HOTPOT IN HONG KONG
Tired Today. Alas! I signed up for the only 2yo graded races of the week, the eleventh running of the Silver Spoon Juvenile-G2 over a mile on turf for fillies only in Hong Kong, a guesswork. Now, I have to spoon out the soup, as the saying goes at my German home track, what means nothing different than I have to face the music.
So I am confronted with the mysteries of sim-travels: usually a no-go for the jockeys in the game. Travel permissions for sim-jockeys are only offered to top-jockeys of certain tracks for special events. The vast majority is captivated at their particular track.
Whereas a 2yo horse born with a silver spoon in its mouth may travel two times around the globe. So be it!
Let’s take a look at the History of the race. Shenanigans(Ire) by Barathea won the race 2002 in the record time of 1:35.4 with a speed figure of 106 at that time. The slowest time for a win in this race ever was clocked 2003 at 1:36.6 for the Red Ransom filly Electric Ransom(sf 93). The lowest sf(92) needed to win was in 2006, when bossross(Rafa Stables) saddled Mendela(Ire) by Alberto Giacometti x Dubai Millennium, her winning time was 1:36.4.
This year Rafa tries again with MALKOVA(IRE) from his rioja stable. She is by freshman sire Yeats out of a Rainbow Quest x Black Tie Affair mare. Starting out of start box 3 at odds of 19/1 she is one of the outsiders in the field. She needed 3 starts to clear her maiden, but is unbeaten over one mile winning her last two races a maiden and an open allowance, showing a 77 as her best speed figure in her maiden win. So she makes a jump in class and surely needs to improve her sf, if she wants to be in the picture. Wonder where her name links to? Oh, well, there artists of any kind like musicians, actress, models going under that name(parental advisory: do not let your kids goggle for an unknown horse name without observation).
Four past winner were bred in Ireland while two in the last three years were of Japanese origin.
Last year Grey Goose Gimlet(JPN) by Tanino Gimlet has won.
In this kind of races the Simply……..SUPER! stables are usually represented by two entries, same here. ZARSKAYA(IRE) at 11/1 is one of them and by her name alone she would be a worthy follower of Grey Goose Gimlet. It is her seventh start and her fifth in a graded race, she started racing in America, went to Europe, then back to Canada and now from there she travels to Asia . She is already a graded winner, albeit she ran last in her last race, her first try in a route race. Btw that race was won by another super horse by the same sire. So supers were double motivated for some drinks. “In victory you deserve it, in defeat you need it.” How many sim trainer could or would throw two horses by the most expensive freshman sire ever Sea The Stars against each other in one race? Her best speed was a 76 two races back, that’s not enough for this race and such a breeding(inbred to Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector). But a super horse may always be good for a surprise and improvement.
About her mother I simply quote supers whirlwind:
“PRAVDA(Kingmambo X Pleasant Colony) is off to a great start too with Moskovskya(by Dynaformer) a Gd1 winner and Zarskaya(by Sea The Stars) a Gd3 winner out of 2 foals. She will be going to Giant’s Causeway in 2011.”
I bet this 2011 offspring will be named Stolichnaya, oh no, sorry, this name is taken. Then maybe Moscow Mule?
In the past this race was won by the odds on favorite three times. The deserving favorite in the betting market this time is VALYRIAN WIND(GB) at 3/1, trained by devil01(Galileo stables). She is by Pivotal out of the Galileo x Nureyev mare Valyrian and inbred 4S x 4D x 4D to Northern Dancer and 3S x 3D to Nureyev. In her 4 starts till now she always improved her speed figures. The 89 in her last outing is the highest past sf of all contenders, and on that occasion she was only beaten by a horse from the supers. Will she turn it around this time? The already graded placed Valyrian Wind has two wins and two second place finish to her credits.
Trainer pisanof‘s(Pisano stables) BACIAMI ANCORA(IRE) is the dark horse at 21/1.
The name is Italian for kiss me again. She was a good closing second in her last race over 7.5 furlong and showed her best sf of 77 there. Should like the added distance and improve, but today’s field looks much tougher. Despite seven starts she is only a maiden winner. It is her first try over a mile and in graded company. She is by High Chaparral out of a Falbrav x Storm Bird mare. Thus she is inbred 3S x 4D x 4D to Northern Dancer and 3S x 4D to the mare Fairy Bridge.
A strong contender at 8/1 is NATIVE KHARISMA(JPN), trained by tothetop(ONEWORLD Stables), a filly by Charismatic out of an Indian Charlie x Eskimo mare(4S x 4D to ND). In her 6 previous races she always finished on the board(3w-1p-2s). Her last race was a win with a sf of 88 about today’s distance. She steps up to graded company for the first time too.
The lightly raced scratch bred Deep Impact x Lemon Drop Kid x Pentire mare MISS SWEDEN(JPN), valued at 7/1, is ridden by D. Aldridge, who won the Silver Spoon Juvenile already two times in the past. Trainer is masterm01(Gosford City Stables). Miss Sweden won her maiden in her first outing and finished 4th in her next start a grade 2 sprint over 7 furlong, where she was closing at the end with sf of 81. The added distance should help her, expect further improvement.
If someone out there likes to bet on a certain theme, one could play for example on a Scandinavian theme and combine Miss Sweden with LIGHT OF DENMARK(KY), managed by trainer monica(Ddahl stables). She is sired by North Light out of a Unbridled’s Song x Danehill mare, this means she is closely inbred (2S x 3D) to Danehill. With only 3 starts she is already a graded winner. Her racing started with a 2nd place in a maiden, followed by a maiden win and a G3 win, all three races were sprints; her speed figures got higher from race to race, last one was a 86. Odds: 8/1.
Trainer tmachine(Rvd Stables) saddles the Fuji Kiseki filly PHANTOM OF MYSELF(JPN) out of a Theatrical x Mr. Prospector mare, hence she is inbred 4S x 5D x 5D to Hail To Reason. She is 9/1 in the betting market, has 2 wins out of 4 races and showed increasing speed in her races. Best one was an allowance win over a mile in her last outing with a speed figure of 82. This will be her first try in a graded races.
The winning jockey of last years Silver Spoon Juvenile R. Rice will ride ROZELLE OPPORTUNITY(IRE) this year. Bjbanditbp(Bigkev and Bjbandit Farms) trains this Galileo filly out of a sex-changed Seeking The Gold x Secretariat horse. She is inbred 3S x 5D to Northern Dancer, 3D x 4S to Mr. Prospector and 5S x 5D to Native Dancer. She is the second favorite at 9/2.
With 4 starts her record is 3-0-1, as a winner of both her races over a mile she is unbeaten over today’s distance. She showed her best sf(85) in the stakes win in her last outing.
The leading jockey in Hong Kong T. Brewer partners with STREET AGENT(KY). Trainer is valleyfarm(Murray2 Stables). Odds are 7/1. She is based on a sex-changed horse too. Her breeding is Curlin x Street Cry x Deputy Minister, inbred 3S x 3D to Deputy Minister, 3S x 4D to Mr. Prospector and 4S x 4D to Smarten. Her first two races were on dirt without a win. Then she was switched to turf and is still unbeaten on that surface: 3 starts, first maiden, then allowance and stakes, 3 wins (with sf of 71, 78, 86)in a row, wow! Now it is up to graded stakes. Can she hold on this series? Will be very interesting to watch.
As it looks now I saved the best for the last in my Silver Spoon preview, my personal favorite:
-clever connections: trainer harvey, you know, Simply……..SUPER! Yes, their 2nd entry
-nice name: sounds pretty Italian, and is named after a famous Italian styled fish stew originated in San Francisco( reminds me of great day there with an elaborate dinner followed by a classy concert of the band Ozomatli in The Fillmore). I think this would fit perfectly, if the stew wins the spoon
-past performances: versatile horse, raced three times on both surfaces, always earned money, stakes placed on dirt & turf, good sf of 85 in her last race a 7.5 f stakes, alas only one maiden win and a poor jockey
What I do not like: fish stew since I am vegetarian, but the dine out in Frisco was one of the best experience of the millennium in a vegetarian restaurant
Betting recommendation: I would not gamble my hard earned money in an open race like that, but let’s try anyway: Cioppino – Valyrian Wind – Street Agent
Good luck to all, cheers!