Wonders In The Works: WONDERBOY ALF Stakes Showcases Rising Stars
Thirty graded stakes this week dominate the racing landscape, but while established stars clash under the bright lights that come with high stakes and weighty purses, nine horses who have yet to reach those lofty heights are set to contest the WONDERBOY ALF(IRE) Stakes, over a flat six furlongs for a $70,000 purse. The race has no immediate big-race implications, as none of these seem suited or eligible for a tilt in the Breeders’ Bowl contests coming up in three weeks, but the field is stuffed with horses who are filled with potential: one will be taking a step towards stardom with a victory here.
Let’s take a look at the field:
The WONDERBOY ALF(IRE) Stakes
Stakes
Six furlongs
Fast Dirt
$70,000
All horses, 2 years old
PP | Horse ID | Horse | Owner | Jockey | Odds | Comments |
1 | WALKWITH SLEW | 11/1 | A handy maiden winner, and he’s cleverly named (sired by Stroll, who I think is an underestimated freshman sire!), but he may be in a little bit deep here. Faces some talented runners, and he’d need to move forward considerably off of a maiden win. | |||
2 | CARBEKAT | 7/1 | Never worse than 2nd, and his numbers put him in the same boat as Walkwith Slew. That said, however, jockey Y. Waymer is only a 4% jock on Walkwith Slow, this one has McClendon on top, who boots home 1 in 5, so he’s got an edge there. He’s another by a lightly regarded but seemingly talented sire, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this one was top-three. | |||
3 | STRONG PROSPECT | 7/2 | Filly tests the boys off of just one lifetime start, where she won handily and recorded a 78 speed figure, but she’s the third horse that’s going to be gunning for the lead, and I’m not sure she’s going to get there. If she can settle off the lead, she’s got a shot, but she won’t be able to contest the pace the whole way and s till hang on if she’s forced into that situation. The jock isn’t going to hurt her, but at only 7%, he’s not going to work any miracles on her behalf either, so she’ll have to do it on her own. | |||
4 | TUDOR STYLE | 10/1 | Four horses, four horses that want the lead. His last effort makes him the best of these four (or perhaps just the one of the first four whose talents have been most developed to date), but there’s a huge jump from a NW2L allowance to an open stakes. Pass on this one. | |||
5 | CRAFTY PART | 6/1 | I wouldn’t be surprised if this one eventually matured into a top turf horse, despite the bum effort first time out over the lawn. Too many horses run clunkers their first time out for me to put much stock in first races (good or bad), but that said, he was an easy winner when he found the dirt, and if he can improve off of that one and sit off the pace again (even if only 3 or 4 lengths off), he’s dangerous. | |||
6 | MIEFLY’S INDY | 3/1 | Morning line favorite routinely runs speed numbers in the mid-80s, which should be good enough for this field, and he has a style that’s going to serve him well this time out. Ranked 42nd in the division, and the oddsmakers nailed this one; he should be home first unless someone else comes up with a monster performance. | |||
7 | ZENITH | 5/1 | Enter this colt, with a ton of talent and a jockey that’s going to find a way to get it out of him. The turn back to six furlongs after a few races at 7 and 8 should do him good, and he’ll likely be a little more willing to sit back off of that blistering pace today than he may have been before his experiments over longer. If Miefly’s Indy is going to lose, this is probably the one he’ll lose to. | |||
8 | TEUTONIC TERROR | 5/1 | Speed. Classy speed, but speed, which probably spells doom in this one. He’s been backing up in each of his last two races, and unless he figures out how to relax off the pace here, he’ll probably be cooked despite the best efforts of 17% jock D. Fendlay. | |||
9 | BUTTERTOWN | 21/1 | One for one, but like I’ve said earlier in the article, too many horses run weird first races for me to put any stock in their, good or bad. He also steps way up in class, and finds that 61 speed figure to be about 20 points below what its going to take to win here. He found a weak maiden field, but this field is considerably stronger. Probably not a contender. |