It’s The Rubber Match For Derby And Middle Jewel Winner (Written by Emmyrhys)
(Video courtesy Jdrhys and Emmyrhys)
New York City is the center of the universe in the horse racing world, at least this week, when Triple Crown fever officially wraps up with the final leg of the Triple Crown.
It’s all come down to a showdown between California and Canada here in New York City for the 13th running of the Grade 1 New Yorker.
Indy Storm Cat, a son of Indy who was bred in California and did much of his early racing there, was the most unlikely of Bluegrass Derby winners when he pulled off a dramatic upset win for his Minnesota owner in the Bluegrass Derby five weeks ago.
Seek Irish Roots, the Canadian-bred colt who is a son of Seeking The Best, globe-trotted his way around the world just to get to the Triple Crown before breaking up Indy Storm Cat’s bid for a Triple Crown with a tremendous late charge down the lane three weeks ago in winning the Middle Jewel.
They’ll both be trying to join All Lit Up (Australia) and Fit Groom (Massachusetts) as the only New Yorker Stakes winners not bred in the state of Kentucky.
Those two colts face a tough challenge here Saturday in the marathon 12-furlong $1 million New Yorker. They not only have to worry about beating each other for supremacy in this year’s Triple Crown in winning two of the three legs, but there are 12 other colts here in this year’s New Yorker field who will be trying to turn this 2011 Triple Crown into a Triple Split.
The morning line odds makers have said that Seek Irish Roots and Tiz Flappin’ Now are the most likely to win this year’s New Yorker. They have made those two co-favorites at 6/1, while Indy Storm Cat is right behind them at 7/1, along with Eric’s Fast, the speed merchant who finished second in the Kentucky Derby and very nearly wired the field in the 13th running of the Bluegrass five weeks ago.
One thing that all of these in the New Yorker have in common is that they’ll all be trying to break the New Yorker Stakes record of 2:25 4/5, set in 1999 by Senior Dancer. That’s a pretty tall order, since no one has even come close to that monster of a record set by the first winner of the New Yorker.
But one thing this field could realistically shoot for is the next fastest time the race has been run in, 2:29 3/5. Both Kissin Street Cry (2008) and Awesome Force (2007) accomplished that feat.
The trainer of Indy Storm Cat, Minnesota native Al of Ads1 Stables, said he’s thinking the same thing that probably every other trainer in this race is thinking. “Can my horse get the distance?”
Al, who is just hoping that his colt can get a clean race and a clear path to the front, said he likes his post position draw for the race. “I like my draw for the race, post 13. Indy Storm Cat will be falling back to begin with anyway, and this will help him stay out of any trouble that may occur.”
Al was worried about the sudden influx of closers in this year’s New Yorker. “I hope a few other horses will go out with Eric’s Fast. I don’t want to see him out alone on an easy lead,” said Al. “There seems to be many more horses that like to close in the New Yorker than in the previous two races, so I’m thinking Indy Storm Cat might need to stay a bit closer to the lead horses in this race.”
Al also liked the fact that he has jockey G. D. Mate aboard Indy Storm Cat again for the New Yorker.
Mike, who owns Infinity Farms and trains Seek Irish Roots, pretty much concurred with Al about the mile and a half this field will see in the New Yorker. “The distance is the wild card here. I think the longest any of the horses have gone is 11 furlongs, so there’s really not much to go on when it comes to previous history.”
Mike said he thought it was “nice to see some new blood in the race. Looks like they were specifically groomed for this race. That one that intrigues me most is Sqrrrl Power, who closed to finish third in a grade 2 11-furlong race in Florida last time out, the longest any of the entries have gone, and he was closing there. Troybuilt, who won that race, also impresses me. They seem to be the only ones I can say for sure will go the 12 furlongs (on Saturday), so I’ll certainly have to watch out for them, despite them being the two longest shots in the race.”
Sqrrrl Power, who is 24-1, and Troy Built at 25-1 are indeed the two longest shots in this year’s New Yorker, but they both came here out of the Grade 2 Clash of Kings, an 11-furlong marathon test that trainers usually use to see if their colts can get the mile and one half distance the New Yorker has to offer.
The longest shot to ever win the third leg of the Triple Crown was the Australian-bred All Lit Up, who won the New Yorker in 2002 at odds of 25-1.
“Then there are the holdovers from the previous Triple Crown races who are looking very dangerous here,” said Mike. “I think Dyna Don’t You Blow is due for a big race (9-1), and Confidently Wrong (9-1), Tiz Flappin’ Now (the 6-1 co-favorite with Seek Irish Roots), and of course Indy Storm Cat all look like they could be there at the end with my Seek Irish Roots.”
But even as he was ticking off the names, Mike was thinking this New Yorker, as usual, is really anybody’s race. “Basically, your guess is as good as mine as to who will win this thing.”
Only four post-time favorites have ever won the third leg of the Triple Crown. Kissin Street Cry (2008), Awesome Force (2007), Tuff Enuff (2004) and I Seek U (2003, and the only Triple Crown winner) managed that task.
Here is the field for the $1,000,000 Grade 1 New Yorker Stakes, the third leg of the 2011 Triple Crown.
1 — ERIC’S FAST (KY) Owner: EB Stables
Odds: 7/1 (Unbridled’s Song x A.P. Indy x Storm Cat)
If you don’t think Eric’s Fast is really fast, just take a look at the past performance charts of the light gray scratch-bred colt by Unbridled’s Song. He started racing much later than Indy Storm Cat and Seek Irish Roots, the winners of the first two legs of the Triple Crown. But Eric’s Fast made an immediate and dramatic impact early in his career. He not only won five of his first six starts, but Eric’s Fast led at the first three calls of all of those races. His owner, EB Stables (who has two entries here in the New Yorker), wasn’t kidding, when he named this one Eric’s Fast. He lost only once in that stretch, when he was caught at the wire by Pointed Shoe in an allowance start in Missouri. After his third start, the son of Unbridled’s Song shipped west out to northern California where he won the $300,000 Grade 1 Hopeless Stakes, and the buzz about this colt started. He was really fast, he was really good, and he had just wired a grade 1 stakes field in the 7 furlong Hopeless Stakes. That win was also the first of three consecutive stakes wins for Eric’s Fast. He would go on to wire fields in the Upsetter Challenge Stakes in northern Florida in his next start, and the day he turned three years old, he wired another stakes field when he won the 6.5 furlong Grade 3 Special Bid Stakes in Indiana. In his first start at a mile in the Grade 1 Atlantic City Racecourse Stakes, Eric’s Fast didn’t lead at the first call for the first time in his career. He wound up finishing seventh there. Eric’s Fast got his mojo back in his next three races, when he would throw three consecutive second place finishes in the Grade 3 Unger Over Stakes, the Grade 1 Florida Derby Prep Lock and the Bluegrass Derby. Eric’s Fast looked as if would wire the field in the Derby, but he couldn’t quite hold off the Derby winner. He got caught in deep stretch, but in finishing second he threw the highest speed figure of his career (109). Eric’s Fast comes in here fresh, well rested, and this colt is definitely going to add some legitimate pace to the New Yorker on Saturday. This field will be chasing him throughout the 12 furlong marathon Saturday. You can pretty much count on that. And he’s got the number 1 post, so that means he’ll probably bounce quickly out of the gates and get a ground-saving trip on the lead the whole way.
2 — NIGHT OF TERROR (KY) Owner: Qwikvett Stables
Odds: 11/1 (Candy Ride (ARG) x Mr. Prospector x Blushing Groom (FR)
Qwikvett Stables sends in Night Of Terror here to the New Yorker. This scratch-bred son of Candy Ride has indeed been quite a terror for the opposition in his young career so far. With nearly $650,000 in his owner’s bank, Night Of Terror has three stakes wins coming into New York Saturday, one of the graded variety. The winner of the Grade 3 Bluegrass Cup Juvenile threw his highest speed figure of his two year old campaign in that race (96). And quite a campaign it was. Night Of Terror had nine two year old starts, including five stakes attempts. He broke his maiden in the 7.5-furlong Ahbit Tuquik Stakes in his sixth start. Immediately after that came the win in the Bluegrass Cup Juvenile, and Night Of Terror followed that up with a very respectable run in the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile. A couple of speed bumps in the Grade 1 Movieland Starlet and the Grade 3 Scam followed, but after that tough two year old campaign, you certainly couldn’t fault the colt for that. He rebounded with a win in the 9.5-furlong Pebble Beach Special, Night Of Terror just missed out by half a length in Dubai, when he ran second in the Grade 1 Sand Castle Derby Lock Prep. He popped an eye-opening 107 speed figure in that race, and then it was off to the URC Derby on May 7, when he gained a lot of ground late in the stretch to finish fifth there. His owner decided it was time for a break and this strong-finishing chestnut colt comes into New York very well rested for this third leg of the Triple Crown. With nine in-the-money finishes in 13 starts, and a bit of a breather since the URC Derby, Night Of Terror has a real shot here in the New Yorker. He’ll probably lay back early, and try to turn on the jets in the stretch on Saturday, and if he gets a trouble-free trip, look out for Night Of Terror.
3 — DECADENTLY (KY) Owner: Sicko Stables
Odds: 11/1 (A.P. Indy x The General (Gone West x Theatrical (IRE))
You might have seen this A.P. Indy son in the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile last season, if he hadn’t started so late in his career. This is an extremely well-bred horse who came out firing, winning his first three starts with speed figures ranging from 77 to 88. Decadently threw in a monster of a race in his first stakes try in the Grade 3 Nashua Special right here in New York, where he’ll be racing on Saturday in this third leg of the Triple Crown. Decadently popped a 99 speed ball in that start and came all the way from 11th place with a late rush to just miss at the wire by a head. When he hit his three year old season, Decadently really started to turn some heads, and the whispers were starting. He might be a legitimate Triple Crown contender. He opened his three year old campaign by throwing three consecutive triple digit speed figures. He finished third in the Grade 1 Garden State Mile in New Jersey. Decadently popped a 101 speed figure there, before he was shipped down south to Arkansas where he was stepped up to 8.5 furlongs in the Grade 3 Rebel Yell. That would be Decadently’s first graded stakes win, and he threw a smoker of a race there, running a 109 speed figure. He followed that up with a third place finish in the 9-furlong Grade 1 Born For Greatness Stakes, before he finished 13th in the Bluegrass Derby. Decadently skipped the second leg of the Triple Crown, so he’ll be coming in here fresh, as he searches for his first Grade 1 win. And oh, what a signature win this would be!
4 — SQRRRL POWER (KY) Owner: The Squirrel Empire
Odds: 24/1 (Street Hero x Mary Rahy (Rahy x Storm Cat))
Sqrrrl Power only has a little over $100,000 in the bank, but this colt has done very little wrong in his ten career starts. He’s finished in the money in all ten of those starts, due to some really crafty managing by his owner, The Squirrel Empire. The son of Street Hero started his career late, back in September of last year, and he didn’t win until his owner shipped him to South America. Argentina must have done wonders for this colt. After a 9.5 furlong MSW win there, it began a streak where Sqrrrl Power would win four of five races, including a couple of stakes wins in Nebraska and Kansas at 10 and 10.5 furlongs. This colt just got better and better as you threw more and more distance at him. In his last start, he equaled his career high with a 97 speed figure in a third place finish in his first graded stakes try, the Grade 2 Clash Of Kings. He lost to Troybuilt, who he’ll see here again in New York this Saturday. Sqrrrl Power should love this 12-furlong New Yorker. His past performances seem to be telling us that the more this colt matures and the longer distances he goes, the better he gets. Might be a surprise long shot to keep your eye on here on Saturday. If Sqrrrl Power gets a fairly clean trip here, and he can handle the traffic, he’s one that a lot of owners are concerned about. He can definitely handle the 12 furlongs the New Yorker will throw at him. It’s hard to understand why this colt is 24-1, given his amount of experience at longer distances than most of the field has.
5 — DYNA DON’T YOU BLOW (KY) Owner: Teejay Racing Stables
Odds: 9/1 (Dynaformer x Trails Of Lappland (Unbridled’s Song x Woodman))
Dyna Don’t You Blow has something that neither winners of the first two legs of the Triple Crown have. That would be a Derby Lock Prep win. Dyna Don’t You Blow really probably didn’t need to win that California Derby Lock Prep to get into the Triple Crown, but it was awfully nice when the son of Dynaformer punched his automatic Derby ticket with a win on the west coast back in early April. The colt owned by Teejay Racing Stables had a number of impressive wins before that. He started off his 2 year old campaign in rather mediocre fashion, throwing a 59 speed figure in breaking his maiden in Idaho, but he quickly progressed up the speed figure ladder after that. His next two races saw him throw 74 and 80 speed figures, and after that, Dyna Don’t You Blow would race exclusively in stakes races. Two of his four stakes wins have come in Vermont, where he prevailed in the Slew The Seas Stakes as a two year old and the prestigious $500,000 Grade 1 Vermont Is 4 Lovers Stakes. His other two stakes wins have come in New York, in the Grade 2 Ransom, where he threw his first triple digit speed figure (102) as a two year old, and of course in California, in the Grade 1 California Derby Lock Prep. This colt has a lot of stamina, and after his sixth and fifth place finishes in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, something became very clear. Dyna Don’t You Blow was making up a ton of ground late on the leaders and was a force to be reckoned with down the stretch. This extra distance he’ll see in the 12-furlong New Yorker can only benefit this son of Dynaformer who possesses a strong, late kick.
6 — SEEK IRISH ROOTS (CAN) Owner: Infinity Farms
Odds: 6/1 (Seeking The Best (IRE) x Montjeu (IRE) x The Minstrel)
Seek Irish Roots is in some ways like Indy Storm Cat. The three year old Canadian-bred colt who broke up Indy Storm Cat’s bid for a Triple Crown with a win in the Middle Jewel three weeks ago also found himself without a stakes win, or even a stakes race, as a two year old. His owner, Infinity Farms, definitely did not follow the beaten path to the Triple Crown. In fact, while Indy Storm Cat was trying to find his way to the Bluegrass Derby while racing west of the Rockies, Seek Irish Roots was taking another, very unusual path to Kentucky. The Infinity Farms prodigy was globe-trotting his way to Kentucky. This colt did not even step onto an American racetrack until January 29 of this year. He broke his maiden impressively in his first start in Malaysia, when he popped a 70 speed figure in his first start. Seek Irish Roots found himself winding his way through three continents and seven starts as a two year old after that maiden win. Unlike Indy Storm Cat, Seek Irish Roots would rack up a few wins before he turned three. In October of his two year old campaign, he would start a four-race win streak that would culminate with a couple of stakes wins as a three year old, the last of which was the 9-furlong Grade 3 Scam Stakes. The Scam Stakes would not only be Seek Irish Roots’ first race in America, but it also would find the son of Seeking The Best throwing an eye-popping 104 speed figure in that event in California. After a fourth place finish in the Pebble Beach Special in northern California, Seek Irish Roots would take his act on the road again, stamping his passport for Dubai, as he desperately searched for his ticket to the Derby. He would try the Grade 1 Sand Castle Derby Lock Prep on March 26. The owner of Infinity Farms would be disappointed there, when his colt finished fourth, although he did climb back up to a respectable 103 speed figure in that race. Less than two months before the Derby, and Seek Irish Roots still didn’t have even a Grade 2 win. Then something magical happened. A player-sponsored stakes race opened up in New Jersey, right across the river from where he’ll be racing on Saturday. Infinity Farms shipped his colt from Dubai to New Jersey and on a three-week turnaround, Seek Irish Roots would get that coveted Grade 1 Jersey Derby win that allowed him to get into the Bluegrass Derby. Seek Irish Roots was a couple of spots behind Indy Storm Cat, in 17th place early in the Bluegrass Derby, but he fought gamely from a 14-length deficit to a respectable fifth place finish in the Derby. He made up an incredible amount of ground in the stretch in Kentucky. Then, he shipped in to Maryland, where he found himself well back at the start once again, only one horse behind him early on. But Seek Irish Roots would make a stretch run for the ages in The Middle Jewel, making up more than 9 lengths on the leader by the third call and drawing off to win by 1 1/4 lengths in the Middle Jewel. And now, here the Canadian-bred colt stands, on the edge of history’s cliff, with Tuff Enuff (2004) and Awesome Force (2007), trying to become only the third horse in Derbyfever history to come back and win the second and third legs of the Triple Crown after losing in the Bluegrass Derby. Not too shabby for a Canadian-bred colt who never set foot on an American race track until his three year old season, eh?
7 — SHOOT THE BARREL (KY) Owner: Lwslo Stables
Odds: 12/1 (Stormy Atlantic x Ready To Rahy (Rahy x Red Ransom)
In his first ten starts, Shoot The Barrel finished in the money in eight of them. He was an extremely consistent, hard-working colt who was working his way up the ladder gradually. The highest speed figure (91) of his two year old career came in the Upper State Juvenile Stakes, where he finished third. He entered graded stakes company for the first time immediately after that when he was chased down by Union Buster late in the Grade 3 Pleasure Stakes in Nevada and finished second there. That was his last start as a two year old. He really started to mature as a three year old when he won a couple of listed stakes in northern California and Nevada to start his sophomore campaign, and his speed figures were starting to climb. He popped his first century mark speed figure (101) in the Grade 1 California Derby Lock Prep, where he again blew a late lead and finished third to Dyna Don’t You Blow and Unbridled Mill. After that great run in the Grade 1 California Derby, Shoot The Barrel threw in a bit of a bounce race in the Grade 2 Captain Hook, but he rebounded well in the second leg of the Triple Crown when he finished fourth after stalking the early leaders. Shoot The Barrel has never been longer than 9.5 furlongs, and he’s got quite a bit of early speed, so distance could be an issue for him in the 12-furlong New Yorker. But if this colt can get to the front early, he’s certainly capable of making this race in New York very interesting.
8 — CONFIDENTLY WRONG (AUS) Owner: Desperado Stables
Odds: 9/1 (Encosta De Lago (AUS) x Howdoyoulikemenow (Forty Niner x Nureyev)
Now here’s a major player in this year’s New Yorker. Confidently Wrong has eight in-the-money finishes in 11 starts, and he has over $600,000 in earnings to show for it. This son of Encosta De Lago threw a huge race five weeks ago in the Bluegrass Derby, and it was a bit of a puzzle when he didn’t show up in the Middle Jewel. But it’s just wrong to question Desperado Stables. If he didn’t run this horse in the Middle Jewel, there was probably a good reason. The reason was probably that he was letting Confidently Wrong take a breather and getting him ready to make this Triple Crown a three-way split in 2011. Confidently Wrong is capable of doing just that. You know a horse is well managed and well bred, or both, when you see a past performance chart that indicates a gradual increase in speed figures each time out. That’s so beautiful to see. And, besides one little hiccup, Confidently Wrong has done exactly that. He started out his career winning four out of five, including the 8.5 furlong Grade 3 Buckeye Juvenile. That earned him a spot in the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile, where he suffered his first defeat in five starts. He did bounce back with a great effort in the Movieland Futurity right after that. He finished second in the Movieland, beaten a quarter of a length. This horse loves to come from way back. After a sixth place finish in the Grade 3 Scam, the son of Encosta De Lago won the Grade 3 Switchboard Special, popping his first 100-plus speed figure. After a fourth place finish in the Chicago Derby, he was sent off at odds of 14-1 in the Derby, and he surprised more than a few folks when he came driving late in the stretch and finished third behind Indy Storm Cat and Eric’s Fast, both of whom he’ll see this weekend in New York. If any colt will appreciate this marathon New Yorker, it’s probably the colt from Desperado Stables. Let this colt get some room to run late, and he’s a serious contender to make this Triple Crown a Triple Split this year. Watch this guy. He wants more distance. And that’s exactly what he’s going to get here.
9 — SONG OF INDY (KY) Owner: EB Stables
Odds: 9/1 (Unbridled’s Song x A.P Indy x Storm Cat)
Song Of Indy went into the Bluegrass Derby undefeated, going a perfect 7-7 to start his career. His stable mate, Eric’s Fast (who also has the exact same breeding as Song Of Indy, by the way), has over $1.1 million in his bank so far. Song Of Indy is definitely knocking on that million dollar door, too. With over $921,000 in earnings, this breeding has paid off quite handsomely for EB Stables. Song Of Indy is pretty much a front-end type, like his stable mate, but Song Of Indy has shown a preference to lay just a little off the early pace and play stalk-the-leaders. He only had three starts as a two year old, all in Colorado, and he broke the 90 speed figure barrier for the first time in his final two year old start. He kicked off his three year old campaign with another win in Colorado before he hit the stakes trail. And what an impressive three year old campaign Song Of Indy had. He threw the biggest speed figure (99) of his career up to that point, in his first stakes try, a win in the Boheaven Special Stakes in Minnesota on a very sloppy track. And that’s when the money really started to roll in for this colt. He popped the highest speed figure of his career (110) in the $500,000 Grade 2 Land’s End, before he got his automatic ticket to the derby with a 3/4 length win in the Grade 1 Corkscrew Stakes Derby Lock Prep in eastern Kentucky. In the Bluegrass Derby, Song Of Indy stalked the early leaders, just as he had done much of his career, and 7.5 furlongs into the Derby, he found himself second behind his stable mate, Eric’s Fast. It looked for a while like EB Stables was going to hit the jackpot in the Bluegrass with a 1-2 finish, before Indy Storm Cat spoiled the party with his late stretch run. Song Of Indy ended up finishing fourth in the Bluegrass. He’s probably going to lay close to the leaders here on Saturday in New York, and if past history has any say in the matter, he’ll probably be following right behind his stable mate, Eric’s Fast.
10 — TROYBUILT (KY) Owner: Lenny271
Odds: 25/1 (Tale of Ekati x Fappiano x Troy (GB))
One of the new shooters here in the Triple Crown is from the prestigious lenny271 stables. Troybuilt, a son of Tale Of Ekati, threw the first triple digit speed figure of his career last time out when he won the 11 furlong $250,000 Grade 2 Clash Of Kings Stakes in New York. Troybuilt started his racing career in Upper New York, where he failed to break his maiden in his first two starts. He eventually accomplished that feat in New Jersey when he beat a full field of 14 and threw an 88 speed figure in his first try at a mile. Troybuilt, who is one of two entries here from lenny271, has a ton of early speed to go along with the stamina he showed in that 11 furlong Clash Of Kings win last time out. The Tale Of Ekati son has shown a propensity to bounce out of the gates quickly and shoot for the lead, and if he doesn’t get the lead, he’s pretty darned close to the leaders early. He didn’t run in stakes company until his last three starts, where he finished second in the 9.5 furlong Tom E. Nearctic Dirt Route in Louisiana a couple starts back. He lost by only a head there, but after that he won the 10.5 furlong Volotile Seattle Dirt Route in Mexico with a 96 speed figure. Troybuilt will likely be one of those to dictate the early pace here in the New Yorker on Saturday. He’s finished in the money in eight of his ten career starts so far, and he comes in here on a bit of a hot streak, winning three of his last four. The rest of the field had better keep touch with Troybuilt, because this colt has the speed and the stamina to be a serious contender in New York this weekend.
11 — TIZ FLAPPIN’ NOW (CA) Owner: UNIVERSAL RACING CLUB, Inc.
Odds: 6/1 (Dixie Chatter x Tiz Reasonable (Tiznow x Forty Niner))
Tiz Flappin’ Now never raced in the sprint division. This is an extremely dangerous entry here in the New Yorker. Tiz Flappin’ Now, a son of Dixie Chatter out of the Tiznow mare Tiz Reasonable, brings a pretty impressive resume into New York. He finished second behind Seek Irish Roots in the Middle Jewel Stakes. With a little less than five furlongs to go in the Middle Jewel, Tiz Flappin’ Now was running his kind of race, laying back in mid-pack, a little over 12 lengths off the pace, and he came with a tremendous late rally that saw him fall short by a little over a length in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. This colt is going to be one you had better keep your eye on here in New York on Saturday. He’s got plenty of stamina, and he should be primed for another late run here in the 12-furlong third leg. Tiz Flappin’ Now won three of his first six starts, including the 8-furlong Grade 3 Legoland in Louisiana in his first start as a three year old. He’s done very little wrong in his three year old career, outside of a fifth place finish in his first grade 1 attempt in The Brandywine Stakes in February, when he went off as the second betting choice in the field. Tiz Flappin’ Now has not been dodging the competition as a three year old, that’s for sure. He’s acquitted himself well, getting second place finishes in the Grade 3 Gary Asher Memorial, the 10-furlong $500,000 URC Derby, and the Middle Jewel. He did have a third place finish in the Grade 1 Sand Castle Derby Pre Lock in Dubai two starts back, but what is extremely interesting, and dangerous, about this colt is that his speed figures have been rising throughout his three year old campaign. He’s thrown four straight 100-plus speed figures, including a 106 in the URC Derby and a 108 in the Middle Jewel. This colt is legit. If he gets his usual middle of the pack trip here in New York Saturday, he’s got plenty of late kick to swoop in and win the New Yorker.
12 — FIFTY TWO PICKUP (KY) Owner: Simply……..SUPER!
Odds: 10/1 (Street Cry (IRE) x Obtrusive (Storm Cat x Danzig))
Fifty Two Pickup is the first foal from Obtrusive, a Storm Cat mare. If this is any indication of what this mare will throw in the future, look out. He didn’t break his maiden until his fourth time out, with plenty of rest between his debut in February and that maiden win at a mile in Indiana in July. His owner’s patience began to pay off, however, as the son of Street Cry reeled off an allowance win before throwing a 94 speed figure in the 8.5 furlong Grade 3 Bluegrass Juvenile Cup in October while finishing third. After another allowance win, Fifty Two Pickup put himself on the Triple Crown map when he scored big in the $750,000 Movieland Futurity in California. He won that race, and he popped a 97 speed figure to boot in his final two year old race. Fifty Two Pickup has not won as a three year old but he’s thrown triple digit speed figures in four of his five races this season. And it’s showed in his placings, as he’s finished third in the Grade 3 Scam and second in both the Grade 1 Vermont Is 4 Lovers and the Grade 3 Chicago Derby. He ran in both of the first two legs of the Triple Crown, finishing 15th in the Derby (where he dipped below the 100 speed figure for the first time as a three year old). Fifty Two Pickup did a bit better in the Middle Jewel, finishing seventh there and gaining quite a bit of ground late. This son of Street Cry might be coming around again. He doesn’t show a whole lot of early speed, especially as his races have gotten longer. Fifty Two Pickup has developed into an extremely patient, one-run horse, saving his energy to come from far back late. That style might serve him well in the New Yorker, where he’ll see if the extra two furlongs can help him out.
13 — INDY STORM CAT (CA) Owner: Ads1 Stables
Odds: 7/1 (Indy x Catsaway (Forty Niner x Storm Cat))
It was a storybook ride for Indy Storm Cat and his Minnesota owner. After Indy Storm Cat tried his first three turf starts in some big money turf races in California, his owner decided to try him on the dirt. That decision was the best that Ads1 Stables has probably ever made. It was the move that started the son of Indy on a magical journey that ended up with this colt winning the Bluegrass Derby. No one saw it coming, especially during his two year old season. Indy Storm Cat gave new meaning to the term flying under the radar. He wasn’t throwing the splashy speed figures that some of those other brilliant two year olds were throwing. While some two year olds were breaking the century mark in some of the bigger two year old races, and the experts were bandying names about as Triple Crown future hopefuls, Indy Storm Cat was not one you were hearing a whole lot about. Indy Storm Cat raced exclusively in the western United States in his two year old season. Not once did he venture farther east than the Rocky Mountains. That’s pretty typical for California invaders who plan on a Derby appearance in the spring of their three year old season. But Indy Storm Cat had not even been IN a stakes race, much less won one, as a two year old. The highest speed figure of his freshman campaign was an 87, and that didn’t come until his final two year old race, a 9 furlong allowance in California. That race was only his second win in ten two year old starts. The 87 speed figure he threw in that California allowance wasn’t bad, but it was definitely not the stuff that future Triple Crown contenders are made of usually. His owner has his colt stabled in California when he turned three, and he decided to turn Indy Storm Cat back in distance, to the 7.5 furlong Crafty Memorial Stakes in Utah. He came from dead last and won the Crafty Memorial by 1 1/2 lengths, with his first 90-plus speed figure, and that’s when the journey really began for Indy Storm Cat. That race would start Indy Storm Cat on a five-race stakes win streak, going through Louisiana (the Grade 3 Risen Star and the Grade 1 All Saints Derby Prep Lock) and ending up in Kentucky. Indy Storm Cat broke from the 4 post in the Derby and got jostled back to 15th place at the start, but he launched a furious stretch rally that found him winding his way through tiring horses in the 20-horse field late. Though his dream of a Triple Crown ended with a sixth place finish in the Middle Jewel two weeks later, his owner remains upbeat about his colt’s chances in this final leg of the Triple Crown in New York. We may not have seen the best this colt has to offer yet, and with his come-from-behind style, the 12-furlong New Yorker should provide him plenty of ground to stage another mad dash through the stretch to the winner’s circle in New York.
14 — TOP FIVE RECORDS (JAP) Owner: Lenny271
Odds: 23/1 (Conduit x Sonic Death Monkey (Storm Cat x Alydar)
Top Five Records is the first foal from Sonic Death Monkey (which, by the way, is getting my vote, just because of her name). If this foal is any indication of what Sonic Death Monkey is capable of in the breeding shed, you’re going to see a lot written about her foals in the future. Seven in-the-money finishes in ten starts for this foal, Top Five Records, ain’t too shabby. Top Five Records started out his career on the turf in Europe, where he threw some fairly respectable speed figures. Then his owner, the prestigious and highly respected lenny271, threw him on the dirt where he responded immediately with a ten-point jump in speed figures. Good move by Lenny271, who was extremely patient with this colt, and it paid off. He reeled off three wins in a row, all overseas, but in his fourth start, he surprised quite a few folks in Indonesia when he won the Grade 3 Federal Express with a 98 speed figure. Time to ship to the United States, right? Right. And that’s exactly what lenny271 did. Suddenly, the colt that really wasn’t getting much attention jumped up and snagged a very cool third place finish in the Grade 1 Wooden Indian Derby Lock Prep race. He popped a 99 speed figure in that race and then Top Five Records finished sixth in the GRSIMSTERS Derby. He earned a 97 speed figure there. Top Five Records has yet to break the century mark in speed figures with this colt, which is probably why he’s 23-1. But with Conduit as a sire, you know this colt has got to have some stamina, and that’s exactly what’s required here in the 12-furlong New Yorker. There have been more surprises in this race over the years than you can count, and we simply cannot discount any horse in this race, especially one who’s got Conduit as a sire. He’s coming from the 14 hole here, but that shouldn’t bother Top Five Records at all. Give him a play.