Nine take up gauntlet in Barb’s Java Again Stakes

It’s a full weekend for Virginia race fans this week, with the annual return of the Bargain Bred Racing Series, as well as our first look at this year’s juvenile crop, in the second annual running of the Barb’s Java Again Stakes.  The race is open to all two year olds, and runs over six and a half furlongs of turf, slated to be firm for the race this Saturday.  The race carries a $35000 purse, and possibly even more important for these youngsters, those all important stakes points.  Last year’s race was won by Impact Of Dreams(JPN), the first of his three career stakes wins.  This year’s running draws a field of nine, all but one of which gets their first taste of stakes competition here.  Odds range from 2/1 to 21/1, and their could be some decent money to be made for savvy handicappers.
(Note: Sire consistency based on average dollars per progeny, Competition rating based on average dollars per race.  0.00 would be right at average, higher is better)

PP 1) Mills Lane(KY) Sired by Successful Appeal, Trained by aviero.

Starts: 0  Record: 0-0-0-0-0  Top Speed: 0.0

Sire Consistency: 0.55  Sire Competition Rating: 0.28  AWD: 74% Sprint (Overall Earnings)  Turf %: 27% (Overall Earnings)

Maiden debut, sire predominately dirt, don’t have high hopes for him here

PP 2) High Ho Silver(IRE) Sired by High Chaparral, Trained by snakeyes

Starts: 2  Record: 1-1-0-0-0  Top Speed: 78.7

Sire Consistency: 1.50  Sire Competition Rating: 1.16  AWD: 8.70 (2009 Stakes winners)  Turf %: 96% (2009 Stakes winners)

Frontrunner has top notch speeds and good turf breeding with stamina, should threaten

PP 3) Gran Week(JPN) Sired by Special Week, Trained by kennie.

Starts: 3  Record: 1-2-0-0-0  Top Speed: 71.1

Sire Consistency: 7.37  Sire Competition Rating: 6.44  AWD: 6.67 (2009 Stakes winners)  Turf %: 100% (2009 Stakes winners)

Out of one of the year’s hottest sires, colt having problems closing races out, still a good value pick for exotics

PP 4) Sound The Siren Sired by Dynaformer, Trained by markan.

Starts: 1  Record: 1-0-0-0-0  Top Speed: 75.7

Sire Consistency: 4.47  Sire Competition Rating: 3.29  AWD: 9.05(2009 Stakes winners)  Turf %: 59% (2009 Stakes winners)

Impeccable breeding, impressive debut at this distance, solid pick here

PP 5) Zucchini(AUS) Sired by Lonhro(AUS), Trained by deyoto2.

Starts: 1  Record: 1-0-0-0-0  Top Speed: 71.2

Sire Consistency: 0.67  Sire Competition Rating: 0.47  AWD: 9.88 (2009 Stakes winners)  Turf %: 100% (2009 Stakes winners)

Nearly blew big lead late in debut in shorter race, don’t like his chances here with a likely hot early pace

PP 6) Renounceable(IRE) Sired by Sharmadal, Trained by pedro12.

Starts: 2  Record: 1-0-0-0-0  Top Speed: 69.8

Sire Consistency: 1.95  Sire Competition Rating: 1.25  AWD: 8.46 (2009 Stakes winners)  Turf %: 79% (2009 Stakes winners)

Good improvement with switch to turf in last, but needs to show even better speed to be a threat here

PP 7) Obsessions(KY) Sired by War Chant, Trained by kingmambo.

Starts: 2  Record: 2-0-0-0-0  Top Speed: 64.4

Sire Consistency: 1.69  Sire Competition Rating: 1.23  AWD: 8.43 (2009 Stakes winners)  Turf %: 63% (2009 Stakes winners)

First turf try with solid breeding for it, odds could be inflated with both previous runs on dirt, could be one to watch here.

PP 8) Dragon’s Pike(IA) Sired by Pikepass, Trained by simroscoe2.

Starts: 1  Record: 1-0-0-0-0  Top Speed: 66.6

Sire Consistency: -0.15  Sire Competition Rating: -0.24  AWD: 59% Sprint (Overall Earnings)  Turf %: 42% (Overall Earnings)

Won debut with average speed, but displayed excellent close, could track trifecta with a bit more speed and some luck

PP 9) Captain Midnight(AUS) Sired by Hussonet, Trained by aces1201.

Starts: 3  Record: 1-1-1-0-0  Top Speed: 75.8

Sire Consistency: 2.11  Sire Competition Rating: 2.19  AWD: 7.63(2009 Stakes winners)  Turf %: 63% (2009 Stakes winners)

Steadily improving racing on high class track, hasn’t faired well in early speed battles, should make solid run here