CITY OF CATERPILLA WON’T CRAWL HERE
The hallowed grounds of the Oregon race course will this week play host to some high level racing when they host the Mohammed Ali Stakes Grade III which will be run on a fast dirt course over a mile and one eighth. The race is for all horses 4yo and up and contains a purse of $100,000. The downside of the event is that only 6 nominations were received, that’s not to say the small field won;t provide something special come Saturday. Let’s check out how they compare.
1 – A.P KILLA(NY) – cmd3 – 5/1
(A. P JET x STRONG HOPE x FORTY NINER)
P Hawkins ( 166 – 26 – 22 – 32 – 16% )
Has an amazing strike rate of 14 wins from 29 starts albeit that some of those have been at much lower levels than this race. Won well last time out in an allowance NW4x and produced a quality speed figure of 108 in the process. This horse definitely knows how to win but is graded to his very best here today and will need to produce something special.
2 – B MINUS(KY) – tigerman – 2/1
(GONE WEST x GALILEO (IRE) x NIJINSKY II)
K Proehl ( 269 – 79 – 59 – 37 – 29% )
A winner of ten races who boasts the imposing dirt classic ranking of just 35. Comes into this after a little disappointing eighth in a Grade 3 over this trip. In contrast to that he won a Grade 1 race three starts back over 9.5 furlongs and ran a startling SP# 112 in doing so. If he finds that sort of form here he will be collecting a large cheque.
3 – SPANISH SWORD(KY) – super23 – 4/1
(EL PRADO(IRE) x A.P. INDY x SUMMER SQUALL)
G Scott ( 226 – 49 – 46 – 36 – 22% )
A winner of 4 from 24 who had been racing consistently without winning before failing badly last start at this level and distance when finish twelfth, beaten over nineteen lengths. That was a little out of character for this 4yo colt who rarely misses the top five as his earnings of over half a million dollars would suggest. He will be looking to return to form here and the services of G Scott are a bonus.
4 – AMI AND DADDY(KY) – themainman – 8/1
(UNBRIDLED’S SONG x MINESHAFT x APALACHEE)
N Bieniemy ( 35 – 2 – 4 – 4 – 6% )
A lightly raced 4yo colt who has won 4 from 10 in his career. The positive out of that is that 3 of them have been in his last four starts with each one appearing to show glimpses of improvement. He made his stakes debut last time out and finished fifth of seven beaten a little over ten lengths. This guy is definitely nearing being a stakes level horse but this race may be a little out of his depth.
5 – CENTRAL LARK(KY) – squirrel7 – 5/1
(GONE WEST x NORTHERN DANCER x PRIVATE ACCOUNT)
K Mangum ( 36 – 2 – 6 – 8 – 6% )
Master trainer squirrel brings another horse to graded racing here, this time it’s a 6yo by Gone West who has been running well over 10 furlongs in allowance events. Has had limited opportunities at stakes or Graded level and may have slipped into this race under the radar. He did produce a nice SP# of 104 three starts back when leading all the way in a bold front running exhibition and repeated that effort two starts back over this distance. The dark horse of this field.
6 – CITY OF CATERPILLA(KY) – adrian0 – 5/2
(SMART STRIKE x DANZIG x A.P. INDY)
R Baxter ( 62 – 11 – 6 – 14 – 18% )
The baby of the field experience wise, having only raced eight time, this 4yo colt has never missed a top four finish and has won on five occasions. He has won his last three including a stakes race over 8.5 furlongs last time out. He really looks to be something special in the making and trainer adrian0 has been quoted as saying “this is my next Grade 1 winner right here”. It would not at all surprise if this guy breezes through this race en route to bigger and better things. He is a really precocious type.
With only six combatants this still shapes up as one hell of a race with pace and tactics likely to play a huge role in the outcome. It covers the whole spectrum of older claimers looking to find their niche to up and coming potential superstars.
I’ve gone for 6-2-5
Good Luck and Good Punting
BUTCHA