The Swale Stakes

 The field has been set here in sunny south Florida for the $150,000 G2 Swale Stakes which will be run at six and a half furlongs over a fast main track.  Nine three year old colts will head to the starting gate, in what should be a very competitive race. Here’s a closer look at the field.

Odds      Horse                     Owner                        Jockey  

8/1     Phoney Pony               Hansg                      C Romine

Sarting from the inside post is Phoney Pony, who is. from the first crop of Midnight Lute.Winner of four races out of ten, he was last seen in the Goldmember Special Stakeswhere he finished a disappointing eleven o/o fourteen. That was his first race stretching out so that might have been the reason for the poor performance. Pony won the seven and a half Possibilites Memorial Stakes the race before that. Hansg now has him back sprinting so maybe a better outing would be more likely. The only negative I see on that is the jump up to G2 competition. C Romine takes the mount.

9/1     Blue Sunday                Vertain7                    M Wright

Breaking from stall number two is Blue Sunday. This son of Gulch comes here striaght off a seventh place finish in the six furlong G1 DPCD Lever Sparky Handicap. Although he finished seven o/o fourteen he was closing at the end and lost by only two and a half lengths. Blue Sunday is a winner of two from seven races with both wins coming at today’s distance of six and a half. M Wright will pilot him today.

5/1     Sky Battle                   Marsattack                 L Buchta

Post Postion number three is filled by Sky Battle. Trained by Marsattack, Sky Battle is an offspring of War Eagle. Just like the horse to his inside he comes to us from the G1 DPCD Lever, a race where he just missed the win finishing second by a hard fought half a length. Sky Battle is a winner of three o/o ten, but has been in the exacta seven times. His last two speed figures have been in the 90’s and L Buchta will be guiding him to the fishing line.

7/2      Horus                         Ovidius                     R Marie

The post time favorite will be starting from post four. Trained by Ovidius, Horus is a son of Distorted Humor and a winner of five of the eight races he’s run. I’m sure Ovidius was doing a rain dance a couple of days leading up to this race as horus is three for three on an off course, unfortunatley he won’t get that her. Horus has been a winner of  his last two races The Storm Gamble Memorial and an allowance, both with speeds in the lower to middle 90’s. Just how will he fair on a fast track? R Marie up.

5/1      Deputy Hero               Arthurs                     V Gardner

In post five is Deputy Hero, owned and trained by Arturs. LTO Deputy Hero won the G1 DPCD Lever beating two foes he’ll face here again today. Winner of over $650k and half of his six starts. He’s been running with speeds in the upper 80’s to low 90’s, so that should make him competitve here. 

8/1      Almost Legal              Hippyfarms               A Darling

Almost Legal will start from post six. This offspring of Will’s Way has won half of his eight starts. He won his first stakes race LTO, taking the Red Kryptonite Stakes by one and a half lengths in front running style. He’s been steadily improving with the speed figs, but will have to improve a little more to be able to keep up with a few of these. He does loveto be on the front end and if A Darling can get him there, he may just never look back.

7/1       Click                         Michaelroy                Y Fairington

Post seven belong to the Michaelroy trained colt, Click. Winner of three o/o seven he’s still not a winner of a stakes race. His last two have been in G3 company, in which he’s not been embarassed, finishing in third in the LA Prevue and nineth in the Special Bid . Speed figures have been in the upper 80’s to low 90’s. Y Fairington would like to see them going fast on the front end for this horse to be able to close.

6/1       Western Fury             Purpledaze                W Case

In the second to last post is the three year old out of Gone West, Western Fury. He faced the horse to his inside LTO in the Special Bid finishing ahead of the rival, but towards the end of the race Western Fury was falling back as Click was gaining ground. W Case will have to avoid getting into a pace battle as it seems Western Fury gets tired out quickly.

5/1       Tourist Attraction       Sledge4                    S Popo

Lat in the gate is Tourist Attraction. Trained by Sledge4 this son of Sightseeing was also last seen in the G3 Special Bid finishing sixth by two and a half. He’s another who seems to need the lead to win or he gets tired out chasing the pace. All three of his wins have been from on the lead.

My Picks

win –     Deputy Hero

palce –  Click

show –  Horus