This Weeks Only G1 Could Be Quite a Race!
The Queens Vase
Grade I
A mile and one quarter on the Firm Turf Course
Purse -$500,000, 1st: $300,000, 2nd: $125,000, 3rd: $40,000, 4th: $25,000, 5th: $10,000
Fillies and mares, 4 year olds
Stakes record – Inaugural Race
With most of the country locked in a deep freeze, it is nice being in California this week for the inaugural running of the The Queens Vase G1. With fairly restrictive parameters we have a very solid and competitive field here this week. These four year old ladies are at a point in their careers where they can really get a lot better after finishing up their three year old campaigns. A lot of turf horses don’t even begin to reach their potential until they turn four so we could be looking at the next big thing in the turf world among the ladies. This race is a lot closer than it looks in the morning line. I’m really looking forward to this one so let’s take a look:
1 – WEEKLY QUEST(JPN) ODDS STABLE WIN% JOCKEY WIN% TOP SPEED EARNINGS RANK Deadinthelane Stables 6/1 Borrow 17.4% T.Bates 11-1-1-0 – 9% 109 $ 229,480 238
( SPECIAL WEEK x RAINBOW QUEST x RIVERMAN) This nice looking four year old chestnut mare jumps up to the Graded circuit for the second time for trainer Borrow. She is still looking for that elusive first Stakes win although she has been very close in several races. She is a deep closer that might actually be looking for more distance although her previous outing at this distance was one of her worst runs SPF wise. She has Bates holding the reins who is always solid but has only one win so far this year. He is due and perhaps he can move this girl with the right pace and put her in the mix at the end.
 | 2 – LARCENY INC(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punisher Stables | 26/1 | Punisher | 10.4% | V.Feller | 2-0-0-1 – 0% | 97 | $ 121,980 | 438 |
( VINDICATION x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (IRE) x AWESOME AGAIN) This four year old larsonist would love to come in here and steal a win but she is going to have to have a lifetime effort just to get close. Her last outing in the DEADLY CON Stakes she finished 24 lengths back which had to be a major disappointment for trainer Punisher. Her top speed figure to date was a 97 a couple back and that won’t cut it with this group. I’ve certainly seen these ladies take off as they turn four and she has had a long layoff since Thanksgiving but it would be a major surprise if she can contend here.
 | 3 – VALHERU(AUS) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astin’s Other Place | 5/1 | Wish | 17.6% | O.Brim | 6-0-0-1 – 0% | 109 | $ 134,805 | 465 |
(ELVSTROEM (AUS) x LYPHARD x NIJINSKY II) This will only be the second Stakes outing of any kind for this girl but she is coming in here on a hot streak with three consecutive wins and a couple of seconds before that. Her SPFs have picked up too with her best of 109 in her last outing. That was a big jump and an easy four and a half length win. As long as she doesn’t bounce from that effort she has a very real chance of competing here. Trainer Wish has brought her along nicely and they have Brim and his 17 years of experience in the saddle. He is still looking for his first win of the season but sure knows how to gather wins. This could be a big stepping stone for this girl.
 | 4 – REIGN IN HADES G(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pgpg Stables | 9/5 | Citation4 | 9.4% | M.Staples | 14-6-4-1 – 43% | 112 | $ 872,625 | 46 |
( E DUBAI x FORESTRY x SEATTLE SLEW out of NOELLE’S RAINBOW G) By far the most seasoned of our entries, this beautiful chestnut mare has won seven Stakes events including a G1 and a G2. She has won nearly 40% of her races against tough competition. That being said, she has never run further than eight and a half panels and that could be a crack of hope for the rest of the field in this one. Trainer Citation4 and the Pgpg Stables have to hope that this girl can go on and be a force in the longer turf races where a good horse can make a living for a long time to come. In the irons is the hottest jockey at the track in Staples who already has six wins this year. A formidable team here.
| 5 – AQUESTFORPRECISION(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willyam13 Stables | 9/1 | WFStables4 | 12.3% | R.Simcox | 7-0-2-0 – 0% | 107 | $ 189,408 | 241 |
( DISTORTED HUMOR x NIJINSKY’S TABLE x IBN BEY(GB)) Since trainer WFStables4 moved this girl to grass last March, she has gone on an amazing streak of one second and six wins in her next seven races. She comes in here on a five win streak and seems to keep getting better. Her last two have been Stakes wins and she definitely looks ready to move up to the Graded ranks. She likes to grab that early lead and hold off challengers down the stretch and with the other speed horses in the race outside of her she may get that lead here. Rider Simcox is one of the best out here but he is still looking for his first win this season. It could be in this race.
 | 6 – ALONDRA POWER(IRE) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otto Haack | 13/1 | HaackSlew | 22.6% | A.Lewis | 14-4-1-6 – 29% | 106 | $ 391,700 | 140 |
( GALILEO (IRE) x RAHY x SUMMER SQUALL out of CHAMPION HAACK) Another speed horse coming in here off of a Stakes win and a nice jump in SPF with a solid 106, this mare has had a nice layoff and would like to win this first race of her four year old campaign. She was a two two time Stakes winner as a two year old and just missed a couple of Graded wins last year with second place finishes. Lewis is holding the reins and he already has four wins in this young season. You can get a lot of value in the Morning Line odds on this girl and she might be worth a few shekels, especially in your tri-box. She has a chance to surprise a few folks here.
 | 7 – KHARTOUM VII(IRE) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Empire | 8/1 | Simsters4 | 23.0% | B.Peeples | 1-0-0-0 – 0% | 110 | $ 343,696 | 189 |
( SADLER’S WELLS x UNBRIDLED x ALYDAR) This nicely bred chestnut girl has had a nice long layoff getting ready for her four year old season. She ended up her three year old campaign on a high note with three consecutive top threes in Stakes races including a third in the QE2 G1. She is the most outside of our speed horses in this race and with little used jockey Peebles guiding it may be a challenge to get to the front. If she uses up her energy there it could be a long race. Owner Lenny has a way with these girls and usually picks his spots for his horses so you just never know.
| 8 – XTRA COSMOPOLITAN(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EJDStable Stables | 6/1 | EJDStable | 22.8% | F.Gossett | 18-4-3-3 – 22% | 111 | $ 302,005 | 71 |
( GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (IRE) x KRIS S. x NIJINSKY II) This nicely bred brown mare has quite a record going. In her seven races to date, she has three wins and four seconds including one of each in her last two Graded races. She has one of the fastest SPFs in the field with a 111 two back and loves this distance. Trainer and owner EJDStables has procured the services of the tracks best jockey in Gossett who already has four wins in this young season. There is a good possibility that this girl will take this chance to show the rest of the four year old ladies that she is planning on rising to the top of this years female four year old turf class.
| 9 – BIT OF BUTTER(KY) | ODDS | STABLE | WIN% | JOCKEY | WIN% | TOP SPEED | EARNINGS | RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Stables | 5/1 | Ragman | 20.0% | J.Nabbs | 3-0-0-2 – 0% | 107 | $ 209,339 | 660 |
( DISTORTED HUMOR x SADLER’S WELLS x SECRETARIAT out of SIGHT UNSEEN) I love this mare’s name and I love her breeding as well. She is still looking for her first Stakes win but was certainly heating up the end of last year with several allowance wins before a solid fifth in the MANATEE G3 on an off track to finish up the campaign. Trainer Ragman has been around for a long time and his next win will be his 250th and he sure would love to see it here. He has has jockey Nabbs in the leather and although he’s been solid throughout his nine years here, he is still looking for his first win of the season. I have a feeling it would be quite a party if they all reach their goals here.
Morning Line = 4-3-9-1-8
Yoss Tips = 4-8-3-5
Paz Picks = 5-8-4-3-6
This has a chance to be a really electrifying race and it may end up with lots of jostling for the win at the finish. It is really tough to handicap with five or six horse that you could throw a blanket over at the finish. I like VALHERU to finish fourth although she could finish much better. I worry about a possible bounce after her big race last time out. Everyone is picking REIGN IN HADES G to win here but I want to see what she does at ten panels before I can pick her as my winner. She has plenty of talent though and I think she has enough to finish in the top three. XTRA COSMOPOLITAN has never finished below second place in a race and I think she might continue that streak here. In a bit of a surprise, I’m going with AQUESTFORPRECISION to win the race. She certainly knows how to win with five in a row and she looks like she is ready for a big breakout race. This is as good a place as any.
Good luck to all runners!
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