G1 Big Red Reunites Top Bunch from Queen’s Dish
The Grade 1 Big Red stakes for 3-year-olds at 10 furlongs on the turf honours Secretariat, my favourite racehorse of all time. Who I watched race for the final time one beautiful autumn day at Woodbine as a mere stripling back in…well, a few years ago. Most of the field here has already shown some inclination for the classic distances; Saturday we will see which can cash in that ability amongst exalted company. And the top 3 finishers in this year’s Queen’s Dish, held at that very same track where Big Red scored his last win, face off again here. A field of 11 colts, 9 of which run at single digit odds, race for the $400K purse on what should be hard baked turf.
Vulcanic goes off from the inside at 8/1 for breeder slowhand. The Australian-bred of Encosta de Lago is the second leading earner in his sire’s 3-year-old crop; 4-year-old sister Green Fork is another Encosta progeny who showed 10+ and up success and amped it up at this age and later. Deputy Minister and Secretariat – surely a lucky talisman today — round out the pedigree line. Vulcanic is a closer and his major success came while coming on from 15 ½ lengths back at second call to win the G3 Derby Trail back in May in Newmarket, putting up a 103 number. He did not fire in the Adelaide Derby twice back in Queensland but the mile-and-a-half may have been too long for him. Jockey Lauer will likely have only Black Dow to contend with in the closing niche and if you think the race sets up for a closer this could be the one.
Left Two Kirby comes off a very fast 108 in winning an N4X allowance in Eastern Kentucky last month; he moved to the turf only in May and also boasts a 106 at 8 ½ furlongs also in allowance company. This is the first venture at 10 furlongs and up for the son of Teuflesberg, a bargain type son of Johnannesburg with Devil’s Bag as dam-sire; the other most successful Teuflesberg progeny have been dirt sprinters. Veteran jockey White has been cold this year. Bred by riobravo, Left Two Kirby now runs for trainer desertfox. The 5/1 odds give too much credence to speeds put up at lesser distances; still there’s only one way to find out if this one likes 10 furlongs, and that line of inquiry will be pursued Saturday.
Derhamm goes off from the 3 slot at for trainer 2aussie of the Raja operation. Although Street Sense is known more as a dirt sire, he is a son of Street Cry, and the rest of the line (Giant’s Causeway x Danzig) contains plenty of green influence. This one’s one foray at 10+ furlongs was a solid show finish in the G1 Queen’s Dish in Toronto, twice back; he has also one graded stakes at 9 furlongs (the G3 Goodyear in France in May with a 103), and, last out, at 9.5 furlongs (in the G2 Upper California at this track last month). The two who beat this one in the Dish were only a bit faster, and now come to meet this 5/1 shot where he is already stabled and at home, and Derhamm was coming in the lane then. Will rider Dubbs try to have Derhamm closer at third call, as he is when he has won?
The morning linemaker has King Kajinskyha at 9/2 the favourite, narrowly over the two immediately to his inside. Not so far outside them as to be strung out on the turn, just a little outside so as to keep an eye on them. It’s hard to find anything to pick at in the record of the son of King Kamehamehaha (say that one three times for a free pick six ticket). He’s never finished out of the money in his career. He ran his fastest speed ever the first time he ran 10 furlongs. He won the G2 Colonial Derby last time out at this distance at a blistering 109. The other fastest progeny of King Kahahamema…Kamahemamo — his sire — also starred at 10+ furlongs, although that progeny, King Tachyon, did not show his distance stuff until he turned 4. OK, Legends of Rock upset him in the Dish., by a length., and has the track’s top rider; but in all the two horses’ records don’t look comparable, the Astin’s Place agglomeration sports a spectacular 25%+ winning percentage and sends the circuit’s #2 rider, Logan, out to try harder today.
Sandor tackles this challenging field on the strength of his first effort at over a mile last out, when he won an open allowance in Spain at 9 furlongs, pulling away in the stretch to win by two lengths. Before that the 12/1 shot had won the first 4 races of his career at distances of 7 and 8 furlongs before stalling when moved up to G1 company. Sire New Approach, a son of Galileo, has had some success with turfers but mostly at a mile or less; Kris S. and Danehill fill out the top line. Trainer sangster of Galileo Stables sends jockey Larsen out; when this one wins he takes the lead by third call and stretches it in the lane. In tough company.
Hacker’s Manifesto showed a liking for the 10f+ distances at his first try when he won the G2 Derby Stud in Ireland in May at 8/1 odds, putting up a 102. The 11/1 shot has not yet matched that finish or that performance in two subsequent efforts and the question is why. Both were G1 events and the class may have been beyond him; both were longer than 10 furlongs, the first 10.5 f and the second a mile-and-a-half, and it may be that he is a 10f specialist type. Sire Teofilo, another son of Galileo, has produced such distance turfers as NY Lottery; Elusive Quality and Deputy Minister fill out the top line. Trainer mtk 76 of Shamrock Stables ships over here, perhaps hoping to find the grass competition less cumbersome on this side of the pond. If ready to take a late summer step-up in ability, could contend.
Black Dow is one of only 2 closers in the field. The 11/1 shot is another one who took to the classic distances on his first try, winning an N3L allowance at 10 furlongs in April at a nice 102, before disappointing badly at short odds in the G3 Derby Trail and then an owner-restricted Blazing Saddles event. Returning to 10 furlongs last out in the Militant in Ireland, the homebred son of Dynaformer ran back to his peak of 102, finishing 3rd. Danehill as dam-sire promises plenty of hope for anything Black Dow might attempt on the green. Trainer thebloody9 also hails from Galileo Stables and sends off veteran rider Robertson, having one of his best years in some time. Has shown a powerful kick when on; with the pedigree, the liking for the specific distance, and little competition in the closing niche, could surprise.
High Gold N Bold has been competing mostly in the 10-furlong and up group since February, being caught after leading at third call 4 times and losing ground in the stretch at every occasion. Before dismissing this putative frontrunner from consideration, however, one might note that last out this 6/1 shot ran his best race ever, finishing 2nd in the G2 Colonial Derby in Virginia, running a fast 105; twice back he ran his second best speed ever, a 103. High Gold is the leading earner from the 3-year-old crop of High Chapparal, from the Sadler’s Wells line. Trainer reigart sends Reveiz; tempting to try some other instructions, but this one is the only one in the field seeming likely to go wire-to-wire. Probably not for today, but watch.
Legends of Rock was the winner of the aforementioned Queen’s Dish confrontation, running just behind the leader early, taking the lead by 2nd call, and leading by 2 ½ lengths at 3rd call before prevailing by a length at 5/1 under top jock Linville. Twice before that the 6th rated colt in his division had won the G2 Hogwarts in Paris. The last and third back attempts, in the Derby de English and Virginia’s Colonial Derby, were washouts, with this 7/1 shot never threatening; if he runs to an on/off pattern, Saturday is an “on” day. Legends is Rock Hard Ten’s top earner in this crop, with Seattle Slew and Danzig providing plenty of backup in the top line. Legends runs for simsters 4 in the massive omnipresent lenny megapaloozation. As you might expect, track top jock Munoz’s services have been retained. Expect this one to really come on between 2nd and 3rd call and try to hang on.
Fantasteek has finished 2nd in 2 of his last 3 stakes, including a place finish in the G1 Italian Derby back in May; the speed rating for that one was an imposing 89, but perhaps the clocker forgot to turn the stopwatch on. Until lat out, the 22/1 longshot had tended to lose ground late, yes, but in a rather dignified and stately fashion; last out in the 7th King Eddie the wheels fell off and the 9/2 shot finished 20+ lengths back. Maybe those Italian clockers did know what they were doing. The goody partnership sends out this son of Fantastic Light, game dam Sindee Slew was a turf router with Sinndar influence. Fantasteek seems unlikely today, but with his best performances at 10 furlongs, I’d rather have this one as a bottom choice in the trifecta than some ones with better odds here.
Loy’s Legacy offers something interesting for the handicapper, in that he ran for 10+ furlongs for the first time last out, and nicely won the G3 World Weekly News in South Africa last out, running a career best 105. Alien horses descended from mutant equine species finished 2nd and 3rd; or am I thinking of some other newspaper? Anyway, this outside-slot 11 horse Saturday, had won at 9.5 furlongs before and has won twice in a row, so this 9/1 outsider must be considered. Sire Azamour is not really a graded winner producer, but Redoute’s Choice and Kingmambo are to be reckoned with. Softy2912 sends out Kingman, who is doing well this year; ignore at peril.
Toral Picks From His Fedora:
4 King Kajinskyha
9 Legends of Rock