Coxless Stakes a Good One!
So… It’s the week after Breeders’ Bowl, a big letdown for graded-race fans, right?
I don’t think so, looking at the fine field of 12 that has assembled for the G1 Coxless Stakes at Victoria this week. Four Top-20 older turf routers and a trio of Top 26 3yo turf routers are in the field. These are joined by a 3yo who has been very impressive since being switched to the grass just 3 starts back. Just to add more spice, a mare has also passed the entry box.
This looks like a recipe for one terrific race.
PUSH OF A BUTTON, the #12 older turf router, breaks from the rail at 8/1 with solid 19% jock J Cox aboard. “I was told Cox can’t ride in the Coxless Stakes, but I grabbed him anyway,” joked the excellent trainer mav1763. The 4yo son of Elvstroem is coming on strong late in the year, with his surprise win in the G1 Champion Stakes stamping him as one of the Sim’s finest. Interestingly, this win came immediately after a disastrous day in the Windy City Turf Classic just 4 weeks before. Which button will the chestnut colt push this time?
THE BIG HIT goes from the 2-hole at 16/1 for trainer mickbriant. While the speedy 5yo daughter of Storm Cat has had a rough time with top-level fields in the past, today’s shorter distance might help her hang in a bit longer into the stretch this time.
FANTASTIC MIX, at 15/1, runs from the 3-hole for trainer spaderacin, who is hoping for a return to the terrific form his colt displayed during his impressive win in the G2 Kakarazuka Tinen Stakes. “I don’t know what I was thinkin’ trying my colt on the dirt after that win. It seems to have totally spoiled his mojo. Well… Maybe this time, huh?”
DANEHRO is the #4-ranked older turf router, winner of four graded stakes races this year, all at 10 today’s distance, all on turf. Trainer deyoto2 has procured the riding services of 29% jock D Evans in hopes of adding to his Lonhro colt’s excellent record. It’s hard to think that this guy will be anywhere than in the thick of things here, and the CPU agrees, making him the 4/1 favorite.
SPARTIATE goes from the 5 slot, well-regarded at 7/1. The #20-ranked Pivotal colt has won almost 3 million Sim bucks, but the wicked trainee has been unable to get a win since he annexed the G1 Singapore Cup in May. He was closest to the winner in the G1 Champion Stakes two back, however, and led late in the G1 Man Of War Stakes in July; dangerous here.
RICKY CASINO is the second choice by the CPU, at 9/2. The Redoute’s Choice speedball might be reaching a bit in distance, but will be dangerous if left alone on the lead in this race without a ton of pacesetter types. Even if the nog1 trainee doesn’t stick around late, he should insure an honest pace for the 10-horse, a deep-stretch runner from the same stable group.
PLAY STATION THREE has been right smack in the middle of every race he’s run in except for the 12-furlong Sydney Derby. Last time out, he beat a relatively light Grade 1 field in the G1 Roberto Clemente, his first against older horses. The #9-ranked 3yo turf-router has loads of talent, but that one bad race was at this course… Was it the distance that caused his poor effort, or does he hate this track? He’s 16/1, a tempting price.
PORTMAN’S PERFECT was the Sim Eclipse winner for 3yo’s on Turf last year, but this year hasn’t been the parade to the Sim Hall Of Fame that nijinsky4 was hoping for. As spectacular as it was, his win in the G1 Windy City Turf Classic is his only visit to the winners’ circle in 2009. The son of Pleasantly Perfect will need to improve his form greatly in order to defend his Coxless Stakes title.
IN EVERY SHADOW is in the 9th stall for trainer kissnsocal. The 10/1-shot is one of only two in here with a currently-active multi-race win streak, and beat today’s 12-horse in the G1 Jockey’s Weapon Stakes last time out. The son of lightly-used sire Purim seems to be on the improve; wouldn’t be a shocker to see this guy in the thick of things here.
FORTY FOUR HOME, from the hawk000 barn, is a confirmed one-run Silky Sullivan type who’ll be flying in the lane. The son of Spinning World gained ten lengths in the stretch to just miss last time out; maybe the presence of the speedy 6-horse will set things up for him, if that “semi-stablemate” doesn’t pull off the win himself.
RIVER SUN is an interesting entry at 15/1. The Sunriver colt started his career with six starts on the dirt, showing a little promise; wispa4 sought more and tried his 3yo colt on the grass. Success! Two dominant allowance wins later, he found himself with a high-quality field. He didn’t win, but was closing strongly and set yet another career-high speed fig. Today, he goes a bit longer, but faces older for the first time. Certainly worth a play in the exotics, might have a gigantic future ahead of him… Keep an eye on this one no matter what he does today.
DOWNFORCE is the top-rated 3yo here, and for good reason. His only off-the-board finish was in his debut, also his only sprint. After that he rolled through a couple allowances, and he didn’t slow down any when he started facing the top 3yo’s around. Six graded races, two wins and four 2nd’s have taken the son of With Approval toward the top of the mountain. However, the one that beat him last time is here to try the icbomber10 trainee again. 10/1 is a pretty enticing price, too.
Fearless prediction time… Like nearly all of these top races, anyone could win…
4 – DANEHRO loves the distance and turf, gets top jock, all systems go
11 – RIVER SUN could surprise at nice price
9 – FORTY FOUR HOME will benefit from hi-quality “rabbit”, be coming late
Good luck at the races!