Black Type Bugler

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Black Type Bugler

eHorseracing.com’s Official Online News Source

A Last Chance

timmn

There are only three weeks remaining until the Breeders Bowl, so it’s a last chance to either prep for or qualify for the bigger races. 

 

Today’s $250,000 Grade II Cotton Handicap for three year old fillies going 8.5 furlongs has attracted several top fourteen fillies as well as several who hope to steal one from them.

 

Here is a look at the field:

  1. Pentagram (Awesome Again x Five Son (Unbridled’s Song) x Sadler’s Wells) is oh for four in stakes and makes her graded debut for the Casino (15%) stable.  She is coming off her two fastest races, but still the class jump looks formidable

 

  1. Whitener (Deputy Minister x VIPStable Dot Com (Seeking the Gold) x A. P. Indy)  tried a route for the first time last time in the Grade 2 East Coast Mile, and won going away while improving her speed figure a full ten points.  Astin (22%) seems to have found she likes routes even better than sprints, and she is rated number three in the world sprinting.  Has to avoid the bounce, but if she’s successful here and is ready to go again in three weeks, stable may have an enviable dilemma in deciding which Breeders Bowl race to enter.

 

  1. Button(AUS) (Testa Rossa(AUS) x Brushing Under Sea (Storm Cat) x Seattle Slew) is currently ranked 14th in the division and may need a strong effort for Kaif012 (14%) to keep her place in the Breeders Bowl.  Others have higher speed figures, but she owns three graded route victories, including last her last outing.  Gets the number two jockey in Q Miller.

 

  1. She hasn’t won in nearly six months and has only one three year old win, but Bubblegum Rock(IRE) (El Prado(IRE) x Heavy Metal (Seeking the Gold) x Northern Dancer) has been cashing checks in graded company regularly for the Highpoint (16%) stable.  She likes to rally from midpack.  Don’t ignore in the exotics.

 

  1. Gigantic Steps T (Aljabr x Layton (Giant’s Causeway (IRE) x Unfuwain) has won five of her last six dirt races, including against older mares in unrestricted North Dakota allowances. Unfortunately for trainer MightyT (7%), that one loss was in a poor effort in her only stakes try.  I can’t resist: this is a gigantic step up in class for Gigantic Steps T.  Would be a surprise.

 

  1. The number one filly in the Champions4 (18%) barn, Wild Cat Tales (Tale of the Cat x Rapid Fire (Danzig) x Kris S.) broke a streak of six straight improving races with a dull effort in the Grade 2 Fast Feline.  That race came after a brief seven week freshening.  Now she’s back to her normal four week interval, so stable thinks she’s ready.  She owns a Grade two win and did follow her only other poor race with a win.  If she can bounce back again, should be right there.

 

  1. Genuine Orange (Hansel x Car Habitat (Deputy Minister) x Habitat) has only had one clunker in her last five races, and that came against older.  The Donut (20%) trainee matched Whitener’s field high 112 speed figure while winning the Grade 3 Little Evil Sophomore Stakes last out.  Eligible to bounce, but her other efforts make her a must in exotics at least.

 

  1. Donner (Thunder Gulch x Project Matter (Deputy Minister) x Mr. Prospector) has partied to win four of her last five races, all graded, and she has put over $1,000,000 in Sam812218’s (12%) pocket. Jockey J Piotrowski has already cleared the space on his mantle for the 2005 Pennsylvania riding title, winning at a 25% clip.  Rated fifth in classic distance and first in long.

 

  1. The morning line favorite is Stormshaft (Mineshaft x Swell Prospector (Storm Cat) x Mr. Prospector).  But TripCrown9 (19%) must be concerned about her recent declining form, including a distant ninth to Genuine Orange last time.  She does own seven straight triple digit speed figures and a number four division ranking.

 

  1. Plant a Tree(NZ) (Zabeel(NZ) x Cox’s Ridge x Caro) is the star of the MightandPo (11%) stable. She is outclassed here, so her best hope is to try to steal this, and she just might.  There is only one other early horse here and Plant a Tree draws the number three jockey in N Bedford.

 

  1. The other early horse is Beta Cat (Miswaki x Alpha Cat (Storm Cat) x Grey Dawn II).  The Wortud (13%) trained filly got caught in a speed duel last time and faded badly.  The top three fillies form that race are all here today.  Before that race, Beta Cat was six out of seven in routes, including a grade 2 win. Ten to one is a serious overlay.

 

  1. Going to Bangkok (Sea Salute x Mustard No Catsup (Dehere) x Royal Academy) doesn’t deserve to be the longest odds here, as her last few races have been the equal of several in here. Out of the ColdChisel (15%) barn, she rallied nicely to finish third in her stakes and graded stakes debut last time. Only has one triple digit speed figure, but may pick up a check today.

 

  1. Be still my heart, for ‘TisJuliet wins 28% of her races.  If she feels Pompous Storm (Storm Cat x Pompous Project (Mr. Prospector) x Nijinsky II) is ready for this competition, who am I to argue?  The filly does own a stakes win at the distance and comes off a triple digit allowance win.  In the money in eight of ten lifetime.

 

  1. GR Empress (Empire Maker x Worldly Outweigh (Cure the Blues) x Storm Cat) has finished first or second in six straight efforts for Wemblem  (10%), including last time when she finished between Button and Going to Bangkok in her graded debut.  Speed figure challenged, but she is one game filly.

 

Morning line: 9-2-7-4

Timmn’s picks: 8-11-6-2

 

To comment, email timmn@hotmail.com

 

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