Turf Amazons Collide in Flower Pot
GRADE 1 FLOWER POT, 10 furlongs firm turf, $750,000
Stakes Record: 2:00 1/5, PGPG’s Filly.
The Flower Pot offers a humdinger of a race, and a good preview of things to come in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf Distaff, to be held at this track in three weeks’ time. The attention may be on the Breeders’ Bowl Turf, but the filly equivalent hints at being just as explosive and dynamic. While La Pata Daisy is prepping in Kentucky this week, and Krishna tackles Horseshoe Bay, most of the other top contenders are here, including last year’s defending Flower Pot and BB champ Turning Japanese, the ever-talented Grand Caffreys and the exciting Devil’s Slide. Of the 11 contenders, 6 have earned more than $1 millon on the lawn, and a 7th has almost met that milestone. Turning Japanese and Grand Caffreys are both ranked in the top five of the older mare long turf division, and Devil’s Slide in the top five of the 3yo filly long turf division. It is refreshing to see so many good horses in the same race. It is indicative of the depth and talent of this field that the favorite is “only” 4/1. In post position order, here are the 11 entries:
1.Leprechaun Hunt, grimreeser, 4yo, Seeking the Gold x Green Desert
Turf Record: 25-8-7-2, $1,088,480. Odds: 5/1.
Elegant dark bay filly is rounding back into top form, which saw her capture the Grade 2 Black Betty earlier this year and a pair of Grade 3s last year. Ten panels isn’t her strongest distance, although she did finish fifth in last years BB Turf Distaff, then second in the Grade 1 GSR Oaks. Lifetime, she’s finished second twice in four tries. That said, she’s riding a two race winning streak, and when she can rate, like she did last time out, the distance appears less of a concern. Key here is the ride given to her by Child. If she can relax early, she’s a definite threat at the wire, particularly in a field mostly devoid of speed – with a long, lonely lead, she’ll be long gone and near-impossible to catch. If she gets rank against Caerlawn, she’ll be struggling home.
2. Joe’s Angels, ajr13, 5yo, Septieme Ciel x Loft
Turf Record: 36-14-5-9, $1,461,652. Odds: 6/1
Another mare looking for the hattrick coming into this race, Angel is probably in the best form of her career, having won the Grade 2 Bird Legs Cup (101 SF) two starts back and the Grade 1 Virgin Mary Stakes (105 SF) over Krishna and Grand Caffreys earlier this season. The 10 furlong distance is clearly her best, and she gets a solid rider in Gunn. The classy bay will be stalking the early pace, and getting the jump on the competition at the top of the stretch. No surprise if she wins again.
3. Turning Japanese, dkyoung7, 5yo, Sunday Silence x Lyphard
Turf Record: 23-12-2-5, $2,843,660. Odds: 4/1.
. . . “I really think so” – I always think of the song when I see this mare’s name. I’ve been a fan of this beautiful dappled grey mare with the Arabian head for quite some time. Last year, she was riding a five race win streak into this race. She exited with an easy three length victory, and parlayed that into a tour-de-force performance in the Turf Distaff. She hasn’t been quite as dominant this year, mainly because she spent three starts against the boys, and finally tried the dirt, with disappointing results. Despite all that, she has racked up a pair of Grade 1 wins this season, the Rich and Famous Handicap (105 SF) at Saturday’s distance, and the Demona Handicap (105 SF) last time out. She’s one for two here at this track, and gets a surprisingly low-percentage jock here this time around, in fact, he rode her to a fourth place finish the last time around. I’d feel better if she had a better jock aboard, but if she brings her A-game, look out. The champ is setting up in fine fashion for a repeat, but this field is a lot tougher than last – one misstep, and this race is lost.
4. Devil’s Slide, afc, 3yo, Kingmambo x Seattle Slew
Turf Record: 7-6-1-0, $1,053,200. Odds: 6/1.
The road to perdition never looked so good. A year ago, this filly had just won the Grade 2 Walnut Tree Stakes and was pointing for the Juvenile Fillies (eventually finishing off the board). Who knew she’d be so much better on the turf? I’d nagged her connections to try her on the lawn, but even I didn’t know what fury would be unleashed on the division. The powerful sophomore looks like an older mare, and she’s made a belated charge through her division, capturing a pair of Grade 1 events, and smacking down the boys on Smackdown Day. Her lone loss came against Otto Elusive, also in this race, in the Grade 1 Cremation, run at a flat mile. The Devil has tossed out triple digit speed figures in six consecutive starts, and if Turning Japanese is the reigning queen of the turf, Devil’s Slide may be the scheming princess royal plotting an overthrow (with La Pata Daisy also competing for the throne). Her times and running style suggest she ought to be able to be competitive against her elders, and 6/1 odds is a gift, in my opinion. Now, all she has to do is prove it, or there will be the devil to pay. If both she and Turning Japanese bring their running shoes, fans will be in for one heck of a stretch drive.
5. Imperial Oats, bentley, 5yo, Testa Rossa x Ballydoyle
Turf Record: 29-9-8-7, $463,639. Odds: 9/1.
Mare’s connections have ambitiously placed her in the first graded stakes of her career. Has made only three starts this year after a lengthy layoff. In those three races, she has had one victory, against allowance company with an 87 SF. Would like her chances a lot more had the race come up good or yielding. If she can revert to the form of a year or two ago that saw her win six stakes, she’d have a chance to hit the board, but it’s asking a lot to do that all in one race.
6. Otto Elusive, verona, 3yo, Elusive Quality x A.P. Indy
Turf Record: 9-4-1-0, $488,580. Odds: 12/1.
The second sophomore in the field, Otto, also has an impressive set of credentials. Second in the 1000 Guineas, first in the Cremation, defeating Devil’s Slide in the process, she looks to bedevil that rival again here. The copper chestnut filly is quite the eyecatcher on the track, but she’s looking to go farther than she’s ever been before in her career. That said, she did win at 9 panels earlier in her career, but in her last few starts, she’s been flattening out at the end. Ax Williams, who’s been on a bit of a hot streak of late, gets the ride, and will do his best to garner his connections some more bragging rights.
7. Caerlawn, forli, 5yo, Kingmambo x Caerleon
Turf Record: 39-9-10-8, $475,462. Odds: 21/1
Mare was a two-time stakes winner earlier this season, but was badly beaten in her two previous graded stakes attempts, and her form has only gone downhill of late. She did get back in the win column last time out, but that was in a cpu *700 affair with an 88 SF. That said, she does have early foot in a field mostly devoid of it, and a savvy rider in Foster. Stealing the race early is clearly her best chance, but this is still a lot to ask of a nice mare thrown in with some real amazons.
8. Animal Chin, dfl, 5yo, Tabasco Cat x Spinning World
Turf Record: 14-4-4-2, $239,324. Odds: 6/1
Main claim to fame so far in an abbreviated career is the solid second place finish in last year’s Grade 1 Virgin Mary Stakes (114 SF). This year, she has made exactly one start, finishing second in a one mile allowance (96 SF) three weeks’ ago. She should take another step forward off of that performance, now that she has a badly needed race under her belt, but will it be enough? The mare has shown flashes of ability throughout her career, but she’s also tossed in some real clunkers. It’s anyone’s guess, really, how she’ll do this weekend, but the Animal will have to bring her best to compete with the more proven contenders.
9. Grand Caffreys, corka, 4yo, Desert King x Grand Lodge
Turf Record: 36-9-6-4, $2,856,438. Odds: 9/1
This filly has always been a bit frustrating. On her best day, she’s simply dazzling. But, there are days she simply doesn’t feel like running, and nothing and no one, can make her. When she acts grand, she beats her elders in last year’s Rich and Famous, or finishes third in the Filly & Mare Turf, or lets loose a flying late charge when all hope is lost to go from 13th to first by a nose to take home Equinics gold. This year, it took 11 tries before she finally got the win, in the Grade 1 Yolkshire Oaks (94 SF). She’s been handily beaten twice by Turning Japanese in their most recent meetings. Is it the busy campaign? Has she soured? And yet, it feels somehow dangerous to dismiss her as simply being a step beyond her best. While her four year old season hasn’t soared to the heights of her three year old campaign, it is clear that this willful filly runs only when she wants to. And I have no idea when she will decide to do so, but if it happens to be Saturday, don’t say that you weren’t warned.
10. Kiki’s Moon Dancer, gd, 5yo, Forty Niner x Storm Cat
Turf Record: 29-8-2-5, $1,583,728. Odds: 19/1.
Regally bred mare is another on the comeback trail, having raced only twice since Valentine’s Day – a disastrous dirt outing, and then a dull last place effort in the Demona behind Turning Japanese and Grand Caffreys. You got to dig a little to come up with an argument for her chances – third start off the layoff, she did win the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Distaff last year, and was third in the BB two years ago, so the Dancer does own back class. But, like Animal, I’ll sit this one out, and let her prove to me that she’s ready to be back at this level.
11. Sadler’s Pye, bmoney, 6yo, Brocco x Sadler’s Wells
Turf Record: 31-7-3-4, $926,830. Odds: 6/1
What to do with a six month layoff? The veteran mare looked every part a top turf mare when winning the Grade 1 Hannah Barbera at this distance with a sparkling 103 SF, but she’s vanished from view for the past six months. Coming up to this race on works alone is asking a heck of a lot. What’s not encouraging is the last two times that she’s returned from a break, she’s clearly needed a race. But, and that’s a big one, if she could recapture that form, she’d be in the thick of the hunt.
Good luck to all in what should be a battle royal!