Grade II Coventry Stakes Draws 7
Ahhh… It’s THAT time of year, when the racing world’s attention begins to shift to the precocious 2yo’s. Seven 2yo’s that have already begun to demonstrate high talent level will take the challenge in the Grade II Coventry Steaks over six grassy furlongs at Berkshire, England’s historic racing grounds.
MRS. IACOCCA has done absolutely nothing wrong thus far in his short career. He won a residency-sponsored maiden race at 5f with a tremendous closing rush in his debut, then used the same dazzling rush to blitz a residency-sponsored allowance field at this distance, earning one of the top speed ratings of this 2yo season in the process, an 84. Now, he leaves both his home track and the Universal Racing Club’s sponsored races behind to attempt a leap into early stardom. Trained by mares2010, this promising colt is a son of highly-touted first-year sire Sebring, out of a G-rated 5yo mare by Sky Mesa. This guy’s pedigree is chock-full of Chef-de-race sires on both sides; if he can continue to live up to this blue blood, he promises to win a lot of races. Today, he’s the 7/2 second choice on the morning line.
SOTA DE BASTOS III didn’t exactly start his career with a bang, finishing sixth at long odds way back in March. His second start was a huge improvement, a solid maiden win at Norway with a 77 rating. The eighth offspring out of an E-rated Kayf Tara mare, he is sired by Teofilo. Very nice bloodlines to be sure, but the CPU doesn’t seem to be impressed, slotting the hollandia7 trainee at 18/1. Just might be an overlay here, though it is worth noting that only of his broodmare’s previous offspring ever did a whole lot on the track.
JOSE RIVERA II is third choice at 4/1 and is trained by fatattack2. Undefeated in two starts, he’s the only one in this field to have picked up a win in an unrestricted stakes thus far. He raced fairly close up in his first run, which he won with a very fast 82 speed rating; he came from far back to pull off the stakes win after a bit of a short break for 2yo’s. He took a longer break this time around, allowing plenty of time to get used to things here after traveling here from Kentucky. This scratch-bred colt is by obscure first-year sire Naaqoos out of an Agnes Tachyon mare. Doesn’t seem on the surface like overly fashionable bloodlines, but a look at earlier generations shows a whole bunch of champion stock. Landed 27% jock, too.
FOUR FIFTY ONE comes in off a fast maiden win (an 81), and hopes to keep the heat on here. A scratch-bred son of Bradbury’s Luck, he is the only offspring of this sire to have run this year at this point. One-for-one; that’s hot… Oh, btw, this one is mine; feel free to root against him if you like 🙂 Trained by sirbarton, he goes off at 6/1.
DEPLETED MINE is the 5/2 morning-line favorite, owner of a facile maiden win in his only try. This megablaze2 trainee is by Mineshaft out of a G-rated first-time mare by Encasta De Lago with Danzig on the third line; fine bloodlines indeed. This guy should be dangerous if he’s anywhere nearby at the top of the lane.
D’S SPIRIT goes off at 9/2, and thereason hopes his filly’s strong allowance win last time out at this track will prepare his Invincable Spirit daughter to turn the tables on the #7 colt here. Her rider from last out is riding the #3 colt today, but she landed a solid substitute. Could be dangerous if she’s allowed to get a good lead in this rather paceless field.
GIZMOLINGTON appears to be the only other in here with much early lick, though he prefers to lay just off the pace. Trained by skirom, he’s 5/1 and gets a solid 17% rider. Considering the expected pace scenario, this son of Harlington might have to race a bit closer to the pace than he’d like.
Fearless prognosication time:
Despite the apparent pace scenario, with D’S SPIRIT possibly having a chance to set easy fractions, the quality of the closers here make it difficult that most of them won’t rush by in the lane. I’ll go with MRS. IACOCCA to pull it out over JOSE RIVERA II and DEPLETED MINE, with the filly holding on for 4th over FOUR FIFTY ONE.
Good luck at the races!