It’s An Epiphany! A Grade Too Epiphany!
It’s the last racing week of 2010, and this brings us the 9th annual DPCD series at Pennsylvania, a great day for everyone involved!
The last race of the terrific card will be the Epiphany Too, a race named after the 2002 Sim Eclipse 2yo colt champion. This prestigious Grade 2 race will be contested over eight grassy furlongs at Pennsylvania race course, and it has drawn a very solid 20-horse field that includes a pair of Top 10-ranked colts, and five more from the Top 50. Let’s have a look at this fine field:
K.M. RED ROCKER is already a 3-time graded-stakes winner, including two very dominant wins in his two tries at 2-turn racing. This fusaichi trainee will be very hard to beat; the only one to put a blemish on this Rock Of Gibraltar Colt’s record is the current #1-ranked colt, Blast Offf, and that was at 7 furlongs. Surprisingly, the #3-ranked 2yo colt goes off as 11/1 co-4th choice.
HAZARDS OF BLEACH has blossomed late this season into a real contender for lenny27. The son of Street Cry out of a very successful Sim mare has also benefited from the rumored and mysterious distance-switch angle, with two huge wins since that one dirt try. The 16/1 shot is taking a pretty big class hike here, but he could very well handle it nicely.
KHABOOM impressed in his stakes debut last time out, improving his best speed by 18 while running 3rd in a stronger-than-average minor stakes in which three in today’s field participated. It’s not hard to imagine this son of Mr. Sidney improving just a little more for lenny13 and being in the pic at the end of this one at 15/1.
NUSADARAH ran a nice one two back, and this Haradasun (spell it backwards!) colt could pull a 15/1 surprise for winmar if he comes back strong from the slight “bounce” in his last. Chased two of these home in his last try.
ZETASCORPII is a speedy son of Sebring who looks like he could be a pace victim in this one, but trainer littorio says, “My colt has been kicking the walls down and working a hole in the wind, and is ready to fire a big one here.” If he does, he’d pay off to the tune of 20/1.
SAARINEN BANDEL is a son of Arch who goes off at 26/1 for the dochman barn. His single graded-stakes try wasn’t what his connections were hoping for, but they’re here to take another shot.
RIDING GIANTS is making just his fourth start, and bombed badly in his last try at 10 furlongs. His previous starts show off some talent, however, and the Giant’s Causeway colt might have a little something for these… Maybe, but the CPU says 23/1.
MRS. IACOCCA closed nicely last time out to finish a close-up 6th in the BB Juvy Turf, showing he was certainly deserving of another attempt to pick up his first graded-stakes win for mares2010. A son of highly-successful freshman sire Sebring, this guy should finish fast here; will it be fast enough? The CPU handicapper makes him an 8/1 co-favorite.
ST. CLAIR SHORES has been impressive while winning 3 of his first 4 tries for jason607, but takes a huge leap from allowance company to the big time. The Pulpit colt goes off at 12/1, which seems a bit low in this huge, talented field.
VESAN is a son of much-talked-about freshman sire Sea The Stars who just missed in a Grade 2 last time while earning a strong 99 speed figure. If high-percentage trainer carbisdale can get his colt to repeat that effort, he’ll be a tough customer. Consistent colt has never missed the board in his 5 starts, and is an 8/1 co-favorite.
CONDUNRAM is a Strategic Prince colt trained by socalsipe who, while on the improve, appears to be in over his head in this bunch. The 21/1 shot’s one stakes win was back in May, but he’s managed a pair of 3rd’s in his last two.
IKEEPSAPRIVATEJET has done absolutely nothing wrong in his three turf tries, but takes on much tougher in this test. The obviously clueless seattlesle says, “My colt is unbeatable, and that’s why he has a private jet!” Of course, I know this trainer is clueless; that trainer would be… Me. Anyway, the son of Dansili has an impressive-looking record, but the fields he’s beaten don’t appear to be all that spectacular. Asking a lot of this guy, and he gets slapped with juicy 24/1 odds.
CAPINSKY finished with a rush to take a residency-restricted stakes last out, his first two-turn effort. The phantom2 trainee, a son of Cape Cross, tries tougher, but his last win looked pretty easy and he could have a lot more in the tank. Gets a little bit of respect from the CPU, at 14/1.
TAPPED HALO is one of those “bred for dirt but likes the turf” types. He started his career with three nice wins before failing in a minor stakes, then upperhand2 decided to try the turf and hit the jackpot! Two dominant wins later, his Tapit colt is trying the big time. His last speed rating is competitive; dangerous if he can deal with the class rise. Goes off at 11/1.
WISE CHOICE is still NW2L eligible after eight starts, and goes at 21/1 for lwslo5. The Redoute’s Choice colt is on the improve, but needs to show quite a bit more to contend here.
I SAW STATHAM has won just one of three, but has run well enough for fappiano99 to take a stab. The Shakespeare colt has closed well in all three tries, but take a huge class leap here and goes off at 21/1.
MIESQUE’S BOY is a son of Montjeu who has run well in 2-turn races against good ones, but only has wins in sprints. The dabears trainee will need to kick his speeds up a notch or two in order to contend in this powerful field, as reflected in his 24/1 odds.
KAYSERI has matured nicely in the latter part of 2010 for rafita, lifting his speeds up into the 90’s his last three starts while being stretched into two-turn racing. The Duke Of Marmalade colt, while still looking for his first stakes win, has hit the board in two of his three graded-stakes efforts. Well-respected by the track handicapper at 11/1.
GIZMOLINGTON is a son of lightly-used sophomore sire Harlington trained by skirom. This colt has been banging heads with top ones throughout the last half of 2010, and pulled off a slight upset in a Grade 2 before running a close-up 7th in the BB Juvy Turf last time out. The #8-ranked colt is the 3rd choice in the betting at 10/1.
FESTIVALE goes off at 31/1, and this is quite the “moon shot” for the Zabeel colt. Trainer fevola was encouraged by his colt’s solid allowance efforts since stretching out to 2 turns, but this is a very tough assignment.
Out come the tea leaves and the crystal ball…
K.M. RED ROCKER has been nothing short of awesome so far, and should be posing for pictures after this one.
MRS. IACOCCA should pass all the others and threaten the top pick.
IKEEPSAPRIVATEJET has done nothin’ wrong yet… and I’m biased 🙂
Good luck at the races!