In a rather unusual turn of events this week, focus shiftsto dirt racing here in Virginia for the first running of the Virginia Cup. Trainer lenny1 sponsors this race for threeyear olds to showcase his colt Vinfinity, issuing a challenge to any other threeyear old that think they can make the eleven furlong distance to come and tryto beat him. Lenny1 and his connectionshave secured a generous $75000 purse to sweeten the deal. We’ve had a week of beautiful autumn weatherhere, and the track will be rated as fast for the event. The race draws five colts, four of whichalready carry top 20 divisional rankings, with the other being an up and comerwe will be seeing more of down the road. Oddsmakers are calling this one tight, assigning a pair of 2/1 co-favorites,backed by another pair at 5/2 and 3/1 odds. The longshot weighs in at only 9/1, and in distance routes, you nevercan tell. If the longshot can sneakinto the trifecta, we may see some fair payouts in the exotics, but it’s goingto take a savvy handicapper to untangle this one.
PP 1) Oil Platform(ENG) Sired by Medicean(GB), Trained by 77. Oil Platform makes his twenty third career start in thisrace. He carries a field high divisionalranking of 13, backed by two career stakes wins and several top three finishesup through Grade I level. He carries a1-1-2-1-2 record in his last ten starts, with seven 100+ speeds, capped by a105.5 earlier this season. His laststart was the ten furlong Grade I Maybe Next Year Special, where he was in a pitchedbattle for the lead all the way to the top of the stretch, finally settling forthird as the closers powered down the stretch. He has a couple of token turf starts, but fast dirt has been hispaycheck. He’s posted 100+ speeds fromeight through eleven furlong runs but success wise, his best seems to be in theseven to eight furlong ranges. His onlyrun at this distance was a Grade 2 effort, where he gave up a big cushion downthe stretch to finish second. This coltis at his best when he can grab a piece of the early lead. He’s not afraid of an early battle, but theytend to cost him late, no matter the distance. He should get away clean here, but the field composition doesn’t favorhim in this one. With a stalker off histail that is likely to start pressing him just past the half, and some hungrydeep closers, he’s going to need to show more stamina than he has recently tobring this one home.
PP 2) Vinton LA(KY) Sired by Unbridled’s Song, Trained by azyoucanc. Vinton LA makes trip number eleven for hiscareer in this start. Though he hasstepped up his game as he has faced stakes competition, he’s still seeking thatfirst elusive stakes win. He showcasesan impressive 4-3-2-0-0 record in his first ten starts, cracking the 100 speedmark in each of his last four, topped with an impressive 107.4 in his laststart. That run was in the eight and ahalf furlong Grade 2 South Bend Derby, where blazing speeds and a shorterdistance conspired to hand him his only career finish outside the top three,finishing seventh by nearly seven lengths. All ten career starts have been on dirt, and as his record indicates,there has been no reason to tamper with success. He has performed quite well at anything over nine furlongs, andhe is undefeated at this distance in two tries. He’s a deep closer, and his close has generally been excellent,and he has shown the ability to close big gaps down the stretch, especially inhis longer races. He has a couple ofgood closers back there with him, but the distance and the drop in class areboth advantages to him here. If he runsas he’s capable of, he could very well notch his first stakes win in this one.
PP 3) Vinfinity(KY) Sired by Vindication, Trained by lenny1. Vinfinity takes the gate for career start number eleven in thisrace. He steps up to stakes competitionfor the first time here. His trainerhas carefully guided him up in class and distance through a series of challengeraces he’s put together specifically tailored to his young colt. He comes into this one off three straightwins, and has an overall record of 6-1-2-0-0 in his first ten, with two 100+speeds, topping out at 108.2, two starts back. His last race was am open allowance setup for him by his trainer at twelve furlongs, where he destroyed ashort field by four and a half lengths. All ten career starts have been on dirt, and with a 60% win percentage,it’s tough to justify moving him. Hislast five starts have all been at ten furlongs or better, and he has won fourof them, and placed in the other. He’sa deep closer, and his close has been impeccable over his last severalstarts. Whether he’s made a move at thehalf to close the gap or was forced to do it down the stretch, he still alwaysseems to find that extra gear, coming seemingly from nowhere at times. Look for him to be in a tight duel withVinton LA to his inside as they storm toward the wire here.
PP 4) Lone Star Rail Car(KY) Sired by Bernadini, Trained by sheeba. Lone Star Rail Car makes his eighteenthcareer start here. He steps back up tostakes level for only the second time in his career and he is still looking forhis first win at this level. His lastten starts have seen him run to a 1-1-2-2-1 record, with a best speed number of99.6 earned in his last start. Thatrace was an open allowance at this distance in North Florida, where he gave upa lead late to settle for second in a short field of five. He has one career turf start, where heperformed adequately, but really it only confirmed his dirt preference. He’s done his best racing in the eight tonine furlong range, but he has shown he can hold his own in the longer races aswell. He netted a place last time outin his only run at this distance, and has a win and a show in two starts atlonger distances. His break wouldgenerally place him towards the head of the midpack, but he’s been at his best with at least a pieceof the early lead. If he gets behindearly, he’s shown very little inclination to close any kind of a gap. By the numbers here, it is unlikely that heis going to be able to challenge for that lead early, and the combination ofthat and the jump in class could make for a long day for him here.
PP 5) Allthemoneyineed(AUS) Sired by Encosta De Lago(AUS), Trained by allyfarms. Allthemoneyineed looks at career race numberten in this start. This will be hissecond try against stakes level competition, and he’s hoping to see his firstwin at this level. After a fairlylackadaisical start to his career that would have had many trainers seeking theauction block, he has blossomed with a bit more distance, winning five of hislast seven, and bringing his career mark to 5-0-1-0-1, with four 100+ speeds,topping out at 105.0 earlier this season. His last start was a ten furlong open stakes in Pennsylvania, where hewas closing hard before running out of ground, settling for third in a field ofsix. He has one turf start, and thatseemed to wake him up, exploding with four straight wins and a significantspeed increase when he shifted back to dirt and added a bit of distance. This will be his longest run to date by afull furlong, but he has been nearly unstoppable at ten furlongs, with fourwins and a show in five tries. He’sanother deep closer in this field, and his close has been the picture of consistencyover his last seven starts. One thingthat bears mentioning though, is that only twice in those starts has he foundhimself over nine lengths out at the half, and those are the only two races inhis past seven starts that he hasn’t won. The extra distance could help in this regard, but it could also put himin even a deeper hole at the half with the speed up front in this one. With pressure both up front and behind, he’sgoing to need his best to bring this one home.