Long Acres, Long Memory
Ahh, what memories… As I began to consider this article on the Grade III Long Acres, the 14th race at Washington this Saturday, my mind wandered back to my early days as a horseplayer, the 70’s.
While I’m from the California Bay Area, I was made aware of the old Longacres Race Track in Seattle often. While the racing up in the Northwest was not of terrific quality overall, sharp runners would be sent down to Bay Meadows near San Francisco after the Longacres season ended. Especially the first couple of years this pattern went on, the Longacres horses would often go off at hefty odds; they’d be lightly regarded because the NW racing was considered inferior. Then, these horses would pull off upset wins, sometimes win streaks! The Bay Area players never fully caught on to this phenomenon, helping some of us (including me!) take advantage!
I had to get up to Seattle to see this place that kept feeding my wallet each fall… I finally did, and it was a neat ol’ place full of atmosphere; mostly wooden grandstand, difficult traffic as Seattle had grown drastically around the place since its opening in 1933. I loved the old place, but progress reared its ugly head before I could get back up there again and good ol’ Longacres was the victim as a huge mall/industrial complex was built on the acreage in the early 90’s.
For three years, Seattle was probably the biggest metro area in the US with no racetrack… The new track, Emerald Downs, was built in 1996. Has all the atmosphere of a McDonald’s. Oh, well… I digress.
Let’s get back to the Sim world before I start to go on about the ace-riding Baze family… The Grade III Long Acres is a one-mile dirt test with a hefty $400,000 purse, and this year’s edition has drawn a tough field of 14 older horses. Let’s have a look while I’m off the nostalgia trip…
DYNIMIGHT is a 4yo Dynaformer colt who has been a tough customer in the allowance ranks at a wide variety of distances. However, the crandy trainee has had a tough go of it against stakes competition. Today’s eight furlongs might be his best distance, particularly if he can build a comfortable lead early. Might be tough to get that lead in this spot, with four confirmed frontrunners here. The odds are attractive at 15/1, but there are questions to be answered.
THE JOKES ON YOU is another who has done most of his recent damage in the allowance ranks, but this e2912 trainee has fired a few big numbers in big races in the past. At 10/1, this 6yo son of Ghostzapper can be dangerous off his best run. Could sit in that “garden spot” just off the pace and strike late.
POUNDERS is another speedy Dynaformer offspring that will likely want the lead early. The allvindy trainee has shown some “stick-to-it” in some nice stakes races lately, but his speed numbers might be a bit low overall. Goes off at 12/1 and has a shot, but will need a top effort here.
LEFT OF REASON is one of the 7/1 co-favorites and draws the top rider (32%!) to boot. The 4yo Curlin colt has won 4 of his last 5, all at today’s distance. The third-place finisher in the 2010 Breeders Bowl Dirt Mile has a pair of Graded stakes wins and an $800k bankroll. His style fits the race, and the simsters7 trainee should be very dangerous in this spot.
THOUGHT EXPERIMENT is a quick one, but has shown that he can lay just off the pace. However, he has fizzled badly in his Graded runs since his win in the Grade III Mineshaft Handicap back in February. The tenpin8 trainee, a 5yo son of Unbridled’s Song, keeps piling up the wins in between the Graded failures, however. He’s 10/1; what will he do here? Good question…
KAL EL is the other 7/1 co-choice. The 5yo son of Galileo has been super in allowances and small stakes, but his big late run was coming up well short vs. Graded company until his big win in the Grade II Li’l Leprechaun Stakes last time out. A repeat of that effort by this tesio trainee could do the trick here.
TEX CAT took a nearly 3-month layoff after 3 disappointments in some very classy races, but came up short in a mile allowance. The 5yo son of Storm Cat is reportedly kicking the stall doors down now after that tightener, and kingranch says, “I know this looks tough, but ‘the Cat’ is sharper than heck. Had to try it, even though it’s just two weeks…” He gets an excellent rider (24%) and 13/1 odds.
The third of the trio of 7/1 favorites is K’S GIANT DOSSIER, a 5yo son of Giant’s Causeway with a strong resume. The bacchus trainee spent most of 2009 and 2010 battling top-class stock, and with more than a little success. After a disappointing year-end with a 7th in the Breeders Bowl Dirt Mile and a 6th in the Japan Dirt Cup, he was put out to pasture for four long months. His 2011 comeback has been strong, with 3 wins in 5 allowances, all at Japan. Now he tries the big boys again, and looks dangerous.
RAPTOR RIDGE goes off at 8/1 for super28. This is another who has been awesome in allowances and small stakes, but has been unable to get the job done vs. the big boys. However, the 4yo Dylan Thomas colt has managed to get close a number of times, and grabbed the place spot in the Grade III Naked Diver back in December. That race had an extra furlong for him to get his late run going, though.
PURE SMOKE is a 5yo son of the somewhat obscure Storm Cat sire Pure Prize and is yet another of these who has knocked on the door in graded races while being just short of making the winner’s circle. The galloplaz trainee goes off at 9/1 and will need his best effort to compete here.
STREET DEAL has been brought along in a patient manner and that strategy is beginning to pay off. This 4yo Street Hero colt was claimed by foxon7 (from foxon5, a deft in-house pass) a year ago, and has cruised nicely through the allowance ranks since. He was finally entered in a small stakes and won that in easy style, then ran a nice 3rd in his Graded debut last time out. He goes off at 8/1 here despite the inexperience, and looks to have a good shot.
Here’s yet another up-and-comer, a 4yo Medaglia D’Oro colt named WHATSITGONNABE. Trained by sicko2, he has really found his best stride in the last few months while blowing up allowance foes in his last three fast-track starts. This is a tough spot for a Graded debut, but ya gotta start somewhere (and all graded races are tough spots!), and this guy is sharp as can be right now. Goes off at a wallet-friendly 16/1.
BRANDAL is another with little Graded experience, but the 4yo Spring At Last colt finished a strong 2nd to KAL EL in his last, the Grade II Li’l Leprechaun Stakes. The ceclaim24 trainee comes in fit and ready and gets generous 12/1 odds. The rider is having a bit of an off-year in the win department, but gets ’em in position to compete.
TONYOCITY is the longest price on the board, at 23/1. The 5yo son of Pleasantly Perfect is ranked #49 on “back class”, but has done little lately. A turf try last time out didn’t fare too well, but tamjennic hopes that this ploy will pull his runner out of his recent funk.
I’ll pass on the tea leaves and the Magic 8-Ball… I have word from Harry Potter himself that all I need to pick winners is a little wizardry. Gee, thanks, Harry… Go play Quidditch or something. 🙂
I’m going to take a flyer on the up-and-comer, WHATSITGONNABE.
I’ll pick KAL EL to fly in 2nd, and another up-and-comer, STREET DEAL to grab 3rd.
Good luck all!