Evenly Matched Field in G2 Vanderbuilt
A field of 10 including 4 of the top 20 ranked horses in the division goes off in the 12th Saturday afternoon at the Spa in the $250K Grade 2 Vanderbuilt at 6 furlongs. Last year Mr Toms River, a Storm Cat progeny now boasting earnings over $2.3 million, took this event from just off the pace as the 3/1 favorite putting up a 112 speed for the honeyj stable of the bob123 organization. This is one of those 6-furlong races where you can drive yourself crazy trying to pick a favorite, much less a winner; the longest shot in the field is 12/1 and any in this field has the ability to win the event. A form-player’s paradise.
Shetan from the post slot is a son of the aforementioned Storm Cat (with Fusaichi Pegasus and Seattle Slew rounding out the top line.) The 5-year-old runs for the cdragon stable in the twoofus group. A place finish will be needed to bring the #13 ranked colt in the division’s winnings over $1,000,000. Since switching to sprinting about fifteen months ago, one of Shetan’s 5 wins has been at this distance, that being a nice 113 outing in the Grade 3 Artist Isle in Kentucky thrice back. That is his top lifetime mark, put up twice this year, firstly in the G2 Pablo Cruz in February; other than these 108 has been his top clocking. Rider Nation is having a fine year by her standards; ordinarily Shetan will stalk and, on a winning day, have the lead or be within a head or so at third call. This 8/1 shot might like another half furlong.
Prospective has three wins and a place in six races this year, two of the wins coming in allowances. Last out the 4-year-old son of More Than Ready (x Mr Prospector x Pleasant Colony) took the lead right from the wire in the G2 Smile in Florida, being caught in the stretch finishing second a length back at 18/1 showing a 109 speed. Prospective meets up with the winner there Backhander, again today. This one’s race before that was a win in the 6.5 furlong Devine Mambo in Mississippi. There are only two other real confirmed frontrunner types in the race, and neither is provably faster than this 12/1 shot; one is Daddy’s Storm right to the outside and the two may duel. Rider Kallor brought his yearly win % over 10 last week with 3 wins, including 2 stakes.
The aforementioned Daddy’s Storm (7/1) has finished more than three-and-one-half lengths back of the winner only once since last November. The son of Scat Daddy (x Two Punch x Storm Cat) started his career as a 6-furlong specialist but has had most of his lifetime success at 7 furlongs and up. In all of his last 4 the 4-year-old has had the lead at third call but been caught in the lane, holding on three times for place finishes. The time before that he had the lead as well but held on in the Rusty Digger down in New Orleans, putting up his best speed of 113, which might be enough here. Conditioner kk1039 of the Hoosier Empire has enlisted rider Solomon who is having a slightly off year by career standards. A cutback in distance is not always a solution to being caught late.
Rehearse the Verse moved up into stake company back in April, that occasion being a rather impressive win in the Boom Tickling in Delaware, showing a 113 speed at this distance; that however was in the slop and the two following graded tries also at 6 furlongs have not been so successful. The 4-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song (x Vision and Verse x A. P. Indy) goes off for blazingsad stable for the Shamrock grouping. Like some others here, Rehearse the Verse runs best when 2nd or 3rd a length or so behind at 3rd call. The 11/1 shot may be a bit further back than other stalkers when he makes his move and will need some handling but, at his best, cannot be ruled out; jockey P Nabinger is having a fine year.
Fernando Hero, the 5/1 second choice, is the 20-ranked horse in his divisions with earnings of over $500,000. The 5-year-old son of Dehere had a nice stretch beginning almost exactly a year ago when he had 5 stake wins and one place in a string of six races, including the G3 Shindig Sprint in Dubai. One of those wins was his only lifetime score at longer than 6 furlongs, that being a 6.5 furlong sprint. Fernando Hero would like to get back to that level of success; in his last 3, all at 6 furlongs, he has led at 3rd call only to be caught late to finish second within a length or two of the winner. He’s been fast, though, putting up speeds of 110 and 114 in the last two efforts. Trainer Fernando of the eponymous stable association sends rider Hommell, who will try to outrace the other two speed in the race, both of which are to his inside.
Backhander comes off his biggest win and second fastest speed ever, a 111 in the G2 Smile in Florida. Running 6th at third call, but only two lengths behind, the 6-year-old son of Offlee Wild (x Storm Cat x Nijinsky II) turned it on in the lane for trainer katiesfarm of the Empire City organization. Despite $664K in earnings, Backhander is only the second leading lifetime earner from the first crop of bargain type Offlee Wild, a son of Wild Again. Rider Orza is highly competent; while at his peak this one is faster than either of the stalk types to his inside, and should be able to find room to pass the early speed. But can the 7/1 shot be expected to put up three top efforts in a row?
Cranky Squirrel, coming out of the 7 slot, is a 5-year-old son of Maria’s Mon, and not to be confused with an editor for a major turf sporting publication. A. P. Indy and Mr. Prospector fill out the top line of the pedigree. The 7/2 favorite is the #4-ranked horse in the division with earnings close to $1.2 million. Cranky Squirrel’s last 3 wins, all in the last year, are all at longer than 6 furlongs, the most impressive being a 113 speed win in the Curious George in Maryland back in February. Top jock Radzinszki has the mount for the isitingood branch of the Pierchinski Stables agglomeration. This one takes a stalk style, generally being found 3 or 4 lengths back at third call in his successful efforts, a bit further than some of the other stalk types here. Might want more ground.
Parody has put up his 3 fastest speeds lifetime in his last 3 races, after switching from his previous career as a miler. Only one of these efforts produced a win for the 4-year-old son of Distorted Humor (x Nijinsky II x Seattle Slew), a win in the Woody’s Smurf in North Dakota in April. All 3 efforts came at 7 furlongs or more. The chaedle stable in the desperado combination has been trying different running styles with this one, and a desperado has told this reporter that the 6-furlong distance may be too short. But having had good success taking the lead at third call, rider D Nabinger, who like her brother is having a strong year, may hope that the shorter 6-furlong distance helps this one to persevere in the stretch. The other contenders have put up slightly faster speeds than the 110 top of this 7/1 shot, but he may not have found the exactly right niche in his new sprint career yet.
Creepy Cat (6/1) is another one here who was a participant in the G2 Smile in Florida; he was 6th in that one – but only a length back in that wild finish. The son of Storm Cat had a spectacular debut 3-year-old season, going 8 races before finishing out of the money, and then coming 4th in a G1 stake. This year there have been two place finishes in G1s plus a win on an off track in the Maryland Breeders’Bowl. Other than that off-track win, the Cat was never won a 6-furlong event. The stalk type generally is right there at third call and coming in the lane and might be one of those wanting more ground here. Trainer landlubber hails from the veteran leesnyder empire and has enlisted the services of rider Ayya, hitting on almost 25% of his mounts this year. The Cat is 9th ranked in his division with earnings over a million bucks and there is no doubt the class is there.
Mario, (8/1) on the far outside, is the lone closer in the field and I like horses who have a niche to themselves. The 5-year-old Irish-bred sired by Montjeu with Daylami as dam sire is one of the minority of this kind that has shown a dirt preference. This one put up three straight stake victories at 6.5 furlongs this spring before finishing third at a 109 in the G3 Cracked Peanuts in Portugal last out; he ships stateside for zalama of Rafa Stables. Jockey Ornstar has only to decide when to let this one rip. His speed is not far off the best here and he comes in the lane, but I would like him more at a longer distance.
Toral picks from this fedora:
- Cranky Squirrel
- Fernando Hero
- Backhander