UNO x PRIVATE ACCOUNT x HAIL TO REASON

Career: 23 5 4 2 $140,963

Finished second in the Sir Per Gessle Stakes this past December beating Bellicose Blue who finished 11th. In July he won the Blue Mill Challenge with a 110 speed figure. The five year old has a huge finishing kick and may be served well by a lack of early speed horses in this race.

High Heart

SEPTIEME CIEL x NIJINSKY II x CRIMSON SATAN

Career: 32 7 6 4 $274,179

He may not be the first out of the gate, but he should be at or on the lead fairly early in this race. The five year old High Heart has been racing in allowances lately, but don’t be fooled by that. He won his last allowance race handily with a 110 speed figure. This Septieme Ciel horse is more than capable of stealing this one.

AGAIN WITH CASS

WILD AGAIN x NIJINSKY II x SHIRLEY HEIGHTS(GB)

Career: 31 12 3 2 $454,864

In the Notion Teddy Stakes last year Again With Cass won a hard fought battle with a 119 speed figure. His finishing kick may be superior to any horse in this race. He won four stakes races last year while displaying fantastic speed. At eight years old he will have to show he still has what it takes.

Lebowski’s Selections: 14, 3, 8, 5, 12