10 In Wide-Open Sunny Millions Distaff
With an incredible four co-favorites at 9/2 and another runner at 5/1, saying that this week’s Sunny Millions Distaff at Florida is wide-open is like saying that the return of Zenyatta to the active ranks in “real-life” is “somewhat interesting racing news”.
This 8.5- furlong showdown is Florida’s finale in this interesting series of big-money non-graded stakes races being held at two tracks this week, Florida and California.
Let’s takes a look at this amazingly closely-matched field of 10 older fillies and mares:
IONIZED is the railsitter, and the first of the quartet of 9/2 runners. This daughter of El Prado is trained by tresstable, one solid trainer despite the major personality flaw of being a Laker fan. The 6yo mare hasn’t seen the winners’ circle since August, but has been banging heads with some tough fields in the time since then. She’s a solid fit here and should be closing well in the stretch.
The 4yo filly TORCH THE TRACK is another one at 9/2, and seems to be coming into her best racing. Trained by gradetwo, this daughter of Red Ransom might be the one that wins the expected hot pace battle and leads at the top of the lane, but this distance seems to be at the top end of the filly’s current abilities. Will be tough to beat nonetheless.
Yet another at 9/2, BESANKO represents the aggots racing stable. This 6yo mare by Empire Maker hasn’t lost an allowance race since November of ’08 and has battled well in most stakes tries also, including a win four back in a small stakes at this distance. Solid fit in this tough race.
While SISSON’S CHANT has by far the largest earnings in today’s field, the bulk of it comes from her Sim Eclipse-winning 2yo season in which she took home trophies in the BB Juvy Fillies, the Hoserhead Juvy Fillies, and against colts in the Eruption Handicap. That was a long time ago, and the venerable War Chant mare now only occasionally gets 3-figure speeds for trainer levers as her illustrious career winds down. Still, her best effort could surprise at 15/1.
JUST THE WAY I AM represents trainer lordpye2 and goes off at 8/1. This 5yo Elusive Quality mare should be battling the hot pace here. She has no stakes wins on her resume, and this tough spot is not an easy chance for her to grab her first stakes trophy.
The last of the 9/2 quartet is BOULDER HIGHWAY, from the stable of carryback. Of the three in here who attempted the G3 Exit Stage Left Stakes she did the best, closing strongly to get the place spot. Another effort at that level for this 5yo daughter of Rock Of Gilbratar would put her in a great spot to take home the lions’ share of today’s $500k purse.
When DRU won the G2 2009 Black Middle Flower Stakes, it looked like axemjack86‘s Unbridled’s Song filly was headed for superstar status. Unfortunately, things took a wrong turn when she was injured in her next start, the G1 Sister Hen Stakes. In limited action since, she’s managed a couple allowance wins in between some not-so-hot graded-stakes efforts. Toss the last at 14 furlongs, and maybe a return is eminent. Should she bounce back today, she could pull the 8/1 surprise.
CLASSICALLY STYLED is a 6yo mare trained by chorwon. While she has come up with a big performance on occasion, the 7/1 CPU odds appear a bit optimistic, especially since this one likes to run on the front end. The expected pace scenario isn’t optimal for the chances of this Hennesy mare in this race.
BIGGER N BETTER, an intriguing 4yo filly going off at 5/1 for the murray1 stable, also figures to be in the stanpede up front early, but may have the best chance of being around in late stretch. However, she hasn’t shown much interest in races in which she couldn’t be among the top two early. However, this daughter of the great Storm Cat appears to be improving as she goes.
GURNING, the most inexperienced runner in here, starts from the outside and appears to have a real chance to outrun her 17/1 odds for trainer willowisp3, especially considering she was in front of BIGGER N BETTER for the entire circuit in the Doctor Bird Memorial stakes last time out. Could be a “live” longshot today.
The Yoss tipsheet (VERY glad to see Yoss return, BTW) predicts:
2 TORCH THE TRACK
6 BOULDER HIGHWAY
9 BIGGER N BETTER
1 IONIZED
My selections:
6 BOULDER HIGHWAY
10 GURNING
9 BIGGER N BETTER
1 IONIZED
Good luck at the races!