Short field of six G2 Big Europe Mile

The European horses prep for the Breeders Bowl Mile in today’s Big Europe Mile G2, in Germany. Just six horses have entered to run in this mile race over a firm turf course, for three year olds and up. The field is made up of three and four year olds who all want a piece of the $250,000 and possibly a trip to KY to run in the Breeders Bowl Mile this year. Lets take a look at the field and see if we can figure out who the winner will be.

Hottotrot will saddle Swing Time, who comes into this race with a three race winning streak. Swing Time is a four year old son of King’s Best out of an unraced Galileo mare. In seventeen trips to the track he has won six times, placed seven, and finished third twice. Last time out he wired the field posting a huge 114 in a listed stake going this distance. However his two previous wins were at just off the pace. Chance are there was no pace in the last race and he ended up on the lead, today that won’t be the case, with two or three others that like to win from on the lead. Generally he’s not too far off the lead if he’s going to run his race, but he has been five or so lengths off the pace to do well. At 5/2 he is the race favorite, and with six of his last seven starts being triple digit speeds its hard not to like him. However keep in mind the last tome he won with a 114, he bounced like a rubber ball next time out. Possible bounce effort coming…

Astinator0 saddles grade one winner Dooty Da Doo, who with a top three placing today will solidify his chances at the Breeders Bowl Mile. Dooty Da Doo is a three year old son of T.M. Opera out of Ziginsky a daughter of Danzig. Ziginsky on the track was nothing special with just one win during her career. As a broodmare she has produced five horses of racing age, all winners, but only to speak of, which is the horse in questions, Dooty. Dooty has ran ten times, won four, placed and shown three times each. During his short career he has not won against older horses, but finished a game third in his lone try. However, he has won a grade one race at this distance. Dooty can win on the pace, or just off of it like most of the horses in the race In his last five starts he’s posted triple digit speed figures, winning two of them. His lone try against older horses was a tough one in which all the horses were graded winners, I think today’s field will be a bit softer. At 3/1 his best chance at a victory is to not go for the lead, there are a few other horses who will go for it, and to win he’ll need to stay out of a speed duel.

Drawing post three is cmd5’s Cotterpin Loser, one of the likely pacesetters of the race. Cotterpin Loser is a three year old son of Distorted Humor out of an unraced Alydar mare. In thirteen trips to the track he’s won three times, placed twice and shown three times. He is going through a bit of a win drought, with his last win being in April of this year in an allowance. Although he isn’t winning he’s still performing well triple digit speed figures in his last six of eight races. Cotterpin Loser does his best running on the lead, so that’s probably where he’ll be today. However, he’s shown that a mile may not be his best distance for his running style. His last win was at eleven furlongs, three furlongs longer than today’s distance. In his last race he led until the third call then finished sixth beaten more than ten lengths going nine. In his last mile try he lead until the third call again and finished fifth beaten three and three quarter lengths. At 9/2 if this race was a mile and a half I’d love this horse, but at a mile he’ll set a nice pace, and be coming back to the field after six furlongs.

Weller1’s Circle Of Doom looks to turn the tables on Swing Time today. Circle Of Doom is a four year old son Sadler’s Wells out of Circle of Solace, who was by Awesome Again. Circle Of Solace was an excellent racehorse in his day winning a grade one and two, and finishing twice in both classes. As a producer he only has Circle Of Doom who is currently graded placed. Circle Of doom has raced fourteen times, winning five, placing four and showing three. Doom’s last win was a NW4X allowance, but he finished a game second to Swing Time last time out. This will be his third trip out off a short layoff, after finishing last in the G2 Premium Stakes in May. Circle Of Doom’s running style should help him out today, he can run his race just off the pace or several lengths off, so breaking on the bit is not a necessity for this one. I believe there is a good chance for a speed duel up front, so a come from behind type horse may have the best chance in the race. At 4/1 if he continues running like he did in his last race he could be there in the end.

Bezza14 sends out Bullish Wildcat, a true wildcard in this field. Bullish Wildcat is a four year old son of Forest Wildcat, out of Virgies Eagle, a daughter of Housebuster. On the track Virgies Eagle won a grade two and four other listed stakes. As a broodmare she has produced six horses of racing age, four of them winners, one stakes placed, and then Bullish who is a graded placed stakes winner. In nineteen starts he has five wins, four places and three thirds. However, he has not won in more than six months, with his last victory coming in February of this year in a listed stake at this distance. In his last race he surprised with a fast closing third posting a 111. He and the performance came out of nowhere. Bullish likes to be about a half a dozen or so lengths off the pace and try to close in from there, but that usually means the horse needs a fast, but dying speed to run at. That 111 effort was a shocker after two poor showings in an allowance and grade 3 effort. At 4/1 its hard to gauge horses that are off form, if he maintains that 111 speed figure and closing kick from his last start he could cause some trouble for the others, but I’m not so sure that it wasn’t a fluke.

Drawing the outside rail is wolfmagiv3’s Chosin Prince, co-longshot of the field. Chosin Prince is a four year old son of Casino Prince out of Chosin One, a daughter of Frozen Chosin. Chosin One on the track won ten of thirty six starts, but was never a stakes competitor. As a broodmare she has produced two horses of racing age, win only Chosin Prince to win. In twenty three starts Prince has only won twice, placed six other times, and finished third four times. His last victory came in a NW2L allowance race restricted to four year olds in July, previously he won his maiden in February of 2009. Generally Chosin Prince will be on the lead or fairly close to it less than two lengths from the lead at all times. In his last start he finished third in a listed stakes at this distance posting a 99. At 9/2 I’m not sure why he’s at such low odds, eligible for NW2X or NW3L, he hasn’t shown the ability to keep up with likes of today’s entrants.

You know it’s a tightly matched field when your favorite is 5/2 and your long shot is 9/2. I do believe the odds maker was in a pub somewhere when he made these odds though. My choices are Dooty Da Doo, Circle Of Doom, and yes how it pains me I think Cotterpin Loser could hold on to show. By the way CMD knows I’m just joking with him about the pain causing… Good luck to all may your horses run fast and return to their stables safely.