Huge Field for Kakarazuka Kinen Cup
Hellllllllllllllooooooooooo Race Fans! Welcome to the Land of the Rising sun for a magnificent day at the races. We have a large crowd gathering for a race between some of the best of the best turfers in the world for today’s Grade I Kakarazuka Kinen Cup. This is the 2nd running of this 2.5 million dollar race and it looks like a doozy. This race is going to be run at 11 furlongs and will feature an open field of 3 year olds and up. Every horse in this field has a chance to take home the 1.5 million dollar winners share and the odds range from 9/2 up to 15/1. 15/1 as the long shot in a 13 horse field means that we have an extremely balanced lineup of horses. This being the 2nd running of this race means that this is a fairly new tradition. Last year’s winner PROUD SOULS is back to try to defend his Cup. Last year’s race saw this horse magnificently wire the field over a Yielding course, putting out a 110 speed figure and running the race in 2:15 even. That was last year, and this is this year. This year we have the sun shining and a firm turf course and I believe it will take no slower than 2:14 time to win this year’s race. The horses in this race have combined for over 32.1 million dollars in career earnings and a ton of accolades. We have the #1 ranked horse in the world, in TITLE DEFENSE who has earned 10.36 million dollars and is already 3rd amongst active horses and 8th all time in career earnings. A victory today would propel this horse to #1 amongst active horses and #3 all time in earnings. That would put this 4 year old only behind Solar Song and Joe Cayenne, with nearly 30 and 40 races less under his saddle, respectively. The icing on the cake is that not only do we have the #1 and #3 ranked horses in this race, we also have the #4 ranked horse in the world in CRUSADING ENFORCER. If only we could have drawn out Carnival of Love and this would have been a showdown between the #1 thru #4 horses in the world. Maybe that 14th spot was reserved for him? Enough chatting, let’s get down to the competitors in today’s race.
Starting off on the inside gate we have BUDDENBROOK from the bucephalus stable and Platero y Yo group representing the City-Race Rhein-Main Turf Club residency. This 5 year old son of Congrats is looking to stretch out to 11 furlongs on the turf. 10 furlongs is the previous longest distance this horse has made on the surface. BUDDENBROOK was mainly a dirt racer, and has won at this distance on the dirt, but has made the switch back to the grass this year after starting out on this surface for his first two starts. This horse has 1 stakes victory, on the dirt, but has finished 2nd in a Grade III two starts back. His last race he finished 3rd in the Grade III The Coupe. He seems to like to stay within a few lengths of the lead and then creep to the front, but doesn’t seem to have much of a closing move. This horse is going off at 11/1.
At 12/1 we have our #2 horse in this race DWIGHT from the sdmf4 stable and Black Label group representing the DelPenn National residency. This 4 year old Trempolino colt can win from 10-15 lengths back.DWIGHT is coming off a listed stakes win at 10 furlongs for his only victory of the year. This horse is a multiple Graded winner, with his last victory being the Grade I Irish Derby last year. That very race is going on this week and the connections have decided that this is a more important race. The odds of this guy being a Graded champion did not always seem possible. This horse did not break his maiden until the 8th race of his career and the first race of his 3 year old campaign, and what a campaign that was. The horse won two Graded races and finished in the money in three additional Graded events. While the form has not quite been as good this year, a victory in stakes company last time out should definitely be a good sign of things to come.
PROUD SOULS from the desperado3 stable and desperado group will be representing the Blazing Saddles residency in this race. I have already spoken about this 5 year old Awesome Again horse winning last year’s event, so he needs no introduction. This horse has never lost at this distance, which is definitely a positive sign. He is coming off a Grade III victory at 11 furlongs last time out in The Golden Bridge. I would completely expect PROUD SOULS to try to wire the field, as he is a complete speedball and loves to see daylight. This will be an attempt to pickup this horses’ 5th Graded victory, a remarkable achievement in itself. This could be the horse to beat at 11 furlongs, because every time that he doesn’t win, it is because he ran out of gas at a longer distance. The morning line places PROUD SOULS at 6/1
The #4 horse in this race is our longshot, if you can call a 15/1 in a 13 horse field a longshot, VINFINITY from the lenny1 stable and evil empire group representing the GR Simsters residency today. I must admit I am a bit confused about this one, but I really can’t argue with the entry. This 4 year old Vindication colt is a Grade I winner on dirt. In fact, this colt has only raced 1 time on the turf, and that was last time out. He only ran a 97 speed figure, but he did come away with the victory in an open allowance. What to do, what to do? Oh yeah, let’s enter the hardest Grade I turf race in the world. I don’t see where that makes a lot of sense, but this trainer is far superior to me, and this horse does have a perfect record on the grass. This is the definite wildcard of the race. This horse is definitely a closer and has won from as far back as 17 lengths back, including a 10 length back victory last time out.
Holding up the #5 spot we have the 6 year old Ghostzapper horse FALLOUT SHELTER representing thethumb also from the Evil Empire group representing GR Simsters. This former dirt allowance horse turned Graded turf champion should be able to bounce back from a disappointing performance last time out in the Grade I Tattersalls Gold. Prior to that race this veteran horse won three straight races, including a Grade III and the Grade I Good Day. This horse is another closer, who likes to fall as far back as 10 lengths before making his move. The morning line odds are 8/1 for this horse. With four Graded victories at this point, you have got to say this horse has a definite chance to take home the prize money and the cup.
At 9/1 coming from the #6 post we have the 5 year old Moon Ballad horse CALIFORNIA LOOP from the equus stable and Autumn Wind Acres representing the Minnesota Downs residency. This is another four time Graded champion who is coming off an impressive victory in the Grade II Grand Prix last time out. This is another horse that should provide some early pace and will try his best to wire the field. This is another interesting story, because this horse didn’t win his first race until he won a Maiden Claim race during his 3 year old season. The funny thing is, this horse didn’t even get claimed, and is now one of the best horses in the world. It is amazing to see these types of turnarounds and if this horse can post the type of speeds that he is capable of, watch out.
From the Bigspruce stable and Jeffsbarn group we have our #7 horse, the 4 year old Seeking the Gold colt RED FOG. This horse is lightly raced, but is a Grade II champion. This colt is not really a deep closer, but would be considered a stalker, liking to come from a little off the pace and strike for victory. RED FOG has put up at least a 111 figure in each of his last four races and you have got to believe if he puts up another one, he will definitely be up there with the contenders. The odds on this horse are 8/1.
Out of the #8 post position we have HIDDEN MESSAGES a lady taking on the boys. This 5 year old daughter of Monsun is representing the sender stable from deadinthelane group representing GR Simsters residency. This mare has won multiple Graded stakes against other females but is looking for her first victory in mixed company. She can race on both the turf and the dirt and finished 3rd in mixed company in a listed stakes last time out. This closer has 13/1 morning line odds. This girl has won from as far back as 12 lengths, but that seems to be her max closing distance. When she is done racing, this will be a fantastic broodmare, as she has Monsun as a sire and Seattle Slew as Dam Sire.
The #9 post position features our race favorite TITLE DEFENSE from the futurestar stable and dixiedotco group and the pastures of green residency. I have already mentioned that this 4 year old son of Awesome Again is already one of the highest earning horses of all time. This horse has already won 9 Graded events in just 23 career races. With the speed in this race, TITLE DEFENSE will look to fall around 12 lengths back before making his move. The morning line for this horse is 9/2 and he is coming off of 3 straight Graded victories. Watch for the move around the half mile pole as this horse will be charging hard.
At 9/1 we have the #10 horse CHRISTCHURCH from the kevoman3 stable and Kevoman group representing EAAA racing residency. This 5 year old Dynaformer horse is what you would call a deep closer. This horse has won from 20 lengths back before and seems to love being as far back as possible. The distance closes from 17-18 lengths back very easily and with the speed in this race, I would expect that to be the case. This is another horse in the race with at least 4 Graded victories. The one thing that can be certain, wherever this horse is halfway through the race is absolutely zero indication of where he will finish.
The #11 post has 13/1 SHIMMERING LIGHT from the cocoabeach stable and group. This is a 4 year old Manduro colt who is coming off of the race of his life, a 114 speed figure win in the Grade II Kinsho Kho Classic where he beat a few horses from today’s race. This horse is a good closer but I am not sure if he is comfortable at this distance, having put in a disappointing performance the only time he ran longer than this. His big graded victory did come at just 1 furlong less and he seemed to have plenty of juice left so I could be completely wrong. Never count out a horse that has beaten the lights out of the same competition last time out.
Another Graded champion who loves to take the lead is our #12 horse CREEK MAMBO from the stcselur stable and worldwide racing group representing the Hong Kong Racing series. This 4 year old son of Kingmambo is one fast cookie. He likes to take huge leads and hopefully not get caught from behind. This colt finished 2nd in the Kinsho Kho Classic Grade II last time out and is looking to put up a similar speed figure. He has won a Graded event at 14 furlongs, so there is definitely reason to believe he can hang on at 11.
Our outside horse in this race is CRUSADING ENFORCER from the foxon5 stables and foxon group representing the Pastures of Green residency. This is unusual company for this horse, who has been running mainly 2 milers this season. He is coming off a 12 furlong dominate victory in a Grade I last time out and should be ready to go for this one as well. This is another horse that will be looking to move back into the pack until he makes his move at the end. This multiple Graded winner has never raced at 11 furlongs but has won in Graded events from 9 furlongs out to 16.
Well this race has a ton of speed and a ton of closers. PROUD SOULS, CREEK MAMBO, CALIFORNIA LOOP will all be trying to take the early lead with the rest trying to fall as far back as possible. In the end, I see this race going PROUD SOULS with the wire victory, followed by TITLE DEFENSE and then RED FOG finishing third.
Good luck to all the connections!