Vermont is 4 Lovers 4+ mares over a mile and a eight on dirt.

Grade I
A mile and one eighth
Fast Dirt
$500,000
Fillies and mares, 4 years old and up

How nice it is to get back to New England! A bit cold this time of year for racing, but I suppose all the Valentine love has heated things up a bit. This race is being sponsored by the good folks at the Pastures of Green Residency. The residencies members have provided the sim with great runners such as Elsinore, Sunnybank Memorial, and the ever so fast Kissin Streetcry.  Thanks to Pastures of Green for this awesome race. Now that is a Happy Valentine gift! This nine furlong race is sure to be a highlight of the racing week, so let’s not waste anytime and take a look at the field:

PP          Horse                                     Owner              Jockey             Odds   

1           WAR IN HEAVEN                waremblem8     S Gravina         18/1    

2           GAME GIRL(JPN)                 adonis              G Baum            14/1    

3           MIND ERASER(ENG)           fastvett             W McClendon 7/1      

4           PRAVDA(KY)                       super10            B Langhorne     6/1      

5           GRAUPOINT(KY)                xanderman        L Owens          8/1      

6           KORNSNAKE(IRE)              korn                 D Fendlay        6/1      

7           MISCALCULATION(KY)    fanatical            G Bungard        9/1      

8           SORGATANI(KY)                sangster            G Blackmore    10/1    

9           KOTTON KANDY(KY)       375stud            M Jolly             14/1    

10         KINGMONT ROAD             jrogue1             H Bowen          13/1    

11         WALL OF SALT(AUS)         borrow2           D Fendlay Jr.    14/1    

12         DERBY CAT(KY)                 rtribbett            C Wolff            9/1      

13         SLAVE TO AMBITION(KY) gwyneth          L Secret           12/1    

14         COX’S STAGE                      shredder1         N Stelle            14/1

WAR IN HEAVEN

WAR EMBLEM x NUREYEV x SECRETARIAT

Career: 32 9 4 8 $1,249,635

This six year old mare is the long shot at 18/1, but it surely is hard to wrap your head around a million dollar earner being such a long shot. Her last time out she ran a dismal 25 speed figure, so something obviously was not right with her. The question really is if she can bounce back, and come in sound for this one. If she is sound expect her to close strong and be in the mix. She did win the grade one Go For the Gold Stakes last year.

GAME GIRL

STRAVINSKY x MR. PROSPECTOR x A.P. INDY  

Career: 21 5 7 2 $368,806

This four year old mare is run pretty hard lately. She has been up one race and then down the next. She could come up nicely, or breakdown. My guess is she will do just fine in this one. She should have no problems getting the early lead, and she loves the lead.

MIND ERASER

DUBAI DESTINATION x LURE x SUMMER SQUALL

Career: 22 4 8 3 $1,245,248

Has run three straight races with speeds of 109 or better. Is coming off a second place finish in the grade 2 Willing and Able Stakes. She is a stalker with plenty of big game experience, so watch out for Mind Eraser in this one.

PRAVDA

KINGMAMBO x PLEASANT COLONY x DANZIG

Career: 28 10 2 4 $1,344,510

She had a real nice win last time out in the grade 3 Ouchy Nips Special running a 112 speed figure. She won’t be on the lead, but she won’t be trying to charge from the back of the pack. She should be within a few lengths of the lead before she tries and make a charge down the stretch.

GRAUPOINT

POINT GIVEN x STORM CAT x VICE REGENT

Career: 23 6 2 6 $343,450

This four year old mare has fared well against stakes competition, and shows excellent long term potential, but I am not sure she is ready for this field. She will need to step up her game, but she did run 107’s in her last two starts. She could turn another corner at any moment.

KORNSNAKE

SADLER’S WELLS x MILL REEF x SECRETARIAT

Career: 16 5 1 3 $257,248

I must say I am a huge fan of this horse. I like the name, and I like the pedigree. Heck, I love the fact that she won the Shadeed’s Double Bonanza with a whopping 116 speed figure. One thing about Kornsnake though is she likes the lead. In her only race this year her gate speed was a meager 74. That figure will not suffice in this race, so if she goes for the lead, she is going to need to improve greatly. Even if you take her best start figures from last year she is not projected for the lead in this one. She either just needs some more growth or a change in tactics. I don’t think the four year old has peaked just yet. Nice work on this one’s breeding.

MISCALCULATION

UNBRIDLED’S SONG x A.P. INDY x STORM CAT 

Career: 14 8 4 0 $1,989,120

Was an amazing two year old and early three year old, but she has never really regained the magic she once had. She did finish second in a grade one in December but she only needed a 106 speed figure for that result. Despite her early lead last time out she is not a frontrunner, and unless she turns the corner she isn’t a factor either.

SORGATANI

EMPIRE MAKER x WOODMAN x PLEASANT COLONY

Career: 27 8 5 6 $430,383

This five year old seemed to peak last summer in August with her win in the Code Murf Bonanza in which she ran a nice 110 speed figure. She has struggled lately as far as speed figures are concerned, but she has a history of solid in the money finishes. She will be interesting to follow.

KOTTON KANDY

CRYPTOCLEARANCE x A.P. INDY x NUREYEV

Career: 13 5 4 0 $1,701,590

Won the Deleware Distaff with good track conditions, and a very nice 109 speed figure. She is just four with sooo.. few starts you just have to believe she may very well continue her ascent to the elite. She should be ready for the older competition. She should stalk in this one, and may very well put up her best speed figure ever.

KINGMONT ROAD

DYNAFORMER x RAINBOW QUEST x COX’S RIDGE

Career: 33 12 3 4 $317,246

If you look at Kingmont Road’s data you notice she lacks the big earnings of some of these other runners. She is seven and has never run better than 106. She has real talent that shouldn’t be dismissed. She is a worthy entry, but realistically I think she has a small chance at glory.

WALL OF SALT

ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) x MR. GREELEY x HALO

Career: 17 4 5 2 $1,177,075

Won last years Three Smokes Stacks grade one stakes, and finished third in the Delaware Distaff. Started this season with a 89 speed figure, but history suggest she just doesn’t like eight furlongs one bit, and that race was eight furlongs. I expect her to rebound big here and produce a big late kick. She is one to watch in this one.

DERBY CAT

STORM CAT x RUBIANO x RAJA BABA

Career: 25 5 6 5 $392,929

What jumps out at me with Derby Cat is that she loves nine furlongs despite all that sprinty Raja Baba on the end. It wasn’t until last years D-2 Distaff in July that Derby Cat really began to show something special. Her speeds don’t jump out off the page as much as some of the runners here, but she always has herself in the top five. If history repeats itself, she will charge into the picture late and do quite well.

SLAVE TO AMBITION

DISTORTED HUMOR x APTITUDE x STORM CAT

Career: 17 8 3 2 $371,153

Won the grade three Annie Oakley Stakes with a 112 speed figure back in November. Slave to Ambition is the type of four year old you put in a race like this, and then expect to see her come up big. She is not a pretender. She is a great place to put your money at 12/1. With only 17 start she sure has a lot of top class running left in her.

COX’S STAGE

QUIET AMERICAN x COX’S RIDGE x STAGE DOOR JOHNNY

Career: 23 8 3 4 $294,230

She has been running eleven furlongs lately. She is really an up and down horse, and at seven she is no spring chicken. She showed a flash of brilliance early last year running a 108 speed figure, but I don’t think she can contend with this field unless she runs her career best in this one.

Lebowski’s Selections: 3, 13, 1, 11, 12