Hannah Barbera Cap Draws Seven
Seven fine distaff runners have assembled in Turkey to try to get past Ranger Smith and into the winners’ circle where a $150,000 pic-a-nic pasket awaits as the prize in the Hannah Barbera Cap, a ten-furlong Grade II turf contest. They’d all like to win top prize, but the Banana Splits only five ways…
The field may be small, but there is quite a bit of quality in this bunch. Which of these will be the Top Cat at the end of the day? Let’s take a Quick-Draw look down the list of entrants…
MARDI GRAS QUEEN is a 4yo filly by Dylan Thomas that has amassed $1.2 million in her Sim bankroll and is ranked #28 in the Distaff Classic Turf division. Trainer super21 gave her a mini-rest after her Grade III failure at the end of January, and it paid off with a powerful win against slightly lesser company last month. She goes off at 4/1 and looks ready to come flying in swinging her guitar… KABONGGGGGGGGGGG for the win! Maybe… Also, note top rider J Castillo is aboard.
HIGH N DEEP pulled a bit of a surprise with a strong 4th in the Breeders Bowl F&M Turf last fall, but has only a restricted-stakes win since. Still the CPU likes this Deep Impact mare, placing her at 7/2. There are stories around the backstretch saying that the Great Gazoo told burnin that his mare would win easily if he’d just go ahead and enter her, so here she is. Of course, Gazoo was just playing with Fred Flintstone’s mind… Maybe…
Doesn’t it figure that a khartoum character would enter this race? KHARTOUM XII is the 5/2 favorite here, trained by thethumb3. This daughter of Sadler’s Wells seldom exits stage left of the podium, and gets a highly-rated rider. The major caveat is that she has never tried graded-stakes company. Will be tough if she can handle the class rise.
It seems every race has to have a hot young runner charging up the class ladder; well this filly is it. GENTRY has won 5 of her last 6, the last pair being impressive wins in smaller stakes races. Trainer rocket32 has his El Prado filly real sharp and it wouldn’t be a big surprise to have her improve just a little more and pay off at 5/1.
The speedy filly FLEETING MOON goes off at 7/1 for randomly. This daughter of Afleet figures to battle for the lead with PATIENCEISTHEKEY from the start. Which one will have anything left for the stretch run? This filly has slightly faster speed figures, but hasn’t faced quite as tough company as the other has.
PATIENCEISTHEKEY will be hard to catch if she doesn’t get fried in the aforementioned speed duel. If these two get caught up in a duel, they’ll both likely go ping, ping, PINGGGGGG… Just like ol’ Ricochet Rabbit to the back of the pack in the stretch. This daughter of the rather obscure Flatter trained by legionlurk is a bit more battle-tested against top company and gets 6/1 from the CPU.
ENERGY FIFTY TWO goes from the outside gate at 6/1. Trained by supapogs3, this New Approach filly likes to win races but tries much tougher here. She might benefit if the expected speed duel crops up and she can relax just a bit off the lead. Still a pretty tough go for her.
The Great Gazoo is hovering above my shoulder, and after a laugh at my primitive crystal ball, offers these selections.
“MARDI GRAS QUEEN is holding all the cards, and you can tell that dope Flintstone that he should always believe my selections… Unless I’m kidding. You’ll have to tell him, though. He’s a lot bigger than I am!”
“KHARTOUM XII has the best numbers of the rest, and should pick up the pieces for the place.”
“GENTRY has the hot hand, and probably enough class to get past the others. Uh-ohh.. Here comes that Flintstone, and he’s MAD! Later…”
Okay… Thanks, Gazoo… Good luck all!