Full Field To Run In Lands End
Race:The Land’s End – Grade II – $500,000
ID: 4624.8314
Track:Eastern Kentucky
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt
Going off as the fourteenth race on the card here in Eastern Kentucky this weekend, the track will be hosting an important Bluegrass Derby (G1) prep race. At a distance of a mile and one eighth on the dirt, The Land’s End (G2), offering a purse of $500,000 is sure to attract the top contenders throughout the region in hopes of getting their horse to the Derby. The race is open to all three-year-old horses. There will be some showers at the track early this week, however these storms will have cleared out of the area by Wednesday, leaving the track to be listed as fast for Saturday’s race. Last year The Land’s End (G2) produced Kitzbuhel, owned by dosage, who did go on to run in the coveted Bluegrass Derby (G1), only to finish fifteenth. All those with entires in this years’ race hope for better things for their young starts. Lets take a look at this years’ contenders.
1. Buffalo Grass – (Bluegrass Cat x Gone West x Buckpasser) – apindy001 of John5539 Stables – C. Maxon – 16/1
Drawing the rail for the Land’s End this weekend, the three-year-old brown colt has made a total of seven starts in his career, crossing the wire first three times. The Kentucky-bred colt has finished off the board only twice in his career. The most recent start for the colt came in a nine furlong allowance race last month overseas in Argentina. The brown colt broke out of the starting gate and was held back off the pace in the middle of the pack. At the midway point of the race the colt was urged forward to challenge and shot off like a bullet. The colt would eventually go on to win by a length and a half with a speed figure of ninety-three, a lifetime best. Prior to this, the colt also won a nine and a half furlong race by two lengths. The colt will be making his first stakes start, graded or otherwise, this weekend and will also face the challenges of shipping back to the States. The colt will likely be running either as a closer or in a mid-pack position this weekend.
2. Pink Flamingos – (Ghostzapper x Unbridled’s Song x Danehill) – super22 of Simply…..SUPER! – R. Zamora – 6/1
The first entry for the Simply…..SUPER! stable group, the blue-blooded light gray colt is out of the graded placed broodmare Multiple Mainiac. The Kentucky-bred three-year-old colt has made a total of nine lifetime starts, winning four times in his career. The most recent start for the light gray colt was in the Atlantic City Race Course (G1) over a mile, this year held on a sloppy track in New Jersey. The colt was one of the last horses to break out of the gate and was urged to start making up some ground as the field went into the final turn. He did make make up quite a bit of ground on the rest of the field, but it wasn’t enough to get him on the board, as he went on to cross the wire in fourth. The colts made several other graded starts, but hasn’t had a win since the Camel Juvenile, a listed stakes race overseas in the United Arab Emirates, which was also held on an off track. Like many of the horses in the race this weekend, this will be his first attempt at nine furlongs. The light gray colt is a versatile runner, and could run as a closer, all the way up to running just off the pace.
3. Song Of Indy – (Unbridled’s Song x A.P. Indy x Storm Cat) – ebucher07 of EB Stables – R. Moffett – 8/1
Blue-blooded to the core, this light gray colt is undefeated in his five career starts and will certainly be a threat this weekend if he keeps up to his former form. He made his first start over distance in his last race during The Boheaven Special, a listed stakes race over eight furlongs, this year held on a sloppy course. He broke out of the gate and went right out to the lead and maintained this position till the wire, winning by an impressive two lengths, setting a speed figure of ninety-nine. Prior to this the colt had three victories at allowance level after winning his maiden race in his debut. The colt will have to contend with the step up in class in his first graded start this weekend, as well as his first start over a mile and one eighth. The colt will likely be forwardly placed in Saturday’s race, likely just off the pace behind a few horses, or possibly out on the lead if the pace is suitable for him to take the lead.
4. Del Sol – (Street Cry (IRE) x Rahy x Pleasant Colony) – super4 of Simply…..SUPER! – T. McGaunn – 10/1
Lightly raced with just five races in his career, the homebred colt has won just one race. Despite his pedigree the brown Kentucky-bred has never been tried over the turf, though he has been fairly successful so far over the dirt. He will be shipping back to the United States this weekend after his most recent start in the United Arab Emirates during The Dubai 2000 Guineas (G3) over a mile. The colt broke out of the gate and was settled towards the middle of the field. As the field made their way down the stretch the colt started to gain some ground, but would only manage to come home to finish fifth, three and a quarter lengths off the pace, setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-six. The colt has made one other graded start, this in the Club Stakes (G2), in which the colt finished second, again after breaking mid-pack. His lone win came when he broke his maiden over a mile in Pennsylvania. The colt will likely be running mid-pack yet again this weekend, likely making his move in the final turn. The colt has never run the nine furlong distance before, so he will have to contend with this as well.
5. DJ’s Golden River – (Tiznow x Seeking The Gold x Riverman) – dumbluck of Dumbluck Stables – W. Desantis – 5/1
Boasting a total of seven lifetime starts, the homebred brown colt has won a total of three races in his career, and has impressively finished off the board only once in his racing career. The Kentucky-bred colt made his most recent start in The Sam (G3) at the same mile and one eighth that he will be traveling again this weekend. The colt broke out of the starting gate and settled just off the pace behind a few front-runners in third. By the time the field had reached the final turn, the colt had made his way to the lead. However, as they were to come down the stretch the colt would be caught by a closer and finish one and three-quarter lengths back in second, setting a speed figure of one hundred two. The colts most recent win came in his two-year-old season during the Crazy Horse Too Special, a listed stakes race over six and a half furlongs. The colt is versatile, though he usually prefers to run just off the pace, though he has proven he can rate mid-pack if the pace calls for it.
6. Adjust The Fun – (Distorted Humor x Storm Cat x Hishi Akebono) – topicount2 of Bush League Stables – J. Caves – 11/1
With three wins in a total of eight career starts, the bay colt is going to have to rebound off of his last start if he’s going to have a shot of winning this race and making his way to the Bluegrass Derby (G1). The colt hit a major stumbling block in his most recent race when he finished more than thirty lengths off the pace, crossing the wire an unlucky thirteenth in the Giant Slayer Classic (G3) at eight and a half furlongs overseas in Denmark. The colt broke normally from the gate, lagging behind the rest of the field to take on his normal position as a closer. However, the colt never showed his closing kick and finished poorly. Just prior to this, in a race over the same distance, The Sam’s Town Delta Jackpot ((G3), the colt rallied late to finish second with a speed figure of one hundred. No stranger to the big races, the colt finished in the money in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and is continuing to try to make a name for himself as a three-year-old. He will likely be one of the last horses out of the gate this weekend, set to run as a closer.
7. More Than A Jet – (More Than Ready x Sadler’s Wells x Forty Niner) – jetman of Jet Stables – W. Mauriello – 7/1
Out of the stakes winning broodmare Might And Magic (IRE), the brown Kentucky-bred has made nine trips to the track in his career, only finishing off the board just once. With a total of five wins in these nine starts, the colt is certainly one to watch this weekend. However, the three-year-old hit a stumbling block in his last start during The Dubai 2000 Guineas (G3) when the colt finished tenth in the mile long race. The colt broke out of the starting gate running in a mid-pack position but faded as the race wore on to cross the wire in tenth with a speed figure of ninety. His prior start resulted in a length and a half victory for the colt in The Uncrunbling Special, a listed stakes race over eight and a half furlongs. His most recent start has been the only graded start for the colt and he has never faced the mile and one eighth distance. The colt is a versatile runner and could run on the pace just off of a few front-runners or possibly be set back in mid-pack. The connections of the colt are hoping that this time around the colt adjusts better to the graded stakes company and manages to hit the board. After catching up with jetman on Tuesday, the trainer is obviously exited over his prospect, and his hoping he’ll make a good showing to earn the colt his way to the Derby.
8. Legocity Ted (AUS) – (Encosta De Lago (AUS) x Two Punch x Nijinsky’s Secret) – tsyndicate of Tsyndicate Stables – B. Obwan – 25/1
One of only two horses this weekend not born in Kentucky, the Australian-bred light gray colt has placed on the board in just over half of his races, but is a longshot in Saturday’s race. In his ten lifetime starts, the colt has won three times. His most recent start was in a mile long allowance race in South Carolina. The homebred colt broke out of the gate just off the pace of a few front runners, settling into fourth. The colt lost ground throughout the course of the race, ultimately finishing twelve and a quarter lengths off the pace to finish sixth. The colt encountered his only graded start in his prior race, the Garden State Mile (G1), this year held over a sloppy track, in which he finished thirteenth, seventeen lengths off the pace. Before this race, the colt was very successful, winning two consecutive races at allowance level. He will be trying nine furlongs for the first time this weekend, as well as returning to graded stakes competition for the first time since his run over the mud. The colt should be forwardly placed, likely off the pace of a few front runners.
9. Verdugo Maclon – (A.P. Indy x Nijinsky II x Kris S.) – verdugos of Otto Haack – J. Joseph – 23/1
Another longshot in the field, the brown colt is lightly raced with just six career starts. Despite the colts relative inexperience compared to most of the rest of the field, he has won half of his races and finished off the board only once in his career. He made his first graded start in his last start during the Atlantic City Race Course (G1) over a sloppy dirt course at a mile. Unlike his other start over the slop, the colt struggled in this race, breaking towards the rear of the field and loosing ground throughout the race. He would cross the wire to finish tenth, ten and a quarter lengths off the pace, though recording a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-one. His prior start was a two and three-quarter length victory in a mile long allowance race. The colt could either be forwardly placed this weekend, or settled back towards more of a mid-pack running style.
10. Hail The Band – (Bluegrass Cat x Dixieland Band x Saint Ballado) – kingswan of Sledge4 Stables – D. Grist – 9/1
Returning to graded stakes competition this weekend, the brown colt by Bluegrass Cat has won two of his eight lifetime starts. The three-year-old made his most recent start in Ontario, Canada during The Tabitha Stakes, a listed stakes race over eight and a half furlongs. The brown Kentucky-bred broke just off the pace and settled in behind the leader in second. He would fade though once the field entered the stretch and finish two and a half lengths back in third. His last graded start, The Legoland (G3), over a good dirt track, yielded the colt a fifth place finish after rallying late down the stretch. He saw his last victory late last year in a mile long allowance race as a two-year-old. The colt is a very versatile runner, as he has run from behind as well as being close up on the pace. The pace out of the gate on Saturday will dictate where this colt is.
11. Elite Evan – (Pulpit x Storm Cat x Awesome Again) – elitequine of Elite Racing Stables – L. Dorchak – 11/1
Drawing towards our final entrants, this homebred colt will be going into the eleventh post on Saturday. The brown colt has made eight career starts, winning three of these and finishing second in two more. The colt secured a lifetime best speed figure in his last start in the Image Ralph Dirt Mile, a listed stakes race in Ontario, Canada. The colt broke out of the starting gate in the mile long race and went right out to the lead. However, he would be caught in the stretch by another colt to finish second, one and a quarter lengths off the pace. He set a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-six. His only graded start to date was in his prior start during the Swale Stakes (G2), in which he faded mid-race to finish eighth. His last win was in December during a seven furlong allowance race which the colt took in wire to wire fashion. This colt will certainly have a say in the pace this weekend, and will likely be on the lead out of the gate, or very close to it.
12. Well Sensed – (Street Sense x Sadler’s Wells x Afleet) – zooom of Zooomr Stables – M. Shabazz – 13/1
Well experienced with a total of ten lifetime starts, the chestnut colt out of the broodmare Buy A Well (IRE), has won twice in his career with an additional showing for third. His most recent start was in The North Devil Special, a listed stakes race at a mile in Alabama. The chestnut colt broke close to the pace, setting just off the leader in second. However, as the race wore on the colt began dropping back, eventually finishing sixth. He set a speed figure of eighty-seven. Prior to this he also finished sixth in The Legoland (G3) at eight furlongs. His most recent win came late in his two-year-old season during the Darling-Squash Futurity (G3) at eight furlongs. He won this race in a photo finish by a nose after beginning his bid for the race in the middle of the pack. He too will be trying the nine furlong distance for the first time. Another versatile runner, this colt could come from the back of the pack or run right on the lead, depending on the pace.
13. Shadow Company (JPN) – (Silver Charm x Seeking The Gold x Alydar) – icbomber1 of .. – M. Hibby – 16/1
Out of the graded placed broodmare Alyascus, the Japanese-bred is our final horse in the field not coming from Kentucky. The light gray horse has finished on the board for all of his starts with the exception of one, winning two of these. The colt will be facing a step up in class this weekend as he heads into the Lands End (G2) without any other graded or stakes experience. His most recent start was in Nebraska during a mile long allowance race. The colt broke towards the rear of the field but steadily started to gain on the rest of the field. He would go on to win the race by a length and a half with a speed figure of ninety-one, a lifetime best for the colt. Despite this race the colt is usually held closer to the front of the pace in his races, which is possibly where he will be this weekend, though as his last race goes to show, this colt certainly has the aptitude to be a very adjustable runner.
14. Overdoze – (Unbridled’s Song x Mr. Prospector x Seattle Slew) – muninn of Tees (Whisper) Stables – E. Martinsen – 8/1
One impressive colt coming into this weekends race, the light gray has only made four career starts, however he’s won three of these races in impressive margins, and will be taking on his first graded stakes caliber race this weekend, and may be possibly gunning for the Bluegrass Derby (G1). The Kentucky-bred colt made his last start in The Whipped Ruler Challenge, a listed stakes race over a mile in Delaware. The light gray colt broke out of the gate and went straight to the lead in the eight furlong race. He would never falter in position, crossing the wire first by one and three-quarter lengths. This was the third consecutive race the colt was to have won, which also included an allowance and maiden special weight race. The only race he’s ever lost was his debut race at six furlongs. He is untried over the nine furlong distance and it seems that this colt loves the lead and has an aptitude for speed, so look for him on the lead out of the gate.
Flrancho’s Picks
Win: DJ’s Golden River
Place: Pink Flamingos
Show: More Than A Jet