Pyrogomache Looks Tough in the Hillside Challenge

In North Florida, The Hill Side Challenge will be run on a firm turf course.  This is a Grade 3 race open to fillies and mares age 4 and older.  They will be going a distance of a mile and an eighth and at stake is a purse of $150,000.

1  Bank on the Bucks   10-1

In October, 2009, Bank on the Bucks won her debut graded race in the G3 The Miss Brillo as a 2 year old.   In four subsequent graded race starts, Bank has finished in the rear of each race.  She ran her best race in December speed wise with a 102 in the Mad Person (non-graded) where she finished 3^rd.  She won her last start as the even-odds favorite in a short allowance field.   Graded level looks to be too challenging for her at the moment.

2.  Bomby Beach   7-2

This little darling was a great claim in 2009 where she was running dirt races and her new trainer quickly made the switch to grass and found a stakes runner.  Although Bombay Beach has won three stake races, she’s winless in 4 graded starts.  Her last pair of races were very disappointing (last on good track) resulting in a near 2-month layoff.  She comes back fresh and should show considerable improvement.

3.  Strike De Gal    3-1

Strike De Gal will most likely be the front runner in this race and this girl is loaded with early speed.  She has been first or second in 9 of her 18 grass races.  Speeds have been good too, ranging from mid 90’s to upper 100’s since last April.  Strike will be making her first stake race start of any kind and hoping into the graded level can proof to be a challenge and she’s ready to put it to the test.

4   Cozy Creek   8-1

In July, Cozy Creek ran in her only stake race and finished 10^th.  Since this race, she’s been in a handful of allowance races where she hit the board three times and speeds in the 90’s.  She put in a nice effort in her last start, closing from well back and missed by a length at 7.5 furlongs and a career best speed of 99.   The extra distance may help but she will need to enhance her career record at the same time.

5.  National Lampoon   7-1

National Lampoon sizzled in her last race, a 9f allowance where she came flying from 15 back to miss by just under a length in 107, her career speed record.  The race prior she won by over 3 strides and a speed of 97 which could have been higher.    She has one stake race thus far with disappointing results, however the last two races do lend quite a bit of promise. 

6  Pyrrgomache   6-5

Interestingly, the favorite in the race doesn’t obtain the best jockey on the grounds, in fact, Pyrgomache gets B. Teising who has won one race in 22 rides this year.  Anyway, this lady has won  the He’s a Charmer (g3, 9f) in December with a speed of 113.  She followed this up with a strong second in the Sunny Millions (non-grade) and a speed of 112.   Her speeds have been extremely high and chances are good for her to get her second graded win.

Pyrogomache has much better speed numbers than her competition.  The only down side I see is jockey selection, but she has won before with the “not-best-in-class” riders.

National Lampoon has been looking good lately and may actually be better than what the racing program shows and is my second selection.

Bombay Beach could see a turn around after her mini-rest and I am making her my third choice.