Grand Critter Stakes Draws 8 2yo Turfers
Two-year-old turf stars are the focus of the Grade 2 Grand Critter Stakes, the 14th race at Italy this weekend. Seven colts and one filly will face the starter for the 8-furlong test. While only three of these have graded-stakes wins on their pedigrees thus far, there is plenty of quality horseflesh to be seen.
PERSICUS will go from the rail at 7/1, ridden by K Linker (7%). The zambaygo trainee started his career with a bang, taking a MSW and a minor stakes in his first two tries. The son of Duke Of Marmalade has since found graded-stakes company a lot tougher to handle, though he hung on fairly well for a 4th in a Grade 1 sprint in August. If you toss is so-so effort on a good course last time out, he has a pretty good shot at earning a nice chunk of change here if he deals well with two-turn racing.
SKY IS CRYING goes from the #2 post at 4/1. Trained by super25, the son of Street Cry failed his first two-turn test; but his pedigree suggests that he should be strong at distance. He returned to sprinting and closed strongly in a Grade 1 and takes another shot at 2 turns here, hoping to prove his first effort was a fluke.
THE LIBERTINE is a filly and goes from the #3 slot at 7/2. The Giant’s Causeway daughter finished strong in her first 2-turn try to be a close-up 3rd against her own sex in a Grade 2 last time out, and the ritchie trainee could be tough to deal with here.
GONE FOR GIMLETS is almost certainly the speed of the race, and may have enough class to hold ’em off in the stretch. The skunkfeed trainee has won over $600k while winning four of five, winning a pair of graded-stakes sprints along the way. His pedigree (Tanino Gimlet x Gone West x Sadler’s Wells) suggests that he might have the ability to handle 2-turn racing. He is the 2/1 favorite and gets top (31%) jock N Labreche.
CRAZY RHYTHM is a curious entry, a MSW winner making his first try at 2 turns in a graded stakes. The trainer of this guy must be NUTS! Oh, yeah… He IS nuts. He’s also the author of this article. Anyway, this sirbarton trainee showed a little promise in his initial turf try, and I entered him in hopes that the field might come up a little light here. So, 18/1 is what I get on my Flying Spur colt.
13/1 shot TWO BREEZE started out with three decent turf tries, then tried the dirt successfully with a Grade 2 win on the slop. The son of Shore Breeze failed badly when on a fast dirt track, so trainer scandal moved him back to the sod for today’s effort, his first around 2 turns. He should contest the early pace; how long will he stick around?
LONLON, a Western Winter colt trained by acarigua, passed his first 2-turn test with flying colors, winning a Grade 3 with a big closing rush. He goes off at 5/1 here, possibly a bargain play, though a stronger jock would really help his chances. Very dangerous.
From the outside goes CHOICES ROCK at 6/1. This Jet Master colt is the veteran of this bunch, with eight starts under his belt. None of these have been 2-turners, but he has closed well in most of his sprint attempts. He’ll need to outrun his sprinter-laced pedigree.
Okay, let’s crank up the ol’ crystal ball and see what it says:
LONLON and his closing rush should pick ’em off in the lane.
GONE FOR GIMLETS will be tough to catch but get beat in the final jumps.
Filly THE LIBERTINE should outfinish the rest of this bunch and grab the show dough.
Good luck at the races!