Eleven Strive to go the Mile
Race: The Champions Mile – Grade I – $1,000,000
ID: 4302.6014
Track: Hong Kong
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile on the Turf
Traveling up to Hong Kong this weekend, the highlight race on the card for Saturday will be The Champions Mile (G1). As the name of the million dollar race suggests, the graded stakes will be run over the distance of a mile over the turf course. The prestigious race will be open to three-year-olds and up. The fourteenth race on the card for this weekend, it is sure to attract quite a few racing fans to the track in what will be quite a big week of racing. This year will feature the second running of this race in racing history. In the inaugural year the race was won by erendira’s Rectifier, who has recently been running in allowance races overseas in the United States. For this weekend’s race, the track will be firm despite some thunderstorms that occurred earlier this week. There will be a total of eleven horses running in the race this weekend, let’s take a glance at the contenders.
1. K’s Insatiable – (Bernardini x Danzig x Mill Reef) – wrecks2 of Pompeya Thoroughbred Racing Corporation – B. Hollier – 6/1
A late entry into the field this weekend, the four-year-old colt is out of the race-winning broodmare K’s Pragmatic. The brown Kentucky-bred colt has made a total of a lucky thirteen career starts, winning eight times in his career. The colt has also accumulated a total of $2,073,270 in lifetime earnings. The most recent start for the colt came in the Sand Castle Fee Duty (G1) over eight and a half furlongs in the United Arab Emirates. The colt broke sharply out of the gate in the turf race, holding a three-quarter length lead. The colt would lengthen this lead until they came to the stretch where the Kentucky-bred colt would begin to fade, eventually finishing second, off the winner by a quarter of a length, though setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. His most recent victory was in January during the Sunny Millions Turf, a listed stakes race over nine furlongs in the United States. He won impressively by two and a quarter lengths. The colt will likely break sharply again this weekend, looking to be one of the first out of the starting gate.
2. Nature Of War (IRE) – (Sadler’s Wells x Seattle Slew x Damascus) – steller1 of Deadinthelane Stables – B. Callguire – 7/1
One of many horses in the race this weekend who made their most recent start in The Derby Lord Challenge (G3), the Irish-bred colt has made twenty lifetime starts, winning seven of them. All the five-year-old horses victories have come over the turf, leading to a total of $304,151 in career earnings. In The Derby Lord Challenge (G3), the horse broke towards the back of the pack, but started to gain ground as they neared the turn coming into the stretch. The horse would pour on the steam at the end, but would still come up four and three-quarter lengths short to finish third. He set a speed figure of one hundred nine. The horses most recent win came a few months ago in France during The Tiderunner Memorial, a listed mile long stakes race. The horse was much closer to the pace in this race, tucked right behind the pacesetters in third. He’d take control of the race in the stretch, winning by two and three-quarter lengths weight a one hundred ten speed figure. He too, like a few other horses in this weekends field is a versatile runner, capable of running on the pace or at the back of the pack, though lately the horse has been running in a closing position at the rear of the field.
3. Dreamsongs (ENG) – (Pivotal (GB) x Storm Cat x Forty Niner) – grrm of Given Stables – E. Lang – 10/1
The first entry for Given Stables in the race this weekend, the English-bred colt has made twenty-one lifetime starts, winning nine races in his career. Nearly all the four-year-olds starts have come over the turf. The brown colt made his most recent start in The A.P. Slew II Challenge, a listed stakes race over eight and a half furlongs in Newmarket, England. The brown colt broke close to the pace in the turf race,. He would gain ground on the stretch, but not position, as he came home to cross the wire in second, half a length behind, though setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred eleven. The most recent graded start for the colt was in the Gas Station Mile (G2) in January. The colt broke a little uncharacteristically in tis race, and wound up finishing twelvth in the race. However, prior to this, he won by three-quarters of a length in the Honery Queen’s Plate (G3). The colt will be somewhat toward the front of the pack this weekend, likely holding onto the fourth or fifth spot out of the gate.
4. Morty’s Clantati – (Stormy Atlantic x Affirmed x Sportin’ Life) – rrlogan of Oneworld Stables – T. Brewer – 5/1
One of the most accomplished horses in this weekends race, the four-year-old colt is coming off of a recent win. The brown Kentucky-bred has made twenty-four lifetime starts, winning $1,325,979 in career earnings and accumulating 300 stakes points to get into the race this weekend. The colt has won eight times in his career, splitting his wins evenly over both the turf and the dirt. His most recent start was in the United States during the Arcade Handicap (G2) last month. The colt broke out of the gate quickly and was held just off the lead of the front-running pacesetter. As the field reached the stretch the colt overtook the front-runner, going on to win the race by a length and a half with a speed figure of one hundred eight. This colt also had a start in last years’ Breeders’ Bowl Mile (G1), in which he would finish fourth. The colt will probably be forwardly placed on Saturday, and would probably like to take the lead, though he could be rated back slightly off the pace if needed.
5. Jaws Of Defeat – (Bernardini x Mr. Prospector x Storm Cat) – gipper2 of Gipper Stables – R. Dillungham – 22/1
Going into just the second graded stakes start of his career, the four-year-old colt is out of the stakes winning broodmare Kitty Kat. With fifteen lifetime starts, the Kentucky-bred colt has won three races in his career. The most recent start for the chestnut colt was in his only graded start so far in his career, The Bourbon Mile (G2). At a distance of eight furlongs, the colt broke out of the gates late in the race, being held back in ninth position. He’d slowly begin to creep up as they came into the turn, and then turned on the speed entering the stretch. The chestnut would finish second, two lengths off the pace, in his first and only graded stakes start of his career. He set a lifetime best speed figure in the race of one hundred ten. Prior to his graded start, the colt had won three consecutive races, two of them coming at allowance level after breaking his maiden in January. The colt will likely be held towards the rear of the field on Saturday out of the gates, biding his time to make a run for the lead.
6. Samstag – (Smart Strike x Nureyev x Bold Ruler) – stupor1 of The Empire – Y. Mills – 6/1
Lightly raced with just seventeen career starts, the four-year-old homebred has made more starts over the dirt than he has on the turf which he will be running over this weekend. However, the brown colt has won on both surfaces. The Kentucky-bred colt has won seven times in his career, most recently over the turf. His most recent start was in The Derby Lord Challenge (G3) over a mile in Japan. Breaking towards the rear of the field at the start of the race, the colt started to gain ground towards the latter part of the race, going on to cross the wire a quarter length off the pace in second, duplicating a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred fifteen that he’d formerly accomplished in his most recent win, The Beaufort, a listed mile long stakes race. The colt has run both on the pace and from a closing position, managing both well. We’ll probably be more likely to see him running further off the pace this weekend at the race’s start.
7. Victory Buda – (Victory Gallop x Unbridled x Mr. Prospector) – lacostra of Bush League Stables – Ne. Lewis – 5/1
One of the oldest horses in the race this weekend at six years of age, the brown horse is out of the race-winning broodmare Freedom’s Sal. The Kentucky-bred horse is highly experienced with a total of forty-three lifetime starts, the horse winning ten times in his racing career. He has earned a total of $1,065,429 in career earnings. The most recent start for the seasoned veteran came in The Derby Lord Challenge (G3) over a mile in Japan. The horse broke mid-pack in the race and gradually moved up on his competitors. He would eventually advance up into fourth position at the wire, though still finishing five lengths off the pace. He set a speed figure of one hundred eight for this race. In his prior starts he won both The Solace Special and The New Years Stakes, both listed stakes races over a mile in distance. The horse will likely begin this race as well in the middle of the pack, advancing gradually as the race progresses.
8. Berzerko – (Mr. Greeley x El Prado (IRE) x Nureyev) – lopickles of Given Stables – P. Kelly – 6/1
Out of the race-winning broodmare Berzerker (IRE), the striking roan horse has won fourteen races in his total twenty-six career starts. The Kentucky-bred colt has also brought in an impressive $3,272,462 in career earnings. The five-year-old horse made his most recent start in Japan during The Derby Lord Challenge (G3) over eight furlongs. The horse was out of the gate at the start of the race towards the rear of the field, held back towards the very back in a closing position. He would close in the gap a little down the stretch, but only enough to finish seventh, the horse setting a speed figure of one hundred five. His most recent win was this past February, however this came in a seven furlong allowance race, also in Japan. Last September was when me met his last graded win, with a three-quarter length win in the Autumn Handicap (G3). The horse is a pretty versatile runner and could run anywhere successfully on Saturday, however recently he’s been running towards the rear of the pack out of the gate, which may be where we see him this weekend. He’s going to have to improve though off his last two races, the connections of the horse don’t want to see another out of the money placement for their horse.
9. Bardenay (IRE) – (Sadler’s Wells x Mill Reef x Irish River (FR)) – elite3 of The Squirrel Empire – M. Bower – 14/1
Nearing the million dollar mark in career earnings, the Irish-bred five-year-old horse has only made fourteen lifetime starts. Lightly raced for his age, the horse has won five races, all of them over the turf track. The most recent start for the chestnut horse came in the Horse Chestnut Stakes (G3) in South Africa over eight furlongs. The horse broke from a middle post position and was held back in seventh pace. As they neared the turn the horse started to speed things up, and would eventually find himself finishing second in the race. He finished back off the pace by a length and a quarter, yet still managed to post a speed figure of one hundred eleven, one he has duplicated several times in his racing career. His most recent win was in The Crystal Meth Mile (G3) in his home country of Ireland. Again, the colt was held off the pace early on, but made a move in the stretch to win the race by a length and a half. Prior to this he’d also won The Miler’s Cup (G3). The horse will likely take off out of the gates this weekend towards the rear of the field, likely held in that position until at least the midway point in the race.
10. Whispering Grass (ENG) – (Pivotal (GB) x Fusaichi Pegasus x Caerleon) – tatty2 of Kevoman Stables – H. Ly – 6/1
Making his twentieth career start this weekend, the four-year-old English-bred colt of earnings of just over half a million dollars, will be seeking his tenth win of his career. With nineteen career starts, the brown colt has made all but three of them over the turf. He made his most recent start in the Horse Chestnut Stakes (G3) over a mile in South Africa. The horse broke out of the gate right on the lead and never looked back, winning the race by a length and a quarter, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred thirteen. He’s been forwardly placed in most of the races in his career, and we can probably expect no different this weekend. Look for the four-year-old to be place up close to the front of the pack, possibly even on the lead this weekend.
11. Brabantio – (Shakespeare x Miswaki x Troy (GB) – icbomber2 of The Empire – R. Rice – 12/1
Returning to the turf this weekend, the Kentucky-bred chestnut is a lightly raced four-year-old colt with a total of sixteen lifetime starts. The chestnut colt has won seven of his lifetime starts, most of these coming over the turf. His most recent start however, was over a dirt track during the Crown Me King Special, a listed seven and a half furlong stakes race overseas in the United Stakes. The colt broke sharply and settled back into seventh, but he quickly lost ground before the stretch and would finish seventh. His most recent win came a few months prior during a mile long allowance race, also held over the dirt. Going back last year we can find his most recent turf victory. His win came in The Daniel Wild (G2), over a mile in Paris, France. The colt won the race in wire to wire fashion, winning by one and three quarter lengths with a speed figure of one hundred seven. The colt will probably be somewhat forwardly placed this weekend, likely back no further than fifth off the pace at the break.
Flrancho’s Picks
Win: Mortys Clantati
Place: Victory Buda
Show: Samstag