Two-Year-Olds Take To Motherly Love
Race:The Motherly Love – Grade II – $250,000
ID: 4442.0413
Track: New York
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 2 years old
Distance: Seven furlongs on the Dirt
The second graded race on the card for this weekend in New York is The Motherly Love (G2). This race, the thirteenth on the racing card over all is open to two-year-old fillies. The race is run over seven furlongs on the dirt track, right before the two-year-old colts take to the track. Last years winner of the race was riverdance’s Diocese, who went on to finish second in the 2009 Bluegrass Oaks (G1), so this could be a very important race for the fillies in the future. There will be scattered showers at the track in the middle of the week but these will move out well before post time on Saturday leaving us with a fast track. There has been a total of thirteen fillies to enter into the race this weekend. Lets take a glance at them.
1. Lucky’s Caroline – (Awesome Again x A.P. Indy x Unbridled) – naracing9 of Mr Lucky’s – C. Mannion – 7/1
Making her fifth lifetime start this weekend, the Awesome Again-sired filly is out of the graded placed broodmare Lucky’s Triple XXX. The brown filly is making her first stakes start this weekend, graded or otherwise. Her most recent start was a seven and a half furlong allowance race over dirt in the District of Columbia. The filly was just off the pace of a few front runners at the break of the sprint. She began to pick off the other runners in the final turn, and ultimately went on to win by a length and a half, recording a speed figure of eighty-two. Prior to this she’d won another allowance race, this one over six furlongs over the dirt in Delaware. The biggest challenge for this filly will be making the jump into graded competition this weekend. She is versatile and could be anywhere out of the gate this weekend, either just off the pace or more towards the middle of the pack.
2. Wooden Ninja III – (Empire Maker x Awesome Again x Woodman) – casino of Casino Stables – R. Haffner – 8/1
Making her stakes debut this weekend, the brown filly is out of the stakes winning broodmare Wooden Ninja II. This Kentucky-bred filly is lightly raced with just four lifetime starts. However the filly has won half of these races and only finished off the board in one start. Her most recent start was over seven and a half furlongs in an open allowance race in West Virginia. The filly took this race in gate to wire fashion, winning convincingly by three and a quarter lengths while setting a speed figure of eighty. The filly will likely be forwardly placed on Saturday, but will probably settle off the pace from a few front runners at the break
3. Sewdee – (Malibu Moon x Storm Cat x Wild Again) – prufrockja of Prufrockja Stables – S. Israel – 9/1
Out of the stakes placed broodmare Proofwild, the filly is fairly experienced with a total of five lifetime starts. The chestnut filly had her most recent start at the nearby Upper New York track in The Iron Deck (G2) at six and a half furlongs over the dirt. She didn’t fare well in this start, breaking near the middle of the pack but not progressing much throughout the race, crossing the wire in eighth, six lengths off the pace, setting a speed figure of seventy-six. Her prior start in the Lean Machine Stakes (G2) at six and a half furlongs lends a similar story as the filly crossed the wire in tenth, nine and three-quarter lengths off the pace. Her most recent win was in May during The Stewardess Nikita Memorial, a listed stakes race over six furlongs in Connecticut. She’s unplaced in graded races so far, so she’ll have some odds against her this weekend as she faces graded competition again. She’s also untried so far over seven furlongs. Like her two recent graded starts, the filly will likely break mid-pack out of the gate and this time, hopefully be looking to gain some ground on the rest of the field down the stretch.
4. Early Debut – (Fan The Flame x Awesome Again x Buckfinder) – cmd2001 of Cmd Stables – B. Child – 10/1
One of the most experienced two-year-olds in the field this weekend with the most races under her belt, the chestnut filly has made seven trips to the track so far in her career. Making her most recent start in The Iron Deck (G2) at six and a half furlongs in Upper New York, the filly began her race as one of the horses last out of the starting gate. As they moved into the final turn, however, she started to gain quite a bit of ground and went on to finish second with a speed figure of eighty-three. She was two lengths off the winner. Her most recent victory was in The Star Of Buda Challenge, a listed stakes race over seven furlongs which was won in front-pace stalking fashion by a length and a quarter. The filly is versatile and could either be just off the pace on Saturday behind a few front runners, or way off the pace towards the rear of the field.
5. Hard Secret – (Hard Spun x Secretariat x Ribot) – sportoking of Crandy Stables – T. Johnson – 21/1
Attempting to return to graded stakes racing this weekend, the chestnut filly will be making her fifth lifetime start. The Kentucky-bred filly made her latest appearance at the track in The Smeaton Challenge, a listed stakes race over eight furlongs on the dirt in Ontario, Canada. The filly broke out of the gate towards the front of the pack but faded as the eight furlongs wore on. She crossed the money, still in the money at fifth, but was back by a long distance of twenty-nine and a quarter lengths. She set an unimpressive speed figure of forty-five for the distance. Prior to this the filly had finished sixth, again fading, in a five and a half furlong race, the Vermont BB Juvenile Filly (G2). This race was finished with a speed figure of sixty-eight. The lone victory for the filly came over five furlongs on the dirt across the country in California when she won gate to wire. The filly will likely be forwardly placed this weekend, possibly even be the race pacesetter.
6. Spirited Lover – (Stormy Atlantic x Awesome Again x Affirmed) – rastaman of Trooper7 Stables – E. Cunningham – 8/1
Another filly making her sixth-lifetime race this weekend, the brown filly is out of the stakes placed broodmare Shantytown. Along with making her sixth start of her career, the brown filly will also be making her first stakes race of her career, graded or otherwise. The most recent start for the filly was an eight furlong allowance race over the dirt in Kentucky. She broke towards the back half of the field when the gates opened and she made up some good ground on the field throughout the race, but she would come up short with a speed figure of seventy-eight, off the pace by three and three-quarter lengths at the wire. Prior to this the filly had won over eight furlongs by two and a half lengths. She’s never run over seven furlongs, but this shouldn’t be a problem considering her eight furlong victory. The filly will likely be towards the back of the field at the break on Saturday, although if the pace is slow she could be running mid-pack.
7. Get Ready For More – (More Than Ready x Maria’s Mon x Forty Niner) – qwikvett1 of Qwikvett Stables – B. Dirks – 11/1
Lightly raced with just three lifetime starts, this striking light gray filly is out of the broodmare Marias Forty One. The light gray filly made her most recent start in The Schoolerville (G3) over the dirt at six furlongs in Upper New York. The filly broke out of the gate in the center of the pack, but did not advance as the six furlongs wore on. She crossed the wire in sixth with a speed figure of seventy-three. She had a similar story in her prior start, the Stoker Handicap (G2) over six and a half furlongs. The fillies best finish to date was her debut race which came in The Famous Raider Stakes, a listed stakes race over seven furlongs on the dirt. After breaking out on the lead, the filly faded in the stretch to run second. The filly will likely again be in the middle of the pack as she faces graded company for the third time in her career.
8. Half Brushed – (Half Ours x Broad Brush x Nashua) – varsity of Phillipj Stables – P. Davis – 11/1
Going into his fifth lifetime start this weekend and what will be the first graded race of her career, the light gray filly has won two times so far in her career. The Louisiana-bred filly made her most recent start in The Hungry Ton Stakes, a listed stakes race over seven and a half furlongs in Alabama. The filly broke out of the gate in the middle of the pack but took control of the pace when the field reached the stretch. She went on to win by a length and three-quarters with a speed figure of eighty. Prior to this the filly had come up a length short in the Pan Zareta Stakes Restricted, another listed stakes, this one at five and a half furlongs. The filly has done much better with the added distance from last weekend and will probably be either mid-pack or off the pace at the start of this race on Saturday.
9. Bayou Hurricane – (Littleexpectations x Songandaprayer x Tale Of The Cat) – ruthless of The CVBear Not-Evil Racing Empire – B. McLaughlin – 32/1
The longest shot on the board this weekend, the brown filly has made only two lifetime starts, and will also be making her stakes debut this weekend. The filly made her most recent start in a six furlong allowance race in Alabama where she broke out of the gate and went straight to the lead. She faded in the stretch though and came home second, a length and a quarter off the pace, but still securing a speed figure of seventy-five. Her only other start was a length and a half victory in a maiden special weight over five furlongs on a good dirt track. She won this in wire to wire fashion. Two of the fillies hurdles to overcome will be the new seven furlong distance and the step up in class to graded competition. She will likely be our pacesetter of the race on Saturday, or at least very close to it.
10. Stylo – (Bernstein x More Than Ready x Hussonet) – runvus of Hawkz Racing Stables – P. Hilton – 6/1
Making just her second graded start in her career, the filly will be making her fourth overall lifetime start. Her most recent start was in the Hoserhead Juvenile Fillies (G2) at six and a half furlongs on the dirt in British Columbia, Canada. In this race the filly broke near the front of the pack, just off the pace of a few-front runners and actually gained ground as the race progressed. However she was caught down the stretch by a late charger and lost the race by the slight margin of a head bob in a photo. She set a speed figure of eighty-seven. Prior to this the filly had won at six furlongs on a good dirt course by one and three-quarter lengths. She is untried at the seven furlong distance. The filly will likely be forwardly placed this weekend, possibly the pacesetter or just off the pace stalking the leaders out of the gate.
11. Smoke And Flames – (Fan The Flame x Mr. Prospector x Vice Regent) – cmdholding of Cmd Stables – N. Painter – 9/1
The second filly in the race this weekend out of the Cmd Stable group, the chestnut filly is out of the impressive multiple Grade I winning broodmare Smokey Prospector. The filly has made six career starts so far, most recently in The Mountain Reef Challenge, a listed stakes race over eight furlongs, held this year on a good dirt track. Breaking just off the pace of a few front runners, the filly lost ground throughout the race but still came in third in the five horse field. She set a speed figure of seventy-nine. Prior tot his the filly won, by two and a quarter lengths, an eight furlong open allowance race in Iowa. She’s also a listed stakes winner of the Ice Age Predator Challenge at seven and a half furlongs. The filly, this weekend, will likely break out of the starting gate mid-pack, making her move before the field comes into the stretch.
12. Sidonia – (Hard Spun x Gone West x Nijinsky II) – stalurko of Belgium Racing Team – R. Foster – 9/1
Out of the stakes-producing broodmare Freeky’s Sky, the brown filly will be making her third start this weekend, but will be facing a few unique challenges in her way as she tries to get to the winners circle this Saturday. The Kentucky-bred filly made her most recent start at seven furlongs in The Benelux Special fillycup 2010 Owner Restricted, which was run over a good dirt track in Belgium. The filly broke out of the gate in second but had taken over the pace by the time the midway point of the race rolled around. She went on to win by one and a half lengths, setting a speed figure of eighty-one. This weekend will pose a number of firsts for the filly. It will be her first graded stakes start, her first start over a fast track, and her first start in a non-owner restricted race. If she handles the fast track as well as she does the mud, she should be forwardly placed in the race, likely just off the pace of a few front-runners.
13. Grand Assembly – (Grand Reward x General Assembly x Mt. Livermore) – kindone4 of Kindone Stables – N. Lawton – 6/1
With five starts on the board so far, the chestnut filly is already a graded winner at two. The Kentucky-bred filly made her most recent start in The Iron Deck (G2) at six and a half furlongs on the dirt nearby in Upper New York. The filly was one of the last out of the gate at the break of the race, but made up incredible ground at the mid-point of the race, and went on to win impressively by two lengths. She set a speed figure of eighty-seven. Prior to this the filly had finished second in the Hoserhead Juvenile Fillies (G2), also at six and a half furlongs. The filly has one race of the distance of seven furlongs, a second place finish in an allowance race in July. The chestnut filly is versatile, but she is likely to want to lay back at the very rear of the field this weekend, and then try to take control of the pace in the latter part of the race.
Flrancho’s Picks
Win: General Assembly
Place: Stylo
Show: Lucky’s Caroline