Who’s Chuck and Where’s the Truck?
Race ID:3882.5013
Grade III The Chuck’s Truck Stakes
$800,000, All horses 4 Year Olds and Up
One Mile and One Quarter (10 F)
Track: Turf
Local racegoers have been treated to some awesome racing here in Japan over the past several weeks and this weekend continues the trend as eleven older horses take to the track to compete in the 1st Edition of the $800K Grade III The Chuck’s Truck Stakes over ten furlongs of turf. An evenly matched field will parade to the post as you could build a strong case for several entered in here as evidenced by the evenly distributed morning line odds of Trackman. The post time favourite is buffy 5’s MAX CALIFORNIA(KY). The question of the day here in Japan is … Who’s Chuck and Where’s his Truck? Let’s examine the field …
Race Analysis by Hladun
PP 1: 173076 SINNCINNATI(FR) lgbost3 (59/1) RANK: 2933
This lightly raced four year old son of Sinndar(IRE) comes into this race off of a win in an Allowance race in Spain over a mile and a half on the turf. Earning a 96 speed figure in only his fifth career start, he boasts three wins to date and tries stakes company here for the first time. No doubt his connections feel he’s deserving of an opportunity to prove himself against tougher but the biggest knock here is the distance. It’s not often you can say that a mile and a quarter may be too short for a competitor but this may be the case here. He can run all day and needs distance to get his motor going and power through the stretch. I like him but only for a minor award today. Tab for later on the stretchout to mile and a half or longer.
PP 2: 112099 MAX CALIFORNIA(KY) buffy5 (3/1) RANK: 58
This five year old son of Rock Hard Ten is a high percentage shooter who is as consistent a horse as there is. With eleven wins to his credit and only missing the board five times in his career, he’s banked $4.1M to date and looks to add to that total here. He enjoyed a stellar 2008 where he “broke necks and cashed cheques” in every start. He won two Grade One events and finished second in the prestigious Grade I Ark De Triumph and the Breeders Bowl Turf. In the Grade II Ferdichenko Cup, his first start of 2009, he was in striking position as they turned for home but couldn’t reach the leader finishing third by three. This is not his prefered distance of ground. Normally, he’d enjoy more yardage to work with but he’s a professional and always comes to compete so a solid performance is expected. A contender.
PP 3: 154324 I DON’T GIVE A DAN(ENG) tyedye (8/1) RANK: 154
This four year old son of Dansili(GB) has been crying for more distance of ground lately and gets his wish today. He’s been running hard at the end now over the past several starts and has come up short each time. With triple digit speed figures in his last four turf races, he tries stakes company again after positive efforts in his last two, the Grade II The Al Tahiti Fort Stakes and the Grade III Sussex Handicap, where he got beat by about four lengths in each. In both cases, he closed hard but simply ran out of ground. A repeat of those efforts makes him a contender today may do what he’s been unable to of late … get there in time. A contender.
PP 4: 123037 MAVERICK’S CAT(KY) mavrkzx7r (9/1) RANK: 251
Prior to his last race in the Grade III Saint George, this five year old son of Storm Cat was on a three race winning streak at the allowance level. He runs back quickly here on two weeks rest after a disappointing result in the Grade III Saint George where he unexpectedly faded badly after sitting chilly in mid-pack throughout. Today’s distance should suit him well and it’s simply a matter of fitness for him at this point. If he has something in the tank from his latest, you’ll get a good run at a square price from him here. A repeat of his prior two efforts makes him a contender.
PP 5: 118844 STORM’S GONE AGAIN tisgold (8/1) RANK: 226
This six year old son of Awesome Again is a seasoned veteran of graded stakes company with eleven wins and $1.4M in the bank to date. It’s been a year since he’s sipped champagne after winning a graded event, the last being the Grade III Marcos Footwear Handicap at today’s distance after coming out of a Swedish allowance race in which he won. The similarity to today’s scenario is striking as he once again comes out of Sweden with a victory at ten furlongs. Both set-up races in Sweden were on “good” tracks and he ran triple digit speed figures. Horses for courses may be alive and well and I have a hunch he’s sitting on a big one here. At a nice price, I’d roll the dice that a “storm is brewing” on the Japanese horizon. Dangerous!
PP 6: 19198 ROQUEFORT(IRE) hipica (6/1) RANK: 664
This five year old son of Sadler’s Wells is in here trying to parlay his recent good form into a graded win. It’s been two years since he’s celebrated victory in graded company but he’s been on somewhat of a roll of late. In his latest, the Well Resume Special Stakes, he came screaming through the stretch to miss by less than two lengths finishing in 109 over a half furlong less than today’s distance. Prior to that one, he ran well at the allowance level and his speed figures of 104 and 106 respectively says he’s in fine fettle these days. A contender.
PP 7: 152832 REFUSE TO CRY(IRE) paceman2 (9/1) RANK: 850
After a disappointing performance in the Grace III Buck Dharma Handicap, this four year old son of Refuse To Bend(IRE) rebounded in his latest, an allowance effort three weeks ago. Covering the ten furlongs in 2:01 flat (109), he did so with authority as he closed ten lengths through the stretch to win going away by almost four, leaving two graded stakes placed horses in his wake. A repeat of his last one put’s him right there at the wire. A contender if he avoids the bounce.
PP 8: 118770 ORDER IN THE COURT(KY) hippyfarms (6/1) RANK: 21
Like another in here, this five year old son of Doneraile Court is a very consistent peak performer. With ten wins and almost $2M in the bank, he comes into this one on a two race win streak and hasn’t missed the board in his last seven races. Two starts back in his last race of 2008, he won the Grade I Penn Handicap at nine and a half furlongs by almost two after stalking throughout. He was 10-1 that day and has since won the Gilded Bay Stakes at today’s distance in 2:01:3 (105) sitting just off the lead and pouncing as they turned for home. Hard to argue with this one as he has it all going his way right now. The one to beat!
PP 9: 106372 DARKDOUN(IRE) peepsclaim (6/1) RANK: 397
This six year old son of Galileo(IRE) is a veteran of forty one career starts. Having banked almost $1M to date, he shortens up here in hopes of preserving his speed to the wire and getting back to his winning ways. In his latest, the Grade II Ferdichenko Cup, he attempted to wire the field but couldn’t stay the last quarter mile of that marathon. With a lack of speed to contend with here, his prospects for taking the lead with minimal effort are good. The main question is will he be able to slow the pace down enough the last the distance. History says he can get the ten furlongs but only time will tell if the others in here co-operate. A threat to steal it.
PP 10: 20572 WESTERN SCULPTURE dorrin (15/1) RANK: 1193
This elder statesman has fourteen wins to his credit as he takes on graded stakes company again in this edition of the Grade III Chuck’s Truck. A seven year old son of Statue of Liberty, he’s looking to take advantage of his recent good form as he comes into this affair off a strong outing at the allowance level where he almost carried his speed to victory at today’s distance. He won’t have the luxury of an easy lead here and is up against it with this group. A longshot.
PP 11: 129309 CUNNING CHAP(IRE) norwestinc (7/1) RANK: 230
This five year old son of High Chaparral(IRE) is a high percentage type with fifteen wins in thirty two starts. With six wins in his last eight races, this allowance level monster has consistently put up triple digit speed figures while conquering his opposition. Deserving of the graded start, he looks to validate his ability by benching it against a solid group of turf performers here in his first stakes attempt. He is a ten furlong specialist and would not be a complete surprise here but being from Missouri … he’ll have to show me first!
GRADED HANDICAPS: By Hladun
1. ORDER IN THE COURT(KY) hippyfarms
2. STORM’S GONE AGAIN tisgold
3. DARKDOUN(IRE) peepsclaim