Windy City Classic

Race : Windy City Turf Classic – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track : Illinois
Restrictions : All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance : A mile and one quarter on the Turf

A full field of 14 runners will contest this Grade One at Illinois with the pre post favourite the futurestar owned and bred Title Defense, the eighth ranked turf classic horse going around. It is a classy field of stayers with five of the top ten Turf Classic ranked horses going around. A rundown of all runners follows:

PP 1 VINDIANAPOLIS(KY) 12/1

4YC by Vindication 20 starts 9-6-1 $920,040 (icbomber4)

A great effort at Malaysia in the Grade One The Singapore Cup when a strong finishing second three runs back. Switched to dirt track racing with a good win over ten furlongs in an Allowance race in Denmark last start.

PP 2 SHIMMERING LIGHT(IRE) 13/1

4YC by Manduro 17 starts 6-2-2 $861,537 (cocoabeach)

Very impressive win in Grade Two Kinsho Kho Classic at Japan was followed by down the track effort in Kakarazuka Kinen Cup at same track last start. Hard to catch.

PP 3 EL OTTO(KY) 18/1

4YC by Malibu Moon 22 starts 8-1-3 $419,093 (ottohaack)

Improving type who won three on end including Grade One NY Island Cap at New York before disappointing effort last start at Deauville. Needs to race at top to trouble these.

PP 4 TITLE DEFENSE(KY) 9/2

4YC by Awesome Again 24 starts 12-5-2 $10,410,355 (futurestar)

The winner of over $10.4M in his 24 start career. Had won three in a row including Grade One The Queen’s Spring Cup before slightly disappointing effort last start when fifth at Japan in the Kakarazuka Kinen Cup. Handily drawn and will be hard to beat.

PP 5 COZY BEND(IRE) 7/1

4YC by Refuse To Bend(Ire) 25 starts 11-4-1 $2,721,351 (rlogan)

A winner of last four starts which included two at Grade One level. Best was strong victory at Berkshire in The Prince Of Whales over today’s trip when he rated a 112. R Logan will give him every chance from handy draw and will go close.

PP 6 PUSH OF A BUTTON(AUS) 10/1

5YH by Elvstroem(Aus) 30 starts 8-6-6 $3,042,508 (mav1763)

Multiple Grade One winner who scored a good win in South Africa in the Manha Manha Challenge at the highest grade over today’s distance returning an SP of 109. Will be ridden by the tracks leading jockey P Munoz.

PP 7 PORTMAN’S PERFECT(KY) 9/1

5YH by Pleasantly Perfect 27 starts 9-5-5 $6,220,406 (nijinsky4)

English Derby and multiple Grade One winner who is struggling to regain top form. Best recent effort was third placing at United Arab Emirates in the Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic over a mile and a half. Can improve on recent efforts.

PP 8 WEOWNTHENIGHT(KY) 16/1

5YH by Empire Maker 25 starts 9-5-0 $339,158 (billzpaid)

Did win four out of five starts before last two disappointing efforts in Japan. Will have to improve on those efforts to figure in the finish here.

PP 9 PRINCIPE DE VIANA(ENG) 6/1

5YH by Medicean(GB) 35 starts 12-7-4 $4,222,719 (andros)

Class horse of the field. Has been racing well in the highest grade with placings at last three starts. Rated a 116 three runs back at Hong Kong in The Queen’s Spring Cup over today’s distance and followed that with a strong win in Ireland in Tattersalls Gold Cup when an odds on favourite. Will run a strong race here.

PP 10 K’S INTRIGUE(KY) 15/1

4YC by Vindication 16 starts 10-1-2 $271,064 (ledwith)

Has scored four wins in a row the latest the Grade Three the De Vichy at Deauville over ten furlongs. Improving type who could surprise here.

PP 11 VICTORY MONEY(ENG) 18/1

4YC by Authorized 22 starts 8-7-1 $680,170 (tips)

Returned to Allowance class last start to run second at Berkshire after failing at Grade One level previous effort in Deauville. May be out of depth here.

PP 12 THE STRANGLER(ENG) 12/1

4YC by Pivotal(GB) 18 starts 8-3-2 $298,729 (grrm2)

Won four in a row ending with Grade Two Kakarazuka Tinen Cup at good odds when he led all the way. Will have a lead and if gets an easy run will be hard to run down.

PP 13 PLAY STATION THREE(GER) 11/1

4YC by Monsun(Ger) 18 starts 6-5-2 $1,640,830 (shamran8)

Another Grade One winner racing in good form. Runner up at Berkshire at last two starts both at the Highest Level and at this distance in the Prince of Whales and The Eclipsed Stakes. Not well drawn but McCants will give him every chance.

PP 14 DEATHSMILESATUSALL(KY) 10/1

4YC by Giant’s Causeway(Ire) 20 starts 7-4-4 $1,603,000 (willsyam12)

Only recent victory was at Grade Three level on off track at Japan in The Chuck’s Truck over ten furlongs. Finished near the tail of the field at most recent effort at Berkshire and will struggle here.

MY SELECTIONS

PP4 Title Defense 9/2

PP5 Cozy Bend 7/1

PP9 Principe De Viana 6/1

PP10 K’s Intrigue 15/1

Good Luck to all runners

Steve