Eight Collide In Delaware’s Five Counting

Eight two year olds hope to take another step forward in their career in the Five Counting Special, run at 7 ½ furlongs on the main track. The co-favorites are an interesting set of contrasts at this point in their career. Wolverine’s Barb’s Dubai is unbeaten in all five races. The handsome, leggy son of Essence of Dubai is the third, and best, foal out of the stakes winning mare Gulch Bro. This five race streak includes three stakes victories, which has secured the services of perennial leading rider Herbert Ross. His latest win, at 7 furlongs, came with a field best 88 SF. If there is any chink in this armor, the colt did slow down a little at the end, and is going 1/16th mile further today, but still won comfortably. On class, the one to best. The other co-favorite is making the first start of his career, and he’s picked a tough spot, with several of the competition already posting speed figures in the mid-80s. Bayside obviously was impressed with Jonesing’s morning works, and his pedigree is also solid, by impressive sim freshman sire Smarty Jones, out of a Mr. Prospector mare. Your guess is as good as mine as to how he’ll do, but at 7/2, he offers no value. Third choice in the wagering, at 4/1, is the lightly raced The Good Doctor. The royally bred colt (Gone West x Northern Dancer) delivered the goods in his first start for turffever, getting up to win by a nose over 5 furlongs in New York, earning a 71 SF. He should like the extra distance, but gets a gut check here in terms of how he’ll fare against proven stakes horses. Lots to like. Next at 9/2 is jwolfe607’s Tale of Gold, who is parked on the outside. The colt is the latest juvenile success story from Mudreach’s Glory, who was herself 3rd in the Grade 3 Sabrina Stakes as a juvenile and a two-time stakes winner. Her first foal, Speed Bluff, was second in the Grade 2 Vermont BB Juvenile Filly Stakes and the Grade 3 Dr. Shut-Yer Trap Stakes as a juvenile, and her second foal, Dream Again, has won five of 15 starts. Tale of Gold is the third foal and first colt, and cuts back in distance after finding 1 1/16 miles a tad too far last time out. The blaze faced son of Tale of the Cat handily won a one mile allowance prior to that with an 82 SF, and should be a legitimate threat against the favorite here.

Minister of Smarty is the second son of Smarty Jones in the field, and the rfrankel trainee is the first foal out of Minister of Magic, who won seven of 30 starts, and was placed in one stakes. Minister is proven at this distance, having won a stakes in North Florida under identical conditions last time out, with an 83 SF. He’ll probably be even better at a mile or more, but with the decent pace scenario, he’ll be having a solid kick late here, and could end up taking his record to 3 from 4 lifetime starts. Tfarms has Piano Recital T, who is returning to shorter and easier after finding a Grade 3 route too much to handle. At 6 1/w furlongs, he won an allowance (85 SF), and a repeat of that performance puts him in the thick of the hunt. Garcon Zig, trained by egeorge, also found the Grade 3 route too tough, finishing just ahead of Piano. Prior to that, he’d won two in a row, including a one mile allowance in North Florida with an 86 SF. Look for him to be closing steadily down the stretch with a legitimate shot at taking it all. On the rail, is the longshot at 12/1, factorx’s Offlee Majestic. The colt is the first foal out of the stakes winning, graded-stakes placed Majestic Rex. Majestic has a win over this track, a 6 furlong allowance (86 SF), before faltering in the stakes won by Minister of Smarty. He’ll be looking to make amends, and if he does, he’ll pay a nice price. Good luck to all!