The Rantofan Handicap

Welcome to Oklohoma Racetrack, today we see the annual running of the Grade 3 Rantofan Handicap, over 8.5f on the firm turf, for 3yo only. For many of the horses today, this is a test, for the upcoming turf classic season, which will likely take lots of the colts from here all over the world to Australia or Europe. In todays race we see 3 former Grade 1 winners, and some nice looking prospects, many of them already proven in the stakes class, but let’s take a look at the field:

#1  SPANISH SWORD(KY)  8/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=155252

8 Races – 2 Wins – 116,530$

The 3yo El Prado colt already looked good on dirt, winning a stakes race, and finishing 3^rd in the Grade 2 End of the Line Futurity, where a 90 speed meant a career high at that point. But that all changed last time out, in the 8.5f Grass Night Special he saw Turf for the first time, and despite only finishing 3^rd in the Stakes race, he set a nice speed of 95, which gives him a good outlook for todays Graded Test. He still lacks experience on turf, and with the class of horses in the race he’ll find it tough, but if he can stalk the pace nicely he could have a shot at an upset, especially being a horse that has no set in stone running style.

#2 TEOFIRATS(IRE)  16/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=77082

11 Races – 2 Wins – 110,877$

With 11 Races, the Teofilio colt is the most experienced in todays field, something in a January Graded Race for 3yos often is not what you wanna be, as he seems a little overraced already. Last time out he tackled 9.5f but it looked like he lacked stamina, and got caught on the stretch, to finish in 4^th, after taking the early lead, something which he almost always accomplishes. His last win came in early October, in an 8f ALW race, with a speed of 80. His career best is a 90 over 8f, good enough for a 2^nd place in a stakes race. With his class I have my doubts he can take the lead today, with Hannah’s Mus likely setting an early quick pace. Looks not like he is still progressing as quick as others, and had to take several draw backs in his last races.

#3 PHOTONIC ANDRO(IND)  5/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=156808

10 Races – 4 Wins – 628,750$

Being one of the few sired by Marcus Andronicus, the colt looked like a top dirt horse. He won a few Del Penn Restricted races as a 2yo over 7f and 8f on the dirt, but after flopping in the Breeders Bowl Juvenile Dirt, he was taken out to turf for the first time in November, and looked great, he finished 3^rd in a stakes race, closing late, and setting a new career speed of 93. Last time out he ran even better, winning the 8f DPCD Juvv Turf with a top speed of 98, putting him right along the line with the top rated turf colts. He tackles Graded company for the first time on turf, but brings a lot of experience on dirt with him, he likes to close late, but depending on the early speed, can also run close to the speed. Look for him to be one of the best finishers, and really having a top shot at winning the race.

#4 HANNAH’S MUSE(KY)  7/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=160108

8 Races – 5 Wins – 224,100$

The 3yo limehouse Colt is kind of a win or bust type of horse, he won 5 out of his 8 starts, including 4 stakes races, but has missed the Top 3 in all other tries, including 2 Graded Outings. He entered the 6f Equinics sprint for 2yos but found out he’s not the sprinter type of horse, finishing 11^th with a miserable 75. Next time out he entered the 8f distance for the first time, and won the CR Racers Special. He notched another Stakes win over 8.5f, running a 96 in October. But once again a Graded Race forced him to step back afterwards, with a 7^th place in the Apperantly Juvenile. But his last time out he ran a career best 98, over 8f, winning a stakes race in New Zealand. Let’s see how he handles coming back to the track on a 2 week break, which is very tough for a 3yo in january, but he seems sharp, and with his style needs to take the early lead to be succesful.

#5 ANCIENT MYSTERY(KY)  15/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=158918

9 Races – 2 Wins – 88,430$

The 3yo After Market Colt faced two of the favourites in todays race, when last time out in the Grade 1 Epiphany Too Stakes, and ended in 7^th, despite running a lifetime high speed, which in contrary too most in the field is only a 89. Contrary to his winning form, which led him in a Stakes Race over 8.5f in November, when a 87 looked a good speed, he seems not to progress very quickly. He struggled in stakes class as a 2yo, finishing 3^rd or 4^th most of the time. He seems to lack the class of the favourites in todays race, and would need to up his previously set speed a lot. Being usually a stalker close to the pace, he could never find a rhythm in the Grade 1 last time out.

#6 ROCK VEGAS(IRE)  6/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=155290

7 Races – 4 Wins – 170,620$

The 3yo Galileo Colt has broken the magic 100 speed number his last time out, resulting in his 2^nd stakes win in 3 tries. He handled the 8.5f with ease, and his closing style suggests he can get longer distances without problems. Given his recent progression, we can expect him to break 100 once again, and perhaps even go quicker, he never missed the board so far, winning 4 and finishing 2^nd in his other 3 tries. He’d like to keep that streak going against a tough veteran field, sending some nice turf options for the upcoming spring.

#7 PASS THE MIC(KY)  6/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=164593

5 Races – 3 Wins – 224,220$

The 3yo Mineshaft Colt has crossed paths with Super Risk in his last two races, two solid 3^rd place finished, running a nice speed of 95 both times, first in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf, then in the Ephiphany Too Handicap. Both races showed his class, and it has to be seen, if he can reverse form with Super Risk again. He won the first 3 races of his career, 2 of them stakes races, and likes to take the lead early, or stalk it easily, running 8f in 4 of his 5 races, he should have a nice stamina, and the extra half furlong probably not much of trouble. Pick him to take the early lead, if no one else goes for the top pace.

#8 FLYER(FL)  10/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=166186

8 Races – 3 Wins – 118,400$

Another colt coming off another stakes win is the 3yo Wilko Son, after winning his MSW in September he took an immediate shot at Graded class, but was refused with a 7^th place in the Flying Saucer Stakes. Missing experience and class that day he wanted to come back and show his class, which he could do by winning 2 stakes recently. First an 8.5f race in early December, followed by a 9f Stakes race 4 weeks ago. His speed of 94 is not outstanding, but very solid for a 3yo at this stage of his career, however he’ll have to turn it up a stick against the competition today. To me the backend runner in the early stages looks like a longer route horse, who might be better at even longer distances.

#9 BELEQWAYA(IRE)  12/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=167129

4 Races – 3 Wins – 368,090$

The 3yo Heliostatic colt enters the race as one of the hot picks, but will have to proof he can handle the route distance, last time out he won the Grade 1 Digging the Grave Handicap, a 6f sprint test over 6f. And with his closing style, his connections think he’ll be able to handle longer distances, with a lot of fame and dollar on the line in the spring classics, this seems a good race to test his stayer qualities. Given the way his speed progressed from 78 to 96 within 4 races, we can expect another huge outing, if he can handle the extra furlongs. Look for the Colt to take a few lengths early, but close at full speed late.

#10 HIGH HOOFIN G(IRE)  10/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=17124

8 Races – 2 Wins – 43,757$

After taking 5 races to break his maiden, the Footstepsinthesand colt comes along nicely recently, Winning an ALW 2 back in November he already looked very speedy, finishing with an 88 over 8.5f, but he backed that by an even better performance last time out. He set a 96 speed in a stakes race, just finishing 2^nd not being able to close quick enough in the end, but made it from 9^th to 2^nd in the stretch. He’s a deep closer, with a lot of end speed, he looks like he’ll be able to cover a lot more ground, and the 8.5f still being a bit short for him. Today he’ll have to repeat his fire power in the end, and if he can better his career high speed, he can likely tackle the Top 3, but it will be tough.

#11 SUPER RISK(IRE)  9/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=99164

7 Races – 4 Wins – 437,180$

Ranked #3 in the turf route Division, the Danehill Dancer Colt looks to add another Graded victory, in September he won the Grade 1 High Flyer Stakes in Ireland, and looks a safe pick to participate in some of the big turf classics coming up during the spring. He ran a courageous race to finish 7^th in the Breeders Bowl Juvenile, where he had to face some of the Top 2yos on Turf, and followed that with a lifetime high 96 in the 8f Ephiphany Too Handicap, which outs him right a top the contenders list today. We’ll have to see, if he can handle the extra half furlong, but his usual closing style, which often sees him not really gain ground, but places, shows he’s got even more stamina in him.

#12 SCOT KLASSEN(AUS)  17/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=157616

9 Races – 2 Wins – 41,082$

The 3yo Fastnet Rock Colt was available for a tag of 4000$ in his second race, and was like a gift out of nowhere for his new owner  mailace9, breaking his maiden afterwards in his first race on grass for the new owner, he already showed some class. He struggled at ALW level, but won a ALW NW2L finally last time out, running a 89 over 8f last time out. Looks to face an uphill struggle in the Graded Race, and would have likely been better suited climbing the ALW ladder, but the end of the line has surely not been reached for him.

#13 SOMETHING TO GAIN(KY)  29/1

http://www.simulatedsports.net/hr/runtime/prettyhorse.asp?hossnum=157672

9 Races – 1 Win – 34,952$

Well, if you enter a Graded Race, backed by a Maiden win and a 3^rd place in an Open Stakes Race, it looks like a tough race. The 3yo Mustanafar Colt surely faces the biggest odds and the hardest challenge of his racing career, I hardly give him a chance, with his so far career high 86 speed.

I really love the chances of Rock Vegas, his 100 last time out looks outstanding, but there are several colts in the race, that can challenge him, like the Breeders Bowl Runners Pass the Mic and Super Risk, while Photonic Andro looks better and better, the more races on turf he gets,

I’ll leave it to the experienced punter to pick their winners, and may the best horse win today.