The Captain Hook
Fourteen 3yo’s will go to the post this Saturday, looking to garner those precious stakes points and aim for some of those prestigious New York races coming up later this year.
#1 Free As A Bird – CVBear – This son of Birdstone, out of the Deep Impact mare Fluid Gold, has really blossomed over his last two starts. He easily outclassed his foes in a NW2L allowance in late February, cruising to a 3 ¼ length win over five opponents. That win gave CV the confidence to move immediately to graded company, entering the GIII Chicago Derby. Faith was rewarded as he made an impressive move from mid-pack to take the race by an easy two lengths, over a field that included three graded winners to boot. That race was the same distance as this week’s will be, nine furlongs, and he made the final time of 1:47 4/5 look easy. There is certainly more in the tank for this colt, bred to run all day and quickly becoming a proven commodity at this level. This one has hopes of running twelve panels in about five weeks, and not having to travel to do it.
#2 Twin Win’s – Wolf’s Den – Twining/Cherokee Run/Phone Trick doesn’t scream nine furlongs to me, but this sophomore seems to display his strong late kick wherever he’s placed. Still eligible for a NW2L condition, he is stakes placed after taking third in the mile and an eighth Spoken For Dirt Routes stakes one month ago. He then ran third again, last week, in a conditioned allowance in Canada. His siblings have a knack for the finish line, including seven time winner and stakes placed Trick And Rokee, room to move forward in definitely there. A tall order awaits him this week.
#3 Distant Horizon – Dixiedotco – If my 2yo Shore Breeze turns out anything like this I will be overjoyed. Out of the Mineshaft mare Into The Darkness, who also produced the stakes winning Bluegrass Mystery, this colt has not been worse than second in 2011. After taking three of four allowance runs, Dixie moved his runner up in class by way of the GI Jersey Derby. Dismissed at almost 17/1, he shot to the lead dared the field to run him down. The only one capable was the talented Seek Irish Roots, whom you can see in the Bluegrass Derby this week, the rest of the field was another four back. That race, the colt’s first at this week’s distance, also carried a lifetime best spf and keeps this one running in graded company this Saturday.
#4 – Old Etonian – Elenalag Stables – This pretty roan is already a graded winner, having taken the GII Moises Alou earlier this year. A much tougher field awaited him in the GI Florida Derby and left his closing style lacking, splitting the field of fourteen. By Old Fashioned, most of his siblings have been stakes competitors, speaking well of the Capote/Woodman mare Wood Butchering. His graded win came off five weeks rest, the same he comes into this weekend with, and neither Joya nor Terminal Velocity are in here, but a solid move forward will be needed to see him flashing that deep closing run with enough punch to get home first.
#5 – Poker Table – Pointblank – The wonderfully bred A.P. Indy/Storm Cat/Pleasant Colony rattled off two consecutive wins to start his career before faltering in the GII Moises Alou. He did manage to close significant ground in the loss though, as well as posted his best spf to that point, giving reason to enter the GII Heat Less Stakes. He really gave indication of what he is capable of in Kentucky, rallying from well back to beat a field of solid stakes runners and posting yet another lifetime best effort. That big move forward suggests this week’s added half furlong will not be an issue, he will simply be looking for room to run when he charges home.
#6 – Depleted Mine – Megablaze2 – By Mineshaft, out of the well bred mare Dance Colony, this one has seen much improvement since switching from turf to dirt racing. That move resulted in quickly clearing both NW2L and NW3L conditions before running second to Old Etonian in the aforementioned GII Moises Alou. He then shipped to US west coast to enter the GI California Derby, where he made a nice late move to split the field, but was no match for Dyna Don’t You Blow. Spf’s are a bit below the top efforts in this field, but those runners looked much the same before their best races so I would give him the same opportunity to move forward. This second try at nine furlongs should also produce a better finish this week, so look for him moving late.
#7 – Troubled Past – Pointblank – Second superb scratchbred entry for this owner, this colt carrying an A.P. Indy/Nijinsky II/Alydar line. This one showed talent from the start, taking both his maiden debut and NW2L by open lengths, before moving to stakes competition. Almost took the Orangeton Handicap in wire to wire fashion, just getting clipped late, and ran a nice third in the GIII Gary Asher Memorial after that. He stayed in New York for the GI Wooden Indian to take on millionaires Lindy Hop and Open Pit Ted. He put forth his best effort to date, rating just off the lead and finishing with enthusiasm while coming in second to King Victor I. Looks to be a bit better on the fast surface and catches one this week, something I think puts him in the top four from start to finish.
#8 – Strikes Again – Goldsmith – The second foal from the Seattle Slew mare That Smarts, this Awesome Again colt has kept top company over the last few months. A last to first win in the restricted Comedy Central Juvenile was followed by three consecutive graded efforts in the Risen Star, Florida Derby, and Jersey Derby. His late kick was not as effective against that level, failing to hit the board in any of the three. He did show some improvement in New Jersey, moving from dead last to seventh in a field of sixteen. That race was on two week rest, this one on three, so he certainly wanting to make the most of the early 3yo racing season. He is going to need to show the same turn of foot he had in Texas to contend this week.
#9 – Cowpers Tune – Coomer3 Stables – A Maryland bred by Not for Love, out of the Seattle Slew mare Debbie Dearest, this colt took third in the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile last year. That race came on the heels of a runner up effort in the GI North Fork Stakes, but that’s as close to winning as he’s come since then. Took a breather after the excellent BB try, but has not looked the same thus far this year. Can draw a line through the allowance return, as he may not have been asked to do much in that one, but followed that with a mild close for sixth in the Moises Alou and was tenth all the way around in the GI Arkansas Juvenile. That was his first try past 8.5 furlong, and doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence, but he has shown the talent to compete with the best and the best aren’t here this week.
#10 – One Empire – Theatrical – Stamina won’t be a concern for this Empire maker colt, coming into this race off a stakes placed effort at eleven panels on the lawn. His dam, One Attack, won the Breeder’s Bowl Distaff and has produced two graded winners in Saddle Me Up and Gratest. Equally at home on turf or dirt, he does have a closing second at today’s surface/distance combination in a tough allowance back in January. Cuts back in distance and moves from turf to dirt, two nice angles for a big move forward, make this runner a contender here.
#11 – Shoot The Barrel – Lwslo Stables – This Stormy Atlantic colt will make sure no one has an easy time on the lead this week. Three wire to wire victories already to his credit and is rarely not in front when turning for home, winning this race mean you’ll likely have to pass him at some point. He ended his 2yo campaign with a good second in the GIII Pleasure Stakes and started the new year with consecutive wins in the Mat The Bat(GB) and North Devil. He then flashed his trademark speed in the GI California Derby, before giving way to Dyna Don’t You Blow and Unbridled Mill. Like most in here, that last out was a lifetime best and came at the week’s distance, and he should move forward even more with his fine west coast run under his belt.
#12 – Ooh Piece Of Candy – Psyduck215 – A steal of a claim for $20k back in late January, this Rock Hard Ten/Distorted Humor/A.P. Indy colt has won two in a row for his new owner. This will be his first try in stakes company but, if his zipping allowance conditions was any indication, he may be more than up to the task. His last out was his first past a flat mile and came with a sporty 101 spf while winning by just over three lengths. All I can think when looking at this one is that I spend much too little time scouring the claim box.
#13 – Elite Saturday – Fleetwood – An Any Given Saturday colt that took seven tries to break maiden, he has started to blossom in his 3yo year. He followed an allowance win with a two length score in the Enough Come Dirt Route at 9.5 furlongs. That easy win saw him next entered in the GI Wooden Indian, where he may not have been ready for that level just yet. He put in a mild close to finish seventh that day and should progress nicely this week. The damn, Fleetwood Mia, was a very nice sprinter and graded winner so we know he comes from a family with some class, another factor in his ability to put forth a much better effort this week.
#14 – Iruz – Rafa Stables – Another colt that has seen some drastic improvement this year thanks to some much needed added ground. By Medicean, out of the Unbridled’s Song/Nureyev mare Serraval, he has toyed with his competition lately. His last two, both allowance conditions, resulted in very comfortable gate to wire victories, first a nine and then nine and one half furlongs. He did face short field in both of those runs, but I think they speak to his appreciation of the added distance he was given to work with. His owner had to be inspired by those wins and has stepped him up in class to see just what type of runner this could be.