Two Million Reasons to Love February in Japan
Race ID:3868.5014
Grade I The February Stakes
$2,000,000, 4 Year Olds and Up
One Mile (8 F)
Track: Dirt
Local racegoers will be crowding the grandstand in spite of the gloomy forecast as fourteen older horses take to the track to compete in the 1st Edition of the $2M Grade I The February Stakes over eleven furlongs of turf in Japan. A highly competitive field will parade to the post featuring WIRELESS EAVESDROP(KY) econ and WATERGATE SCANDAL(KY) jonsnow as standouts among them and promises to be an exciting edition. Let’s examine this competitive field …
Race Analysis by Hladun
We are unveiling a new prognosticating tool today as we seek to gain every edge we can in deciphering the complexity of throughbred handicapping. No it’s not the “ThoroughGraph” or Brisnet’s sophisticated computer algorythmic programs. Yes, that’s right. It’s the Magic 8 Ball! We’ll ask the Magic Eight Ball a handicapping question specific to the horse in question to gain valuable handicapping insight into the race … enjoy!
PP 1: 80046 SPECIAL HAACK(KY) ottohaack (13/1) RANK: 1077
This five year old son of Medaglia D’Oro enters the a graded event for the first time in his career and it’s a Grade I at that! He’s been on a roll of late having won three in a row and five of his last six events. In his latest, The Senior Dancer Challenge Stakes, he wired the field with his usual speed-style tactics completing the mile in a rapid 1:33:4 (113) holding on by a shrinking head. The question today is he good enough to compete at this level. A shot!
QUESTION:
Can he employ his usual speed style and win at this level?
Magic 8 Ball says … “My reply is no”
PP 2: 153395 ESPRIT DE CORPS(AUS) kevoman5 (10/1) RANK: 29
This four year old daughter of Encosta De Lago(AUS) has won seven events in sixteen career starts with earnings of $341K. Never having competed against the boys, trainer kevoman5 has picked a challenging spot for he initial try. That said, she does have graded credentials which include a second place finish, losing by a scant nose, in the Grade II Gowader Stakes and Grade I Exam Stakes last year as a three year old. In her latest just two weeks ago, she won convincingly in non-graded company covering the mile in smart 1:33:4 (113). She’s been on the improve for some time now and can make a statement here if still at the top of her game. For as far as she goes … but may forget to stop. Beware.
QUESTION:
Is she capable of beating the boys in this Grade I affair?
Magic 8 Ball says … “It is certain”
PP 3: 36631 SAHARA DESERT(AUS) godmother (9/1) RANK: 79
Having competed in three consecutive Grade I events of late, this four year old son of Encosta De Lago(AUS) has a win in the GI Sterile Mile and a third in his latest The Diplomat Way Handicap. With eight consecutive triple digit speed figures he’s been sharp for some time now and is threat to win every time out of late. A serious contender at a square price.
QUESTION:
Can he run down the speed in this Grade I event?
Magic 8 Ball says … “As I see it yes”
PP 4: 129076 A PRAYER(KY) 88stud (24/1) RANK: 380
Still eligible for NW2X at the allowance level, this five year old son of Crafty Prospector is in tough here. Granted he did win the Grade II Iowa Corn Husker BB Classic on a “good” track going away by three he’s been beaten by a combined forty-eight lengths in his last three graded events. He would need divine intervention to get untracked against this group. An outsider.
QUESTION:
Can he turn it around and get his mojo back in this spot?
Magic 8 Ball says … “Cannot predict now”
PP 5: 130425 M. RUTHERFORD(MD) salsbil (16/1) RANK: 904
This five year old daughter of Waquoit, winless since April of last year, is facing the boys for the third time in her career. In her latest the Grade III Jake’s L. D. Challenge, she finished a fast closing third missing by two lengths as she tracked just off the pace throughout covering the mile in 1:34:2 (106). Looking to get untracked here, she would need to be at her best to compete in this spot. A difficult challenge.
QUESTION:
Can she beat the boys again as she had in the past?
Magic 8 Ball says … “Better not tell you now”
PP 6: 1586 WOODEN MINISTER(KY) pogs1 (7/1) RANK: 107
This five year old millionaire son of Hennessy is a high percentage shooter with eight wins in only twenty one career starts. He comes into this event having won the Grade I Diplomat Way Handicap in his last start covering the one mile distance in a flat 1:34 (111). Both he and the second place finisher from that event have made the trip overseas from Kentucky to compete here. He’s somewhat of an in and outer of late so your guess is as good as mine.
QUESTION:
Will he bounce off that monster win last time out?
Magic 8 Ball says … “Cannot predict now”
PP 7: 149712 WIRELESS EAVESDROP(KY) econ (9/1) RANK: 25
This four year old son of Smarty Jones has eight wins in sixteen career starts and a bankroll of $2.9M to date. On the Bluegrass Derby trail last season, he disappointed in the big race but later took the Grade I Swamp Stakes as well as the Grade I Delaware Mile two starts back. He tried the turf for the first time in his latest two weeks ago and didn’t take to it so back on the dirt he goes. Econ wheels him back quickly in this spot looking to resume his winning ways.
QUESTION:
Can he bounce back from the grass experiment on two weeks rest?
Magic 8 Ball says … “Don’t count on it”
PP 8: 103489 VENGENCE bulletday9 (9/1) RANK: 377
This six year old son of Vindication comes into this event off of a monster winning performance in the Grade III Big A Handicap three weeks ago. In that race, he sat chilly just off the pace only to sweep the field on the far turn and power to a convincing win over a mile and a sixteenth in a rapid 1:40:2 (117). On a two race win streak, he looks to make it three and a repeat of that effort gets the job done here. Look out.
QUESTION:
Will he repeat his monster performance in the Big A Handicap?
Magic 8 Ball says … “You may rely on it”
PP 9: 81310 WATERGATE SCANDAL(KY) jonsnow (9/2) RANK: 31
This five year old son of Empire Maker is a consistent type who has been well placed and very productive now for well over a year. He has a lot of speed and is difficult to run down if allowed to wander out in front all alone. Over his last twelve starts he has not been headed at any call to the top of the stretch and has managed to hang on to the wire in four of them and in the money seventy five percent of the time. A winner of eleven races and $1.7M to date, he will be tough at this eight furlong distance. A dangerous threat to wire this field.
QUESTION:
Will he try to wire this field today?
Magic 8 Ball says … “You may rely on it”
PP 10: 14048 HOOSIER MINER(KY) escena (9/1) RANK: 77
This five year old homebred son of Mineshaft has eight career wins and $1.1M in his bankroll to date and has really stepped it up in his last three events. His rating style will be seriously challenged by the “catch me if you can” tactics of jonsnow’s entry so he’ll need to keep that one in his cross hairs throughout. He comes out of the Grade I Diplomat Way Handicap where he finished a closing second in a smart 108. A contender in this spot if ready.
QUESTION:
Can he catch WATERGATE SCANDAL(KY)?
Magic 8 Ball says … “It is certain”
PP 11: 135026 PANHANDLING(KY) dixiedotco (9/1) RANK: 102
A four year old son of A.P. Indy is less seasoned then most in here but has lot’s of ability and continues to improve with each outing. He comes in off a disappointing effort in the Grade II San Valenzuala Breeders Bowl Stakes where he was expected to compete. He’s looking to get untracked in this event but this is not an easy spot to do so in. Maybe for a piece.
QUESTION:
Can he bounce back off of his latest performance?
Magic 8 Ball says … “Yes”
PP 12: 131423 STAFF TROUBLE(KY) zaza (9/1) RANK: 143
This five year old son of Storm Cat is coming into this event off several consecutive graded appearances finishing on the fringes since July of last year. For his last success, you have to go back to April where he ran a monster race to win the Grade I Cosmopolitan Handicap running the mile on a sloppy track in 1:33:1 (118). He hasn’t displayed that form since and is unlikely to catch lightning in a bottle today. Hoping for a turnaround in this spot.
QUESTION:
Will he turn it around today and untracked?
Magic 8 Ball says … “Cannot predict now”
PP 13: 147853 SIXTY TWO(KY) nijinsky4 (20/1) RANK: 2942
This four year old son of Flower Alley is trying graded company for only the third time in his career and hopes that it’s a charm. A rapidly improving individual, he’s on a two race winning streak in allowance company and his speed figures lately have been solid. His best will give him a minor award at best but the experience will serve him well for the future. An outsider.
QUESTION:
Will he improve enough to compete at this level?
Magic 8 Ball says … “You may rely on it”
PP 14: 93866 OTTO CAUSES(IRE) verona (15/1) RANK: 2422
This six year old son of Giant’s Causeway(IRE) has won nine races in his career and banked $1.4M to date. In a funk of late, he looks to get back untracked here. He comes out of the Grade II San Valenzuala Breeders Bowl Stakes where he ran evenly throughout never threatening but running a strong speed figure in 110. Improvement off of his latest will put him in the mix today and make him a factor.
QUESTION:
Will he turn his fortunes around and compete today?
Magic 8 Ball says … “Very doubtful”
GRADED HANDICAPS: By Hladun
1. SAHARA DESERT(AUS) godmother
2. WATERGATE SCANDAL(KY) jonsnow
3. ESPRIT DE CORPS(AUS) kevoman5