G1 Darley – Fillies to compete for Breeder’s Bowl spot
The Darley is a Grade 1 race going a mile and one sixteenth on good dirt. It is held in eastern Kentucky and boasts a $500,000 dollar prize to the two year old filly who wins this race.
1. KING HUGHIE (KY) 2 year old filly (Henny Hughes X Kingmambo X Kris S.) Trained by Sting, this filly has 5 starts and 2 wins all races have been sprints. It will be interesting to see if she can get the longer distance. Her sire is known to produce sprinters but Kingmambo and Kris S. both often produce routers. Her best speed is an 82 which she posted running 3rd in a graded 6 furlong race. What gives me some confidence is at third call this filly has in all but one start been in the lead the fact she then generally loses the lead kind of tells me she may want more ground. I think I want to throw out her last start as it just looked like she struggled. Hopefully she will like the added distance here.
2. ROCKCHUCKER (KY) 2 year old filly (A.P. Indy X Tabasco Cat X Mr. Prospector) This filly is trained by Italst6, yes Frank I am covering your filly. This pathetically bred filly is not impressive. I mean she has only won a 7.5 furlong grade 3 race. She posted a 90 speed on that effort ok, which might be impressive as that is the best speed of any 2 year old horse I have covered in the past month. But I mean come on Frank, what do you think you’re doing putting her in here. She is just going to embarrass the other horses. LOL good luck my friend I am guessing after that last race, she might just be the one to beat. Oh, and boo on you for getting her, I about cried when I saw I had to write her up 😛
3. DISTORTED TERROR (KY) 2 year old filly (Distorted Humor X Dynaformer X Seeking the Gold) Trained by Bandinni, this filly has one thing I really like, her breeding Dynaformer adds a lot of distance and her sire is tough in that category. What I love is the fact in her last two races she has won going a mile on dirt by over 2 lengths each time. Only 78 speeds in both races but the ease of the win says a lot about her. One it’s not taking much out of her and two that she is definitely ready to step up in class. Not much to dislike so not much more to say if she runs a game race she could easily get there.
4. FURIOUS FIVE (KY) 2 year old filly (More than Ready X Unbridled’s Song X Sadler’s Wells) This filly is trained by Super8, and has 5 starts 2 wins. She has not won a race since leaving allowance races and her speeds could be better. A 73 at best does not warrant this start to me. She did get that speed running second in a stakes race going 7.5 furlongs. What I do like is the way she ran that race; she was looking for more ground and didn’t find it. She will here, but the fact she has not shown a whole lot concerns me at this point she is slowly getting better but slow is the key word. The other fillies are jumping big when competition gets tougher or distance. This girl has done neither and while she still could. 5 starts and no dramatic changes makes me hesitate to pick this one.
5. CACHEOFSILVER (KY) 2 year old filly (Eurosilver X Thunder Gulch X Boston Harbor) Trained by Stormrun, this filly is two for two and no complaints. A maiden win in a sprint and posted an 81 speed in a mile allowance. I do not know a lot about the sire but I know that separately these sires are not that special but they seem to have come together amazingly well. I am impressed with her races and this is going to be a tough race to test out graded competition in. There are some seriously fast and insanely talented fillies in this field. If she improves I can see her getting in top 5.
6. ECLIPSE FAILURE (KY) 2 year old filly (Unbridled’s Song X Danehill Dancer X Mr. Prospector) This filly is trained by Lenny8, is another of the super fillies in this race. That is based on her last race, a mile stakes race where she ran a closing second with an 87 speed going a mile against the boys. She is begging for some extra distance and her speed shows improvement and determination. She’s got some tough competition but she looks like a tough filly. I like her breeding a lot and it also fits the conditions of the race. Not a whole lot not to like. Should be in the money.
7. RULES BE GOLD (OK) 2 year old filly (Country Be Gold X Peace Rules X Danehill Dancer) Trained by Graywolf33, this local breed filly is a very interesting horse. Her best speed has come at a mile distance when she ran 3rd in a mile stakes race. She posted a 77 and while for most of us that is super good, in this field its better than maybe 1/3 of the field. She will have to prove just how much she likes the distance and her breeding is super interesting as Peace Rules is one of those horses in the sim that had a few big runners but never really produced all that much. Interesting combination but it obviously works. She will need to improve quite a bit to get in the money, but she is 2 they can do anything including fly when they want to.
8. HEADINGFORADIVORCE (KY) 2 year old filly (Broken Vow X Distorted Humor X Deputy Minister) This filly is trained by Blankpoin5, I covered her last race as well. Quick 3 week turn around for this filly. Guessing the goal is the breeder’s bowl with her. She is rather close with a G1 third going 7 furlongs and a 2nd in a G2 going 6. What disheartens me is that her speed going 6 furlongs was faster than her speed going 7. Both were in graded competition and I would have liked to have seen a faster speed with more distance. I also did not like the way she faded at the end. She is not getting any easier competition here and I hope to see her improve. The back end of her pedigree says she wants more ground as does her races up until the 7 furlong race. Won’t know until you try.
9. LUCILLA (KY) 2 year old filly (Medaglia D’oro X Mineshaft X Giant’s Causeway) Trained by Willyam46, this beautifully bred filly has done very well in her first two starts. Breaking her maiden going 6 furlongs then won an allowance race going a mile. Her best speed is a 77 and I would like to see a bit faster of a speed from horses entering grade 1 competition but it is worth a shot as she won the mile race by almost two lengths. Her breeding is stellar and she should be able to improve off that win. Whether it is enough to win we will have to see.
10. MIDNITE WARRIOR (KY) 2 year old filly (Majestic Warrior X Danzig X Storm Cat) This filly is trained by Super18 and I also covered her last race. Her last race is what makes her a tough filly in my books. She ran a closing third with an 87 speed in a Grade 3 mile race. She wanted more distance and I see her improving off that effort. What I don’t like, the two week turn around. I am guessing she is headed to the breeder’s bowl and that is the rush. Be careful pushing babies can lead to injuries. Hopefully she does well and returns home sound. I see a good race for her.
11. LIEBSCHAFT (GER) 2 year old filly (Monsun X Deputy Minister X Buckpasser) Trained by Chloedawq, this German bred filly is very interesting. It took her two tries to break her maiden and despite what I call a fairly turf pedigree she loves the main track. What I love about her is the back end on her breeding. It can go turf or dirt but it leans to dirt in my opinion. I love her last race, though it was only an allowance race she won the mile race by 2 ¼ lengths which marks and easy win and an 83 speed says she can do better. I am guessing she could step up and surprise. A lot to like with her, I wish she had a stakes race before jumping to Grade 1 competition but I wouldn’t be surprised by a big run from her.
12. REZATTA (KY) 2 year old filly (Elusive Quality X George Washington X Seeking the Gold) This filly is trained by Inthamoney, and has an interesting note to her pedigree. She is probably one of only a few if not the only George Washington Dam’s Sired horse. As he only stood a short while at stud before returning to racing and breaking down. Very interesting breeding, her races however decent but I am hesitant to say she will do well. Here is my reasoning. Her last race she posted a pretty high speed number when shortening distance. You can also look see she posted a 72 in may and then a 79 going longer in August, not that large of a jump. It’s not that bad of a speed I mean 79 is great but it was also the worst finish she has had on dirt even if it only was 4th place. I think if she does poorly sprints are in order. She could still surprise.
13. SMART CC (KY) 2 year old filly (Smart Strike X A.P. Indy X Danzig.) Trained by Bertaal2, this filly has tried three starts on dirt and then in her last start she ran on turf. I agree dirt is the preference and I also agree with adding distance. In the 7.5 G3 stakes race she ran closing and got out closed. That 81 speed was two starts ago and tells me there is a lot of speed to work with. She could be tough, she isn’t a stranger to graded races and the breeding and past performances hint to longer races. I think she should do well here.
14. HEAVENLY SPEIGHT (KY) 2 year old filly (Speightstown X Victory Gallop X His Majesty) this filly is trained by Luckyone, and has yet to go longer than 7 furlongs. But boy can she go 7 furlongs. She won the G1 Dell Computer Debutant and with an 88 speed. She looked to love a longer distance. I do not believe Speightstown is much for distance but she seems to be improving with it. I like that she jumped a big speed with a bit longer of a race. This should prove to be a good race for her. Lots to like.
I do not pick two year olds but I have to say that the #2’s 90 speed is the best speed by far of any two year old I have covered in many weeks. This said there are some monsters going a mile and should be a good race and the winner will definitely be going to the Breeder’s Bowl. Good Luck to all.